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Author/Reader Discussions
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THE SOVEREIGNTIES OF INVENTION discussion
The giveaway will be extended through Sunday due to lack of entries. (will now end on 4/22)If you've ever wanted to get in on an author/reader discussion.. this is your chance!! Still have 7 copies that are unclaimed!!
Matthew joins us on May 15th!!!Looking forward to seeing what you guys think of the collection.
For those of you who did not win a copy, Red Lemonade has the entire collection online at http://redlemona.de/matthew-battles/t...
Feel free to read at your leisure and join us on the 15th too!!
If you are a fan of Pinterest... (I am the only one who hasn't created a pin page yet???)... Red Lemonade has created pin pages for the stories of The Sovereignties of Invention.http://pinterest.com/redlemonader/
What do you think? Which do you think most closely relates the story it is pinned after?
His publisher, Red Lemonade, also posted the following reader essays, that were written in response to one of his stories:Red Reader One: My Little Gnomon - http://redlemona.de/red-lemonade/blog...
Red Reader Two: The title story - http://redlemona.de/red-lemonade/blog...
Red Reader Three: A conversation between readers on The Passages - http://redlemona.de/red-lemonade/blog...
Got my book in the mail today! I'll have to stay up late and read! Plus gotta drag myself away from Pintrest now!!! :)
Hey guys, take a look at this. Matthew Battles will be presenting live tomorrow at 1230pm.. here's the link to the webcast - http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/l...If you can't catch the event, it looks as though it will be archived for viewing later.
Sadly, this has nothing to do with TNBBC, and may even keep him from joining us at the kickoff, but it's something... right??!
Happy 15th everyone! A very big welcome to Matthew Battles!I wanted to start the discussion by asking...
What do you, as readers, think of the overall tone of the collection? What theme or themes do you see Battles playing with here?
And then on the flip side, a question for Battles...
What do you hope your readers find within this collection? Was there a certain theme or presence planned for this collection from the get-go?
I think the theme is mystery and magic in everyday life. the stories are reminiscent of the works of borges, garcia marquez, amado, poe and lovecraft. the use of archaic terms and british orthography also made me think of english classics.
Lori wrote: "Happy 15th everyone! A very big welcome to Matthew Battles!I wanted to start the discussion by asking...
What do you, as readers, think of the overall tone of the collection? What theme or theme..."
Good questions, Lori. I think one of the things we can see in these stories is commentary on society. These stories have left me creating my own endings and looking deeper. Some of them have been disturbing, but I have enjoyed reading them. The descriptions are fantastic!
Another unique look at Matthew Battles book.. a take on each of the stories from the interesting perspective of inevitability!http://redlemona.de/red-lemonade/blog...
I felt that the major theme of the stories had to do with the unalterable ambiguity that accompanies all technology. More than anything else, these stories seem to deal with the imposition and extension of new modes of seeing (Camera Lucide), thinking (sovereignties), experiencing art (manuscript of belz), and most damningly the slavish attraction of the next gadget fad (the gnomon). The fact that so many of the stories are fated and exist in a sort of disappointed space, seems inevitable, doesn't it, given the expectation promised by most innovation. What is lost by each potential gain, right?
I would like Mr. Battles to address this: How does one create myth and origin story in an environment where history, itself, seems impossible? I think the story The Unicorn has the most direct application to what I am getting at here.
i just finished reading. I really enjoyed the author's masterful touch of language. I think there is a theme of how technology affects us and how we see the world around us.
Hello, all! Thanks for reading the book, and for your searching comments & questions. I'm especially glad to see Poe, Borges, and Lovecraft mentioned—those authors certainly have their effect on me.The question of technology & mystery is quite interesting to me, and as several have pointed out, it animates these stories. I'm fairly convinced that technology is not the same thing as science—science is a zero-sum game, propelled by the belief that eventually everything can be known. Technology doesn't ask this of the world; in fact, it thrives on the prospect of new problems needing ever-evolving provisional solutions.
But catching this mystery in the context of technology without making a story seem dated is a challenge; I wonder if it's one I've managed to meet.
Welcome, Matthew! It's good to have you with us. I have to say that the stories have enticed and frustrated me, which is a good thing. lol They made me think. The one I can't seem to let go of is the first, "Dogs in Trees." It captured me completely, then dropped me in the end. I keep wondering what happened. But, that is the sign of good writing. Your descriptions put me in the moment of the story perfectly.So many of the stories captured the fever of technology, showing the dark side of excess. Do we really want a "Gonome"? Thank you for making me think!
Matthew wrote: "Hello, all! Thanks for reading the book, and for your searching comments & questions. I'm especially glad to see Poe, Borges, and Lovecraft mentioned—those authors certainly have their effect on me..."i would say that you met that challenge admirably! There is also a sense of wonder that seems to permeate in the stories. Throughout the day i find myself reflecting on these stories.
Matthew wrote: "Hello, all! Thanks for reading the book, and for your searching comments & questions. I'm especially glad to see Poe, Borges, and Lovecraft mentioned—those authors certainly have their effect on me..."I knew it. these authors have an impact but you have your own unique voice. by te way, are you british or part?
Matthew wrote: "But catching this mystery in the context of technology without making a story seem dated is a challenge; I wonder if it's one I've managed to meet."Only a few months will tell. It seems that the planned obsolescence of technology has moved beyond cynical to diabolical. But having said that, I feel the strict sci fi outing - For Provisional... - deals masterfully with this theme. It is as fine an allegory as I have read on the topic. It deserves a place in some hallowed collection curated by some equally revered Science Fiction author.
A few times throughout the collection, I was reminded of THE CLEFT AND OTHER ODD TALES by Gahan Wilson, which I recommend to all.
R.John wrote: "Matthew wrote: "But catching this mystery in the context of technology without making a story seem dated is a challenge; I wonder if it's one I've managed to meet."Only a few months will tell. It..."
Thanks for the suggestion. I will be sure to check it out. This collection reminds me so much of the COLLECTED FICTION of JORGE LUIS BORGES, and STRANGE PILGRIMS by GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ. well, for contemporary comparisons, I can say they are also like HARUKI MURAKAMI's THE ELEPHANT VANISHES and BLIND WILLOW, SLEEPING WOMAN.
With the writing style, I can say the book reminds me of my two most favorite authors, Louis de Bernieres and Jeanette Winterson definitely.
So Donna mentions that she can't seem to shake "The Dogs in the Trees".... which short story is sticking hard and fast with you and why?
I'm not British, except at a remove! I had a grandmother from Newscastle, but I can't remember her, and I don't think she had any effect on my discourse. I've been deeply marked by 19th-century American voices, especially Emerson, Hawthorne, Dickinson, and Poe; by Middle English, particularly Canterbury Tales & Gawain; also, by fiction in translation, which can have a dislocated feeling that's hard sometimes to shake.
Matthew, How long in the making was The Sovereignties of Invention?
Was this a collection that you intended to write, or have these stories been brought together over the years?
Matthew wrote: "I'm not British, except at a remove! I had a grandmother from Newscastle, but I can't remember her, and I don't think she had any effect on my discourse. I've been deeply marked by 19th-century Ame..."I asked because I noticed you used British spellings in many words (like foetus), and the style of the prose is a little English. =P
Matthew Battles discusses feral dogs and the mingling curiosity and fear of our relationship with technology in his Berkman speech ( bit.ly/JdtLYa ) In my response to The Gnomon story (Red Reader#1 above) there is a co-mingling of seriousness and kookiness. The framing of the story and the language give a sense of Lynchian desperation and mystical destruction, but also a sense of kookiness and...almost a put-on, or lightheartedness.. I like how the stories explore that fuzzy wonderland one experiences, like pareidolia and apophenia- they crack open the space of feeling you get when the image shifts between a solid vase and two face profiles.
Lori wrote: "Matthew, How long in the making was The Sovereignties of Invention?
Was this a collection that you intended to write, or have these stories been brought together over the years?"
Was this a collection that you intended to write, or have these stories been brought together over the years?"
These stories were written in two clusters—more than ten years apart! Several of them appeared in a wonderful journal called Hermenaut back around the turn of the millennium; those stories tend to seem more essay-like, as I was playing with the edges of fiction at the time. More recent stories were written in the year preceding the acceptance of the project by Red Lemonade, and were part of an intense period of exploring the mysterious affordances of technology by means of elaborate & obvious fictional conceits. Although they're of a piece, I didn't really think of them as a collection until Red Lemonade came along—the platform seemed to offer a place to explore the possibility of these stories hanging together in book form.
Since you bring up the Red Lemonade platform, Matthew, how did that community affect or impact the sound and feel of your stories? What was the peer feedback/editing like?
Lori wrote: "So Donna mentions that she can't seem to shake "The Dogs in the Trees".... which short story is sticking hard and fast with you and why?"A world without dogs is pretty horrifying, but I think the story that resonated the most with me was The Manuscript of Belz, if a bit shaky, speaks to one of my literary fetishes - the imaginary books. Of course, with the sheer volume of existing texts, many more considering what has been lost or destroyed, it is always fascinating to me when authors feel the need to invent a book.
Of course, Borges is the master, but where would Nabokov or Calvino or even Mathews be without their own inventions? With so many strange and storied manuscripts in existence, I find it unusually brilliant when an author pulls off such a curious invention.
I have to admit, the two stories that stuck with me the most were THE DOGS IN THE TREES and THE UNICORN. DOGS because of the sadness - the dogs basically gave up on mankind, and sentenced themselves to death in the trees just to apart from us.
UNICORN because of how ugly and twisted he made his unicorn, yet it was loyal and lovely, much like a dog. And the fact that it just goes to show how quickly people attack/jump on something and then just as quickly grow tired and bored with it.
Lori wrote: "Since you bring up the Red Lemonade platform, Matthew, how did that community affect or impact the sound and feel of your stories? What was the peer feedback/editing like?"
With the newness of the platform, my stories hit Red Lemonade quite late in their gestation; I think the feedback experience would be much different if one were embarking on a new writing experience in that context.
Having done a lot of blogging, I was comfortable with the experience of having work commented on in a semi-public forum—getting used to that can be difficult, but I think is crucial today. The comments themselves were unusually well-aimed, thoughtful, and productive; people join the Red Lemonade community to be part of a process, to see work advance, and that positive spirit helps immensely.
R.John wrote: "Lori wrote: "So Donna mentions that she can't seem to shake "The Dogs in the Trees".... which short story is sticking hard and fast with you and why?"A world without dogs is pretty horrifying, bu..."
That is so true... there is always something seductive and wonderful with books about books or writing.
R.John agree on Manuscript of Belz, I like the humor in the town meeting and the inquiry into just what is ' real' brings to mind P.K. Dick's Man in the High Castle and also the research/debate about the Shroud of Turin and the Vineland Map. What page does Brko have and how did he really end up with it? The phrasing regarding the dew and rain are particularly effecting in this one also.
Hullo Matthew,One of the things that really struck me about The Sovereignties of Invention was the large number of discernable literary influences, from across the spectrum, which you successfully synthezised (without lapsing into pastiche). This prompts the following question: Is all literature an elevated form of fan fiction to a greater or lesser degree?
One thing I appreciate about this collection is that it's smart without being impenetrable. Like the best literature, multiple readings of SOI allow readers to mine new themes each time they read the work--or at least that was my experience.
It's been enlightening to read everyone's take on this collection--especially the discussions around technology and the writers that Matthew's work brings to mind. It's wonderful when a book can send you off to other writers like a treasure hunt.
My reading of it brought me back to Walter Benjamin, and I framed an essay I wrote for Red Lemonade about the collection around that: http://redlemona.de/red-lemonade/blog...
Question for Matthew or any who write:Do the images come first?
Did you see a dog or cat in a high place, for example?
Or did you see a machine and wonder if it could be a recorder?
It is funny how many of these stories invade my thoughts daily. They have all stuck with me. Good job, Matthew! As I think about them, I have been trying to figure out my favorite. I think it is the same one that won't totally leave me - "Dogs in Trees." It sucked me in from the start and left me with questions. I like that. Matthew, do you have a favorite story in the collection? Did anyone else?
I am very partial to the last 2 stories and I really like the short bursts and lyrical language of Passages, although the story about the prairies and paddling the river both inspire and frustrate me with their obscurity, not sure if I am even reaching what that story is trying say, probably that I should do exactly the opposite of what I am doing- dissecting if for Meaning and draining away all the Beauty.
Brian wrote: "I am very partial to the last 2 stories and I really like the short bursts and lyrical language of Passages, although the story about the prairies and paddling the river both inspire and frustrate ..."I know what you mean, Brian. LOL I think about many parts of these stories over and over trying to figure out what they mean to me and if I have missed anything. I can really take apart "Camera Lucida!" (no pun intended)
Donna, Camera Lucida is the tender heart of the book, the sloshing pitcher is a small detail that really reveals the mother. I like how Battles keeps the perspective of the young boy throughout. The similar theme of confrontation with new technologies ( ie, the black box with the earbuds of Sovereignties) is interesting in that it's a Polaroid - something you can really sing your mind into.The space-explorer story on OGLE-350c and this story explore similar themes about knowledge acquisiton/ problem resolution in very different ways. The two people 'in a relationship' are confronted with an uncanny uncertainty and respond in a way very essential to their nature- they way they perceive the world. I think we have all sacrificed a part of ourselves wanting to really understand something or 'sorted pictures' at the kitchen table of our heart. The most emotionally touching story of them all for sure.
Brian wrote: "Donna, Camera Lucida is the tender heart of the book, the sloshing pitcher is a small detail that really reveals the mother. I like how Battles keeps the perspective of the young boy throughout. Th..."That is so true! I agree.
Brian wrote: "Donna, Camera Lucida is the tender heart of the book, the sloshing pitcher is a small detail that really reveals the mother. I like how Battles keeps the perspective of the young boy throughout. Th..."I agree. =)
Sandra wrote: "Question for Matthew or any who write:Do the images come first?
Did you see a dog or cat in a high place, for example?
Or did you see a machine and wonder if it could be a recorder?"
Usually, the images come first—or an idea that, despite its abstract quality, maybe functions as an image foremost. With Dogs in the Trees, it was the illustration in Freud's case study "The Wolf Man" that got me started—the patient's own sketch of an image from a dream depicting a tree whose branches are full of wolves staring in at him through the bedroom window.
With Camera Lucida, it was less an image than images as such... thinking of Flickr, Picasa, and other photo-sharing social media sites and apps, I thought about how strange this affordance of streaming the photos of strangers really is, when removed from the iterated, consumer-product environment in which such sharing has arisen.
Finally, I should say that many of these stories took shape while I was running in Forest Hills cemetery, a vast garden cemetery at the edge of my Boston neighborhood. This explains the locales in many places, but also I think the unsettled, strangely meditative/obsessive quality of the narrative at many points—a quality not unlike my experience of running!
http://redlemona.de/red-lemonade/blog...Red Reader essay #3 - more reader reactions to Matthew's collection of short stories!
Matthew, I love how running through a cemetery helped flesh out and assign a sense of place to your stories...and how images trigger them first.
Do any of the stories from this collection continue to haunt you and if so, which ones?
Paddling down the river in Passages is the most purely lyrical, but in every story their are phrases that just glide elegantly and invoke distinct imagery and an more evocative atmosphere. The black ice-cream on OGLE, the descriptions in The Unicorn of the galaxies, the maternal aspects of The Tree and more really use Battle's poetic sensibilities. The speculative/ SciFi themes kinda jumble/push against this making an interesting dichotomy, cool read.Mr. Battles what kind of speculative fiction inspires you- not necessarily science fiction, but odder books that deal with our confrontation with uncertainty/new technology/human conception of weird events?
We've got another great giveaway going on this month. TNBBC has partnered with Red Lemonade to give away 11 domestic copies of Matthew Battles The Sovereignties of Invention.
Click on the link to comment for your opportunity to win...
http://thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.c...
Giveaway ends April 17th, winners announced via email on the 18th.
Matthew Battles joins us May 15th to discuss the book through the end of the month.
Good luck!!