Carson Cistulli

Carson Harrington Cistulli
Full name Carson Harrington Cistulli
Born December 23rd, 1979
Concord, New Hampshire
Era 21st century poetry
Region Western Poetry, Postmodernism

Carson Cistulli (born December 23, 1979) is an American poet, essayist and English professor. His works of poetry include Some Common Weaknesses Illustrated, Assorted Fictions, and A Century of Enthusiasm.

Contents

Biography

Early Years

Carson Cistulli was born December 23, 1979 in Concord, New Hampshire to Philip Cistulli Jr. and Holly Young.[1] Carson and his younger sister, Samantha, passed their early childhood in a middle class Italian-American home until their parents' divorce in 1994.[2] Rather than choosing to live with one or the other of his parents Cistulli left for boarding school at Milton Academy in Massachusetts.[2]

Education

After graduating from Milton in 1998[3] he attended Columbia University where he studied under poet Kenneth Koch, of the New York School of poetry. After his studies under Koch, he moved to Seattle to write.[2] He would later receive a bachelors degree in Classical Civilizations from the University of Montana in Missoula and a master's degree in Creative writing from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.[1]

Panic Attacks

In an essay about sports and aesthetics, "A Lengthy Meditation on Baseball and the Science of Happiness," Cistulli explained that part of his turn towards writing was a therapeutic response to anxiety attacks. Cistulli wrote that these attacks became so intense that he at times struggled to breathe: "During the fall of 2001, while living in Missoula, MT, I began experiencing some symptoms of generalized anxiety: occasional tightness or pain in the chest and limbs, invasive thoughts about death and illness [...] those symptoms persisted off and on into the next spring, at which time I developed a considerably less pleasant one (i.e. symptom): for long periods of time, and with no warning, I was unable to breathe involuntarily".[4]

A biographical reading of his poetry highlights echos of these experiences, death,[5][6] disease -- "At some point you'll die of a) cancer b) heart disease[...]"[7] -- the apparently offhand remark of breathlessness in Chapter 84 of A Century of Enthusiasm, Part III. After a lengthy meditation on enthusiasm (and a call towards listening,[8] invocations of both the ontological argument[9] and the ten commandments[10]) Cistulli writes:

Kali doesn't recognize when I wash the dishes, only when I
don't wash them. Some other things are like that, that I can't
remember at the moment.

Oh, I remember: I think "breathing" was one of
them.[11]

Poetry

Cistulli’s work A Century of Enthusiasm begins “People of the world, allow me to introduce myself: my name is Carson Harrington Cistulli, ambassador to crunk in the Western Hemisphere”.[12] Carson plays with context and language often mixing the vernacular with the scholastic. References to pop-culture (like the above mention of crunk) and intertextuality with scholastic figures as varied as Ralph Waldo Emerson,[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] Sean Casey[23][24][25] or Emily Dickinson[26][27][28] occur frequently in his work. Cistulli also plays with the notions of authorship,[29][30][31] poetic inspiration,[32][33] and recontextualization.[34]

Lisa Baker writes that "In a day and age when we are quick to consume the rigid definitions of relationships fed to us by those who wield power, Cistulli tutors us in language’s malleability; a new comparison, an unexpected verb in a familiar phrase can force an entirely new perspective—and perhaps one more curious and more generous."[35]

Authorship

In his essay Let us Proclaim the Mystery of Faith Cistulli references the "ineffab[ility]" of authorship.[36] To the question who is the author Cistulli writes that "there is no answer. Or, rather, there is no one answer".[36] Following Borges' "whatsoever is good does not belong to anyone, not even to the other, but to language and tradition"[37] Cistulli re-writes Walt Whitman's famous "I am large—I contain multitudes"[38] as "it is large and contains multitudes."[36] The effects of the re-interpretation of the author as multiple, fragmentary and opaque can be seen in James B. Jones review of Some Common Weaknesses Illustrated. Jones writes that reading Cistulli is “as though Rimbaud, the Boston Sports Guy, a drunken Slovene, and the director of advertising for a struggling talk-radio station all sat down for a game of exquisite corpse”.[39]

While this review was written in 2007, it could easily have been written about Cistulli's 2010 piece A Poem with Dick Allen’s Name in It:

Dick Allen! He was doing some bizarrely intense
research on the historic Burlingame Olympics.
He was dressed in a jacket made exclusively
from the lapels of other jackets. When I saw him,
I was all, “Dick Allen! You suffered the slings
and arrows of outrageous Philadelphians![40]

In this excerpt the I -- Cistulli who will elsewhere introduce himself as "Carson Cistulli. You may know from me such films as 'How Stella Got Her Groove Taken Away in the First Place' and 'Haters Gonna Hate: The Life and Times of Jimmy Stewart'."[36] -- is lost and in its place, insofar as Cistulli will write of an author, authorship, as taking place, is the "unassailable" it writing between and beyond a stable "I" who can say 'I wrote this' (for as Cistulli writes, citing Borges, "I do not know which of us is writing this page."[36])

Essays and Journalism

Cistulli's essays and journalism have appeared in The New York Times,[41] SBNation,[42] FanGraphs,[43] ESPN,[44] The Hardball Times,[45] The New Enthusiast,[46] RotoWire,[47] The Huffington Post,[48] and The Portland Sportsman.[49]

Sabermetrics

Cistulli has written that his interest in sabermetrics is to explore "that place where quantitative analysis and aesthetics meet"[50] in practicing what he calls the art[51] of sabermetrical research. Within sabermetrics he is the creator of NERD,[52][53] SCOUT[54] and historical GBz%.[55][56][57][58] Cistulli has influenced many contemporary sports thinkers including Rob Neyer who, asked about the value of Cistulli's work within the sabermetric community, responded "there's value in just about everything that Cistulli does. He's got an original mind and we'll ignore him at our peril."[59]

Feast Days

In “admir[ation]” of the Eastern Orthodox Church practice of feast days and saintly hymns Cistulli began writing verses for past and present baseball players in February 2011 with a hymn to Bug Holliday.[60] He has since written hymns to Dazzy Vance, Honus Wagner, Sparky Anderson and Vladimir Guerrero among others.[61] These celebrations include a traditional biography, a lyrical “prayer,” and, beginning with the feast of Liván Hernández, propose a spiritual “ritual” or “exercise” related to the player’s life.[61]

Electronic Aphorisms

“Take a daguerreotype, it’ll last longer”: this was never a popular expression.
Carson Cistulli, "Introductory Aphorism"[62]

In January 2009 Cistulli decided to add "Moral Edification" to his writing at the The New Enthusiast: "in the tradition of Heraclitus, La Rochefoucauld, and Morgan Freeman in most of his later films, we have decided to experiment with that most honored form, the aphorism".[63] In addition to these daily aphorisms he started writing aphorisms for SB Nation in March 2011.[64]

Radio Hosting

Cistulli was previously the host of "Goal: The Soccer Show" (103.3 FM Northampton, MA)[65] and "The Shuttlecoque Sporting Hour" (1450 AM Portland, OR.)[66] He is currently the host of FanGraphs Audio.[67] With FanGraphs Audio he has interviewed, among others, Matt Antonelli,[68] Rob Nelson (inventor of Big League Chew),[69] Dayn Perry,[70] Jesse Thorn,[71] and Rob Neyer.[72]

Works

Biography portal
Poetry portal

• Englished by Diverse Hands (2003)

• Free Radicals: American Poets Before Their First Books (2004)

• Some Common Weaknesses Illustrated (2006)

• Assorted Fictions (2006)

• Origin, sixth series, Spring (2006)

• A Century of Enthusiasm (2007)

• The Prostituesdays Anthology (editor, 2008)

External links

Radio

Journalism

References

  1. ^ a b Concord Monitor. May 3rd, 2009
  2. ^ a b c "Cistulli shakes shackles of celebrity". The Advocate. http://www.advocate-online.net/Archives/archives20072008/110207/Cistulli.php. Retrieved 2010-12-01. 
  3. ^ "Notable Alumni: Authors". Milton Academy. http://alumni.milton.edu/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=264. Retrieved 2010-12-01. 
  4. ^ I am Trying to Break Your Eyes: A Lengthy Meditation on Baseball and the Science of Happiness Retrieved November 25th, 2010
  5. ^ Cistulli, Carson. Some Common Weaknesses Illustrated. Casagrande Press, 2006, "My nephew was the lawyer who represented death"; "How far does death see?"; "about to die, he withdrew all his money and bought what he could of an artificial heart"; "The directions say take a left here but that would necessitate death"; "So either the directions are wrong or they're just directing us to die". P. 20, ect.
  6. ^ Cistulli, Carson. A Century of Enthusiasm. University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2007, "I suggest you find a place for me in your library—until I die, at least". ¨P. 50 "Chapter 87"
  7. ^ Cistulli, Carson. Some Common Weaknesses Illustrated. Casagrande Press, 2006
  8. ^ Cistulli, Carson. A Century of Enthusiasm. University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2007, p. 47 "Chapter 66"
  9. ^ Cistulli, Carson. A Century of Enthusiasm. University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2007, p. 47 "Chapter 70", "Chapter 71", p. 48 "Chapter 80"
  10. ^ Cistulli, Carson. A Century of Enthusiasm. University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2007, p. 49 "Chapter 82", "Chapter 83"
  11. ^ Cistulli, Carson. A Century of Enthusiasm. University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2007, p. 49 "Chapter 84"
  12. ^ Cistulli, Carson. A Century of Enthusiasm University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2007, p. 1
  13. ^ Cistulli, Carson. A Century of Enthusiasm University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2007, p. 1, p. 19, p. 38, p. 42, p. 46
  14. ^ The Sabermetric Project and The Science of Words Retrieved November 25th, 2010
  15. ^ "The All-Joy Team, Observations and First Pick". Fangraphs.com. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-all-joy-team-observations-and-first-pick/. Retrieved 2010-11-30. 
  16. ^ "Three Ways to Understand Cliff Lee". Ussmariner.com. http://www.ussmariner.com/2010/07/01/three-ways-to-understand-cliff-lee/. Retrieved 2010-12-01. 
  17. ^ "Call to Action: Give Money to These Strangers!". Fangraphs.com. http://www.fangraphs.com/not/index.php/call-to-action-give-money-to-these-strangers/. Retrieved 2010-11-30. 
  18. ^ "Epigraphs to a Book I Won't Write". The New Enthusiast. http://newenthusiast.wordpress.com/2008/09/08/epigraphs-to-a-book-i-wont-write/. Retrieved 2011-01-01. 
  19. ^ "Enthusiast’s Notebook: The (Late) Morning After the Night Before". The New Enthusiast. http://newenthusiast.wordpress.com/2008/10/17/. Retrieved 2011-01-01. 
  20. ^ "Ryan Sweeney: We’re Selling Jeans Here". FanGraphs. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/ryan-sweeney-were-selling-jeans-here/. Retrieved 2011-11-01. 
  21. ^ "RW Emerson on Boston’s Theo Epstein Compensation". NotGraphs. http://www.fangraphs.com/not/index.php/rw-emerson-on-bostons-theo-epstein-compensation/. Retrieved 2011-10-20. 
  22. ^ "The Other Uses For the Internet". NotGraphs. http://www.fangraphs.com/not/index.php/the-other-use-for-the-internet-besides-pornography/. Retrieved 2011-10-31. 
  23. ^ Cistulli, Carson. A Century of Enthusiasm University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2007, p. 23, p. 29, p. 39, p. 50
  24. ^ The Long Hello Some Notes on Luck Retrieved November 25th, 2010
  25. ^ Cistulli, Carson. A Century of Enthusiasm University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2007, p. 31
  26. ^ Cistulli, Carson. Some Common Weaknesses Illustrated. Casagrande Press, 2006, p. 23
  27. ^ Cistulli, Carson. A Century of Enthusiasm University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2007, p. 31
  28. ^ "All-Joy Team: All the Right Moves and Other Notes". Fangraphs.com. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/all-joy-team-all-the-right-moves-and-other-notes/. Retrieved 2010-11-30. 
  29. ^ Cistulli, Carson. A Century of Enthusiasm. University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2007, p. 1, p. 6, p. 18, p. 50
  30. ^ Cistulli, Carson. Some Common Weaknesses Illustrated. Casagrande Press, 2006, p. 8, p. 19, p. 36
  31. ^ Cistulli, Carson. Some Common Weaknesses Illustrated. Casagrande Press, 2006, A Note on the Type
  32. ^ Cistulli, Carson. Some Common Weaknesses Illustrated. Casagrande Press, 2006, Imprint
  33. ^ Cistulli, Carson. Some Common Weaknesses Illustrated. Casagrande Press, 2006, p. 14
  34. ^ Cistulli, Carson. Some Common Weaknesses Illustrated. Casagrande Press, 2006, p. 9, p. 10, p. 23, P. 66, p. 70
  35. ^ "Some Common Weaknesses Illustrated". Milton Magazine. http://www.milton.edu/news/upload/magazine_fall07.pdf. Retrieved 2010-12-01. 
  36. ^ a b c d e "Let us Proclaim the Mystery of Faith". Fangraphs.com. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/let-us-proclaim-the-mystery-of-faith/. Retrieved 2011-01-01. 
  37. ^ "Borges and I, Borges Y Yo". anagrammatically.com. http://anagrammatically.com/2008/01/31/borges-and-i-borges-y-yo/. Retrieved 2011-01-01. 
  38. ^ "Leaves of Grass". bartleby.com. http://www.bartleby.com/142/14.html. Retrieved 2011-01-01. 
  39. ^ Bookslut – Some Common Weaknesses Illustrated Retrieved November 25th, 2010
  40. ^ "A Poem with Dick Allen’s Name in It". NotGraphs. http://www.fangraphs.com/not/index.php/a-poem-with-dick-allens-name-in-it/. Retrieved 2011-01-01. 
  41. ^ Cistulli, Carson (2011-03-22). "Fantasy Focus: A Socratic Approach". The New York Times. http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/fantasy-focus-a-socratic-approach/. Retrieved 2011-03-22. 
  42. ^ "Introducing ... Baseball Nation". SB Nation. http://mlb.sbnation.com/2011/3/30/2082120/introducing-a-new-concept-baseball-nation. Retrieved 2011-04-01. 
  43. ^ Fangraphs Archive: Carson Cistulli Retrieved November 25th, 2010
  44. ^ ESPN: Carson Cistulli Retrieved November 30th, 2010
  45. ^ The Hardball Times: Carson Cistulli Retrieved November 25th, 2010
  46. ^ The New Enthusiast Archive: Carson Cistulli Retrieved May 4th, 2011
  47. ^ Rotosynthesis Archive: Carson Cistulli Retrieved November 25th, 2010
  48. ^ "Carson Cistulli". The Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carson-cistulli. Retrieved 2010-12-07. 
  49. ^ The Portland Sportsman Archive: Carson Cistulli Retrieved November 25th, 2010
  50. ^ "USS Mariner: Mariners and NERDs". Ussmariner.com. http://www.ussmariner.com/2010/06/16/mariners-and-nerds/. Retrieved 2010-11-30. 
  51. ^ Fangraphs: The Long Hello Retrieved November 25th, 2010
  52. ^ Fangraphs: Introducing NERD Retrieved November 25th, 2010
  53. ^ Fangraphs: Introducing Team NERD Retrieved November 30th, 2010
  54. ^ "SCOUT: Using Small Samples From the AFL". Fangraphs.com. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/scout-using-small-samples-from-the-afl/. Retrieved 2010-12-01. 
  55. ^ "Breaking New Grounders: Ground Balls Since 1950". FanGraphs. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/breaking-new-grounders-ground-balls-since-1950/. Retrieved 2011-03-05. 
  56. ^ "Ratios to rates". Inside The Book. http://www.insidethebook.com/ee/index.php/site/article/ratios_to_rates/. Retrieved 2011-03-05. 
  57. ^ "Has there been a change in GB hit at some point in the late 60s?". Inside The Book. http://www.insidethebook.com/ee/index.php/site/comments/has_there_been_a_change_in_gb_hit_at_some_point_in_the_late_60s/. Retrieved 2011-03-05. 
  58. ^ "BP Unfiltered". Baseball Prospectus. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=13063&mode=print&nocache=1319387212. Retrieved 2011-10-11. 
  59. ^ Chat with Rob Neyer Retrieved November 25th, 2010
  60. ^ "Exercises in Blasphemy: Feast Days for Ballplayers". FanGraphs. http://www.fangraphs.com/not/index.php/exercises-in-blasphemy-feast-days-for-ballplayers/. Retrieved 2011-03-05. 
  61. ^ a b "Feast Days Archive". FanGraphs. http://www.fangraphs.com/not/index.php/category/feast-days. Retrieved 2011-03-05. 
  62. ^ "Introductory Aphorism". The New Enthusiast. http://thenewenthusiast.com/2009/01/28/introductory-aphorism/. Retrieved 2011-05-29. 
  63. ^ "Selected Aphorisms for the New Enthusiast". The New Enthusiast. http://thenewenthusiast.com/2009/01/27/selected-aphorisms-for-the-new-enthusiast/. Retrieved 2011-06-15. 
  64. ^ "The Opening Day Paradox". SB Nation. http://mlb.sbnation.com/2011/3/30/2081020/the-opening-day-paradox. Retrieved 2011-06-15. 
  65. ^ "Goal: The Soccer Show 12.4.2006". valleyfreeradio.org. http://www.valleyfreeradio.org/2006/12/goal-soccer-1242006/. Retrieved 2011-02-16. 
  66. ^ "The Shuttlecoque Sporting Hour". Blogspot.com. http://sportinghour.blogspot.com/. Retrieved 2011-01-01. 
  67. ^ "Presenting FanGraphs Audio". Fangraphs.com. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/presenting-fangraphs-audio/. Retrieved 2010-12-07. 
  68. ^ "FanGraphs Audio: Matt Antonelli, Washington National". Fangraphs.com. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/fangraphs-audio-matt-antonelli-washington-national. Retrieved 2011-02-16. 
  69. ^ "FanGraphs Audio: Rob Nelson of Big League Chew". Fangraphs.com. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/fangraphs-audio-rob-nelson-of-big-league-chew/. Retrieved 2011-01-15. 
  70. ^ "FanGraphs Audio: Dayn Perry, Real-Live Book Author". Fangraphs.com. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/fangraphs-audio-dayn-perry-real-live-book-author/#comments. Retrieved 2011-01-27. 
  71. ^ "FanGraphs Audio: Jesse Thorn, King of Most Media". Fangraphs.com. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/fangraphs-audio-jesse-thorn-king-of-most-media/. Retrieved 2010-12-07. 
  72. ^ "FanGraphs Audio: Rob Neyer Status Update". Fangraphs.com. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/fangraphs-audio-rob-neyer-status-update/. Retrieved 2010-12-07.