Brazos Bookstore Shows That Houston Is a Haven for Poets

Karl Kilian, owner of Brazos Bookstore in Houston, is determined to try to put his city and his store on the literary map. "[The University of] Houston has this very good writing program … and it's made serious inroads to the consciousness of the city. But we still don't figure in nationally," he told BTW. "When times were better, [Brazos] bookstore itself could hold events ... but we're off the map in terms of author tours."

Kilian is not one to sit idle and vent his frustrations at what often seems a remote publishing elite. Kilian said that he has been helped in his mission to keep presenting readings and bringing writers to Houston by the formation of Brazos Projects. He explained that a few years ago, friends and customers of his bookstore started Brazos Projects, a non-profit organization, supported by contributions, that sponsors readings, exhibitions, and literary and artistic events. Kilian explained that he acts as events coordinator for Brazos Projects but is not on the Board.

When then Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky launched the Favorite Poem Project in 1997, Kilian said he found it "somewhat galling that … the Project seemed to be going everywhere in the U.S. but here." So Kilian approached Pinsky and, with the aid of Brazos Projects, arranged for him to appear at an event at Brazos Bookstore in 1999. Kilian said it was "one of the best events we've ever had."

Poet Edward Hirsch introduced the readings by five NPS winners.

Since the success of Pinsky's appearance at the bookstore, Kilian said, "We've been looking out for something else to do." When he saw that some of the winners of the 2000 National Poetry Series had local ties to Houston, he knew Brazos Projects had found their next major literary event.

The National Poetry Series (NPS) (http://www.nationalpoetryseries.org/) is a literary awards program that sponsors the publication of five books of contemporary poetry each year through a series of participating publishers. Five poets of national stature select the winners from among manuscripts solicited through an annual Open Competition. Each winner is also awarded $1,000.

Kilian contacted the National Poetry Series and the Academy of American Poets, and, with Brazos Projects, they agreed to co-sponsor the first occasion in more than a decade that would feature all NPS winners reading from their awarded books.

"The secret that made all of this work was I approached Continental Airlines, which is headquartered here in Houston," Kilian said. All the arrangements came together with Continental's support and a colleague from Brazos Bookstore acting as "travel agent" for the poets.

On January 24, there was a book signing with the NPS 2000 poets at Brazos Bookstore followed by readings by the poets. The poets were introduced by distinguished poet Edward Hirsch (Earthly Measures, Knopf), who teaches at the University of Houston.

Susan Atefat-Peckham read from her book of poems, That Kind of Sleep (Coffee House Press), which was selected by Victor Hernandez; Jean Donnelly read from Anthem (Sun & Moon Press), which was selected by Charles Bernstein; Spencer Short read from Tremolo (HarperCollins), which was chosen by Billy Collins; and Susan Wood read from Asunder (Penguin), which was selected by Garrett Hongo. Rebecca Wolff, author of Manderley (University of Illinois Press), which was selected by Robert Pinsky, was unable to attend, but a friend read some of her poems.

"The work of the five poets couldn't be more different," and that, said Kilian, "made it a wonderfully felicitous event."

--Molly Sackler