Haruki Murakami (novelist, wanderer, translator, and wise man) has been revolutionizing Japanese literature for the last two decades--unbeknownst to me. Most of us have a hard enough time keeping up with American contemporary novelists, or we're too busy making a pathetic little dent in the Western canon to pay attention to world literature. This site wants to show you what you've been overlooking. Unfortunately, I must say the offerings are rather meager. There are a few essays and a bibliography but no biography. Very much under construction. I'm always on the lookout for new authors to read, but overall my appetite was whetted, not satisfied. Time to pick up one of Murakami's novels. - Daniel Alarcon
The Academy of American Poets was founded in 1934 to support American poets at all stages of their careers and to foster the appreciation of contemporary poetry. It sponsors National Poetry Month, fellowships, readings and residencies, high school programs, and more. You can search the site for a particular poet or wander through Book Stacks (the book store hosting the Academy's page) to locate a particular volume. The site offers an array of poetry resources but (oddly enough) contains little poetry, save for a few short quotes and a poem of the day. Adding a little bit of life to this page by featuring some verse from emerging poets might help the organization drum up more interest in poetry. - Emily Soares
Predictably, this site pays tribute to Don DeLillo, author of dark, comedic novels about contemporary culture and American life. The site presents a well-rounded profile of DeLillo and his works. Features include biographical information; summaries of the books, plays, and essays that the author has penned; and reprints of favorable and unfavorable critical reviews. DeLillo's miscellaneous comments and excerpts from some of his interviews are scattered throughout the site, adding an interesting dimension. The design of the site is simple, but the navigation is easy and the text is clear. - Katherine Stevenson
The RE/Search site is even more useful now that its corresponding publishing outfit no longer exists. Here's where you're going to find back issues of the provocative magazines for which RE/Search is known. In fact, that is primarily what the site contains. Each of the dozen or so publications, devoted to topics such as bodily fluids, S&M, and angry women, is described in brief alongside a digital rendition of the cover art. Ordering instructions are of course nearby. The site also introduces two very new publishing houses--the result of RE/Search's demise. - Katherine Stevenson
The Virginia Tech Speculative Fiction Project refers to an ongoing effort to digitize large amounts of science fiction materials currently housed at Virginia Tech. The site offers information about the Project's dual aim of preservation and public access. At press time the online content was pretty thin, but some vintage sci-fi magazines are available, featuring articles in their entirety accompanied by facsimiles of the original advertisements and artwork. The Project is admittedly still in its infancy, which explains the modest offerings. - Katherine Stevenson
The Postfeminist Playground presents a striking blend of attitude and style. As the site's opening statement points out, "the point of liberation is that at some point, even if you're not totally liberated, you start flaunting your freedom." And so it is with sexy and sassy self-awareness that the gals who created this site attempt to assert a more with-it womanhood. The content comprises fiction, social commentary, and reviews of the latest pop culture--all of it as seen from a playful, provocative point of view. The writing is smart and full of verve, and the bold colors and decorative hyperlinks adorning the site infuse it with fashion-magazine flare. - Katherine Stevenson
"'Ace, watch your head!' hissed Wanda urgently, yet somehow provocatively, through red, full, sensuous lips, but he couldn't you know since nobody can actually watch more than part of his nose or a little cheek or lips if he really tries, but he appreciated her warning." What beautiful prose contained in the 1996 winner of the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. Since 1982, the English Department at San Jose State University has sponsored this contest, where the goal is to pen the opening sentence to the worst novel imaginable. It's that simple, or difficult, depending on how seriously you take your wordplay. Sentences can be any length, but run-ons are always a good idea. - David Pescovitz
Poor Ms. Plath, the beautiful poems she generated were not enough of a catharsis to prevent her from committing her final dramatic action--suicide in 1963. This site is a point of entry into the texts of the woman behind many more pages than those contained in The Bell Jar. Examine the bibliography of her works (English and German editions), explore the many articles and dissertations on Plath, and then delve via the Web or a dead tree library into the ecstatically agonizing works that are her legacy. - David Pescovitz
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro," the good doctor once mumbled. Go gonzo in this comprehensive site dedicated to the institution that is journalist Hunter S. Thompson. Hell's Angels. Fear and Loathing. Better Than Sex. Hunter leaves no stone unturned, no political party unmocked, no drug uningested. Treat yourself to the wit, wisdom, and insanity as you plow through pages that analyze New Journalism through the eyes of its most potent participant. Learn about Hunter's body of work, rumors of his current indecent activities, and other unmentionable things. My attorney also advises you not to leave without buying a T-shirt. - David Pescovitz
Bibliophiles take note--if you're in search of academic esoterica, University Press Books (UPB) is a watchtower. Located next to the University of California at Berkeley, UPB stocks thousands of tomes published by university presses. Unfortunately, its online storefront doesn't compare to its physical location--only a fraction of the books in the store are listed online. The Features of the UPB section, divided into areas of interest, may turn you on to new titles, but this site, with its unencrypted ordering online system, pales in comparison to a long browse through the stacks of the store. - David Pescovitz
Site of the month!!
Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. calls Bold Type a literary journal; I call it a clever marketing ploy. Here's why: Literary journals feature writers on the basis of their talent; Bold Type features Bantam Doubleday Dell-signed writers who also happen to be talented. See the difference? And while the site--brought to you by BDD and Bookwire--doesn't assault your senses with blinking price tags and "33% Off!" signs, it does link you, however subtly, directly to the online ordering information at Bookwire. It's as if the whole mannerly exterior was struggling to suppress the urge to scream "BUY ME BUY ME BUY ME NOW." Then again, who cares? It's not like Bold Type is busily promoting trashy writers like Danielle Steele and Mr. Write-'em-for-the-movies, John Grisham. No sir, that's handled over at BDD's corporate site, www.bdd.com. Instead, Bold Type covers such gifted up-and-comers as Elizabeth McCracken, Peter Rock, and Martha Baer, as well as a few established authors, including Shirley Jackson and Mark Richard. In other words, these are the good writers who don't generally sell well at the bookstores; they need promoting. Every issue of Bold Type is devoted to a new topic. An issue on vice, for example, features Kevin Canty on drinking, Jenefer Shute on sex, Rand Richard Cooper on gambling, Shirley Jackson on murdering your husband ... you get the idea. The following issue will be all about death. I'm trembling in anticipation. The fiction makes the site--every story, novel excerpt, and RealAudio reading is first-rate. The journal also provides candid interviews with the authors. Best of all, Bold Type features previously unpublished works you can't find anywhere else. My favorite is Fred Leebron's "Starfucker," the story of (you guessed it) a young lady who really enjoys the company of celebrities. It's all just a snooty sales pitch. You know it, I know it, and (even if the press release denies it) BDD knows it. But it's a good one. And to give you some indication of how good it is ... I just shelled out $12.00 for Alan Warner's debut novel, Morvern Callar. - Jeff Titterton