Second Class Citizen is a very auto-biographical account of Buchi Emecheta’s emigration from Nigeria to London. It’s a personal story, one that candidSecond Class Citizen is a very auto-biographical account of Buchi Emecheta’s emigration from Nigeria to London. It’s a personal story, one that candidly depicts the challenges of living with a difficult and unfaithful spouse, of being a young mother with little money, of the added challenge of “polite” racism that forced her to live beneath her previous standards, and even her own trivial concerns, such as not being properly dressed in the hospital after nearly dying during childbirth. One wants to reach through the pages and shake this obviously intelligent woman and make her stand up on her own. Her upbringing in Africa has taught her that women are second class and do not matter as much as their husbands, they are only to take care of the home and have as many children as possible. Thankfully, after living in London for years, she unlearns those childhood “lessons.” You can hear this woman’s voice as you read and know she is a person you could easily befriend and always be entertained by; she almost always finds the positive in the negative (and she’s got plenty of negatives!). Dr. Emecheta is an author who has been an inspiration to me; not only was she living in a foreign country raising five children and acting as the sole support for her family, but she still managed to have a career and write prolifically. Where she had the time is anyone’s guess. ...more
I cannot believe how much Future Shock is a part of my background. While reading it I remembered direct quotes spoken by my mother and teachers; it waI cannot believe how much Future Shock is a part of my background. While reading it I remembered direct quotes spoken by my mother and teachers; it was hugely popular in the 70’s. Toffler’s overall thesis is that although technology has helped humankind in gaining more choices and freedom, the acceleration of change is more than the human mind can tolerate. One of the more interesting elements of the theory is the direct correlation between dramatic change (moving, changing jobs, death of a spouse) and a negative impact on health.
It is easy to pinpoint what he got wrong, like “parents” who raise children for professional couples who don’t have enough time, but he gets a lot more right. What he foresaw was a point in time where people could electronically collaborate across countries using computers, which is exactly what we do with the internet. If I had only read this 20 years ago and invested in AOL! The text is dated, speaking of women more frequently as housewives and secretaries, but the message still resonates 40 years later. We have distanced ourselves from each other because of technology, and we have had our “future shock” in regard to the unprecedented advance of technology, but overall the pluses have given us huge advances in collaboration, creative freedom, and entrepreneurship. Go into this knowing the original publication date and see a man who saw the future along before it happened....more
Terms of Endearment is another novel, aside from the last 40 pages, that bears no resemblance to the movie adaptation. Where the movie defined the “chTerms of Endearment is another novel, aside from the last 40 pages, that bears no resemblance to the movie adaptation. Where the movie defined the “chick flick” genre, the novel is decidedly less weepy. In the book, Aurora Greenway lives in a vortex of chaos, most of which she has taken on herself. Facing the south-slope of midlife with her first grandchild on the way, Aurora is a living contradiction in terms. She’s a widow who leads on her multiple suitors but has little desire to be caught, she is the life of the dinner party yet gives over to fits of melancholy, she is incredibly self-involved and haughty yet will go to the mat and the underbelly of Houston for her loved ones. Aurora has no existence outside of her companions, and she involves herself in the lives of others to make herself feel necessary. The book is as much a character study of this complex woman and it is a circus of events that spill into her life. ...more
**spoiler alert** This novel, originally written under a pseudonym, reminds me of the big difference between gay and lesbian fiction; it is a full 200**spoiler alert** This novel, originally written under a pseudonym, reminds me of the big difference between gay and lesbian fiction; it is a full 200 pages before poor sexually stymied Theresa even gets a kiss out of her lover, Carol. In men’s fiction the story would start with how the guys hooked up. Much has been made out of their cross-country romance, but it is worth noting that the lead up to the trip is much more intense and exploratory as Theresa gains her footing in her first lesbian relationship. The 2nd half of the novel has a very American restlessness as the women drive aimlessly westward, finding themselves and their love along the way (think Thelma and Louise). Troubles bring them both back home, albeit separately, and the revalation of their relationship nearly destroys it. The novel, which was probably published as pulp in 1952, has been critiqued for its melodrama, but even as a gay man I found it hard to put the book down; enjoy the high-drama emotions of a young woman coming into her own skin. I think it is also important for younger gay kids to realize how much has changed in society; Carol has to give up everything including her family for her lover, and now lesbians are raising families. Thank you to all those who paved the way....more
What I find more frightening in Levi’s description of his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp is not the humiliation, torture, degradation, or seWhat I find more frightening in Levi’s description of his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp is not the humiliation, torture, degradation, or senselessness of his situation, but how readily he adapts to the insane conditions in order to survive. Looking back on the events it is difficult to comprehend how such a large-scale, multi-country atrocity was possible. How could a few thousand Nazis exterminate millions without anyone trying to stop them? Levi’s first-hand account helps us comprehend. A person is completely uprooted from everything familiar: family, home, friends, work, position, and finances, and reduced to nothing more than a purposeless animal with a number. The unreality of the situation throws people so far off balance that they question the why and how of the situation and are unable to take a more active role, and the stark efficiency of the Germans is in complete contrast with what they are doing. The constant and unpredictable threat of death or worse forces one to make moment-to-moment survival choices, such as trading a ragged shirt stolen from the deceased in order to get a few extra pieces of stale bread. What I prefer in Levi’s prose is that it is very straight-forward and natural, he does not overstate his case, nor does he point an accusational finger at the Nazis. He is more journalistic as he documents his experiences with a fair amount of objectivity. A must read for any non-believer in the Holocaust....more
Perhaps knowing Jeff Mann personally has influenced my judgment in reading Edge: Travels of an Appalachian Leather Bear, but I would have enjoyed thisPerhaps knowing Jeff Mann personally has influenced my judgment in reading Edge: Travels of an Appalachian Leather Bear, but I would have enjoyed this collection without that relationship. Mann is a worldly individual with a penchant for travelling outside of his beloved Appalachia, a man who indulges his appetites for food and drink, and one who has an artist’s eye for appreciating the beauty of men. His character is woven into these poetic stories and he comes across on the page as clearly as he does in person. Jeff is a complex individual, one who is fiercely protective of his friends and lovers, a kind and poetic soul, but despite his polite upbringing has a very low tolerance for those who are loud, obnoxious or boring (god forbid you are all three!). Then his entire soul bristles, but he avenges himself with witty barbs that border on the side of Wilde (and these I think I enjoyed as much as the descriptions of the mustachioed he-men that attract his eye.) As good as Edge is, I prefer another of his publications, Loving Mountains, Loving Men, which is a memoir/essay/poetry collection that shows the true heart of this Southern gentleman....more
I believe this is one of the first books I’ve read that is based on the movie, rather than vice versa. At times it crosses the line into sentimentalitI believe this is one of the first books I’ve read that is based on the movie, rather than vice versa. At times it crosses the line into sentimentality, but romantics will take heart and a handful of tissues. Both the movie and the book condensed and misrepresented the real history of the real Elephant Man for dramatic effect. They also got his name wrong; it was Joseph and not John, but this is a common mistake attributed to his doctor’s memoir. However, what Christine Sparks captures is the humanity of a man who was barely accepted as human, who in turn inspired others to view their own lives and the things we easily take for granted through his eyes. The earnestness of Merrick and his pure joy at the simple pleasures in life, like hearing the happy laughter of the nurses on the ward, remind the reader of how easy it to be distracted from enjoying life. ...more
Wayne Courtois delivers an Odyssey of extreme-bondage and tickle-torture sure to elicit gasps and groans in equal measure. My Name is Rand explores neWayne Courtois delivers an Odyssey of extreme-bondage and tickle-torture sure to elicit gasps and groans in equal measure. My Name is Rand explores new sexual territory where men are bound and tickled to the point of madness, submitting completely to their master’s desires. This goes well beyond the typical S&M scenes you’ve become accustomed to; Wayne Courtois takes you on a strange and intensely erotic journey you’ve never yet imagined.
The narrator starts off exploring his unique fetish with a tickle-master met online, but is abducted before he can return home. He is removed to The Compound, a tickle-torture camp where people are literally tickled to death. He is run through a gauntlet of tickling and bondage that leaves him near madness, and then left to face the nemesis of Dred Junior, a psychotic who can mentally tickle you. The narrator stumbles upon a hiding place where other inmates are planning escape, and they take spiritual and sexual solace in one another.
Already becoming a cult classic among foot and tickle fetishists worldwide, My Name Is Rand is a powerful and delirious novel which will introduce you to a whole new world of sex play. Welcome to your new fetish. ...more
When I was in high school I came across this book in the school library, which, honestly, is probably inappropriate for teens. I devoured it on the fiWhen I was in high school I came across this book in the school library, which, honestly, is probably inappropriate for teens. I devoured it on the first read, but it took years to remember who wrote it… Heinlein is hit or miss, but for me this is one of his best efforts. A rich eccentric elderly man has his brain transplanted into the incredibly beautiful body of his personal assistant (who is accidently killed and they have the same rare AB blood type). As a man inside a woman’s body, he continues to “hear” the woman who was the previous tenant, and she instructs him in the ways of womanhood. He learns how to live and love as a woman, taking up with the manager of his company who he eventually beds, as well as the dead woman’s husband, an artist who did her body paint (it’s a complex relationship!). Being a woman is not as easy as it looks, and this is a very different story from a normally misogynistic Heinlein. This gender-bending novel introduced me to fantasy, science-fiction, bisexuality, free love and yoga, all in one throw. It took me years to refind the book and I enjoyed it as much the second time as the first. It is a controversial Heinlein as his wife was editor while he was extremely ill and may have had more input than one might ordinarily; but honestly it is one of my favorites of his and if she had some impact, it was for the better....more
When I was a mere lad I was introduced to John Christopher by way of The White Mountains. I instantly related to the young boys who escaped being cappWhen I was a mere lad I was introduced to John Christopher by way of The White Mountains. I instantly related to the young boys who escaped being capped by aliens, which would make them like everyone else. They risked life and limb to cross a dystopian Europe to escape that fate. I reread it as an adult and saw their flight from “normality” in my own escape from rural NJ to New York to live life on my own terms as a gay man, a reading that Christopher probably never foresaw. I was curious to read his prequel to the successful trilogy. I really wanted to like this book, but it read like a forced and unnecessary explanation of the original invasion of the Tripods: part War of the Worlds, part Invasion of the Body Snatchers, part The Day of the Triffids. Although I would handily recommend it to any pre-teen reader, along with the much better trilogy and some of Christopher’s other work, I can’t do the same for an adult. The only benefit is that it exposes the evils of television… and television is very evil in these pages....more
Dennis Cooper my well be the David Lynch of queer culture. His shockaholic fiction ignores the superficial and drives straight down the dark road of tDennis Cooper my well be the David Lynch of queer culture. His shockaholic fiction ignores the superficial and drives straight down the dark road of teenaged boys emotionally ruined by the fragmented environments they inhabit. "My Loose Thread" is no exception, and is a tight and destructive addition to his marganalized opus. The novel centers on Larry, a boy who has so little control over his own life and sexual drives that he numbly repeats, "I'm really confused" like a modern-day mantra. He's got a lot of baggage, with an accidental slaying of a boy who loved him, a sexually abusive relationship with his 13 year-old brother, and an overpowering rage when he fucks other men. He's not gay, he claims, and he's not alone--Larry's world is overflowing with guys who aren't gay, but turn their sex into violence like off-screen heroes, the boys from Columbine who killed fellow students in a secret pact because they couldn't have sex. This is a study in dysfunctional American "culture" that worships violence over intimacy. As graphic as the alluded to sex and violence becomes, Cooper maintains a clinical distance that forces you into a submissive voyeuristic position. Share his nihlistic vision, if you dare!...more
An excellent story in its own right, Empire of the Sun is a must read for any Ballard fan. The novel was inspired by the author’s experiences in JapanAn excellent story in its own right, Empire of the Sun is a must read for any Ballard fan. The novel was inspired by the author’s experiences in Japanese-occupied Shanghai during WWII, and it establishes the themes which are explored throughout his considerable body of work, including personal isolation, the impermanence of objects, absurdist situations, the shifting “fiction” of society, and a person’s ability to adapt despite extreme circumstances. It is a testament to what people will do to survive, not mere sustenance in eating weevils for protein, but the necessary tricks one must play on oneself to adapt, even embrace, intolerable situations to keep hope alive. The child narrator, Jim, takes us behind enemy lines into the disorganized and chronically deficient concentration camps to reveal the transparency of “normalcy” and the beauty in the macabre. This isn’t just a story of survival and perseverance, but a blueprint to the author’s psyche and the events he explores in his fiction. I’d recommend reading Empire after becoming more familiar with Ballard’s work....more
I had the good fortune to meet Mr. Crisp in the mid-90s through performance artist, Penny Arcade, who I worked with when she staged "Bitch!Dyke!FaghagI had the good fortune to meet Mr. Crisp in the mid-90s through performance artist, Penny Arcade, who I worked with when she staged "Bitch!Dyke!Faghag!Whore!" at the Village Gate. Mr. Crisp was—without a doubt—an original person. In New York he was known for his purple fedora, lavender ascot and the elegant way he held himself, his bearing so regal that he was artfully cast as Queen Elizabeth in Sally Porter’s film of Virginia Woolf’s gender-shifting “Orlando”. His startlingly honest observations about societies’ quirks are from an outsider’s point of view and are delivered with Mr. Crisp’s patented charmingly acerbic and self-effacing humor and the driest wit imaginable. At the core of this auto-biography is a man who is a walking contradiction in terms. Mr. Crisp is a social misfit who lives openly, though quietly, as a flamboyant homosexual in pre-sex-lib London. He is peacock-proud of his appearance, literally becoming artwork (his primary profession is as an artist’s model), and his most fascinating subject is himself, yet he also revels in his deficiencies in keeping house and confused about the chaos he creates by his alternative appearance. He pokes gentle fun at his friends and marginalized flatmates, especially the hooligans and diligently unoccupied denizens of SoHo. You will either find him hysterical or sad, but most likely somewhere in between. A picture of Dorian Gray, only funny and with extensively more flair....more
What makes Philip Jose Farmer’s Unreasoning Mask interesting is his visualization of the universe and god as the same thing. The universe is god, an uWhat makes Philip Jose Farmer’s Unreasoning Mask interesting is his visualization of the universe and god as the same thing. The universe is god, an unknowing, uncomprehending super-entity which is comprised of different universes—it’s cells—and we the inhabitants are part of god, yet parasitic. The god-universe is unaware of itself, like a baby, and it is up to us to parent it, teach it to talk, assist it to grow and mature. However, we are only able to know the god-universe, it is also unaware of us as sentient beings. The story runs at a frantic pace as Hûd jumps from world to world escaping not only the Tolt who are trying to regain their egg-shaped god (the glyfa), but also the bolg, a massive planet-killing “antidote” against the humanoid “parasites.” To the novel’s detriment, almost all of these fascinating points are delivered via monologue at points where even the other characters have been restrained and forced to listen; I would have preferred that it was delivered via dialogue. Great conceptual novel, a little unevenly delivered. ...more
I have had the fortune of reading Paul G. Bens Jr.’s shorter work and anticipated reading his first novel. Kelland is a multi-person narrative with fiI have had the fortune of reading Paul G. Bens Jr.’s shorter work and anticipated reading his first novel. Kelland is a multi-person narrative with five interlaced storylines which reveal the secrets of his richly drawn characters, secrets that they hide even from themselves. Linking the stories across time and space is an apparition, Kelland, who appears to each person in the guise that they most desire, making them more susceptible to his influence: priest, boyfriend, lover, angel. This entity, like an undisciplined therapist, gets them to hit rock bottom in order to discover their inner-truths and unearth the lies from their past with some violent and rewarding results.
I was most drawn to the complex relationship between estranged brothers Minh and Toan, refugees from Saigon, whose avoidance of the past has led both men astray. Their relationship, along with the other storylines, is revealed in a nonlinear format that allows the reader to discover their pasts along with the characters, giving us several mysteries to solve. I especially enjoyed rocker Toan, an atypical gay character, who struts his mess-up self through various stages of his music career.
The novel has a sci-fi slant, which it has been marketed on, but it is a well-written drama that touches on the lives of five different people, and some very sensitive and relevant topics. A worthwhile read....more
**spoiler alert** One thing I can say about Fay Weldon is that she is a fire bug. After devouring the riotous satire The Life and Loves of a She Devil**spoiler alert** One thing I can say about Fay Weldon is that she is a fire bug. After devouring the riotous satire The Life and Loves of a She Devil, in which a woman frees herself from her unhappy broken marriage by burning down her home, we have another lady who burns down a ghost-filled house to free herself and her friends from the past. “Life Force” weaves together the lives of 4 upper-middle class women, liberal idealists who have drifted into the boredom of middle age. The women are friendly enemies tied together by the promiscuous and enormously endowed Leslie Beck; they have all shared him and been the targets of his passionate lovemaking.
The author of this “memoir,” Nora, is the mild-mannered wife of a milquetoast book editor. She spends her afternoons at a boring secretarial job in a realtor’s office (the market was bad in the 70s too) toiling over a memoir that bares her and her friend’s more adventurous past. Through Nora and an art gallery owner, Marion, Weldon is able to skewer society, the art world, and industrialists, and most especially the unnecessarily complex relationships between men and women. The book is also about creation: artwork, writing, babies, and the fictions we spin in our own lives.
One question remains, is it better to be a woman with a man in her life or to succeed on your own? Weldon supplies a spectrum to choose from. Of Leslie’s 2 prudish wives, the 1st is married for her connections and goes crazy when she discovers his infidelities, and the 2nd, a former mistress, is married out of convenience and dies early, ignorant of his continued infidelities. 2 of the women in the quartet hide Leslie’s children in plain sight from their clueless spouses, and a 3rd has been abandoned by her husband and lives the cloistered life of a "not quite widow". The last, Marion, the only self-made single lady in the group, had to sell her baby to get ahead in the world and might as well be called a spinster since she chose career over marriage. No one wins except the purchased love child, Marion and Leslie’s son, who has money, art and possibly the physical endowment of his father… And, men, apparently size does matter. I thought you might like to know....more
If I were a rich philanthropist, I would ensure that every high school in America carried Mr. Read's book. Though he admits that his West Virginian coIf I were a rich philanthropist, I would ensure that every high school in America carried Mr. Read's book. Though he admits that his West Virginian coming out story is unique in that he had the support of his family and friends, his tale is a guide on how to begin the lifelong commitment to coming out. He recommends that you do not disappear from your hometown, but make appearances to allow the locals to know you as a gay adult, to answer questions and remove the mystery of gay life from the equation, and to be honest to your calling at all times. He also makes an appeal for more openly gay role models and understanding teachers who can answer questions of both gay and straight students. Each short chapter contains a lesson learned, including the title story, where an older gay teen shows him how to snap as means of saying, "I am not afraid." A must read for any gay teen and their parents....more
Tracing the arc of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s marriage to his schizophrenic wife, Zelda, "Tender is the Night" is a tale painfully autobiographic. At timesTracing the arc of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s marriage to his schizophrenic wife, Zelda, "Tender is the Night" is a tale painfully autobiographic. At times fragmented and confusing, the reader may forgive the rough spots for moments of lucidity and self-reflection that are achingly poetic. Thinly veiled in the guise of Dr. Dick and Nicole Diver, the fun, well-heeled “must know” couple who live for the moment, we are witness to the rapid devolution of their psyches and eventual car wreck of their lives. The first section is the most scattershot and uneven but the later portions of the book turn confessional about Dick’s entrapment by his wife’s instability and her family’s insurmountable wealth, his self-destruction through alcohol as a means of escape, and their social ostracism as they become too intolerable to host. There is no irony that their descent into madness is partially due to their frantic life of leisure made possible by unspendable sums of money; it’s enough to make any multimillionaire rethink leaving the bulk of their wealth to their offspring. Although not Fitzgerald’s best, "Tender is the Night" gives us a rare window into the tumultuous life of American’s literary icon, which sadly was tamed down from the even harsher reality they lived, and the complex love he had for his wife....more
I have been carting this book around from apartment to apartment since college, where it had been assigned as an optional text in a post-modern literaI have been carting this book around from apartment to apartment since college, where it had been assigned as an optional text in a post-modern literature class. Nadja is described as the first (perhaps only?) surrealist romance, but I would counter that it is neither. This short work is technically a journal in which Breton opines on his approach to art, his relationship to other artists, his take on theater, and specifically outlines his intense relationship with a mentally unbalanced and economically challenged but beautiful young woman. While they are together, Breton is frequently bored, yet spends hours talking and drawing, acting as muses to one another. It is only when she is gone, or more accurately, when he wallows in the idea of never seeing her again, that he has room to sketch out his relationship with her and women in general. The “character” of Nadja appears to have been based on a real woman, Léona Camile Ghislaine Delacourt, and Breton sheds a sliver of light onto surrealist movement, but like a journal, it is mainly self-rumination and opinion; the reader can only do research to fill in the gaps. One takeaway from Breton is that art can be found in anything around us, even other people, and like his contemporary, Duchamp, these elements can become or can be blended into artwork. It is this shift in perception, along with symbols pulled from other artwork and dreams, that is at the core of his work....more
Native Son is a challenging novel and is as relevant today as it was when it was first published in 1950. The book starts with a startling alarm, wakiNative Son is a challenging novel and is as relevant today as it was when it was first published in 1950. The book starts with a startling alarm, waking up not only the characters but the readers. What follows is harsh look at the disparity between blacks and whites in their opposing universes; one has freedom and free will, the other is just as enslaved as it was before the Civil war, but through enforced poverty and ghettoization. Wright uses Bigger’s accidental homicide of a rich white girl and subsequent rape and murder of a poor black woman to stage a courtroom drama. It is not only Bigger who is on trial here, but also the white victim who was a Communist and drunkard, her boyfriend the “Red” recruiter, the father who profiteered as a slumlord by financially enslaving blacks, religion that keeps blacks ”in place”, and society itself that allows these evils to exist. Bigger’s execution is justified in the context of white rage and necessary justice, but the real crime is that Bigger never stood a chance, never had a future, and was almost predestined to commit this homicide thanks to the overwhelming fear of whites that had been bred into him from birth. Where Wright shows his true talent as an author is allowing Bigger to be empowered by his crime—it is the first true act he has ever taken and he becomes a man as he steps into his predetermined fate and is the only time he makes plans for his future....more
Imagine if Hawthorne’s Hester Prynne was a self-proclaimed witch, who, in cahoots with a fool of a devil (literally referencing Geothe’s Faust), plaImagine if Hawthorne’s Hester Prynne was a self-proclaimed witch, who, in cahoots with a fool of a devil (literally referencing Geothe’s Faust), planned to get a reverse Miss Havisham-like revenge on her lover. The witch, blacksmith Goody Ricky, engages Dickon, a Yankee devil, to recreate her dead son using a Cinderella assortment of things from the garden. This manufactured gentleman attempts to woo the blacksmith’s lover’s engaged niece, Rachel, and dual to the death with her betrothed and win her hand. The play culminates in a stage crowded with incidental characters, a bizarre conclusion and one great sound bite “What’s a man? Man’s but a mirror,” spoken by the mirror which plays a pivotal role. The play was drafted in 1907 to represent 1690’s America, but in the #metoo movement I chose to read it through a gender lens. Women are depicted in two polar opposites, Goody Ricky, a “fallen woman” who’s reputation was ruined by the man who is now an “upstanding” judge, and the unworldly innocent (not to mention an aspiring witch saved from the brink by marriage), Rachel. These were the only two options available, reminding me of John Irving’s The World According to Garp. Quoting Jenny Field’s feminist manifesto, “In this dirty minded world, you are either someone's wife or someone's whore. And if you're not either people think there is something wrong with you....but there is nothing wrong with me.” ...more
Irving is well known for his riveting prose and was one of the first American authors to gain respect in Europe. He has written and documented numerouIrving is well known for his riveting prose and was one of the first American authors to gain respect in Europe. He has written and documented numerous myths, including Tales of the Alhambra and a "biography", The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus, which are both so convincing that many people continue to take them as truth (e.g. Columbus did not prove the world wasn’t flat, nor did he discover America). No less memorable is this short story, which makes the rounds every Halloween, especially where I live in Westchester, New York, the setting of his tale. While the characters are deeply rooted in popular culture there are some points worth discussing outside of the frightening nighttime ride.
The United States has been underpaying their teachers for more than 200 years. Ichabod Crane lives as a pauper and aspires to the lush table and creature comforts offered by the heiress Van Tassel. I found it odd for a writer to cast a school teacher as a bumbling, gangly, clueless, greedy, fussy clown who tries to win the heiress' hand from an accomplished and traditionally manly-man, Brom Bones. The school teacher with effeminate mannerisms and education is punished and his departure from town confirms to the locals that no good comes from reading and writing, an anti-intellectual bias that continues through to today. That final note stands in contrast to Irving's tale that highlights the importance of stories and the imagination, which can be powerful enough to alter the course of the main character’s life and outlive the author to entertain and frighten generations of readers. The story offers several alternative endings, but we may surmise that Mr. Crane survived his experience from the post script, when the “one tall, dry-looking old gentleman” demands the moral of the story....more
When I read the description for Cavlino’s collection of science fiction stories inspired by the origins of the universe, I was immediately intrigued.When I read the description for Cavlino’s collection of science fiction stories inspired by the origins of the universe, I was immediately intrigued. As a writer who often uses math and science as a basis for my fiction I love to see what others have already done. The author spins his brief tales over many millennia, but the scope of time is not overwhelming for the characters or the reader, nor is the breadth of the expanding universe it takes place in. Each piece is spun out of a scientific theory but with a whimsy that is both endearing and a bit precious. It is his adherence to the theory within the fictional construct that I found fascinating, and having read Hawking and Sagan I know Calvino has a lot of the right elements (quite literally). Many of the characters, including the narrator of the majority of the stories, are taken from formulas, and part of the fun is figuring out which. There is a playful inquisitiveness in each piece, and a love of women and their bewitching behinds, that make for entertaining reading. ...more
This novel about love (whom you can love, and how much) and loss (fated and husband-inflicted), is communicated in such an intimate way that Roy seemsThis novel about love (whom you can love, and how much) and loss (fated and husband-inflicted), is communicated in such an intimate way that Roy seems to be in the room with you, sharing a bit of well-crafted gossip. Small secrets season the lives of this self-isolated family on a hill in a small South Indian town, but it is the big secrets that roil beneath the surface—never to be spoken of—that drive immobilizing consequences depicted in this novel. Roy weaves a tapestry of simultaneous timelines spanning some decades, stitching the edges with the events that innocently conspire to form a central tragedy, and the aftermath of those events, circling down to the meat of the tragedy in the closing pages of the novel. The first two thirds of the novel are a joy to read, with the author showcasing her playful love of language, communicating the story through the creative eyes of joined-at-the-hips fraternal twins; the last third grows somber in tone, moving from a vibrant world to a monochromatic one that has been bled of color and shaped by tragedy. Roy reminds us throughout that we are shaped by stories—we are the stories themselves—and our stories bleed into the lives of others....more
Seconding other reviewers, I had to disassociate the movie of the same title before I was able to enjoy this book on its own merits. The “bug war” offSeconding other reviewers, I had to disassociate the movie of the same title before I was able to enjoy this book on its own merits. The “bug war” offers Heinlein a backdrop to showcase his political and sociological beliefs, many of which would be well employed in the current state of corrupt and lawless politicians. In his reality only those who have proved themselves in the military, learning to set the human race over the individual, are allow to run for office or vote. Johnny Rico, the main character, learns how to be a part of a greater whole and flourish during his years of military training and deployment. Although the prose can be flat, Heinlein’s teachers of “History and Moral Philosophy” espouse some interesting theories. An excellent read for anyone interested or considering the military as a career choice, Heinlein does not shy away from the brutality of training, but always reminds us why it is necessary....more
“After the Quake” is an excellent entry point for Murakami. The short story collection is brief and gives the reader a sense of the author’s style bef“After the Quake” is an excellent entry point for Murakami. The short story collection is brief and gives the reader a sense of the author’s style before tackling something lengthier and more challenging. The collection links characters distantly impacted by the 1995 Kobe earthquake, people who can't face their own internal fractures. Murakami explores his recurring themes, including: going underground, Oedipal complexes, inspiration taken from nature and music, UFOs and very “reality based” surreal happenings, like a giant talking frog who shows up in the kitchen of a mild-mannered desk-jockey enlisting him to help save Tokyo from destruction. These stories are also linked by a loss of identity and the urgent desire to be free, whether from a failed relationship, religion, responsibility or one’s own lost dreams. If you are interested in taking on this excellent author, give this collection a taste....more
I am now officially prepared for the possible invasion of the undead and know exactly what to do in any given situation thanks to Max Brooks’ exhaustiI am now officially prepared for the possible invasion of the undead and know exactly what to do in any given situation thanks to Max Brooks’ exhaustive international survey of the survivors of World War Z. First, don’t let any zombies get near enough to bite you , don’t let your pets eat their rancid flesh or you’ll have a zombie Rover to put down, if they come after you—RUN—they don’t move very fast, and in the event that you are cornered take off their head (this apparently works for B-Movie vampires as well). It’s an imaginative sequence of oral histories, and though the “one note joke” can become a tiny bit tedious after a fashion, some of the unique and sometimes harrowing stories show that the human race can be incredibly creative as they strive for survival. This is now a movie coming to a theater (or Netflix queue) near you! Sign me up!...more
I was first introduced to the work of Daniel A. Olivas when I was the editor of OutsiderInk.com, and it was a treat to return to his fiction. The storI was first introduced to the work of Daniel A. Olivas when I was the editor of OutsiderInk.com, and it was a treat to return to his fiction. The story he published with me is the lead story, “Los Angeles, 1970,” a piece that deftly navigates the challenges faced by immigrants and their children and a boy’s confusion regarding a sexually manipulative priest. The story showcases Olivas’ talent for capturing a unique and often unheard perspective. There is a spectrum of characters in his stories: protective to overly proud fathers, determined daughters, lesbian lawyers, cocky weathermen, strong older women, as well as a hot and not always welcoming Los Angeles, which is a character appearing it each piece. The author serves up a slice of life with dexterity and dash of humor. Layered into his stories is a current of music: jazz, pop, rock, and Mexican standards. The book is solid throughout, but there are some standouts: The chilling reality-based “Summertime” about a white supremacist opening fire on a Jewish community center and “19” a humorous take on the Y2K debacle, but for me it is the “cautionary” tales that I enjoyed most, reminding us that life is short and we should be true to ourselves: “Res Judicata”, “Weatherman” and my personal favorite, “Voir Dire,” in which a man discovers his ability to write fiction and his parents still dismiss him as an idiot; a mixture of hope and humor! ...more
“[The politician] was vulgar, almost illiterate, a public liar easily detected, and in his ‘ideas’ almost idiotic, while his celebrated piety was that“[The politician] was vulgar, almost illiterate, a public liar easily detected, and in his ‘ideas’ almost idiotic, while his celebrated piety was that of a traveling salesman for church furniture, and his yet more celebrated humor the sly cynicism of a country store.” You would be forgiven if you thought this referred to the 45th American president. However, the quote is taken from Lewis’ prescient It Can’t Happen Here, which documented the rise of fascism across Europe in the mid-1930’s in a fictionalized U.S. setting.
The story is told at the local level through voice of a liberal New England journalist, Doremus Jessup, who goes from dismay to determination to despair—much like the proverbial frog being slowly boiled—as the government is hijacked by “Buzz” Windrip. Buzz rises to power on the shoulders of rabid patriotic nationalism with empty promises of economic windfalls for (almost) everyone. The new president is surrounded by white nationals and their first order of business is to stage a coup to take over all branches of government, jailing any objectors “for their protection”, in order to legislate discrimination against African Americans and Jews. They also revoke the rights of women to return to core American family values (aka The Handmaid's Tale). This legalized racism and sexism ensures the support of his base, who have not recovered financially from the Great Depression, and empowers them over subjugated groups of people. He further empowers these increasingly hostile men by forming them into a well-paid militia, who are instructed to enforce the government’s position by any means necessary. What follows is a discrediting of the media, a takeover of the educational system, and a rise of corruption and self-dealing among those freshly in positions of power.
As documented in the work of Primo Levi, a concentration camp survivor, objectors are thrown into an alternative reality from which they are too numb—or legitimately scared for their lives—to fight back; instead they fight for food and to make sense of their new reality in order to save themselves. What makes this novel such an important read is Lewis’ noting the flags of a rise of a military dictatorship to warn us of their reappearance; many would argue too many of these points have already been breached as of 2018. Recommend this book for any intentionally blind conservative who is “just following orders.”...more
This is one of the few instances where the movie outstripped the original text. This might be attributed to the talented cast assembled for the 1970sThis is one of the few instances where the movie outstripped the original text. This might be attributed to the talented cast assembled for the 1970s sleeper. I can't help but read Ethel, Norman and Chelsea as Katherine Hepburn, Henry Fonda and his daughter Jane, respectively. The play is about rebuilding estranged family relationships with new blood bridging the generations, and about fresh starts no matter what your age. The "resuscitation" of Norman via the 13 year old Billy might be trite, but no less true. The dialogue is simple and direct and escapes the trap of sentimentality. Fans of the movie may not find any additional material to gain insight into the characters, the movie actually builds on their relationships better than the play, but it is still an enjoyable read....more
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