From the Editors

In the wake of September the Eleventh, there may not appear to be a pressing need for the likes of literature. And while failbetter has not, nor will ever be, a forum for socio-political ponderings, our focus remains true to one of the more pragmatic purposes of art—to reflect upon our reality. As the world still reels from its latest crisis, reality remains—quite gratefully for the majority of us—one of human interaction and observation. Indeed, this is the remaining constant so long as we continue occupy a place on this planet.

With that in mind, failbetter publishes its fall issue: come, read about the implications of school violence in Richard Russo’s latest novel, or the pending impact of our concepts of terrorism upon Heidi Julavits’ forthcoming book. The fiction in this issue offers up more food for thought: a small southern town tale by Amanda Davis, a more twisted-yet-comedic brother-sister story by Matt Cheney, or Myla Goldberg's disturbing account of a young woman’s upbringing in adherence to her Grandmother’s definitions of womanhood.

Poetry too can shed some light on our lives, eyeing the emotional impact of our environmental surroundings—from the Midwest to Maine—as seen in the works by John Cotter & Shafer Hall, and Melissa McCreedy. While the works of Dick Davis and Cooper Esteban look inward for such worldly understanding.

Lastly, our featured artists also fight the good fight: with Jamé Anderson using lip stick and eye shadow in her struggle against our ingrained stereotype of personal appearance, and a low key John Lloyd making the most appropriate culminating conclusion—that when it comes to the world we live in, against all attempts by man to change or destroy, life will always prevail.

The Editors