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The Brubury Tales
This paperback version is no longer in print.
- GenresPoetry
250 pages, Paperback
First published June 11, 2010
About the author
Frank Mundo
12 books104 followersFrank Mundo is a poet and writer from Los Angeles, and author of five books, including The Brubury Tales, a modern version of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales set in Los Angeles, written entirely in rhyming verse.
Frank's latest poetry chapbook Eleven Sundry Flowers was released by Antrim House Books on July 12, 2021. His first poetry chapbook, Touched by an Anglo, was released by Kattywompus Press on July 19, 2017.
Praise for The Brubury Tales:
Winner of the Poet Laureate Award Nomination from UCLA and CAL
Winner of Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award for Poetry Book of the Year
Winner of the Bookhitch Award for the Most Innovative Poetry Book of Year
Reviews
"The Brubury Tales [by Frank Mundo] is a landmark book, in what is going to be -- and already is -- an exceptional, distinguished literary career." — Bestselling author Carolyn See, from the Washington Post.
"5 Stars: Mundo's skill is astounding and has a natural cadence. These stories are intriguing and compellingly human, and soon enough the reading becomes listening." --Sacramento Book Review
"5 Stars: With inspiration from many literary classics and plenty of original spin, The Brubury Tales is a fine collection and not one to be missed." --Midwest Book Review
"5 Stars: The Brubury Tales is a brilliant blend of writing, combining the style of Chaucer while putting a new slant on the short stories of the classical writers. --Reader Views
A unique and powerful new book,The Brubury Tales draws upon Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and classic stories by Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Poe, and Charles Dickens, to name a few. Frank Mundo takes risks with his writing, which is sensitive, thoughtful, and gritty. -- LA Books Examiner
"The Brubury Tales by Frank Mundo is a bold homage to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Mundo defamiliarizes the tale by placing itin Los Angeles in 1992 shortly after the Riots. Seven security guards on thegrave-yard shift swap stories in verse... 232 pages of words, Mundo attributes his 14 years of working as a security guard on the grave-yard shift for his ability to complete long writing projects. His authentic L.A. childhood experiences came out in his verse..." -- Mike Sonksen for KCET.org.
"The Brubury Tales follows in the footsteps of Chaucer and Boccaccio in that it borrows stories from previous authors... while the poetry is impressive... what is more appealing than the tales is the interplay among the guards themselves... Fans of classic literature may appreciate this and will no doubt enjoy picking out their favorite tales told in verse. The Brubury Tales is an ambitious undertaking, one which is mostly successful as an exercise in literary imitation." -- Kirkus Indie
Frank's latest poetry chapbook Eleven Sundry Flowers was released by Antrim House Books on July 12, 2021. His first poetry chapbook, Touched by an Anglo, was released by Kattywompus Press on July 19, 2017.
Praise for The Brubury Tales:
Winner of the Poet Laureate Award Nomination from UCLA and CAL
Winner of Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award for Poetry Book of the Year
Winner of the Bookhitch Award for the Most Innovative Poetry Book of Year
Reviews
"The Brubury Tales [by Frank Mundo] is a landmark book, in what is going to be -- and already is -- an exceptional, distinguished literary career." — Bestselling author Carolyn See, from the Washington Post.
"5 Stars: Mundo's skill is astounding and has a natural cadence. These stories are intriguing and compellingly human, and soon enough the reading becomes listening." --Sacramento Book Review
"5 Stars: With inspiration from many literary classics and plenty of original spin, The Brubury Tales is a fine collection and not one to be missed." --Midwest Book Review
"5 Stars: The Brubury Tales is a brilliant blend of writing, combining the style of Chaucer while putting a new slant on the short stories of the classical writers. --Reader Views
A unique and powerful new book,The Brubury Tales draws upon Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and classic stories by Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Poe, and Charles Dickens, to name a few. Frank Mundo takes risks with his writing, which is sensitive, thoughtful, and gritty. -- LA Books Examiner
"The Brubury Tales by Frank Mundo is a bold homage to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Mundo defamiliarizes the tale by placing itin Los Angeles in 1992 shortly after the Riots. Seven security guards on thegrave-yard shift swap stories in verse... 232 pages of words, Mundo attributes his 14 years of working as a security guard on the grave-yard shift for his ability to complete long writing projects. His authentic L.A. childhood experiences came out in his verse..." -- Mike Sonksen for KCET.org.
"The Brubury Tales follows in the footsteps of Chaucer and Boccaccio in that it borrows stories from previous authors... while the poetry is impressive... what is more appealing than the tales is the interplay among the guards themselves... Fans of classic literature may appreciate this and will no doubt enjoy picking out their favorite tales told in verse. The Brubury Tales is an ambitious undertaking, one which is mostly successful as an exercise in literary imitation." -- Kirkus Indie
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 7, 2016
"When in April, and it hasn't yet rained,
And the drought of March has again sustained
Another year of our eternal spring;
Then old Santa Ana begins to sing
That fiery yet most familiar tune
How Los Angeles always feels like June ...."
Though modelled on the classic, The Canterbury Tales, in The Brubury Tales we are not confronted with pilgrims, but seven security guards who work at the Holiday Inn in L.A. Six men and one woman make up their team, as they perform their duties during the unsettled times of the Los Angeles race riots. The prologue introduces each of them: Leo Kapitanski, Alex Loma, John Shamburger, Joseph Dator, J.T. (the narrator), Rolla Amin, and Darrin Arita or "The Feet".
As Christmas is approaching, each guard is lobbying for vacation time during the holidays, but Leo Kapitanski, their security chief, comes up with a unique idea. Each one of the guards must tell a tale, and the guard who crafts the best tale, will be awarded with the time off.
Leo is the first to tell his tale and exhibits some fine alliterative verse, reminiscent of the style of the Pearl poet (Sir Gawain & the Green Knight):
"Those were tumultuous times in Olde Yellowfield:
When widespread war had wracked the west;
As Pestilence and plague plundered through the east;
And silky southern skies, soot-saddened into shade
As burnt and billowing breaths of northern brush
Did daily darken the heavens in dismal doom!
And for years was Olde Yellowfield yanked to black
By those soot-stacks that steadily stole the sun.
Olde Yellowfield was new Blackfield, banned from light ..."
Yet not everyone appreciates such poetical talents, and The Feet protests over this "literary crap". So Leo agrees to tell another tale full of vice, since no one can appreciate a story well-told, because:
"'In today's world where television rules,
Personally, I blame the public schools.'
But Leo disagreed a little bit,
'Takes a village to raise an idiot.'"
Leo's tale weeps full of sorrow and distress, ringing with shades of lost chances and bitter regret, as a man tries to navigate the paths of life and love and fails miserably, a red stain left on his attempt, an unendurable burden on his heart.
There are seven tales in all, in a variety of settings and time periods, covering a number of different issues with respect to love, marriage, betrayal, regret, and death, yet hope resonates in these explorations of life's struggles and victories. Humour is also woven into the fabric of the narrative, delivered with an adeptness that gives a sublime harmonization with the other serious themes. Though each tale has a modern twist, they bear resemblance to stories of Dostoyevsky, Boccaccio, Saki, Poe, O'Henry, Dickens, Twain, the Bible, Dante, Gilman, Crane, Anderson and Bierce, and it's a veritable treasure hunt, to sift through the narrative to see if one can spot these recognizable classics. There even is a remake of Omar Kayyam's The Rubaiyat, which is very cleverly done. In another twist to the story, the author himself makes an appearance as the supervisor. There is an abundance of literary wealth within this book, and one can imagine the work as a tapestry; each thread you pull leads to a new idea, or allusion, or theme, working singly and yet together to form a unique and complex whole.
With regard to the poetic structure, it's mostly comprised of couplets in iambic pentameter, echoing very much of Chaucer's style and tone. Yet there are variations in poetic style at certain points during the tales which helps to give a different flavour to the stories. The author is also is very adept at changing the voice of the characters, each one sounding like an individual and making it very easy for the reader to step into their world.
This read was part of my The Canterbury Tales/The Brubury Tales Project for 2015, and I think I can say that it was my favourite project of the year. Not only was I pleasantly surprised at the enjoyment that I received from Chaucer's merry and sometimes, raunchy tale, I was blown away by The Brubury Tales and the talent and aptitude of its author. A great project, all around!
My The Canterbury Tales/The Brubury Tales posts
Further Reading: The Brubury Tales
The Canterbury Tales/The Brubury Tales Project
And the drought of March has again sustained
Another year of our eternal spring;
Then old Santa Ana begins to sing
That fiery yet most familiar tune
How Los Angeles always feels like June ...."
Though modelled on the classic, The Canterbury Tales, in The Brubury Tales we are not confronted with pilgrims, but seven security guards who work at the Holiday Inn in L.A. Six men and one woman make up their team, as they perform their duties during the unsettled times of the Los Angeles race riots. The prologue introduces each of them: Leo Kapitanski, Alex Loma, John Shamburger, Joseph Dator, J.T. (the narrator), Rolla Amin, and Darrin Arita or "The Feet".
As Christmas is approaching, each guard is lobbying for vacation time during the holidays, but Leo Kapitanski, their security chief, comes up with a unique idea. Each one of the guards must tell a tale, and the guard who crafts the best tale, will be awarded with the time off.
Leo is the first to tell his tale and exhibits some fine alliterative verse, reminiscent of the style of the Pearl poet (Sir Gawain & the Green Knight):
"Those were tumultuous times in Olde Yellowfield:
When widespread war had wracked the west;
As Pestilence and plague plundered through the east;
And silky southern skies, soot-saddened into shade
As burnt and billowing breaths of northern brush
Did daily darken the heavens in dismal doom!
And for years was Olde Yellowfield yanked to black
By those soot-stacks that steadily stole the sun.
Olde Yellowfield was new Blackfield, banned from light ..."
Yet not everyone appreciates such poetical talents, and The Feet protests over this "literary crap". So Leo agrees to tell another tale full of vice, since no one can appreciate a story well-told, because:
"'In today's world where television rules,
Personally, I blame the public schools.'
But Leo disagreed a little bit,
'Takes a village to raise an idiot.'"
Leo's tale weeps full of sorrow and distress, ringing with shades of lost chances and bitter regret, as a man tries to navigate the paths of life and love and fails miserably, a red stain left on his attempt, an unendurable burden on his heart.
There are seven tales in all, in a variety of settings and time periods, covering a number of different issues with respect to love, marriage, betrayal, regret, and death, yet hope resonates in these explorations of life's struggles and victories. Humour is also woven into the fabric of the narrative, delivered with an adeptness that gives a sublime harmonization with the other serious themes. Though each tale has a modern twist, they bear resemblance to stories of Dostoyevsky, Boccaccio, Saki, Poe, O'Henry, Dickens, Twain, the Bible, Dante, Gilman, Crane, Anderson and Bierce, and it's a veritable treasure hunt, to sift through the narrative to see if one can spot these recognizable classics. There even is a remake of Omar Kayyam's The Rubaiyat, which is very cleverly done. In another twist to the story, the author himself makes an appearance as the supervisor. There is an abundance of literary wealth within this book, and one can imagine the work as a tapestry; each thread you pull leads to a new idea, or allusion, or theme, working singly and yet together to form a unique and complex whole.
With regard to the poetic structure, it's mostly comprised of couplets in iambic pentameter, echoing very much of Chaucer's style and tone. Yet there are variations in poetic style at certain points during the tales which helps to give a different flavour to the stories. The author is also is very adept at changing the voice of the characters, each one sounding like an individual and making it very easy for the reader to step into their world.
This read was part of my The Canterbury Tales/The Brubury Tales Project for 2015, and I think I can say that it was my favourite project of the year. Not only was I pleasantly surprised at the enjoyment that I received from Chaucer's merry and sometimes, raunchy tale, I was blown away by The Brubury Tales and the talent and aptitude of its author. A great project, all around!
My The Canterbury Tales/The Brubury Tales posts
Further Reading: The Brubury Tales
The Canterbury Tales/The Brubury Tales Project
June 9, 2019
Original and derivative gold
The Brubury Tales takes a similar framework to Chaucer, establishing the storytelling pilgrims as modern-day security guards. It rewrites a number of Chaucer's tales (or uses similar tales, again written in Mundo's sometimes bawdy style), and throws in some imaginative originality to create a love story and far more alongside the storytelling competition. Recommended stuff!
The Brubury Tales takes a similar framework to Chaucer, establishing the storytelling pilgrims as modern-day security guards. It rewrites a number of Chaucer's tales (or uses similar tales, again written in Mundo's sometimes bawdy style), and throws in some imaginative originality to create a love story and far more alongside the storytelling competition. Recommended stuff!
August 16, 2012
BRUBURY TALES by Frank Mundo features a magnificently clever central conceit, which in and of itself would merit attention. That is, he takes Chaucer's famed Canterbury Tales and uses that as the foundation for a poetic exegesis on modern-day Los Angeles. The faithfulness in which he pursues this track is commendable - it is fun to see how he draws his comparisons and takes his imaginative liberties - and also enjoyable are the insights he provides to the lives of the working-class security guard "Knights" who populate his tales. Mundo has himself worked as a security guard, as well as a journalist, and in this regard he reminds me of other working class scribes of the LA scene ... sort of like a Bukowski without the excess. Also notable are the many literary tips of the hat that Mundo includes throughout the text. On top of being an excellent read in and of itself, this book could be a great companion read for the classroom, to show students how they can use inspiration to fuel their own prose. Based on this, I look forward to see where Mundo's LA adventures and misadventures lead him next.
October 18, 2012
After reading Gary, the Four-Eyed Fairy and Other Stories I knew I had to read more from Frank Mundo. The only problem was the fact that this was written utilizing iambic pentameter and that scared the craaaap out of me! I felt like I had to put on my big girl panties to tackle this! So I sucked in a deep breath and dove in and I was blown away. To say Frank writes with style, passion and soul just begins to scratch the surface! His talent makes it seem so simple and easy. These stories and people (they are not just characters) will stay with you. I loved the premise of the whole book. And the fact that Frank makes an appearance in the book as the head boss cracked me up! It just makes you wonder if each and every actor is a piece of Frank also. I will read anything Frank Mundo writes, even if he chooses to use iambic pentameter again!
Thank you for sharing your stories with the world!
Thank you for sharing your stories with the world!
July 30, 2012
Frank Mundo is one talented writer. I've never read anything like The Brubury Tales. It's beautifully written and quite impressive that the whole novel stays in verse. I wasn't familiar with all of the classics related to the story but I loved the story for what it was on its own. And I enjoyed getting to know the characters through his poetic eyes, like when I first met Rolla: "But Rolla was different, she smelled so good, Like chocolate, jasmine and sandalwood." There were so many lines where I had to stop and just take in their beauty before moving along. The Brubury Tales was such an enjoyable read, and Frank Mundo truly is an exceptional talent.
April 9, 2011
Writing good verse isn't easy, but writing an entire book in verse - and doing it well - is near impossible. I'm so impressed by this brilliant book. Mundo pays homage to Chaucer as his characters, security guards at a Holiday Inn in LA, compete in an impromptu storytelling contest for days off during Christmas. I really enjoyed the stories themselves, and all the more so given that each line was written to fit into the rhyme and rhythm of verse. I finished the book in one sitting, and can't wait to read more from this author!
November 24, 2011
NB I received a copy from the author for review.
The Brubury Tales is an homage to literature set in the form of a "big poem", in Frank Mundo's words. It follows the shape and form of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, updated to Los Angeles in the 1990s. A group of security guards working the night shift engage in story-telling to win a paid vacation, basing their stories on classic tales from literary history. Some of the tales I recognized, some were new to me.
I have to applaud this attempt to recreate Chaucer in modern America. Mundo has an earthy style that lends itself quite well to the bard's frankness in sexual matters and detailed depictions of the common man. Like Chaucer, Mundo mixed in a a poetic style (Chaucer took his from the French poems common in the Middle Ages) and this is where I think the book was less successful. I have to admit to skimming through the Brubury Tales version of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, but then I always found that poem hard going and repetitive.
The other thing I noticed was that the poem could have used some editing to cull out a few mistakes and obscure turns of phrase. But, sigh, I notice that kind of thing a lot.
In the end, what stood out from this work was the deep understanding of the ordinary guy in the street, and the ability to get literary concepts across in that language. If Mundo can focus his talents in that direction, I think the result could be some very interesting novels. I'll be watching.
The Brubury Tales is an homage to literature set in the form of a "big poem", in Frank Mundo's words. It follows the shape and form of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, updated to Los Angeles in the 1990s. A group of security guards working the night shift engage in story-telling to win a paid vacation, basing their stories on classic tales from literary history. Some of the tales I recognized, some were new to me.
I have to applaud this attempt to recreate Chaucer in modern America. Mundo has an earthy style that lends itself quite well to the bard's frankness in sexual matters and detailed depictions of the common man. Like Chaucer, Mundo mixed in a a poetic style (Chaucer took his from the French poems common in the Middle Ages) and this is where I think the book was less successful. I have to admit to skimming through the Brubury Tales version of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, but then I always found that poem hard going and repetitive.
The other thing I noticed was that the poem could have used some editing to cull out a few mistakes and obscure turns of phrase. But, sigh, I notice that kind of thing a lot.
In the end, what stood out from this work was the deep understanding of the ordinary guy in the street, and the ability to get literary concepts across in that language. If Mundo can focus his talents in that direction, I think the result could be some very interesting novels. I'll be watching.
September 19, 2011
This is what poetry should be. Fun. Lyrical. Contemporary. Smart stories, all written in verse, with strong characters, and clear writing. If you loved the Canterbury Tales, you'll love the Brubury Tales, and discovering the 100s of literary references. And if you haven't read the Canterbury Tales, you'll still enjoy this work.
The basic plot is seven graveyard-shift security guards (six men and one woman of various ages from various parts of the world) battle it out in a story telling contest one night while working at a hotel in downtown Los Angeles just after the riots. The winner of the contest gets the prime vacation time of Christmas to New Years, and the narrator, JT Glass, gets to pick the winner. JT is also the narrator of the dozen stories that make up Frank's short story book collection Gary, the Four-Eyed Fairy.
The basic plot is seven graveyard-shift security guards (six men and one woman of various ages from various parts of the world) battle it out in a story telling contest one night while working at a hotel in downtown Los Angeles just after the riots. The winner of the contest gets the prime vacation time of Christmas to New Years, and the narrator, JT Glass, gets to pick the winner. JT is also the narrator of the dozen stories that make up Frank's short story book collection Gary, the Four-Eyed Fairy.
July 12, 2012
Not only is this a read off the beaten path, but you may just sing along with The Brubury Tales rhythmic cadence. Frank Mundo clearly has a unique style and talent!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews