The Southwest Review, the literary journal founded in 1915 at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, is entering book publishing for the first time in its 108-year history.
This fall, the journal is launching New Pony Press with Disappearances, an art book by Barry Gifford, as its debut title. Gifford, an advisory board member of the Review, is best known as the author of the novel Wild at Heart, which was adapted by David Lynch into the 1990 movie of the same name starring Nicholas Cage and Laura Dern.
Greg Brownderville, editor-in-chief of the Review, said that the press aims to spotlight "cult authors" and "maverick writers" who have devoted followings but may not have achieved widespread recognition.
Disappearances features more than 200 black-and-white drawings, by Gifford, of literary figures, filmmakers, and musicians. The book will be published on October 8, and the author is scheduled to appear at a launch event at City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco on October 12. Asterism will distribute.
While the art book format will not be New Pony's primary focus, Gifford's book is meant to serve as an attention-grabbing introduction to the imprint, Robert Rea, deputy editor and web editor of The Southwest Review, said.
At present, the publisher has the modest goal of publishing a single title per year, with an emphasis on literary works, including translations from Latin America, per the magazine's recent emphasis on publishing writers from the region. Next up for 2025 will be the novel Se Esta Haciendo Tarde (It's Getting Late) by the respected Mexican countercultural author José Agustín, who died earlier this year.
The effort is part of a larger cultural enterprise dubbed simply "New Pony," which will encompass New Pony Press, and other projects including film, music, and podcasts run under the auspices of The Southwest Review and SMU. The initiative also includes the annual Frontera cultural festival, held in Dallas each April. This multifaceted approach reflects a broader trend in the publishing industry towards creating immersive, cross-platform experiences for readers and culture enthusiasts.
Brownderville emphasized the press's commitment to maintaining a sense of excitement in literature, contrasting with what he sees as an overly serious tone in much of the literary world. "We really have felt that there aren't enough literary magazines that have maintained a very strong sense of playfulness and fun, and liveliness," he said of the Review and its new direction—indicating that this ethos will extend to New Pony's publishing program as well.
