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McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern #14
McSweeney's #14
Joshuah Bearman leads a daring investigation into the enigmatic Great Gerbil of central Asia, uncovering signs of an impending disaster. The issue also includes strange and wonderful stories from T.C. Boyle, Susan Straight, Jim Shepard, Wells Tower, and others.
306 pages, Paperback
First published September 27, 2004
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172 people want to read
About the author
Dave Eggers
352 books9,465 followersDave Eggers is an American writer, editor, and publisher. He is best known for his 2000 memoir, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, which became a bestseller and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. Eggers is also the founder of several notable literary and philanthropic ventures, including the literary journal Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, the literacy project 826 Valencia, and the human rights nonprofit Voice of Witness. Additionally, he founded ScholarMatch, a program that connects donors with students needing funds for college tuition. His writing has appeared in numerous prestigious publications, including The New Yorker, Esquire, and The New York Times Magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 1, 2007
Chris Adrian's "A Child's Book of Sickness Death" revolutionized the way I think about writing, especially in terms of characterization. I can almost recite it by heart. Mr. Adrian's notions of sin and consequence (not especially apparent in this particular story) are what keep my stomach churning in the most crucial ways. I only wish he'd have kept true to the Cindy Flemm he presents in this story instead of turning her into a wishy washy slut in The Children's Hospital.
The Woman Who Sold Communion by Kate Braverman is also a poignant highlight. This issue made me more sure of my ambitions.
The Woman Who Sold Communion by Kate Braverman is also a poignant highlight. This issue made me more sure of my ambitions.
February 9, 2009
How fitting to begin a collection whose cover is graced by a deeply regretful, war-wounded Commander in Chief on the exact day that we actively exorcise him from office. "Did you vote?" asked the elderly women with the poodle on the street. "Did you vote?" inquired the homeless man whom imitates the automated voices on the subway. "Did You Vote?" the maintenance man inquired into his phone in the white hospital corridor. Did. You. Vote?
...
Is Chris Adrian one of our most promising new fiction authors? Why, yes, yes he is. Raw and ugly and bitterly funny even as he chases Big Questions that might be lugubrious or preachy in another author's hands, his stories emerge, brisk and elegant from their parts. Like his "The Stepfather" in McSweeney's 18, this volume's opening "A Child's Book of Sickness and Death" is a small marvel that floods instantly beyond its sardonic, entertaining prose. It's also a closer look at (and alternative history of) several compelling characters who crop up again in his later apocalyptic epic, the Children's Hospital. I apparently really need to find a copy of the recent short story collection in which this also appears.
How to follow such a strong start? With another grim historical tableaux from Jim Shepard, introduced to me via a harrowing vision of middle ages piety and fear in McSweeney's 27. This one concerns a Roman scribe working in the damp and hazard of Hadrian's wall, with a military unit keeping the Britons at bay. Despite suspicions that the dialogue especially could have been made to sound a little less anachronistic and still be alright for modern consumption (would anyone of that era ever grumble oh god? It jarred a little), the story succeeds on the matter-of-fact detailing of a time whose risks and concerns are hard to imagine now.
Can this pace be maintained? Perhaps: there are further stories from Denis Johnson and T.C. Boyle coming up.
...
All and all, this is holding pace nicely. Most are predictably falling short of the first two, but still may be very solid stories (if depressing ones: the deep unease of cover and subtitle -- "At war for the foreseeable future and he's never been so scared" -- seem to be maintained in the contents). Ryan Boudinot's "Civilization" is pitch-black satire, though its impact is lessened somewhat by all the snarky future pop culture jokes he fits in ("Coca-cola Classic Classic: the cocaine is back" or "National Anthem Smackdown"). The story would have been much more chilling and direct had he left his near-future relatively uncluttered by changes outside the crux of the plot.
In the middle a bit of a lull (in a good way, in this case):
Jessica Anthony's "The Death of Mustango Salvaje" offers a more redemptive respite. Not to say that it isn't brisk, or eventful, but for once, a gleam of optimism.
"Rodent Disaster in Xinjiang", on the other hand, is just an amusing run of absurdist journalism. Maybe it doesn't really go anywhere, but it doesn't exactly need to.
Things darken again almost immediately with the bleakly real "How It Floods" and unsettlingly surreal ("The Animal Kingdom". TC Boyle's taxing historical travelogue "The Doubtfulness of Water", like a more quotidian counterpart to Shepard's earlier effort, is effective for its spare matter-of-factness. This is how things are, they cannot be otherwise. Oh how I take the Chinatown bus for granted.
Finally, a fitting match for the impact of the opening numbers in Malinda McCullom's grim middle-American vignette "Good Monks" (incidentally, anthologized in an unrelated volume right next to the Adrian story).
It's a little strange to be reading this collection, originally published in 2004's post-election depression, now, when despite new economic unrest, the country seems gripped by new hopes. But it is certainly one of my favorite issues of McSweeney's to date, as seen in my apparent need to constantly single out individual stories for praise.
...
And done, save for act three of the Denis Johnson play, which I'll have to save until I ca track down the first two acts (issues 9 and 11). This was an impressively consistent collection overall: even at the very end, "Pigs in Space" was there to offer an unsettling slow drift from amusing future premise to to deadly consequence. But I wonder if the title was inspired by the Muppets?
...
Is Chris Adrian one of our most promising new fiction authors? Why, yes, yes he is. Raw and ugly and bitterly funny even as he chases Big Questions that might be lugubrious or preachy in another author's hands, his stories emerge, brisk and elegant from their parts. Like his "The Stepfather" in McSweeney's 18, this volume's opening "A Child's Book of Sickness and Death" is a small marvel that floods instantly beyond its sardonic, entertaining prose. It's also a closer look at (and alternative history of) several compelling characters who crop up again in his later apocalyptic epic, the Children's Hospital. I apparently really need to find a copy of the recent short story collection in which this also appears.
How to follow such a strong start? With another grim historical tableaux from Jim Shepard, introduced to me via a harrowing vision of middle ages piety and fear in McSweeney's 27. This one concerns a Roman scribe working in the damp and hazard of Hadrian's wall, with a military unit keeping the Britons at bay. Despite suspicions that the dialogue especially could have been made to sound a little less anachronistic and still be alright for modern consumption (would anyone of that era ever grumble oh god? It jarred a little), the story succeeds on the matter-of-fact detailing of a time whose risks and concerns are hard to imagine now.
Can this pace be maintained? Perhaps: there are further stories from Denis Johnson and T.C. Boyle coming up.
...
All and all, this is holding pace nicely. Most are predictably falling short of the first two, but still may be very solid stories (if depressing ones: the deep unease of cover and subtitle -- "At war for the foreseeable future and he's never been so scared" -- seem to be maintained in the contents). Ryan Boudinot's "Civilization" is pitch-black satire, though its impact is lessened somewhat by all the snarky future pop culture jokes he fits in ("Coca-cola Classic Classic: the cocaine is back" or "National Anthem Smackdown"). The story would have been much more chilling and direct had he left his near-future relatively uncluttered by changes outside the crux of the plot.
In the middle a bit of a lull (in a good way, in this case):
Jessica Anthony's "The Death of Mustango Salvaje" offers a more redemptive respite. Not to say that it isn't brisk, or eventful, but for once, a gleam of optimism.
"Rodent Disaster in Xinjiang", on the other hand, is just an amusing run of absurdist journalism. Maybe it doesn't really go anywhere, but it doesn't exactly need to.
Things darken again almost immediately with the bleakly real "How It Floods" and unsettlingly surreal ("The Animal Kingdom". TC Boyle's taxing historical travelogue "The Doubtfulness of Water", like a more quotidian counterpart to Shepard's earlier effort, is effective for its spare matter-of-factness. This is how things are, they cannot be otherwise. Oh how I take the Chinatown bus for granted.
Finally, a fitting match for the impact of the opening numbers in Malinda McCullom's grim middle-American vignette "Good Monks" (incidentally, anthologized in an unrelated volume right next to the Adrian story).
It's a little strange to be reading this collection, originally published in 2004's post-election depression, now, when despite new economic unrest, the country seems gripped by new hopes. But it is certainly one of my favorite issues of McSweeney's to date, as seen in my apparent need to constantly single out individual stories for praise.
...
And done, save for act three of the Denis Johnson play, which I'll have to save until I ca track down the first two acts (issues 9 and 11). This was an impressively consistent collection overall: even at the very end, "Pigs in Space" was there to offer an unsettling slow drift from amusing future premise to to deadly consequence. But I wonder if the title was inspired by the Muppets?
October 15, 2021
I loved the cover of this issue, which was published back in the Fall of 2004. It has then President Bush on the cover in a pathetic (and apparently wounded) pose apologizing for the country being at war, along with commentary such as “we’re praying as fast as we can” on the spine. You remember 2004, right? You know, when we thought the presidency had hit rock bottom? Hahahahahaha, oh god we’re so screwed.
But I digress. There are some strong stories in this collection, particularly towards the beginning. One favorite was “The Doubtfulness of Water” by T.C. Boyle, chronicling a widow’s journey on horse from Boston to New York, which really transports us to 1702. Another was the nonfiction account of Xinjiang’s gerbil population explosion by Joshua Bearman, which, while not getting to the bottom of the situation in China because of red tape and the language barrier, does explore its history and related findings in a fun way.
There are many others worth noting, including “The Death of Mustango Salvaje” by Jessica Anthony, about a female matador, “Hadrian’s Wall” by Jim Shepard, about a Roman’s life on the frontier, and “The Woman Who Sold Communion” by Kate Braverman, about a woman who reconnects with her bohemian mother after being fired. I also liked “How it Floods” by Pia Z. Ehrhardt, about domestic abuse during a hurricane, “A Child’s Book of Sickness and Death” by Chris Adrian, about a child who has grown up with regular visits to the terminal illness ward, and “Executors of Important Energies” by Wells Tower, which has some really fantastic prose.
The edition was heading for a higher rating, but bogs down towards the end with some stories that either average or skippable entirely. “That Which I Am” by Silvia DiPierdomenico and the third act of “Soul of a Whore” by Denis Johnson stand out as stinkers. It’s subjective of course, and I appreciate the variety, creativity, and risk-taking that McSweeney’s represents. I also liked seeing the brief account of Eggers meeting an actual Timothy McSweeney in Galway, Ireland, as well as a letter from the man.
But I digress. There are some strong stories in this collection, particularly towards the beginning. One favorite was “The Doubtfulness of Water” by T.C. Boyle, chronicling a widow’s journey on horse from Boston to New York, which really transports us to 1702. Another was the nonfiction account of Xinjiang’s gerbil population explosion by Joshua Bearman, which, while not getting to the bottom of the situation in China because of red tape and the language barrier, does explore its history and related findings in a fun way.
There are many others worth noting, including “The Death of Mustango Salvaje” by Jessica Anthony, about a female matador, “Hadrian’s Wall” by Jim Shepard, about a Roman’s life on the frontier, and “The Woman Who Sold Communion” by Kate Braverman, about a woman who reconnects with her bohemian mother after being fired. I also liked “How it Floods” by Pia Z. Ehrhardt, about domestic abuse during a hurricane, “A Child’s Book of Sickness and Death” by Chris Adrian, about a child who has grown up with regular visits to the terminal illness ward, and “Executors of Important Energies” by Wells Tower, which has some really fantastic prose.
The edition was heading for a higher rating, but bogs down towards the end with some stories that either average or skippable entirely. “That Which I Am” by Silvia DiPierdomenico and the third act of “Soul of a Whore” by Denis Johnson stand out as stinkers. It’s subjective of course, and I appreciate the variety, creativity, and risk-taking that McSweeney’s represents. I also liked seeing the brief account of Eggers meeting an actual Timothy McSweeney in Galway, Ireland, as well as a letter from the man.
December 26, 2020
This was an eclectic collection. Most of these pieces took a page or two to get good but then the ones that got good got really good. Another solid issue!
December 4, 2025
I couldn't really connect with anything in this issue.
July 8, 2009
Overall, I like the format of these, so I like them a lot more than three stars. I'm basing the rating, though, on the number of stories I really liked out of the total number of stories or so.
A Child's Book of Sickness and Death - Chris Adrian
The Woman Who Sold Communion - Kate Braverman
Civilization by Ryan Boudenot
Dennis Johnson - The Soul of a Whore Act III (not because I read the entire play, but because his dialog just makes me really happy)
August 24, 2007
a few really good short stories in this one, both remind me of stephanie (yes, you!): "civilization" by ryan boudinot detailed a futuristic "retirement" plan and"the woman who sold communion" by kate braverman included peyote, nervous breakdown road trips, and mothers who don't believe in being motherly.
January 27, 2008
McSweeney's is so good at finding unusual stories from both established writers and people who have never been published before. A few of my favorites were "A Child's Book of Sickness and Death" by Chris Adrian, "The Doubtfulness of Water" by T.C. Boyle, and "Pigs in Space" by Claire Light. Thanks to my brother Gabe for giving me four McSweeney's volumes for Christmas.
November 28, 2009
Much better than 18. Story about possible gerbil invasion not as interesting as might be thought. "Pigs in Space" not as interesting as it sounds; "The Death of Mustango Salvaje" tops the list, concerns bullfighting; "A Child's Book of Sickness and Death" is as painful to read as it sounds but surprisingly engaging.
November 28, 2011
my favorite short story in this collection has to be the first one, "A Child's Book of Sickness and Death," by Chris Adrian. Skip "Hadrian's Wall." So far, I'm at Lawrence Weschler's essay on a thumb sculpture. So, I guess I'm halfway through. The letters section in this one is really good, too.
October 9, 2008
Like most of these McSweeney's (or, really, compilations in general) the majority of the stories were pretty good. There were a few that I couldn't get past the first page or two and a few that were absolutely perfect.
May 2, 2011
My least favorite McSweeney's. I expect any issue to have hits and misses, but this one felt like almost exclusively misses. "Hadrian's Wall", "How It Floods", and Weschler's Convergences were about the only saving graces of this issues for me.
January 2, 2008
Half of the stories I liked and half I didn't. This book also exposed me to some new authors.
May 31, 2008
Eclectic and exciting collection of short stories. Not all are perfect, but all are superbly readable. Stand out for me was "Pigs in Space".
July 23, 2008
children dying in hospital wards, women getting abused on front lawns, a son has to kill his parents by order of the government and a long article about giant gerbils.
loved it.
loved it.
Currently reading
February 6, 2009on my way through the collection again...
August 13, 2010
Reading this has made me realize that writing a short story might be a million times more difficult than writing a novel. I'm just saying.
April 14, 2012
top notch as always.
I especially liked the story by Kate Braverman ¨The woman who sold communion¨.
I especially liked the story by Kate Braverman ¨The woman who sold communion¨.
June 23, 2012
Full of short stories and essays. There's a lot of variety in there -- both in terms of topics and writing style. Some I really enjoyed, others were more 'meh'.
January 1, 2013
Hadrian's Wall
An Investigation Into...
The Animal Kingdom
That Which I am
Soul of a Whore (all of them, not just this 3rd Act)
An Investigation Into...
The Animal Kingdom
That Which I am
Soul of a Whore (all of them, not just this 3rd Act)
March 4, 2013
Several really great stories in here (Chris Adrian, Silvia DiPierdomenico, Chris Bachelder) but none of them from the authors I'd expect (Jim Sheppard, Wells Tower, TC Boyle).
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews