News & Notes

The Life of Saint James

At one point I had over three hundred pen pals, many of them Sun readers who supported me with letters and stamps. They offered money, but the state would routinely take 60 percent, and I would rather starve than give them that; so I asked only for books and postage. Starting a literary career behind bars requires heroic amounts of U.S. postage.

Then & Now

Taking drugs, embracing change, walking without a map

Readers Write from 1991, Duncan Moran and Joe Malone from 1992, Sy Safransky from 2014

The Best Thing About Fiction

A Q&A With John Holman

“White Folks,” a short story in our September 2020 issue, was written by John Holman, who grew up in Durham, North Carolina, just a few miles from The Sun’s editorial offices in Chapel Hill. Holman was preparing to teach an online class at Georgia State University for the first time due to the pandemic when Sun Associate Editor Finn Cohen caught up with him.

Sparrow’s presidential history

In every presidential election since 1992, the poet and literary troublemaker Sparrow has mounted a quixotic campaign for president. A frequent Sun contributor, he often sends us an account of his election-year triumphs and follies. The seven such “campaign diaries” we have printed are presented below

Our summer recommended reading list

We hope you’ll enjoy these featured selections from 2020 chosen by our readers and staff. If you missed the pieces in the magazine or want to read them again, just click the links below. Our thanks to everyone who took the time to let us know about the stories, poems, or essays they loved.

Sun editorial intern featured in anthology

Congratulations to Sun editorial, intern Anna Gazmarian, whose work will appear in an anthology of personal essays by voices from the Armenian diaspora.

More selections on race

We’ve gathered additional selections about race from <em>The Sun</em>’s archive. They are all freely available for anyone to read and share.

Jared Seide’s Recommended Reading List

In our June 2020 interview, “The Power of Story,” Jared Seide discusses how listening to each other can restore our humanity. For readers interested in learning more, he offers this reading list of essential books on navigating vulnerability, working with compassion, and the power of listening from the heart.

Lambda Literary Awards

Two Sun contributors — Jaquira Díaz and T Kira Madden — were selected as finalists in the category for Best Lesbian Memoir/Biography

Black Lives Matter

We grieve for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, David McAtee, and James Scurlock — only the most recent and visible Black lives lost to violence, often at the hands of police. We stand in solidarity with protesters all over the world marching in their names. Both on and off the page, The Sun supports the cause of social justice. If you’re able, please consider joining us this month in contributing to those working to end systemic racism, inequality, and police brutality.