In the Paris Review, new correspondent Elena Passarello writes the first in a series about famous animals in history: an ode to silent-film star Tony the Wonder Horse and his early retirement. 

On the poetry blog, Brown discusses the importance of writers creating community, and why he believes “every poem has a face.”

Writer Thomas Chatterton Williams reflects on the effective use of tone in Whitehead’s text, and concludes that, “Writers like Whitehead show us another possibility” for disrupting a cycle of racism. 

In The New York Review of Books, Luc Sante writes an ode to spot illustrations, "the unsung toilers of the magazine page," and the work of New Yorker cartoonist Richard McGuire.

In the Four Way Review, Abrams explores themes of failed romance and loneliness, writing, “my nights are a thousand faces/ turning away.”

At the 2016 National Book Award celebration, Hayes delivered a stirring speech on the vital role Cave Canem has played in the literary world, reflecting, “It’s such a futuristic idea. The descendants of slaves becoming poets.”

Thrill Me “turns the plodding process of writing into a heart-pounding read,” writes the journal of Percy’s latest, a guide for building suspense in written work.

In the Chicago Review of Books, Percy discusses Thrill Me, his new book on writing, and shares his advice for young writers: “Read your brains out and write your brains out.”

Whitehead received the honor for his novel The Underground Railroad. In his acceptance speech, Whitehead focused on the power of art and advised, "Be kind to everybody." 

Parks talks about the influence of jazz on her work and how dancing helps her write.