Author Archives: Eric R Samuelsen

Electronic Age: The interwhatsis, and the future of literature

Posted on December 5, 2010 by Eric R Samuelsen

Let’s face it: the internet has us all freaked out.  It’s 1439 all over again–maybe more like 1450–and this Gutenberg dude has just revolutionized the way information is disseminated and all we know for sure is that those monks who … Continue reading →

Posted in Electronic Age, Funny Stuff | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Storytelling & Community: Giants, and narratives there pertaining

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Eric R Samuelsen

I don’t know if you heard, but on Monday, the San Francisco Giants won the World Series.  I know what you’re thinking. “Holy Schmikes, he’s going to post about baseball.  Again.  What is his deal?”  Or, if you’re from Utah, … Continue reading →

Posted in Storytelling and Community | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

In Verse: Zeitgeist poetry, or something

Posted on October 4, 2010 by Eric R Samuelsen

I’m going to completely expose my ignorance here, writing about something I don’t know anything about.  I want to write about poetry, and it’s awkward because I don’t write poetry (at least not that I’m willing to show anyone), and … Continue reading →

Posted in In Verse | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

Mormon LitCrit: Brother, can you paradigm?

Posted on September 3, 2010 by Eric R Samuelsen

Here’ s what happens a lot: I’ll be in a discussion of the Gospel and the Arts, or Literature, or Music or Theatre or whatever, and the same binary comes up.  There are two kinds of art: ‘worldly’ art and … Continue reading →

Posted in Mormon LitCrit, On-stage | Tagged , , , | 28 Comments

Mysterious Doings: Building a Mystery

Posted on August 5, 2010 by Eric R Samuelsen

Annette and I have this show we like to watch–the Inspector Lynley mysteries.  I gather it was popular on PBS a couple of years back, but we discovered it via Netflix.  It’s about a British aristocrat-turned-detective, Inspector Lynley, and his … Continue reading →

Posted in Mysterious Doings | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

The Writer’s Desk: My grandfather’s legacy

Posted on July 3, 2010 by Eric R Samuelsen

The recent Utah execution of Ronnie Lee Gardner via firing squad became national news, and led to inevitable editorializing pro and con the death penalty.  Because Utah is the only state that allows for firing squad executions, Utah is presented, … Continue reading →

Posted in The Writer's Desk | Tagged | 10 Comments

The Writer’s Desk: On perfection

Posted on June 3, 2010 by Eric R Samuelsen

In baseball, it’s possible for a pitcher to achieve perfection.  A perfect game is one in which no batters are allowed to reach base, either via error, walk, or basehit. Every single batter is retired: twenty seven up and twenty … Continue reading →

Posted in The Writer's Desk | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

On-Stage: Monsters and tricycle motors

Posted on May 5, 2010 by Eric R Samuelsen

A few years ago, when my oldest daughter was in fifth grade, she asked us one day if we wanted to see her school play.  She didn’t seem very excited about it; kept saying things like “you don’t have to … Continue reading →

Posted in On-stage | Tagged | 8 Comments

On-Stage: On recited poetry and really bad theatre

Posted on April 2, 2010 by Eric R Samuelsen

There’s a musical playing right now at BYU that I’m not going to see.  Casey at the Bat it’s called, and already I’m cranky.  I’m on the committee that decides these things–I’ve read the script.  That’s why I’m boycotting it.  … Continue reading →

Posted in In Verse, On-stage | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

On-Screen: Filming the Book of Mormon

Posted on March 4, 2010 by Eric R Samuelsen

Last Saturday, at the AML Annual meeting, we had the privilege of seeing a public screening of Corianton, probably the first Mormon feature film.  Based on the play by Orestes Utah Bean (if there were ever a perfect name for … Continue reading →

Posted in Literary Views of Scripture, On-screen | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments