Jonathan Messinger
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Messinger is a writer
and editor
, born in Boston, Massachusetts and living in Chicago
, Illinois
, USA.
He has contributed his fiction writing to the journal McSweeney's
, among many other major and alternative publications. While at Clark University
he was the editor of the student magazine The Wheatbread. Messinger was also the editor of THISisGRAND, a web magazine chronicling true stories on Chicago's public transit,. He is currently the books editor for Time Out Chicago. He has toured extensively in Canada and the United States, and is the creator and host of The Dollar Store Reading Series, a successful monthly show where he hands out items purchased for a dollar to writers and comedians, who then use the item as inspiration for stories.
Messinger's first published collection of short stories, Hiding Out, was released in 2007 through Featherproof books
, an independent publisher which he cofounded in 2005 in combination with fellow writer Zach Dodson. Reviews tended to be positive, but while some reviewers, (such as Mark Eleveld in Booklist
, Donna Seaman in Chicago Tribune
and Kevin Sampsell in The Portland Mercury
), spoke very positively of the work, others, (such as Rob Funderburk in Publishers Weekly
), were less impressed.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
, born in Boston, Massachusetts and living in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, USA.
He has contributed his fiction writing to the journal McSweeney's
McSweeney's
McSweeney's is an American publishing house founded by editor Dave Eggers.Apart from its book list, McSweeney's is responsible for four regular publications: the quarterly literary journal,...
, among many other major and alternative publications. While at Clark University
Clark University
Clark University is a private research university and liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts.Founded in 1887, it is the oldest educational institution founded as an all-graduate university. Clark now also educates undergraduates...
he was the editor of the student magazine The Wheatbread. Messinger was also the editor of THISisGRAND, a web magazine chronicling true stories on Chicago's public transit,. He is currently the books editor for Time Out Chicago. He has toured extensively in Canada and the United States, and is the creator and host of The Dollar Store Reading Series, a successful monthly show where he hands out items purchased for a dollar to writers and comedians, who then use the item as inspiration for stories.
Messinger's first published collection of short stories, Hiding Out, was released in 2007 through Featherproof books
Featherproof books
Featherproof Books is a small, independent publisher working out of Chicago, Illinois. It was founded in 2005 by Jonathan Messinger and Zach Dodson. They publish perfect bound novels, short story collections and other works, and provide "mini-books" containing short stories and novellas for free...
, an independent publisher which he cofounded in 2005 in combination with fellow writer Zach Dodson. Reviews tended to be positive, but while some reviewers, (such as Mark Eleveld in Booklist
Booklist
Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. It is geared toward libraries and booksellers and is available in print or online...
, Donna Seaman in Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
and Kevin Sampsell in The Portland Mercury
The Portland Mercury
The Portland Mercury is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Portland, Oregon. It serves to chronicle the ever-changing Portland music scene, and generally includes interviews, commentaries, reviews, and concert dates...
), spoke very positively of the work, others, (such as Rob Funderburk in Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
), were less impressed.