The Summerset Review - Editors' Notes

Since our Winter 2005 issue, we've been giving reading suggestions on pieces appearing in recent literary magazines, and, well, why should we stop now? This quarter we'd like to suggest an essay, one which briefly covers the photographic artist Francesca Woodman, whose work and tragic suicide at the age of twenty-two stirred the world. The essay appears in the Fall 2010 issue of The Missouri Review, complete with some black and white prints of the artist's work, all of which contain her very self as the subject. It is titled, "Clues to a Lost Woman," by Kris Somerville. Here is an except -

Artists are seldom the best judges of their own work. This is indeed true of Woodman. At the time of her death she was still experimenting with technique and composition and did not view herself as a fully realised artist. Yet her body of work has made her one of the most original artists of the 1970s and among the most influential photographers of the late twentieth century. Despite a career of less than a decade, Francesca left behind a considerable body of work infused with the emotions of loss and longing.

We'd like to thank The Review Review (www.thereviewreview.net) for the nice words they wrote on our Winter 2011 issue, and our journal in general. It's really a very special connection when writers and editors find that readers and reviewers have spotted precise aspects of material which were hoped to have been recognized and appreciated. As an example, much of the fiction here has a layering quality about it, where a lot of meaning and association might be packed together in such a way as to go unnoticed in a first read. Jess Huckins writes in her review that the pieces "...should be read carefully, to ensure that all of their layers are internalized and understood. They are not difficult to read, but it is easy to miss small details when stories are so interesting and complex." We couldn't agree more.

We'd also like to thank all those who submitted work that was considered for this issue. Among them were a considerable number of very distinguished writers, as well as those who had previously appeared in The Summerset Review. We are honored to have such wonderful and dedicated "admirers," who take it upon themselves to send us unsolicited submissions. We are happy to welcome back Zane Kotker, John Harris, and Simon Perchik, all who have seen their names in previous issues, as well as the distinguished writer, Sherman Alexie.

And, last but never least, warm thanks goes to all those readers the world over who find the time in their busy days to read our journal. You people are a quiet bunch, as we rarely hear from you, but we know you're out there. You are our true heroines and heroes.

Does anyone know the location at which our cover graphic was taken? Identify the place and we'll tell you if you are correct. Email your answer to editor (at) summersetreview.org. A hint is in its title, stated below. Click here to go back to the cover.