Tin House Magazine, Volume 13, Issue 4, Summer 2012: #52 Summer Reading

Tin House #52

by Win McCormack (Editor), Rob Spillman (Editor), Holly MacArthur (Editor)

Tin House is an award-winning literary magazine that publishes new writers as well as more established voices; essays as well as fiction, poetry, and interviews.

Genres: Short Stories, Poetry, Fiction

220 pages, Paperback

First published June 12, 2012

About the author

Win McCormack is an American publisher and editor from Oregon.

He is editor-in-chief of Tin House magazine and Tin House Books, the former publisher of Oregon Magazine, and founder and treasurer of MediAmerica, Inc. He serves on the board of directors of the journal New Perspectives Quarterly. His political and social writings have appeared in Oregon Humanities, Tin House, The Nation, The Oregonian, and Oregon Magazine. McCormack's investigative coverage of the Rajneeshee movement was awarded a William Allen White Commendation from the University of Kansas and the City and Regional Magazine Association. His latest book, You Don’t Know Me: A Citizen's Guide to Republican Family Values, examines the sex scandals of Republican politicians who espouse "moral values."

As a political activist, McCormack served as Chair of the Oregon Steering Committee for Gary Hart's 1984 presidential campaign. He is chair of the Democratic Party of Oregon's President's Council and a member of the Obama for President Oregon Finance Committee. McCormack was also chosen as Alternate Delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention. He currently serves on the Oregon Council for the Humanities and the Oregon Tourism Commission. Additionally, McCormack sits on the Board of Overseers for Emerson College, and is a co-founder of the Los Angeles-based Liberty Hill Foundation

Reviews

[Vin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like science in literature, but I like human weirdness in literature much more. For Kristen Iskandrian's short story on the nature of social anxiety (The Inheritors) & Bennett Sims's freakishly fantastic story about unghosting while housesitting (House-sitting) I would've given this all 5 stars. But, the crossword puzzle almost drove me to violence so I had to drop a star to assuage my bruised ego.

[John Rinker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this from cover to cover, but if only one story stays with me, it's Amy Hempel's "A Full Service Shelter." The selflessness and love required to work in a place that starts with attachment and ends too often with death says so much about the volunteers' character and humanity.

[Fawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost done with this short story/essay/poem periodical. Really outstanding pieces in this. Thinking of subscribing.

[Elise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this literary magazine at an indie bookstore in Portland that was linked to the publishing house. It had several back issues, but I was disappointed to find that the magazine went out of business several years ago, since it seemed a very high quality publication.

This issue was a mix of short stories, poems, essays and book reviews, including works by Alice Munro and Sherman Alexie. It was enjoyable to dip into the different pieces, although some were quite depressing for an issue titled Summer Reading. I would definitely pick up another issue next time I'm in this bookstore.

[Karen Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extraordinary issue! I have only blogged comments about five stories so far, and read a few more, but they are all terrific.

Detailed comments (with possible spoilers) on the following on our blog:

Bennett Sims: "House-Sitter"
Kristen Iskandrian: "The Inheritors"
Alice Munro: "Dolly"
Holly Goddard Jones: "The Right Way to End a Story"
Jess Row: "Summer Song"
Amy Hempel: "A Full Service Shelter"

[Mike Zinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tin House never fails to satisfy. Standouts for me were House-sitting by Bennett Sims and the prose poem by Sherman Alexie. The rest was great too, but those in particular stood out.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In the summer, Ed Lebetter pickled fish that he raised in his pond over the hill. Thompson like the pickled fish very much." - Deer by Nina Buckless

[Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man, the Maksik story is great.