I MADE THIS JOURNAL

Hi. My name is Tim and I’m the editor of VICE Italy. I feel a little weird telling you about a book I made, but what else could I do? I wanted you to know about it and, well, asking someone I know to review it and pass that off as unbiased would be tantamount to insider trading. So I’m just going to be as straightforward as possible: I made a book called The Milan Review of Ghosts with substantial help from my partner and associate, Riccardo Trotta. And I like it very much. And I hope you will like it, too.

The book is very pretty, if I do say so myself. It's a hardbound literary journal with stories from the likes of Deb Olin Unferth, Clancy Martin, Nelly Reifler, Dawn Raffel, Tao Lin, Brent Van Horne, Noy Holland, E.C. Osondu, among others, and artworks by Matt Furie and Maison Du Crac. Sounds good, right? And who doesn't like hardbound journals with delightful design? And who doesn't like ghost stories? Come on.

The idea is to churn out a new issue of The Milan Review every six months. This first issue, as the title suggests, is more or less about ghosts, but the next one is going to be called The Milan Review of the Universe, so there. We’re also going to publish other stuff like art books, photo books, zines, comics, fiction… a little bit of everything. We’ll probably call the publishing house Milan Books, because me and Riccardo are both from Milan. But we're not sure. If you have suggestions, throw them in the comments.

Oh, and we’re throwing a little shindig tonight at powerHouse Arena with free beer and music selected by the great Lele Saveri. There will also be readings by Deb, E.C., and Nelly. You should come along.

Before I sign off, here's an excerpt from the book. It's a short story by the wonderful, wonderful Deb Olin Unferth called "A Visit."

Indeed you could read in your guidebook that a few hundred years back the entire town, perched on its rock, had been condemned and abandoned. Fifty years ago, people had started moving back in—tentatively at first, then proudly, an unruly set of artists who must have figured, "Ah, so let it fall. Who cares? I'm not afraid to die," but I was afraid, walking around this town. Turning any corner brought you to a ledge, and you could see deep in the ravine from above: a straight shot down. This was a people not afraid of heights. I myself used to not be afraid of heights but my imagination has grown as I've gotten older. In this town I was terrified I'd throw myself over. At every corner, I imagined it, stepping up on the ledge, raising my arms, and throwing myself off. What was life worth living for in any case? You take a bus a few places, you meet some people who disappoint you or whom you disappoint, you find a grave a few years in advance, you thank everyone for your visit.

Isn't it wonderful? My friend read it while riding a bus and actually bawled at the end of it.

PS: I have one final gift for you, dear readers. Here are some pictures of VICE Associate Editor Ellis Jones and her family and friends, reading and holding up The Milan Review and sticking it in the sand while vacationing in Destin, Florida. And why, you may ask? Why not, I'd reply.

TIM SMALL

The Milan Review of Ghosts release party
powerhouse Arena
37 Main Street,
DUMBO, Brooklyn
7 - 9 PM