Dear Reader,
As you likely know, The Writer’s Almanac has ended as a podcast and as a radio program. We thank our listeners for nearly 30 years of support — the 25 years that the show ran on public radio and the podcast version since 2018.
It is indeed the end of an era, and we are truly sorry about that. But here’s the good news: you will now be able to access Writer’s Almanac “anniversary editions” on Substack.
These versions feature the historical highlights from the particular date years ago, and each will have a link to the audio of the poem for the day. Note: these will be presented as they were way back when — not updated, edited, or corrected.
For various reasons we are also transitioning from the previous TWA newsletter platform on MailChimp. So welcome to Substack, our new newsletter platform, and a new path to repeats of TWA highlights and daily poems. Enjoy — again.
Sincerely,
Prairie Home Productions
P.S. You will start receiving updates right here in your inbox. You can also log in to the website to read the full archives and other posts as they are published. If you do not find them, please check your spam or junk mail.
Dear Garrison, I am deeply disappointed by the ending of The Writer's Almanac. I knew it was coming, but that hasn't softened the blow. No other place has welcomed little known or unknown poets along with the popular and well known ones. The Almanac introduced me to the poetry of Jeanne Lohmann. So moved was I by the poem you published that I ordered her book (Home Ground) and wept through it in one sitting. I then ordered all of her books and wrote her a fan letter c/o her publisher. To my surprise, she answered and a lovely correspondence ensued. Jeanne was kind enough to mail me her out-of-print books along with a precious CD of her reading her poems. She encouraged me to submit my poems to her publisher (Fithian Press). I did, and my manuscript was accepted, which led to another relationship with John & Susan Daniel who valiantly published books out of their home in little McKinleyville, CA. Both Jeanne and John are gone now, but I treasure those relationships and thank you and whomever selected Jeanne's poem that day. You have enriched my life. For years I began my days reading the Almanac. Now I've got to suck it up, tally it as just one more loss--another Serenity Prayer item. Oh how I wish you could have/would have bequeathed the Almanac to someone with your sensitivity and dedication to poets and poetry. Ending it seems so wrong. This new thing isn't the same, but I'll probably subscribe. Thanks for listening.
Ever your fan, Paula Amen Judah, Castella, CA
We already miss your daily PHC email messages. ie we begin each day listening to and reading them. Happy retirement. Kay and Dave