San Francisco magazine

by Jonathan Kiefer
09/03

Critics Choice:
The second annual LITQUAKE is more than a same-old survey of our celebrified local literati. Gathering about 80 writers of every stripe and all ages to share their work in ten-minute segments, it proves just how rich the Bay Area literary scene has become in the last few years. Crowd pleasers like Irvine Welsh and Daniel Handler return, but it’s the more recently published, from novelist Jewelle Gomez (Don’t Explain) to outspoken Anneli Rufus (Party of One: The Loners’ Manifesto), who best reflect the depth and diversity of the writing talent here. Sure, it’s easy to claim, but with such a magnitude of energy and skill, this reall could signal a new golden age in the city’s literary life.