What’s this about Minute Lit?

Born out of an email discussion between Alex Landefeld and me about literature and technology, Minute Lit has hopped, skipped and jumped from being merely an idea, to an actual, functioning, fun Podcast!

So what’s it all about? Literature is universal in many respects. Through literature we can evaluate the issues of our time through the examination of the practiced crafting of words that artist have compiled. We are influenced by art and literature as much as art and literature are influenced by us (If you have any doubt about this, just turn on your TV—think Law & Order). Most people don’t have the time or luxury to sit down and pour through books the way I do (though admittedly, even I don’t technically have the time!), and even listening to books on CD can be frustrating if your travels don’t keep you in a car or in one spot for a goodly amount of time. In fact, just yesterday your friend, co-worker, or significant other may have used a word you’ve never heard of before—but don’t go ripping through the house searching for a dictionary for retaliation! Well then, you may wonder, how can we rectify this problem? How do you get your snippet of “cocktail party” chatter without sitting for hours, pouring through the OED, or Trivia books? Sure you’ve heard of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, Rushdie’s Satanic Verses, and Homer’s Odyssey, but what do you know about them? Who’s Who in the big name pieces of literature? What was controversial and why?

Just come visit us on Minute Lit, and in each broadcast you’ll hear a new word to use on those who would love to stump you in a conversation. You’ll hear pieces of different literature from Aesop’s fables to sonnets; from scenes of plays to fragments of short stories; from haikus to contemporary poetry! And be the first to correctly respond to the weekly quiz and we'll read your answer and name on the next edition of Minute Lit. The first edition is already up and waiting for you--just click the link or the button provided below!

Minute Lit is a serial pod cast dedicated to the use of words individually and for the purpose of conveying meaning through art, and is the brain child of Alex Landefeld and Dawn Papuga. Minute Lit is produced by the good folks at Silurian-Devonian Tunes and its hosts and contributors are Alex Landefeld and Dawn Papuga.