Nicole Sullivan, Owner of The Bookies and an articulate Substacker
First, Nicole Sullivan, owner of The Bookies bookstore in Denver, explains why she’s thankful for the freedom to read and explains why we need to resist weakening our democracy’s commitment to that foundational ideal: https://sullivanic.substack.com/p/thankful-for-the-freedom-to-read
Janet Burroway, novelist and editor
Secondly, novelist and educator Janet Burroway details her travails in updating the fourth edition of her durable textbook, Imaginative Writing, to the new fifth edition. Her article is aptly titled “Slouching Toward Sensitivity,” a nod to both Yeats and Joan Didion. (It’s hard to imagine that either of those transformative writers could be published in today’s prickly atmosphere: https://www.chronicle.com/article/slouching-toward-sensitivity
Joseph Hutchison, Colorado Poet Laureate 2014-2019, has published 20 collections of poems and edited or co-edited three poetry anthologies. He currently directs two master’s-level programs for University College at the University of Denver: Professional Creative Writing and Arts & Culture Management. Joe lives with his wife, Melody Madonna, in the mountains southwest of Denver, Colorado, the city where he was born. 
“Chilling,” yes, Pat. Once we begin atomizing ourselves into a bee’s nest of identities, each with its list of sensitivities and grievances, art becomes impossible. Unless we redefine art as polemics.
Good Sullivan piece and disturbing essay by Burroway—one of whose books I’ll be teaching soon. In fact, in the revision of her book, there was a great deal of sanitizing and she had to fight to keep many of her writing examples. She did, and is happy with the result, but the process was a bit chilling.
Thanks! Really appreciate these posts.