brief

The other New Zealand literary journal

Year: 2016

Issue 55 Supplement: How Many Miles To Babylon

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On December 25, 2016

In Supplement

How Many Miles to Babylon? Three Faces of Mike Johnson’s Lear

Did Mike Johnson know that there had once been a “Babylon” on the Kaipara when he chose that name for his imaginary village? I don’t know. I haven’t asked him.

Even if he had, would it make much difference to the nature of the novel he dreamt up: that strange mixture of courtly erudition and intense, provincial ignorance? Not directly, no. His larger point would, I’m sure, remain valid in either case.

Why bother to go and look for it, then?

I suppose, if I were to be honest, that the impetus for this quest – and the larger study of “Speculative Fictional” landscapes within New Zealand which it forms a part of – is largely supplied by its paradoxical nature…
– Jack Ross

The following is a colour supplement for Jack Ross‘ essay, How Many Miles to Babylon? which appears in brief issue 55. All photographs: Bronwyn Lloyd (5/8/16).

Mike Johnson: Lear (1986)

Mike Johnson: Lear (1986)

Mike Johnson’s dystopian SF novel is set on a waterway described only as “the river,” in a tiny settlement called “Babylon.”

Tangiteroria

Tangiteroria

Scaffolding at Tangiteroria, on SH14 between Whangarei and Dargaville.

Northern Wairoa River

Northern Wairoa River

 

Northern Wairoa River

Northern Wairoa River

The upper reaches of “the river” – at Tangiteroria.

The view

The view

The view from Tangiteroria, looking towards the West Coast.

Tangowahine

Tangowahine

A prototype for Babylon? The tiny settlement of Tangowahine, on the way towards the coast.

Wairoa River (Dargaville)

Wairoa River (Dargaville)

Funnily enough, the Wairoa River was always referred to simply as “the river” by the inhabitants of the Kapipara. Here it is at its widest, looking over towards Te Kopuru.

Babylon Coast Road

Babylon Coast Road

The sign is on SH 12, 6 kms north of Dargaville.

Babylon Coast Road

Babylon Coast Road

 

Stop!

Stop!

 

Babylon Coast Road

Babylon Coast Road

Storm clouds coming over the hills from Babylon: the former gum-digging settlement down near Baylys Beach.

The full text of How Many Miles to Babylon? Three Faces of Mike Johnson’s Lear by Jack Ross appears in brief issue 55.

Book launch: two chapbooks from Seraph Press, Auckland

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On December 8, 2016

In Events, Publications

Book launch for two chapbooks from Seraph Press.

Shipwrecks/Shelters: Six Contemporary Greek Poets, edited and translated by Vana Manasiadis, and Observations: Poems by Claudio Pasi, translated by Tim Smith with Marco Sonzogni.

When: Wednesday 16 December, 6pm
Where: St Paul St Gallery, 40 Paul St, Auckland
Who: Readings by Vana Manasiadis, Paula Green, Hemi Kelly, Glenn Colquhoun, Tulia Thompson, Siobhan Harvey, Doug Poole, and Jack Ross.

A multilingual poetry reading to celebrate the launch of the first the first two chapbooks in the Seraph Press Translation Series. Poetry readings in and from Greek, Italian, Maori, Fijian, Norwegian, Samoan, and French.

Launch: Richard von Sturmer, This Explains Everything

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On November 8, 2016

In Events, Publications

This Explains EverythingBook launch for This Explains Everything (Atuanui Press, 2016)

When: Friday November 18, 6 pm
Where: Onehunga Community House, 83 Selwyn Street, Onehunga, Auckland.
Who: Author Richard von Sturmer. Introduction by Scott Hamilton, music by Gabriel White.

This Explains Everything is part memoir and part adventure story, and also features recent poetry and prose poems.

“This is a gorgeous and poignant book, an intensely personal story of family love and yearning that also speaks to the formation of the imaginative self. Richard von Sturmer is the best New Zealand memoirist since Martin Edmond.” – Anne Kennedy

“This is beautiful writing; dream-like, precise, magnificent.” – Don McGlashan

Poetry Readings, Christchurch

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On October 28, 2016

In Events

Poetry in Performance

Christchurch 2016The following sessions are part of the Canterbury Poets’ Collective Poetry in Performance series, held at ARA. Each session is approx 2 hrs long and includes an open mic section.

When: Wednesday November 9, 6.30p.m
Where: ARA Imagetech Lecture Theatre, 5 Madras St, Christchurch
Who: Nick Ascroft, Greg O’Connell, Marisa Cappetta

Entry $5. Guests and open mic.

When: Wednesday November 16, 6.30p.m
Where: ARA Imagetech Lecture Theatre, 5 Madras St, Christchurch
Who: David Howard, best of Open Mic

Entry $5.

Event: “Writers Make With Music” (Auckland)

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On October 1, 2016

In Events

Writers Make With Music
Writers music When: Wed Oct 19th, 8.30 pm
Where: The Wine Cellar, Karangahape Rd
Who: Richard Taylor, Richard Von Sturmer, Stephanie Christie, Lisa Samuels, Bill Direen, Ross Brighton, Andrew McCully, Greg Kan, Jonathon Cratford,  Stu Page,  Auckland University Student Composers.

Free entry.

to celebrate the relationship between words and music.

 

Event: “Writers Make With Music” (Dunedin, Christchurch)

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On September 12, 2016

In Events

Writers make with music – Dunedin

Writers music

When: Thursday 6 October, 6pm
Where: Dunedin Library (Dunningham Suite)
Who: David Eggleton, Ian Loughran, Ian Chapman, Bill Direen, Lynley Edmeades with musicians Jackson Harry and Stuart Porter.

University Book Shop will offer book sales on the evening (EFTPOS available). Free entry.
Writers make with music – Christchurch

When: Sunday 9 Oct, 8.30 pm
Where: Lyttleton Coffee Company, London St, Lyttleton
Who: Bill Direen, Roger Hickin, Kathleen Gallagher, Frankie McMillan.
Free entry.

Performances will range from simple songs, to poems with backing, and from improvisations to syllabic artistry.

Poetry Reading, Titirangi

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On August 29, 2016

In Events

Titirangi Poets

Where: Titirangi Library
When: Saturday 10 September, 2pm – 3.45pm
Who: Jack Ross and Stu Bagby

Followed by a round robin where everyone is invited to read a poem, their own or anyone else’s. MC Piers Davies. Contact 5246 927 or piers@wwandd.co.nz for further information.

Jack Ross Stu BagbyJack Ross has been the managing editor of Poetry New Zealand since 2014. His publications to date include five poetry collections, three novels and three books of short fiction. He works as a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Massey University’s Albany Campus.

Stu Bagby has published both as an anthologist and a poet. His poetry has appeared in several collections and has been included in the Best of the Best New Zealand Poems and Essential New Zealand Poems. He hopes to have a new collection of poems ready for publication later this year.

Poetry Reading, Takapuna

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On August 27, 2016

In Events

Celebrating Poetry

Where: Takapuna Library, Level 1
When: Tuesday 30 August, 6pm – 7.30pm
Who: Michael Giacon, Joy MacKenzie, Bronwyn Lloyd, Jack Ross (MC Stu Bagby)

Light refreshments will be served from 6pm, with the event starting at 6.30pm.

Cost: Gold coin/donation

Poetry reading, Auckland

By

On July 28, 2016

In Events

Tika Tonu A Tu Ki A Koe – Be True to Yourself

Poetry Reading: Tika Tonu A Tu Ki A Koe – Be True to Yourself

Where: Time Out Bookstore, Mt Eden, Auckland
When: Friday 12 August at 7pm.

Who:  Makyla Curtis, Steven Toussaint, Kiri Piahana-Wong, Selina Tusitala Marsh, Vaughan Rapatahana, Iain Britton.

This is a BYO event. Come relax, have a drink and listen to some fantastic poetry!

Call for submissions: issue 55

By

On July 20, 2016

In Call For Submissions

Brief Call for Submissions

The 55th issue of brief will be a general issue. Anything goes!

Submissions are to be received by September 29, 2016, and can be emailed to brief.the.journal [at]gmail.com. Non-electronic submissions up to A4 in size can be mailed to the editor by prior arrangement.

View our submission guidelines here.

Brief, a biannual print journal (founded in 1995), is a space for new experimental writing, work that does something interesting, etc. It publishes poetry, prose, essays & criticism, hybrid forms, and occasionally visual art. Contributors receive an issue of the journal as payment.

Brief issue 54

By

On July 1, 2016

In Issues

Brief 54 Cover

Special issue: Love

Edited by Olivia Macassey. 136pp.

Featuring work by: John Adams, Nick Ascroft, Cassandra Atherton, Stu Bagby, Cassandra Barnett, Iain Britton, Isaac Brodie, Berengaria Burns, Stephanie Christie, Mary Cresswell, David Lyndon Brown, Rene Harrison, Ted Jenner, Matt Kelly, Robert Kempen, Sid Khanzode, Harvey Molloy, Janet Newman, Piet Nieuwland, Keith Nunes, Sugu Pillay, Vaughan Rapatahana, Sean Redmond, Jack Ross, Carin Smeaton, Ruby Solly, Fiona Stevens, Richard Taylor, Richard von Sturmer, Bill Wolak, Mark Young.

Reviews: Michael Onslow-Osbourne reviews Carbon Shapes and Dark Matter by Stephanie Christie; Olivia Macassey reviews Song of the Ghost in the Machine by Roger Horrocks.

“Love, exciting and new/ Come aboard, we’re expecting you” (Paul Williams, Love Boat Theme)

Older issues 1995-2014

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On July 1, 2016

In Notes

brief issue 1

For details of older issues of brief, we suggest you visit the excellent and comprehensive website A brief index.

The website includes a full list of contents pages, contributors and editors of each issue, as well as a breakdown by issue and contributor. It also includes other interesting material relating to the journal’s history, such as editorial statements and manifestos, and a list of books published by brief.

The magazine was founded in December 1995 by Alan Loney. Its format was simple: A4 sheets, copied exactly as their authors wrote them, stapled together, then distributed with bio notes and a cover.

Call for submissions: issue 54 – love

By

On January 1, 2016

In Call For Submissions

“Love, exciting and new/ Come aboard, we’re expecting you” (Paul Williams, Love Boat Theme)

“Once the first avowal has been made, “I love you” has no meaning whatever; it merely repeats in an enigmatic mode – so blank does it appear – the old message (which may not have been transmitted in these words). I repeat it exclusive of any pertinence; it comes out of the language, it divagates – where?” (Roland Barthes [trans. Richard Howard], A Lover’s Discourse)

Submissions are invited for the 54th issue of brief, which will be a thematic issue on love, edited by Olivia Macassey. Submissions are to be received by February 29, 2016, and can be emailed to brief.the.journal [at]gmail.com. Non-electronic submissions up to A4 in size can be mailed to the editor by prior arrangement.

View our submission guidelines here.

Brief, a biannual print journal (founded in 1995), is a space for new experimental writing, work that does something interesting, etc. It publishes poetry, prose, essays & criticism, hybrid forms, and occasionally visual art. Contributors receive an issue of the journal as payment.

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