Post Road (magazine)
Encyclopedia
Post Road is an American
literary magazine
founded in 1999 that publishes fiction, nonfiction, criticism, poetry, art, and theatre. In addition to these traditional genres, the magazine also features a "Recommendations" section in which established writers suggest their favorite work and an "Etcetera" section which presents literary curiosities such as letters, reprints, and interviews. Post Road is published biannually by the Department of English at Boston College
.
in 1999 by Jaime Clarke and David Ryan with the following core editors: Rebecca Boyd, Susan Breen, Hillary Chute, Mark Conway, Pete Hausler, Kristina Lucenko (1999–2003), Anne McCarty and Michael Rosovsky. Editors Emeritus include Sean Burke (1999–2001), Jaime Clarke (1999–2008), Mary Cotton, as Publisher and Managing Editor (2004–2008), Erin Falkevitz (2005–2006), Alden Jones (2002–2004), Fiona Maazel (2001–2002), Marcus McGraw (2003–2004), Catherine Parnell, as Managing Editor (2003), and Samantha Pitchel (2006–2008). From 2006 to 2008, Post Road partnered with Lesley University
. Since 2008, Post Road has been housed at Boston College
.
The name "Post Road"
refers to the historic route between New York City
and Boston
.
Criticism Editor: Hillary Chute
Fiction Editors: Rebecca Boyd, Mary Cotton, Michael Rosovsky, David Ryan
Nonfiction Editors: Josephine Bergin, Pete Hausler, Oona Patrick
Poetry Editors: Mark Conway, Anne McCarty, Nicolette Nicola, Jeffrey Shotts, Lissa Warren
Recommendations Editors: Tim Huggins, Devon Sprague, Eugenio Volpe
Theatre Editor: David Ryan
Layout and Design: Josephine Bergin
Web Designer: David Prior
Managing Editor: Christopher Boucher
Assistant Managing Editors: Sarah Berry, Kacy Walz
Copyeditor: Valerie Duff-Strautmann
, Tom Perrotta
, Edith Pearlman
, Olena Kalytiak Davis
, Barry Gifford
, Michael Lowenthal
, and Jonathan Ames
. Other established writers, for example Robert Pinksy and Annie Proulx, have contributed recommendation pieces to the magazine.
story “The Smile on Happy Chang’s Face,” which first appeared in Issue 8 of Post Road, was included in Best American Short Stories 2005 and has been chosen for the 2010 Boston Book Festival
’s “One City One Story” program. Stories, essays, and poems from the magazine have also been included in Pushcart Prize
anthologies, received honorable mentions for the O. Henry Prize, and been selected for Best American Essays, Best American Travel Writing, and Best American Poetry.
The Boston Phoenix says Post Road "exudes experimental vigor without succumbing to the temptation of being edgy for the sake of edginess." In 2008, the Boston Globe identified Post Road as one of the top ten literary journals in New England because it "publishes a great mix of high-quality writing while maintaining its cutting-edge voice."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
literary magazine
Literary magazine
A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry and essays along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters...
founded in 1999 that publishes fiction, nonfiction, criticism, poetry, art, and theatre. In addition to these traditional genres, the magazine also features a "Recommendations" section in which established writers suggest their favorite work and an "Etcetera" section which presents literary curiosities such as letters, reprints, and interviews. Post Road is published biannually by the Department of English at Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
.
History
Post Road was founded in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1999 by Jaime Clarke and David Ryan with the following core editors: Rebecca Boyd, Susan Breen, Hillary Chute, Mark Conway, Pete Hausler, Kristina Lucenko (1999–2003), Anne McCarty and Michael Rosovsky. Editors Emeritus include Sean Burke (1999–2001), Jaime Clarke (1999–2008), Mary Cotton, as Publisher and Managing Editor (2004–2008), Erin Falkevitz (2005–2006), Alden Jones (2002–2004), Fiona Maazel (2001–2002), Marcus McGraw (2003–2004), Catherine Parnell, as Managing Editor (2003), and Samantha Pitchel (2006–2008). From 2006 to 2008, Post Road partnered with Lesley University
Lesley University
Lesley University is a private, coeducational university in Boston, Massachusetts and Cambridge, Massachusetts.The university is a member of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, National Association of Schools of Art and Design, and New England Collegiate Conference.-History:The...
. Since 2008, Post Road has been housed at Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
.
The name "Post Road"
Boston Post Road
The Boston Post Road was a system of mail-delivery routes between New York City and Boston, Massachusetts that evolved into the first major highways in the United States.The three major alignments were the Lower Post Road The Boston Post Road was a system of mail-delivery routes between New York...
refers to the historic route between New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
.
Current Masthead
Art Director: Susan BreenCriticism Editor: Hillary Chute
Fiction Editors: Rebecca Boyd, Mary Cotton, Michael Rosovsky, David Ryan
Nonfiction Editors: Josephine Bergin, Pete Hausler, Oona Patrick
Poetry Editors: Mark Conway, Anne McCarty, Nicolette Nicola, Jeffrey Shotts, Lissa Warren
Recommendations Editors: Tim Huggins, Devon Sprague, Eugenio Volpe
Theatre Editor: David Ryan
Layout and Design: Josephine Bergin
Web Designer: David Prior
Managing Editor: Christopher Boucher
Assistant Managing Editors: Sarah Berry, Kacy Walz
Copyeditor: Valerie Duff-Strautmann
Notable Contributors
Many prominent writers have had work published in Post Road, including Rick MoodyRick Moody
Rick Moody is an American novelist and short story writer best known for the 1994 novel The Ice Storm, a chronicle of the dissolution of two suburban Connecticut families over Thanksgiving weekend in 1973, which brought widespread acclaim, became a bestseller, and was made into a feature film of...
, Tom Perrotta
Tom Perrotta
Thomas R. Perrotta is an Albanian-American/ Italian-American novelist and screenwriter best known for his novels Election and Little Children , both of which were made into critically acclaimed, Academy Award-nominated films...
, Edith Pearlman
Edith Pearlman
-Life:Pearlman grew up in Providence, Rhode Island and graduated from Radcliffe College. She has worked in a computer firm and a soup kitchen and has served in the Town Meeting of Brookline, Massachusetts....
, Olena Kalytiak Davis
Olena Kalytiak Davis
Olena Kalytiak Davis is an American poet.She is the author of two poetry collections, most recently, Shattered Sonnets, Love Cards, And Other Off-And-Back Handed Importunities . Her first book, And Her Soul Out Of Nothing, won the Brittingham Prize...
, Barry Gifford
Barry Gifford
Barry Gifford is an American author, poet, and screenwriter known for his distinctive mix of American landscapes and film noir- and Beat Generation-influenced literary madness....
, Michael Lowenthal
Michael Lowenthal
Michael Lowenthal is an American fiction writer, author of three novels, most recently, Charity Girl . Currently an instructor of creative writing at Lesley University and Boston College, he has been the recipient of fellowships from the Bread Loaf and Wesleyan writers' conferences, the...
, and Jonathan Ames
Jonathan Ames
Jonathan Ames is an American author who has written a number of novels and comic memoirs. He was a columnist for the New York Press for several years, and became known for self-deprecating tales of his sexual misadventures. He also has a long-time envy of boxing, appearing occasionally in the ring...
. Other established writers, for example Robert Pinksy and Annie Proulx, have contributed recommendation pieces to the magazine.
Awards and Praise
Tom Perrotta’sTom Perrotta
Thomas R. Perrotta is an Albanian-American/ Italian-American novelist and screenwriter best known for his novels Election and Little Children , both of which were made into critically acclaimed, Academy Award-nominated films...
story “The Smile on Happy Chang’s Face,” which first appeared in Issue 8 of Post Road, was included in Best American Short Stories 2005 and has been chosen for the 2010 Boston Book Festival
Boston book festival
The Boston Book Festival is an independent non-profit group based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the name of its main event. The non-profit was founded in 2009 by Deborah Z...
’s “One City One Story” program. Stories, essays, and poems from the magazine have also been included in Pushcart Prize
Pushcart Prize
The Pushcart Prize is an American literary prize by Pushcart Press that honors the best "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" published in the small presses over the previous year. Magazine and small book press editors are invited to nominate up to 6 works they have featured....
anthologies, received honorable mentions for the O. Henry Prize, and been selected for Best American Essays, Best American Travel Writing, and Best American Poetry.
The Boston Phoenix says Post Road "exudes experimental vigor without succumbing to the temptation of being edgy for the sake of edginess." In 2008, the Boston Globe identified Post Road as one of the top ten literary journals in New England because it "publishes a great mix of high-quality writing while maintaining its cutting-edge voice."