Melancholy Dreams

ljdigital:

Narratives in a Digital Age

First Class: *What will future books look like? (video clip via IDEO)

Welcome to LJ Digital, a blog created by UC Irvine’s Literary Journalism Program in conjunction with our Narratives in a Digital age class. Follow us as we discuss how nonfiction storytelling is changing. We will feature the latest news, commentary, links, clips, and discussions from those who interested in reading, studying, and writing narrative journalism — and those who want to see it thrive as the way we read shifts.

Believe it or not, these are exciting times for longform journalism. The genre is evolving, but it’s certainly not dying. At LJ Digital, we will explore and debate the future of books, magazines, newspapers, writers, and publishers. We will read first-rate pieces from journalists who have published digitally or are incorporating new media, videos, blogs, e-readers and podcasts into reading experiences.

Our objective: To think critically about where the field of literary journalism might end up, and how it will continue to be financed and published. If you love reading or writing, this is relevant to you.

                                                          — LJ Digital

ljdigital:

Narratives in a Digital Age

The Atavist

For Monday, we will continue learning about some of the innovative digital approaches The Atavist has taken with publishing narrative non-fiction in the E-Single format. Please read its newest story, “The Accidental Terrorist,” and also “The Instigators,” which was nominated for an Ellie in the reporting category from the American Society of Magazine Editors.

*Please write a 200-word review for each story on Amazon.com and post on the site by Monday.

From The Atavist blurb on “The Accidental Tourist:”

“Yasith Chhun was just a 42-year-old accountant living a comfortable life in California. Then he tried to overthrow the Cambodian government from his humble office in Long Beach. Inspired by films like Braveheart, Chhun planned “Operation Volcano,” a scheme replete with espionage, jungle guerrillas, and East German rocket launchers. Could Chhun’s quixotic, incredibly risky and potentially bloody coup possibly succeed? And what happens to a man when he leaves the American immigrant dream behind and turns from upstanding citizen into Colonel Kurtz? Former Newsweek editor Adam Piore tells the story.”

And from Amazon about “The Instigators:”

“In 2008, a small band of political activists in Egypt led by a young engineer named Ahmed Maher began organizing on Facebook under the moniker April 6 Youth. Dodging the secret police both online and off, they built a Web page into a movement. Then, in January 2011, they helped architect a final showdown with the country’s dictator. David Wolman unspools the riveting behind-the-scenes story of these daring activists and how they planted the digital seeds of a revolution.”