Why is it that so many full-time writers seem to be full-time runners as well, and what is it about each activity that seems to fuel the other? In 99 Problems, Chicago author Ben Tanzer tackles this very question, penning a series of essays completed after a string of actual runs across the United States during the winter of 2009, cleverly combining the details of the run itself with what new insights he gained that day regarding whatever literary story he was working on at the time; and along the way, Tanzer also offers up astute observations on fatherhood, middle-age, and the complications of juggling traditional and artistic careers, all of it told through the funny and smart filter of pop-culture that has made this two-time novelist and national performance veteran so well-loved. A unique and fascinating new look at the curious relationship between physical activity and creative intellectualism, 99 Problems will have you looking at the arts in an entirely new way, and maybe even picking up a pair of running shoes yourself.
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Want a paper copy of 99 Problems? Then order it in its "Hypermodern Edition," a series of special high-quality books designed for collectors but reasonably priced. It features a signature/provenance page, an extended Colophon, and a color photo adorning the front, all within hardback fabric covers with decorative interiors, held together via external Coptic stitching; versions can be ordered with either recycled or cotton paper, and are shipped the next weekday morning after your order via USPS Priority Mail (delivery in two to three days for Americans, six to ten days internationally, with Americans receiving an online tracking number as well). Simply click on the appropriate link below to order one right this moment:
USA: Recycled paper: $15 (plus $5 shipping)
USA: Cotton sheets: $20 (plus $5 shipping)
INTERNATIONAL: Recycled paper: $15 (plus $13 shipping)
INTERNATIONAL: Cotton sheets: $20 (plus $13 shipping)
Supplemental and promotional material:
An interview with Tanzer regarding the process of writing this book
A video interview with Tanzer about the book, conducted by his eight-year-old son
A critical essay by the publisher, on why he signed the book in the first place
A link to this book's page at Goodreads.com, where you can leave comments and read other people's reviews
View Ben Tanzer's "Long Haul" map-story in a larger map
And for an even more interesting experience, try reading the story "The Long Haul" from this book in map mode! It's been plotted into the customized Google map that you're seeing above, with the text cut into a series of placemarkers corresponding to various locations Ben mentions in the story; many of these placemarkers also contain photos of the things Ben mention. Don't forget, you can also save this map to your own Google account, which will then let you open it in the 3D Google Earth, for either desktops or mobile devices.
This book has been released under a Creative Commons license (click the above icon to actually read it in full); this gives you permission to make unlimited copies for yourself, convert it into other formats, translate it into other languages, and use it as a basis for nonprofit multimedia projects (audio, film, animation, stage performance, calligraphy, etc), in return for you not changing the contents or removing the credits.
Cover image: "233.365," by Rob Baird. Used with the artist's kind permission.
Attention small and large presses: The paper rights for this book are still available. For more, please contact Jason Pettus, CCLaP's owner, at [cclapcenter at gmail.com].
CCLaP is always on the lookout for great unsigned manuscripts. Click here for more on how to submit your own.
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