The Improbable, in its newest incarnation in 2020, is a printed newsletter investigating the rich and varied space between art and literature, territory to which Siglio Press is dedicated, and which other small, adventurous publishers share. The first two paper issues of the newsletter are being released this fall—issue no. 1 is already out. It’s free and available at The Museum of Modern Art, Museum Store, where Siglio has a pop-up through December 31, as well as at a host of independent bookstores. It will also be bundled as a set and given to Siglio Advocates, and issue no. 2 will be the next Siglio Ephemera edition. You might discover it serendipitously, too.

Modeled on Dick Higgins’s Something Else Newsletter, the newsletter includes works in a range of forms (essays, treatises, ruminations, lists, playlets, questionnaires, little travelogues, etc.) by an eclectic and exciting roster of poets, writers, artists, scholars, and curators. It is meant to be wondrous and delightful, highly idiosyncratic and all-embracing of the eccentric and surprising.

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The Improbable began as a highly curated, monthly collection of short reviews written by booksellers for booksellers about unusual and wondrous books that live at the intersection of art and literature. There were six issues in 2015, written by booksellers from great independent bookstores like 192 Books and Printed Matter in New York City, Green Apple Books in San Francisco, Seminary Co-op Bookstores in Chicago and Skylight Books in Los Angeles.

They reviewed several dozen books chosen for their deep resistance to algorithms, to easy categorization, and to seven-word tag lines—books, in other words, by artists and writers who obey no boundaries, pay no fealty to trends and invite readers to see the world anew by reading word and image in provocative, unfamiliar ways.

These books are published by some of the most adventurous independent presses in the U.S., including Archipelago, Christine Burgin, Fence Books, Granary Books, Graywolf Press, Ice Plant, Kaya Press, The Kingsboro Press, Nightboat Books, Penny-Ante, Primary Information, Semiotext(e), Siglio and Ugly Duckling Presse.

Alas, this incarnation of The Improbable lasted just about a year, fueled by much goodwill and energy, but with no financial resources (and all the participants having many obligations), we were not able to continue it. Read about this first incarnation in an interview with Lisa Pearson, The Improbable editor, at Moby Lives. The Improbable was and is produced by Siglio, an independent press in the Hudson River Valley.

Image above from A brief account of some travels in divers parts of Europe by Edward Brown, 1685.