The Phoenix (pacifist journal)

Last updated

The Phoenix was founded by James Cooney and his wife, Blanche Cooney (born Rosenthal) in 1938 at an artist's commune in Woodstock, New York. The magazine was originally dedicated to D. H. Lawrence, who had composed the following lines with reference to the mythic creature in 1932:

Are you willing to be sponged out, erased, cancelled,
made nothing?
Are you willing to be made nothing?
dipped into oblivion?
If not, you will never really change.
The phoenix renews her youth
only when she is burnt, burnt alive, burnt down
to hot and flocculent ash.
Then the small stirring of a new small bub in the nest
with strands of down like floating ash
shows that she is renewing her youth like the eagle,
immortal bird.

Lawrence's posthumous papers bore the same name and had been published in 1936.

A pacifist quarterly, The Phoenix was noteworthy for the willingness of its editors to publish material that the mainstream media would consider countercultural, radical, and revolutionary. The writing of Henry Miller, which could find no outlet elsewhere in the United States at the time, was featured in all of the initial issues, as were excerpts from the diaries of Anaïs Nin. The works of writers such as Hervey White, Kay Boyle and Jean Giono were printed in their entirety, as well as the poetry of Robert Duncan, Rayner Heppenstall, Derek Savage, [1] Thomas McGrath, J. C. Crews and William Everson (Brother Antonius).

The Phoenix published until 1940, when France's fall to the Third Reich sounded the death-knell (however temporarily) for peace periodicals in the United States.

Second series

Thirty years later, in 1970, as the Vietnam War spread to Cambodia (and the pacifists grew in number), The Phoenix rose again. Cooney announced the rebirth of his publication in The Massachusetts Review .

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D. H. Lawrence</span> English writer and poet (1885–1930)

David Herbert Lawrence was an English writer, novelist, poet and essayist. His works reflect on modernity, industrialization, sexuality, emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. His best known novels—Sons and Lovers, The Rainbow, Women in Love, and Lady Chatterley's Lover—notably concerned gay and lesbian relationships, and were the subject of censorship trials.

<i>Boy Meets World</i> American television sitcom (1993–2000)

Boy Meets World is an American coming-of-age sitcom created by Michael Jacobs and April Kelly that aired on ABC for seven seasons between September 1993 and May 2000. The series centers on Cory Matthews and his friends and family, as he progresses from childhood to adulthood. Episodes chronicle the everyday events of Cory's home and school life; his teacher and neighbor George Feeny delivers life lessons as Cory learns to cope with social and personal issues of adolescence. Cory has strong relationships with his older brother Eric, younger sister Morgan, and parents, Amy and Alan. Cory's friendship with Shawn Hunter and romantic interest in Topanga Lawrence serve as central focuses of episodes. Overarching themes include a focus on family and friendships as well as discovering one's identity. Further characters were introduced in later seasons; Jonathan Turner, Eli Williams, Jack Hunter, Angela Moore and Rachel McGuire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vera Brittain</span> English nurse and writer

Vera Mary Brittain was an English Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurse, writer, feminist, socialist and pacifist. Her best-selling 1933 memoir Testament of Youth recounted her experiences during the First World War and the beginning of her journey towards pacifism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dorothy Day</span> American religious and social activist (1897–1980)

Dorothy Day was an American journalist, social activist and anarchist who, after a bohemian youth, became a Catholic without abandoning her social and anarchist activism. She was perhaps the best-known political radical among American Catholics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linda Hopkins</span> American actress and singer

Linda Hopkins was a Tony-winning American actress and blues and gospel singer. She recorded classic, traditional, and urban blues, and performed R&B and soul, jazz, and show tunes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cady McClain</span> American actress, singer, and author

Cady McClain is an American actress, singer, and author.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joan Ganz Cooney</span> American television writer and producer

Joan Ganz Cooney is an American television writer and producer. She is one of the founders of Sesame Workshop, the organization famous for the creation of the children's television show Sesame Street, which was also co-created by her. Cooney grew up in Phoenix and earned a Bachelor of Arts in education from the University of Arizona in 1951. After working for the State Department in Washington, D.C., and as a journalist in Phoenix, she worked as a publicist for television and production companies in New York City. In 1961, she became interested in working for educational television, and became a documentary producer for New York's first educational TV station WNET. Many of the programs she produced won local Emmys.

<i>Banana Fish</i> Japanese manga and anime series

Banana Fish is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akimi Yoshida. It was originally serialized from 1985 to 1994 in Bessatsu Shōjo Comic, a manga magazine publishing shōjo manga. Set primarily in New York City in the 1980s, the series follows street gang leader Ash Lynx as he uncovers a criminal conspiracy involving "banana fish", a mysterious drug that brainwashes its users. In the course of his investigation he encounters Eiji Okumura, a Japanese photographer's assistant with whom he forms a close bond.

<i>Zoids: Fuzors</i>

Zoids: Fuzors is an anime series, linked to the Zoids toy line of the same name. It is the third Zoids series, following Zoids: New Century Zero in order of production. The series is 26 episodes long, however, the show had an unsuccessful U.S. broadcast, and was eventually canceled after 13 episodes. Similar to Transformers: Armada, the show was first broadcast in the U.S. instead of Japan.

<i>Savage Messiah</i> (1972 film) 1972 British film

Savage Messiah is a 1972 British biographical drama film of the life of French sculptor Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, made by Russ-Arts and distributed by MGM. It was directed and produced by Ken Russell, with Harry Benn as associate producer, from a screenplay by Christopher Logue, based on the book Savage Messiah by H. S. Ede. Much of the content of Ede's book came from letters sent between Henri Gaudier-Brzeska and his lover Sophie Brzeska.

<i>The Triple Echo</i> 1972 film by Michael Apted

The Triple Echo is a 1972 British drama film directed by Michael Apted starring Glenda Jackson, Brian Deacon and Oliver Reed, and based on the 1970 novella by H.E. Bates. It was shot in Wiltshire.

<i>Point of Origin</i> (novel)

Point of Origin is a crime fiction novel by Patricia Cornwell. It is the ninth book in the Dr. Kay Scarpetta series.

<i>When Dogs Cry</i> Book by Markus Zusak

When Dogs Cry is the third young adult fiction novel written by Australian writer Markus Zusak in the Wolfe family books. It is a stand-alone companion novel (sequel) to his young adult fiction novels Fighting Ruben Wolfe and The Underdog. It was first published in 2001 by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty limited. It was published in United States by Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Press, April 2003 under the title Getting the Girl. Both titles come from the titles of poems in the book.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martha Kane</span> UK soap opera character, created 2012

Martha Kane is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Carli Norris. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 18 January 2012. The character was introduced as the mother of Ash, Callum and Lacey Kane. Martha is portrayed as a feisty female and a liberal parent. Martha is an alcoholic and has been used to portray the effects the issue has on involved family members. Her addiction causes trouble and affects her youngest daughter, Lacey, following a violent altercation. Despite attempting to overcome her addiction, Martha failed to stop drinking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ash Kane</span> UK soap opera character, created 2011

Ash Kane is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Holly Weston. Ash debuted on-screen on 28 September 2011. Weston attended a late audition for the role and was later told she had secured the part. Weston was signed to the serial on an initial six-month contract which was later extended by impressed producers.

<i>Vicious</i> (TV series) British television sitcom, showing on ITV between 2013–2016

Vicious is a British television sitcom shown on ITV. The series stars Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi as Freddie and Stuart, an elderly couple who have been together for 50 years but endure a love/hate relationship. The series premiered on 29 April 2013 with 5.78 million viewers.

References