The Journal of the Plague Years: A Reading

Maxine Chernoff
–poet, novelist, UCSF creative writing chair

Keith Donnell Jr.
–poet

Christine Kiessling
–art historian

Mike Medberry
–essayist, solar installer, environmentalist

Hailey Nicole Warner
–frontline worker

Susan Zakin
–journalist, author, magazine founder

The Journal:

A few days after the Covid-19 pandemic sent us into lockdown, journalist and author Susan Zakin was on the phone with Salon magazine founder David Talbot. They both thought it was ridiculous that so many good writers were venting on Facebook, writing for free simply because they were burning to have their say. Encouraged by Talbot, Zakin posted a rudimentary website. The first story was about Andrew Cuomo. (Remember when he was a hero?) Talbot had planned to combine his efforts with hers, but decided to concentrate on books and film scripts. But others responded to an online magazine that channeled the best of ‘70s journalism updated for the hypertext age.

Paris Review writer and musician Brian Cullman jumped on board as editor and playlist composer. Veteran writers (Lannan Lifetime Achievement Award-winner Steve Erickson, Ted Mooney, Mikal Gilmore, Blanche McCrary Boyd, Jack Hitt, Deanne Stillman, Joan Juliet Buck) along with emerging talents found an outlet for their work at a magazine by writers for writers.

Using every literary technique out there, from bulletproof analytical journalism to the lyric essay and, yes, even memes, Zakin and her co-editor Brian Cullman gave voice to a country in crisis. That work is assembled here in a thoughtful, extraordinarily well-written account of the strangest trip we’ve ever been on. And it’s not over yet.

Reading tonight at Bird & Beckett:

Maxine Chernoff — the author of 17 poetry collections, most recently Under the Music: Collected Prose Poems. Former chair of Creative Writing at San Francisco State University, she is an NEA Fellow, a winner of the PEN Translation Award, and a former visiting writer at the American Academy in Rome. https://poets.org/poet/maxine-chernoff

Keith Donnell Jr. — a Bay Area-based poet and book editor. His first collection is The Move (Nomadic Press) and his second book supreme night, is forthcoming from Black Lawrence Press. https://www.keithdonnelljr.com/

Christine Kiessling-Wolf — an art historian with a studio experience. She has taught at universities and consulted on art acquisition. She has advocated for endangered African wildlife, and claims to have used her powers of deconstruction at San Francisco public school meetings.

Mike Medberry — an essayist, solar installer, environmentalist

Hailey Nicole Warner — grew up in Chico, California, where her father drove a cab and played poker. She is a graduate of the San Francisco State University creative writing program.

Susan Zakin — best-known as the author of Coyotes and Town Dogs: Earth First! and the Environmental Movement. She has written for Vogue, GQ, Salon, The New York Times, and – yes, really – Field and Stream. Her novel, Libertyville, is forthcoming in 2025. www.susanzakin.com