The Plague Edition of Konch Magazine

At the height of the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic,KONCH publisher/editor Ishmael Reed and editor Tennessee Reed decided to ask members of the world community of writers to submit poetry, fiction, non-fiction, journals, letters, and dramas about their experiences with the Pandemic. The response was overwhelming. Sixty contributors from Africa, China, Japan, Europe, the Caribbean, and the United States ranged from a ten-year-old to two octogenarians. The first volume was published on May 29, 2020, and the second on June 10, 2020. Now both volumes are released together in a commemorative 325-page paperback edition. For Ishmael Reed: The discussion of the Pandemic was dominated by those who have a monopoly on speech. Their ideas are ubiquitous, and their columns and books are widely discussed. Their Wikipedia biographies are interchangeable. Some men and women White, Black, Brown, Yellow, and Red, were allowed to weigh in, but instead of experts like Dr. Michael LeNoir, who has first-hand knowledge about why the virus disproportionately affects Blacks and Browns, they were entertainers with whom White audiences are comfortable. Ratings were more critical than information. With hindsight, hundreds of thousands of deaths were caused by an ignorant president who first ignored the Pandemic and harassed scientists, who offered solutions. He ridiculed those who wore masks. He and his cult members issued quack solutions for the crisis. There is no telling how many people died because he instructed those struck by the virus to drink Lysol. For Tennessee Reed: Future generations will look upon this unique anthology as a historical guide to what world community members experienced during the Plague. And who knows, among the contributors might be a Boccaccio, a De Foe, or even an Essie Jenkins. These copies of "The Plague Edition of Konch Magazine" are being offered at a 50% discount from the cover price.