Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern

I was first introduced to Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern by my best brother-in-law who makes his living selling back issues of magazines and out of circulation CD's on eBay. He had come across Issue 4 at a sale in an eclectic bookstore in Philadelphia, and immediately recognized it as something that would catch my fancy. This particular issue, published in late winter 2000, came as a series of paperback booklets gathered in a plain, white cardboard box with an illustration of a robin bearing human arms and plank boards for feet. As odd as the wrapping was, the contents were even odder.

Each booklet was its own self-contained essay or short story, complete with cover art and illustrations, with the exception of one which was a collection of short stories. The subjects were as varied and entertaining as you might find...well, as you might find in the blogosphere. There was a booklet about Captain John Cleves Symmes, early nineteenth century promoter of the concentric ring theory of the earth's construction, whose ideas inspired Edgar Allen Poe and Jules Verne, among others. There was a reflection on the Velazquez painting, "The Fable of Arachne" and its relationship to a portrayal of the "Rape of Europa" by Titian. There was even a detailed essay on the cover art of Vladimir Nabakov's books and his correspondence with publishers on the subject. Other issues of the quarterly are just as unique. Some are in traditional magazine format, others in collections such as the one my brother-in-law found. Issue number 6 includes a CD with music written by They Might Be Giants to be played as a soundtrack to the issue.

The brain child of Dave Eggers, author of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, the quarterly began as a collection of pieces that had been rejected by the publishing world. According to the instructions for submitting manuscripts, no one gets paid. This seems like perfect content for a blog, and in fact there is a web-based version, Timothy McSweeney's Internet Tendency. Don’t expect a blog, though. The cybersphere doesn't appear to be Mr. Eggers' mileau. The site is updated infrequently, although it does provide access to some on-line versions of McSweeney stories and essays. Half of the charm of the quarterly is it's physical appeal - the charming pamphlets, the cover art, and even the boxes or rubber bands that bound some of them, something that can be experienced on the internet. Still, the website is worth a visit, if for no other reason than to find out where you can go to buy Timothy McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern.

Article Author: Sydney Smith

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