Prose  Reading

Definition: Prose Reading is the oral interpretation of literature which may include cuttings from novels, short stories, biographies, nonfiction,  letters and  diaries.

The  Goal of This Paper

I  will cover a wide spectrum of potential Prose Reading sources. The paper  will begin by identifying common sources and culminate with more creative forms and options.  While the following sources listed are wonderful, this paper is by  no means exhaustive or inclusive but rather a starting point. From my viewpoint "alternative "means  selections not found in a "best of" series or out of the team filing cabinet.  Alternative sources include:

1) The Top Twenty

2) Essays

3) Nonfiction - a) Autobiography  

4) Shopping/Browsing

1) The Top Twenty

Below  is my list of my personal favorite literary magazines. Besides being  forensic friendly, you cannot find better stories anywhere.

1. Story.  Simply the best place to find competitive prose.  Published quarterly, each edition includes at least three stories that students  fall in love with.

2. The Kenyon Review.  Published quarterly, each edition includes at least five highly engaging stories.

3. TriQuarterly. Published at Northwestern University, each edition usually includes nine stories.

4. The Missouri Review.  Released four times a year, the journal has at least seven good stories in each edition.

5. The New Yorker.  Widely overlooked and easily accessible,  each issue includes wonderful contemporary prose.

6. Calyx. A feminist literary journal. Hard to please "interpers" usually fall in love with this collection.

7. Southern Review. Excellent stories submitted by internationally acclaimed authors.

8. Prism International.  Each issue generally focuses on a contemporary theme.

9. Atlantic Monthly.  Another overlooked source.  The stories can't be beat.

10.  Cimarron Review.  I have recently found some very competitive stories in this journal.

11. Georgia Review. Published quarterly, this magazine draws many  famous submissions from some of the country's best writer.

12.  Ploughshares. Usually includes eight quality stories each quarter.

13.  Harpers. Found on every magazine rack, each issue contains one well written story.

14.  Chicago Review.  Another local journal, in recent years  the  quality of material has dramatically improved.

15. The Malahat Review.  From Canada, this is where "Confetti  Summer"  was originally found.

16.  Epoch. Each issue generally includes five stories.  A  favorite among High schoolers because the stories are so easy to read.

17. Ontario Review.  Another import from Canada published on a quarterly basis.

18.  African American Review. If you have a large ethnic population, this is a must read.

19.  Fiction International.  Draws a global writing pool, each edition usually focusses upon a specific theme.

20. The Literary Review.  Published quarterly, this journal is  a must read.

2. Essays

Modern essays  are beginning to sound more and more like prose selections. While essay  collections such as Best American Essays are a good place to begin, most  contemporary literary journals also contain essays.  In general, essays are a wonderful outlet because they are written in first person and usually  revolve around a contemporary and controversial societal theme.

3. Autobiographies - from authors such as Louie Anderson, Linda  Ellerbee and Gilda Radner, a premium outlet to secure engaging and credible first person  narratives.

4. Shopping and Browsing

In addition to the above sources, I find fifty percent of the material I use for my squad in the new fiction of bookstores. I hunt for new short story collections.  If the book seems interesting I will either purchase it or jot down the title  and author and request the title via inter-library loan.

Also,  when judging I keep my ears open for new titles and authors. If I hear  something  interesting, I will record the pertinent information then once again  head to the  library.  I will first see if the author has published any collected works.  If not, I place the information on a wish list of material and keep my eyes and ears open for further details.

Where do I find these materials!

Most larger libraries should suscribe to these titles, especially nearby   universities. If not, I'm sure your local facility could arrange for you to obtain a title or piece via an inter-library loan‚  For bookstores try Barbara's  Bookstores, Borders and Barnes and Noble.