Phoenix is a student-run campus publication dedicated to the artistic expression of students, faculty, and alumni. Now celebrating over 60 years in publication, the magazine is known as a home for student artistry at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. The Phoenix staff has always sought to provide students with a platform to speak truth to power and share their own stories through art.
In the past, Phoenix has housed the works of Cormac McCarthy, Bennet LeMaster, and Marilyn Kallet.
The student literary magazine, the Phoenix, was first published in October 1959 as a supplement to the student newspaper, the Orange and White. That initial issue contained the initial literary publication of Cormac McCarthy, a short story entitled “Wake for Susan.” (A second McCarthy short story, “A Drowning Incident,” was included in the March 1960 edition.) In 1966 the Phoenix became an independent student literary art magazine. The Phoenix has been published every term since 1959. In January 2005 the Phoenix introduced its first multimedia compact disc to display films, music, and other artistic expressions that could not be included in the magazine. Written by Betsey B. Creekmore
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Check Out Our Staff’s Literature and Media Picks:
- On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (2019) Heartbreaking poetic prose that might just lead to daydreaming, creating, or even hope. – Diana
- If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson (1998) This YA novel had me crying in a coffee shop. It’s heartbreaking, beautiful, and eternally relevant. – Presley
- The Third Hotel by Laura van den Berg (2018) This beautiful novel was pleasantly precise, and its topics range from grief to the innerworkings of horror movies to the uncertainty of truly knowing the people around us. – Sadie
- Lapvona by Otessa Moshfegh (2022) Otessa Moshfegh has been one of the favorite contemporary authors releasing novels in the last few years. I think her writing is beautiful and grotesque, a contradiction which is difficult to achieve. I would recommend her to anyone who enjoys being disgusted. – Case
- The Complete Memoirs by Pablo Neruda (1974) Published posthumously, the Chilean poet, pacifist, hopeless romantic and senator with a target on his back still manages to outsmart his audience and subvert expectations. – Diana
- Ada Limón and Natalie Diaz, “Envelopes of Air” (2018) A series of 8 letters written in the form of poems as a correspondence between the 2 poets from January to September of 2017. Free to read on The New Yorker’s website! The language throughout is beautifully simple in a way that is inviting and approachable without sacrificing nuance or depth. Go read right now!! – Max
- Diana Khoi Nguyen, “Ghost of” (2018) I will not shut up about this book. I also refuse to do it the injustice of attempting to summarize or describe it here. – Max
- Ants from Up There by Black Country, New Road (2022) I would recommend this album to literally anyone. It’s a delightful mix of baroque pop ballads, chamber rock songs, orchestral arrangements complemented by jazz drumming, all including phenomenal lyric writing. – Case
- Renaissance by Beyoncé (2022) The transitions alone deserve a nod. She killed it. – Sadie
- Beatopia by Beabadoobee (2022) This album invokes feelings of nostalgia as it’s filled with guitar riffs and melodies reminiscent of the soundtracks of movies from the early 2000s. Indie rock never fails!! – Raina
- Dance Fever by Florence + The Machine (2022) Witchy Florence Welch has done it once again. – Diana
- Preacher’s Daughter by Ethel Cain (2022) One of my favorite musical releases of the year. Terrifying throughout. If you enjoy the Southern Gothic/Appalachian aesthetic, you will love this album. Haunted and haunting. I can’t get “Ptolemaea” out of my head in both the worst and best way. – Max
- Janky Star by Grace Ives (2022) Highly infectious and danceable pop record that I loved from start to finish. – Sadie
- Dawn FM by The Weeknd (2022) This album uses the sounds of 80s synth-pop, dark disco, and funk while the lyrics of the songs reflect on the concept of death and eternity. I love having an existential crisis and dancing at the same time, it’s really fun! – Raina
- S by They Are Gutting a Body of Water (2022) I think this was the best album to come out of the American shoegaze revival scene this year. It capitalizes on all of the coolest elements of traditional shoegaze while incorporating new elements like breakbeat and hyperpop. – Case
- Boat Songs by MJ Lenderman (2022) The perfect combination of twang and punch, MJ tells stories of the mundane and ridiculous without overstaying his welcome. – Sadie
- Andrew Bird One of my favorite artists this year. A master violinist and a shocking lyricist, his songs always leave me clutching my heart out of both grief and laughter. – Presley
- White Noise (2022) dir. Noah Baumbach Noah Baumbach captured the feeling of reading this novel perfectly. The casting was absolutely wonderful, and the ability to transcend the confines of genre was amazing! – Case
- Barbarian (2022) dir. Zach Cregger My favorite horror movie of the year. Yes, I take it over X and Nope. The last time I remember being that scared in a theater was The Conjuring 2, and that was over 6 years ago. – Max
- 306 Hollywood (2022) dir. Elan and Johnathan Bogarin You’ve never seen a documentary with so much magic and chutzpah. – Diana
- I Think You Should Leave (2019) The most quotable show I have ever seen and infinitely rewatchable. – Max
- The Sex Lives of College Girls (2021) Almost a guilty pleasure, but it’s undeniably adorable. – Sadie
