Monday Memo

This week we're talking about:

• Exciting news from our friends at MAKE Literary Magazine that their Lit and Luz Fest of artistic and cultural exchange between writers and artists in Chicago and Mexico City is celebrating its fifth year this year. See also: Michael Agresta's visit to the Transborder Biennial, in the Texas Observer.
• Our newsletter, which launches our Travel Edit, and is anchored by Tash Aw's love story at sea with a twist, "Sail." Read it for free for a few days here.
• Staff news: A look back at John Haskell’s “Joy” in APS No. 14 as we anticipate the fifty-seventh anniversary of August 13, 1961’s start of construction of the Berlin wall. The commemoration has us thinking about walls, containment, and division; Elizabeth Gaffney's new story "Six-X" in the Michigan Quarterly Review, and the return of her novel workshop to A Public Space Academy this fall; Melissa Ragsley's new story," Lilith" at Pigeon Pages, and an opportunity to study with her at the Millay Colony.
• On August 18 the Mississippi Book Festival will host Jesmyn Ward, an APS contributor who was recently selected as one of TIME Magazine’s list of Top 100 Most Influential People. The festival has shared that Ward will discuss “her body of work as well as her thoughts on our state and nation.”
• Nick Cave's notes on design for the new issue of Zoetrope.

Image: Tina Modotti, Stairs, Mexico City, at The Met.