Contrary Magazine
Encyclopedia
Contrary Magazine is a quarterly literary journal that publishes commentary, fiction and poetry, and that specializes in work "that combines the virtues of those categories." Founded at the University of Chicago
as the Journal of Unpopular Discontent, Contrary began operating independently on the South Side of Chicago
in 2003. It features new voices beside established writers, and has published such writers as Ben Maddow
, Sherman Alexie
, Literary Review
founder Walter Cummins, the columnist Heywood Broun
, the novelist Thomas E. Kennedy, poets Derek Pollard, Robert Lietz, and Taylor Graham, and the first literary fiction of the mystery writer Andrew Coburn (author)
.
and poetry
, emerging poets in Ireland
, nature writing
, art
and art museums, literary culture, and memoir
.
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
as the Journal of Unpopular Discontent, Contrary began operating independently on the South Side of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 2003. It features new voices beside established writers, and has published such writers as Ben Maddow
Ben Maddow
Ben Maddow was a prolific screenwriter and documentarian from the 1930s through the 70s. Educated at Columbia University, Maddow began his career working within the American documentary movement in the 30s.In 1936 he co-founded the short-lived left-wing newsreel The World Today...
, Sherman Alexie
Sherman Alexie
Sherman Joseph Alexie, Jr. is a writer, poet, filmmaker, and occasional comedian. Much of his writing draws on his experiences as a Native American. Two of Alexie's best known works are The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven , a book of short stories and Smoke Signals, a film...
, Literary Review
Literary Review
Literary Review is a British literary magazine founded in 1979 by Anne Smith, then head of the Department of English at Edinburgh University. Its offices are currently on Lexington Street in Soho, London, and it has a circulation of 44,750. Britain's principal literary monthly, the magazine was...
founder Walter Cummins, the columnist Heywood Broun
Heywood Broun
Heywood Campbell Broun, Jr. was an American journalist. He worked as a sportswriter, newspaper columnist, and editor in New York City. He founded the American Newspaper Guild, now known as The Newspaper Guild. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he is best remembered for his writing on social issues and...
, the novelist Thomas E. Kennedy, poets Derek Pollard, Robert Lietz, and Taylor Graham, and the first literary fiction of the mystery writer Andrew Coburn (author)
Andrew Coburn (author)
Andrew Coburn is a United States novelist. His work has been translated into fourteen languages and three of his novels have been adapted into French films subsequently subtitled in German and Italian. He is married to Bernadine Casey Coburn, a former journalist and Boston University publicist...
.
Reviews
In 2007, Contrary began publishing up to a dozen book reviews each quarter, with reviewers who specialize in contemporary fictionFiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
and poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, emerging poets in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, nature writing
Nature writing
Nature writing is generally defined as nonfiction prose writing about the natural environment. Nature writing often draws heavily on scientific information and facts about the natural world; at the same time, it is frequently written in the first person and incorporates personal observations of and...
, art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
and art museums, literary culture, and memoir
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
.