Zombies, Yes More Zombies.

Hello,
Playing a little catchup on trade reviews before the end of the month.

Continuing to be Awesome: Walking Dead vol. 9 & 10

I've caught up on my Walking Dead trades that continue the story after the shocking ending of vol. 8. Don't worry I wouldn't dare spoil this series for you all. Kirkman continues to be relentless with the tension and action in this book. No character is safe. This series takes me back to Y the Last Man and it's crazy cliff hangers. The reader is placed into the same mentality as this group of survivors. And it's great.

One of the major things I noticed about this series was how quickly I blew through these trades. Seriously I read these two trades which were 12 issues total in an hour. It was that literally that fast. Now this is not simply because of the graphic novel medium, which admittedly can be a quicker read sometimes. Other graphic novels can take much longer to get thru. And it's not a question of art vs. word balloons because Kirkman is not afraid to write the occasional "talking head" issue. I really think it's the continuous threat of violence that these character's exist under.

Also praise should be shown to the art team. Artist Charlie Adlard, who took over from original artist Tony Moore, does a great job setting up the chaos of this world. There always seems to be a zombie somewhere in the frame whenever our characters venture beyond their camp. Vol. 9 introduced the idea of a "zombie herd" which was terrifying due to it's stupifying power. These zombies are for the most part mindless but if there's thousands of them then they can overwhelm you by complete force. There is no way that our protagonist's can make it past these zombie things. Also Adlard is not afraid to use unique angles and splash pages to show the action. My favorite panel would have to be the page which showed Michonne killing a zombie with a sword from the back of the head, through the mouth, from the perspective of look up from below. It was awesome and sick.

Now I'm down to issues on this series so I look forward to being able to follow it month-to-month. Book Slave.

"You think you deserve this pain, but you don't."

Hey Cyber-world,
This Tuesday was very exciting for me. Some good things happened. You have to hold onto days like that when sometimes you might feel persecuted by fate.

Then Zach Sampinos chooses to surprise you. If you have ever met him, he is a quiet guy, but I tell you don't underestimate him. As moderator of the Hard Boiled Book Club, this week he had a Miranda July Trivia Competition with prizes. Luckily, completely by chance, I had done some googling of July online this afternoon. So guess who rocked the Trivia competition? Yes it was moi. I won a copy of Me You and Everyone We Know on DVD, which was very spiffy. In 2005 I fell in love with the film which she wrote, directed, and starred. It was a wonderful surprise. Again folks if you live in the SLC area and are looking for a fun book club (with occasional prizes!) I urge you to drop on by. Details can be found here.

This month's book club centered around Miranda July's No One Belongs Here More Than You. This was actually a re-read for me. I initially read it when it was released in 2007 because I'm interested by July's mix of emotional truth and offbeat sensibilities. She is an artist who has a very original view of the world that is rooted in her entire being. This bleeds through in all her work. It doesn't feel calculated or posed. Call me naive but I think it's for real.

This time around I was impressed more by the raw honesty that permeates this collection of short stories. Every page is full of complex emotional truth that can be overwhelming and somewhat depressing. The main theme of these stories is the need to be loved, even if it's not in a healthy relationship. There's also a fair share of self-deception and solipsism in her characters. As some of the fellow book-clubbers pointed out the characters were often unlikeable or fair too quirky. I think that this is by design. July writes in a stream of consciousness, first person narrative style that emphasizes the characters self-centered mentalities. I believe that July's message is that it is because of this selfishness that the characters cannot build the relationships that will make them happy and loved. These characters are not supposed to be successful due to their own emotional self-destruction.

Noticeably my favorite characters were the least selfish. Particularly the lead characters in "Swim Team" "Something that Needs Nothing" and "The Sister" find power after laying open their own hearts. I think that July is at her best when she allows her characters to be awkward and vulnerable without being solipsistic. Miranda July's characters are so unafraid to be human, it hurts. But from the pain, magic emerges, and in that magic is the essence of what it means to be human. Again I honestly feel that their is real human emotion on every page.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Reading List 2/23/2010-3/2/2010

Hello,
Here's what I hope to read this week. How will I finish up this month?

Reading List
Books
The Savage Detectives-First 75 pgs. (this is part of a readalong)
Alias Omnibus
Phonogram vol. 1

Comics
Green Arrow & Black Canary #29, Action Comics #886, Amazing Spider-Man #620, Batman & Robin #3 & 4

Magazines
Four Four Two

Also just to be very self-promotional if you live in the SLC area: On Saturday 2/27 @ 1 pm, Main SLCPL on Level 2. I & colleague Mary Anne Heider will be leading a group discussion of Y the Last Man vol. 1 & 2. So come on down. We'll have a great time discussing this seminal comic series.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

I shot a man in Reno.

Hey,
More comic thoughts. Well it is what I've been reading lately.

Sometimes it's hard to be a villian: Rogues Revenge & Sleeper Vol. 2

Every great writer (and reader for that matter) will tell you that a hero is only as good as his villain. This is especially true in comics. In the modern era writers such as Alan Moore and Frank Miller have taken the medium to a new level by blurring the line. Recently I picked up two books that expertly examined the psychology of villiany by featuring the bad guys at the center.

Out of the grand chaotic mess that was Final Crisis emerged a small gem of a mini-series called Rogues Revenge. This side trip from the main story focuses on the Rogues from Geoff Johns's run on The Flash. Led by Captain Cold this Rogue team is dealing with the crazy havoc being wrought by Libra. They also are feeling the consequences of their gang murder of Martian Manhunter. Of course this team of villains has it's own share of dysfunctionality.

Geoff Johns is one of the best writer's in comics. That's just a fact. This series was so much fun. He deftly makes Captain Cold a badass, while still revealing his humanity. I was particularly impressed by how Johns brought in Cold's relationship with his sister Golden Glider. Johns understands that even the bad guys are still human beings with human emotions. He finds a way to make them interesting and complex. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the fantastic art from Scott Kollins. His pencils are very clear and sharp. He sticks to the traditional panel style but has a great depth of field and detail. It's not photo-realistic though, but it still looks like comics.

While Johns is the perfect writer for the Flash, on the other side of the aisle Brubaker is the best noir writer in comics. I read Season 1 at the end of last year and loved it. You can find that review here. So I could not wait for Season 2 and it didn't disappoint. This series was fantastic. Brubaker masterly mixes the noir and superhero genre. He's not afraid to have his main characters do vicious evil acts. Sleeper centers around Holden Carver, a man who comes into contact with an alien substance and develops a resistance to pain. He is also able to absorb pain from others and then redirect it out towards his enemy. Carver is then recruited to go deep undercover with evil mastermind Tao, where he begins to lose perspective. By the beginning of Season 2 Carver is able to reconnect with his handler Lynch but he has turned double agent and is now morally lost.

This is all incredibly compelling because Brubaker is fearless. In fact my favorite character is Holden's girlfriend Miss Misery. I loved the issue where the reader follows Misery as she goes on a horrible tear through the city just killing people left and right. Miss Misery thrives off committing evil acts, otherwise she gets physically ill. If she is not evil, then she's an invalid. It's a fascinating irony that Brubaker explores. Sleeper is all about these kind of moral quandaries. As a reader I constantly questioned what I would do in the same situation. In this world the line between right and wrong is completely blurred. The dark ending is inevitable and expected, but still satisfying.

The art of Sean Phillips adds to the dark tone of this story. His muted colors are wonderfully noir. He also allows the color red to pop out from the page which emphasizes the horror of the violence in this world. Phillips never shies away from the blood and sex that is inherent in this book. Phillips is an incredible artist whose work I already admired from his work on Brubaker's Criminal. Noir and crime is definitely Phillips's wheelhouse.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Interconnect with Me.

Hey all,
It is crazy times at chez Book Slave. A lot going on but watch out you're gonna have a great deal to read as we crash into the end of this month. Why does February always seem so short?

I want to throw a shout out to author Emily Wing Smith whose book The Way He Lived I reviewed here. She was nice enough to say hello, shake my hand, and put up with my slobbering praise at an author event in my library. Later on I discovered that she had posted a link to my review on her own author blog which I appreciated immensely. Again I reiterate that I meant every word of praise and can't wait for her next book. On a similiar note I also had a fun time talking to Sara Zarr, author of Once Was Lost, and she was great. Having seen her speak several times it's wonderful that she is still excited to connect with her readers.

I think that this is indicative of author's in the young adult genre. I see a notable enthusiasm whenever I attend an author's event. Why is that? It's clearly to match the reaction of their audience. Despite protestations to the contrary, teenagers are voracious readers. If they get hooked into a series young adults want to read them all. This is especially true of young females, more so than young males. Now I'm no literacy expert but I work with young adults all the time in my job. It seems to me that any young adult, no matter how snotty, will be hooked by a great engaging story. (Well really isn't that the case with anyone? but I digress...)

I've noticed though that those in the YA field are more apt to embrace any way that they can connect with their audience. Twitter is full of crazy wonderful authors such as Maureen Johnson and John Green (one of the famous vlogbrothers, already a youtube sensation) who love to interact. Often these authors have personal blogs which balance information, promotion, and some personal insight. This can only increase connectivity with the so-called Net Generation who have adopted the internet as social media. The pioneer of all this is Neil Gaiman. He has written a blog for 9 years now. 9 years! He often answers questions, posts pictures of his dogs, and sometimes shares what he's working on. Clearly he understands and enjoys being able to share with his audience.

The closeness that the internet provides is a natural progression for a genre that is all about emotions. The YA genre has evolved away from easy moral lessons or cutesy humor. (Well maybe not in Meg Cabot books...) Being a teenager is about discovering your identity, being powerless, and learning that life is not always fair. This does not always lead to cheery subject matter. The best books of this genre in my opinion, such as Speak, have intense raised stakes. The protagonist's reward is often an emotional revelation that's a source of empowerment. The internet allows for a sort of empowerment that is becoming unlimited. That's what the new social media is all about.

Either way I think that it's great for teens who are interested in writing to have an opportunity to meet there favorite author. Definitely before the cold cruel world of cynicism smacks down their dreams. By reaching out and embracing their audience, authors are more likely to mold potential talent and gain readers for life.

Some Comic Talk.

Hey,
So I finally caught up on the most recent part of my comic pile. Here's some thoughts on those issues, as well as some Things I've Learned. Enjoy!

Comic Pile: Things I've Learned and Other Thoughts

1. New Avengers #61-Bucky should stay Captain America. Spider-man has no chance with Spider-Woman but I love to hear him try. Bendis needs to stay on this book Forever.

2. Fantastic Four #575-Jonathan Hickman has put the fantastic back in this book. This is becoming a consistent favorite due to it's great storytelling, characterizations, and "big idea" concepts.

3. Detective Comics #861-Jock is the perfect replacement for J.H. Williams III. Like Williams, Jock continues to use innovative sequential art in a way that only comics can do. Take a look at the strip to the left. Do you see Batman in each panel? I wouldn't have if someone didn't point it out to me but he's there. It's also great to still have Batwoman in the title because I love how dynamic she is as a character. Rucka is known for his ability to write strong messed up females who feel compelled to fight against evil. Can't wait for the next issue.

4. Green Lantern #50- What to say? It's still awesome. Doug Mahnke is killing it on the art. Fantastic splash pages and Black Lantern zombies are as good as Ivan Reis's work in Blackest Night. In fact I think Mahnke would have been great on Flash: Rebirth, and he would have gotten it out on time.

5. Blackest Night #4,5,6-As much as I'm loving this event I also see that this a very nihilistic books. Frankly it's more than just a zombie horror story. Geoff Johns is examining the nature of death in comics. It's hard to disagree with the Black Lanterns argument that death should be final. Although comic heroes like Batman, Superman, and the Flash have all overcome and come back. Due to these characters iconic status as a reader I always expect that they'll save the day. Superman always finds a way. However it could be argued that this takes away any suspense in the comic genre. So it's never about will he save the day but how...

Johns is deftly questioning this dynamic, however in a very dark scary way. These heroes keep trying to battle the evil zombie versions of there friends, family, and adversaries. And these Black Lanterns gain power thru emotional response so they say the most vicious things to get a reaction. So the only way to defeat them is by being an unemotional killer who tears these Black Lanterns apart. Is this really how we want our heroes to be? I'm not sure where Geoff Johns is going with this. And we're on issue #6 of 8! Still can't wait but I want to see some light at the end of this tunnel.

Oh comics. *sigh* Now it's time to attack the older issues. Book Slave.

Reading List 2/16/2010-2

Here we go.

Books
It's time to catch up on some trades so:
Walking Dead vol. 9 & 10
Phonogram vol. 1
Powers HC
No One Belongs Here More Than You: Stories-Book Club Pick (and I'm psyched!)

Comics
New Avengers #61, Fantastic Four #575, Green Lantern #50, Detective Comics #861, Blackest Night #4, 5, 6. (Yep I'm always playing comics catchup.)

Magazines
Four Four Two

Also I've gotten into Vidcasts, so add that on top of the far too many podcasts that I already listen to. Wish me luck. Book Slave.

Indie Spotlight: Chew

Hey,
Here's a spotlight on a fun new series.

Indie Spotlight: Chew Vol. 1

I've been waiting for this series to come out in trade since last summer. If you keep up on comics like I do then you've already heard of Chew. It was the surprise indie smash of last summer from writer John Layman and artist Rob Guillory. Chew follows Detective Tony Chu who is a cibopath, a person who receives the history of anything he eats. Imagine the horror of biting into a hamburger and feeling the cow being slaughtered that you've just imbibed. Now you know a small portion of the hell that Tony Chu feels every time he sits down to eat.


This a world of big imaginative ideas. Layman doesn't shy away from creating an entirely new world and characters, but this isn't a superhero or horror book. Another interesting layer to this comic is that in this world poultry has been outlawed due to a bird flu epidemic. And as with all illegal substances that people really enjoy there's an underground blackmarket. Because of this the FDA has become the most powerful crime agency. So Tony Chu is recruited due to his cibopathy and detection skills in the first issue.

John Layman sets up these characters and world with such a great sense of humor and imagination. Tony Chu is smart and funny in a way that detectives should be. He isn't a gritty cynical cop yet. This trade pairs him with a mentor who is also wonderfully original and savvy. Chu has a unique super power but it makes him a miserable person. These first issues are about him discovering how to use these powers and what his morality is.

Now this should be boring and predictable but it's not. A major part of that is due to the art-style of Rob Guillory. He has a cartoony and hyper-exaggerated style that lends it an original look. I think this book would be a terrible experience if it was realistic. The cartoony look helps emphasize the humor and downplay the gross-out factor. It reminds me a lot of Humberto Ramos, who is another artist that started at Image. Guillory also does a great job with action which is essential since this is a crime comic, sorta.

I highly reccommend checking out this new book and I can't wait for the next arc.

A Little Keats On This Fake Holiday

Hello,
On this horrid fake holiday, commonly known as Valentine's Day, my thoughts turned to my fave doomed romance of the moment: John Keats and Fanny Brawne. These two met in November 1818, when she was 18 and he was 22, and fell in love while walking the Hampstead Heath. Three years later he was dead from tuberculosis. I've cracked a copy of their letters and they are amazing.


Now I love poetry because it forces you slow down and luxuriate in the experience. Poetry is not read to be figured out like a math problem. It is about how words can create a sensual experience. It's meant to provoke an emotional response. This is becoming more and more important in an age where we are feeling more disconnected. If you have to buy a Hallmark card to express your feelings towards another person, well then...

Alright I'll stop, but here's a gift to my small readership. Enjoy.

Bright Star

Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art —
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like Nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth's human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors —
No — yet still steadfast, still unchangeable,
Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever — or else swoon to death.
--John Keats, written in 1819, first published 1838

Now that's love.

Have a fine week! Book Slave.

Emotional Truth: The Way He Lived & Once Was Lost

Hello,
This is the start of some "review" entries for the next few. Any of you gentle readers who have missed some of my thoughts about fiction, well you're in for a treat.

Emotional Truth: The Way He Lived & Once Was Lost
I've been struggling to write this review for days. It's difficult to revisit the experience of reading Emily Wing Smith's The Way He Lived. There was a moment in the first 25 pages when I realized that I couldn't read this book in public. It was hard enough to keep myself emotionally composed at home-no need for me to break down while riding the bus. The Way He Lived is that kind of book.

Smith's debut novel interweaves six characters who are affected by the death of a young man in their community. Joel Espen died from dehydration while on a cub scout trip to the Grand Canyon. Smith uses multiple character voices to show the terrible void left behind by this loss. I was struck immediately by the emotional rawness of Smith's characters. The author has a real connection with the feelings of these characters. Going beyond the usual 5 stages of grief, Smith is able to find complex emotions in unexpected ways. Miles's anger is linked to Adlen's frustration, even though these characters would never be connected in real life. In turn Claire, Joel's sister, is able to help Norah move on from her secret crush on Joel.

It was not a mistake that at the same time I read The Way He Lived I also read Sara Zarr's Once Was Lost. These two books deal with the existential angst of teenage lives. Lost deals with this dilemma directly as the lead character is already loaded with her own religious baggage. Samara Taylor, nicknamed Sam, is a daughter of a pastor in her community. It is just expected that she should have an unshakable faith. However she has begun to doubt, which mirrors the experience of many teenagers. Both Zarr and Smith are able to capture the doubts and angst of their teenage characters with a heartbreaking acuteness.

The realism of these character's voice reminded me of Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak which I reviewed here. Speak is also written in first person point of view as the main character Melinda tries to sort out her own emotional trauma. This narrative technique allows for a degree of emotional truth that has elevated the genre. These teenage characters deal with tragic events but are able to find an inner strength. My cynical heart shrinks away from the corniness of that description, but the author's ability to make us relate to these characters is important. I desperately wanted Melinda to succeed, to overcome and find her voice.

I felt the same way about Sam in Lost. Zarr has a great ability to capture female characters that are conflicted about the superficial lives they see around them. Sam realizes the failure of her parents which is a pretty common revelation for teens. However Zarr is able to parallel this realization with a loss of religious faith. It's not hard to see the narrative construction at work, however the originality lies in the plot. Sam's existential angst is pushed over the edge by the kidnapping of a young girl in their community. Zarr allows for the religious questions that this situation would bring up as seen through the POV of her teenage lead character. Although Sam is not related directly to the missing girl, she realistically is conflicted by the tragedy. Again I feel that this is due to Zarr's ability, like Anderson and Smith, to accurately capture emotional truth.

Like Melinda in Speak, I desperately wanted the characters in The Way He Lived and Once was Lost to overcome their problems. As a reader I need to be emotionally invested in their success. I want to root for them. It's a testimony to Sara Zarr and Emily Wing Smith that I still cannot let go of these characters.

Reading List 2/9/2010-2/16/2010

Reading List 2/9/2010-2/16/2010
Here we go!

Books
Eating the Dinosaur
Chew Vol. 1

Comics
OMG comic goodness!

Magazines
Four Four Two

Also on the music front: I have had the fantastic Johnny Cash compilation set of Love, God, & Murder that I need to listen to.

Also I have in my possession Bright Star on DVD. Cannot wait to see this again. Some Keats is always good for what ails you & I am still somewhat in recovery from last week's bout of plague.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

It's too late...

Hey,
So where'd I go? Well folks last week, ironically after two weeks of vacation, I got terribly sick. Really sick. Like my brain felt like a brick in my skull. I abandoned you all for a week, however I am now on the mend. I can actually form thoughts and connect words. So I'll be back with a vengeance this week. You'll see. Book Slave.

As January Bites the Dust...

Hey folks,
I thought that I would start doing a bit of a wrap-up at the end of each month. And then a preview for the upcoming month. Enjoy!

January Wrap-up
*Started off w/a massive wrap-up for the past year.
*Some stats. I love stats, although ironically I never took a statistics class. Huh.
*Read some great graphic novels involving Batman, Sleeper, and a Giant. (BTW if you don't check out Matt Kindt that you are doing yourself a disservice.)
*Made a suggestion considering the new Spider-Man reboot.
*I learned that my life would be far worse if there was a zombie outbreak.
*I still love Cranford. And can ramble on about Jane Austen.
*Book Club + Jesus's Son=Epic Wonderfulness.
*J.D. Salinger died.
*Stephen Fry In America is must-see TV.

Book-wise Stats
Total Books=7
Completely true. However The Walking Dead Compendium was the equivalent of 8 trades so I counted it as such.

This included:
Fiction=1
Non-Fiction=2
Graphic Novels=4

Borrowed from Library=6
TBR pile=1

Previews, Coming Attractions, Things to Come
*Chuck Klosterman talking about time travel.
*Sherlock Holmes!
*More Comic goodness.
*Meeting Sara Zarr and Ann Dee Ellis.
*Return of Sleeper.
*My thoughts on the new Masterpiece Classic version of Emma.
*Launch of the new graphic novel book club @ SLCPL.
*Well...I guess we'll just have to see eh?

Have a great week! Book Slave.

The AV Club & Stephen Fry. It's all Supplemental.

Hello,
I have a strange love for supplemental books. By supplemental I mean books that are linked to other media. Recently I picked up two enjoyable books that fit into this category. Now generally these books are completely contingent on whether you enjoy the primary material. I already read the AV Club website, which is a subsidiary of The Onion.

It was first introduced to me by a co-worker Alex and quickly I made it into one of my fave bookmarks. So it was only a matter of time before they put out a book Inventory: 16 Films Featuring Manic Pixie Dream Girls, 10 Great Songs Nearly Ruined by Saxophone, and 100 More Obsessively Specific Pop-Culture Liststo supplement and showcase their online content. Unfortunately it is exactly what it proclaims it is-a book of lists. Don't get me wrong, I am a lover of lists. I admit it is silly and sometimes pointless. However it is often amusing and I might learn about something new, but otherwise this kind of book is not meant for anything beyond the superficial laugh. If that's what your looking for then Inventory is exactly what you want. While I did find it to be a lot of fun there wasn't much that I couldn't find online.

On the other side I also picked up Stephen Fry in America: Fifty States and the Man Who Set Out to See Them All which was very insightful. Apparently British actor Stephen Fry decided to visit all 50 states and film a documentary about his travels for BBC which will air sometime in the future. Stephen Fry is a wonderful actor who is also a very strong educated writer. He is that strange British combination of very educated but also occasionally very silly. Anyone who has watched his work in Jeeves and Wooster will agree with me. Now here in the US we are still waiting for the documentary, however we do have a wonderful book already available. I was shocked at how long it took me to read this travelogue. Fry does visit all 50 states, although I felt that Idaho and Delaware may have gotten the short shrift. He does find interesting new things about each state. (Yeah even in North Dakota!) I think that I would enjoy this book regardless of whether the BBC series ever came out. That is a key sign of any good book, whether it be supplemental or not. At nearly 300+ pages it was well worth the journey.

Here's a preview for the series.


Gosh I hope it makes it way on to my PBS stations. Well until then I'll just have to live with the book. Sigh.

Have a great weekend! Book Slave.

JD Salinger. So It Goes.

There has been a lot of literary loss in the last few days. The deaths of Louis Auchincloss and Howard Zinn are sad, especially when lumped in with Robert Parker. However the loss that affected me personally was the death of JD Salinger yesterday at 91. I don't know why but I guess I thought that he would live forever in that New England cocoon he enclosed around himself long ago. Whether he was crazy, psychologically disturbed, or just done with the human race, I never held it against him that he disappeared back in 1965. His literary work was all I ever needed. In a world where it seems everyone will whore themselves out for a tangential moment of fame, I appreciated the Salinger enigma. I never wanted to know what he ate for breakfast in the morning or whether he was dating Angelina Jolie. He would always be a mix of Seymour Glass and Holden Caulfield to me. And that's fine.

Now I've written about how I stumbled upon Catcher in the Rye here but that actually was not the first time I encountered JD Salinger. The first time was in 1989 when I read Shoeless Joe Comes to Iowa by W.P. Kinsella. At this time in my life I was obssessed with baseball. Not because I'm any good at sports, really I'm not, but I love anything with a history and mythology. To me baseball was magical with heroes and villians, feats of strength and redemption. It was my mom who picked up a copy of Shoeless Joe because she knew I was looking forward to seeing the film Field of Dreams. That movie is based on Kinsella's book and I love it to this day.

However one of the major changes that was made in the literary adaptation is that the character of Terrence Mann, played by James Earl Jones in the film, was originally JD Salinger. Kinsella used Salinger as the perfect archetype of an author who had become lost in his own cynicism. The book version of Salinger, who is actually named JD Salinger, finds spiritual redemption in Kinsella's baseball field. Now as a 10 year old I didn't understand the full ramifications of that characterization. It's really quite daring of Kinsella. Upon reflection I think that Kinsella was exercising his own form of wish fulfillment. We've all wondered when those secret writings would be published. When would our patience be rewarded? It turns out the real Salinger was never worried or was interested in what we wanted.

As I think back today I realize that I wouldn't want it any other way. Starting at age 10 I began to understand that not everyone is meant to be understood. JD Salinger had his own demons, fears, and desires. I can love his work without trying to understand why he choose to become reclusive. The wish fulfillment of Shoeless Joe was one way to cope with a perceived loss. With his death today I am drawn back to the conclusion Holden Caulfield does at the end of Catcher In the Rye:

"Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody."

J.D. Salinger may not have needed us. But we needed him.

An Epic Evening of Book Club: Jesus's Son

I was psyched when Zach told us that we would be discussing the book Jesus's Son by Denis Johnson at the next book club meeting. For any new readers to these web pages, I attend a monthly book club at a local book store. It's called the Hard Boiled Book Club and is run by friend Zach Sampinos. The focus is alternative fiction and I find that it pushes me to read books that I wouldn't otherwise pick up. It was an epic evening which included discussion of the following:
*Horrible experiences having your blood drawn
*The large number of drug addicts that work in hospitals
*Talking to drunks in dive bars
*Getting high at the library (Don't do it!)
*Jesus's Son the Movie adaptation-It's actually pretty good.
*Denis Johnson's Poetry and other books such as Tree of Smoke and Don't Move.
*Unreliable Narrators
It was a fun time. I invite anyone interested to come on down. Info can be found here.

However I had always meant to read Jesus's Son but had never actually done it. Sometimes books fall thru the cracks and well meant intentions are not met. Actually now that I think about it that is an apt description for the theme of Johnson's narrative. In 11 short stories we follow the fractured life of a drug addict whose been nicknamed Fuck Head (or FH for short). FH lives a life of misadventure. It is clear that he is not a bad person by nature, but he cannot live without drugs and alcohol.

Now I am not a big fan of drug narratives that are about pushing an agenda. I think some authors, like Selby or Goines, are intent on portraying how addiction will ruin your soul. On the other hand there are others that are pushing the idea that drugs are a way to higher perception, so it's necessary for creative people to use. Personally I think that the truth of human experience lies in between. Drug use has it's benefits and consequences, but addiction can lead to an unbalanced life. Johnson portrays a world full of dreamers, addicts, and lost souls. FH is a good-natured narrator who has lost his way. While he's not always perfect, especially in the story "Dirty Wedding", he's not a bad person either. Ultimately FH struggles with wanting to become "messed up" rather than face real life. His innate selfishness and natural compassion are uneven throughout several of these stories. His internal journey is to find that balance using positive means.

Johnson's prose is compelling in the way he juxtaposes spiraling grief with moments of transcendent beauty. I was struck by this in the story "Work" where FH is literally a sad mess. Johnson writes "I had to vomit in the corner-just a thumble-ful of grey bile." But then each man is struck by the amazing vision of a woman flying naked across the water. This dream image reminds each man that life can have simple beauty in it. In "Beverly Home" something perverse becomes a moment of beautific service and worship. Each moment of beauty is a reminder to FH that he is not completely lost. As long as he maintains an intense sensitivity to sentimentality than he'll be able to find redemption.

On the other side I don't want it forgotten how hilarious these stories are. There is a comedic wit that undercuts any saccharine or painful moments. I often found myself laughing out loud during the stories "Steady Hands at Seattle General" "Emergency" and "Two Men." Johnson puts FH in the craziest situations which would only happen if you lived on the fringe. Johnson also confirmed why I would never want to work at a hospital. In fact I think I'll just avoid hospitals altogether.

I cannot reccomend this collection enough. At a little more than 130+ pages it is all too short. Johnson is magically spare but you can open up it up and at any point find a graceful phrase.

A Hearty Welcome & Reading List 1/26-2/2/2010

Hey,
I just want to say a quick hello and welcome to any new readers to these humble ramblings. By whatever method you ended up here feel free to warm yourself at the fire. I encourage you to check out the 3 year back log of entries. Some are good. *Feel free to leave a comment if you are moved to.
*Also it would be spiffy if you become a Follower, it's not as bad as it sounds. You get an icon an everything.
*There's also many fine blogs in the sidebar that update often and that I find amusing.
*One can also follow me on the twitter @gettsr, although I warn you my life is kinda mundane.

I am always surprised that people enjoy my literary ramblings, so pull up a chair.

Here's a reading plan for next week.

Reading List
Books
Once Was Lost
Way He Lived
(BTW these are both from amazing local authors. One of which, Sara Zarr, I will be meeting in 2 weeks. Very excited.)

Comics
Some more comics goodness: Batman, Green Lantern, Some Blackest Night, and Detective Comics.

Magazine
Four Four Two. Now that I have no more live soccer to watch, then this is my lifeline.
(Go Gunners!)

If Possible: More trades paperbacks! Sherlock Holmes! Walking Dead!

Have a great week! Book Slave

It's still Jane's World. We just live here.

Hello
In anticipation of Masterpiece Theatre's new adaptation of Emma, which screened Part 1 last night, my mom and I had a little Austen discussion yesterday. My mom and I have shared a love of "Jane" ever since I was teen. Luckily I was a teen during the Austen revival of the mid 90s. Her and I breathlessly saw all the various movie adaptations that were released at that time. I read the books for the first time, as she revisited them with each new adaptation.

Yesterday's discussion began with a debate about whether Clueless should be compared with more straightforward adaptations of Emma. I argue that it shares enough in common with say 1996's Emma (that's the one with Paltrow) that it should be considered. Her argument was that it set a dangerous precedent. Would we allow Bridget Jones's Diary to be compared with 1994's Pride and Prejudice? Not to mention all these hybrids which are adding zombies and sea monsters to our Jane's original texts? I did see her point, however I think Clueless is the best adaptation thus far of Emma for the screen. I guess I'm okay with making an exception in this case. My very literate mom held her ground, respectively.

Moving on... I then threw down a gauntlet: Rank Your Austen Novels. Although it's a bit silly and arbitrary, it's also kinda fun.
Surprisingly my mom topped her list with Persuasion. Now this was fairly shocking to me. I just assumed that P&P would be the tops for both of us. Isn't P&P universally loved and held on a pedestal by all us Jane-ites? Apparently not. Perhaps Persuasion is rising in people's estimations with the more information that we find out about Jane herself. I've always seen Jane as being an "Elizabeth Bennett"-esque character, but maybe she is more like Anne Eliot. With her use of writer's voice Austen is as much a character in her books as Emma Woodhouse. It is not difficult then to graft our own love for "our Jane" to certain characters that she has created. I feel that this emotional transference is starting to occur with the character of Anne Eliot, a woman who believes that she made a mistake in love years ago.

Persuasion was Austen's last finished book and it clearly reflects a more adult world view. Anne Eliot is Austen's most mature character. She is full of regret, world-weary, and lost. The return of Captain Wentworth is a chance at redemption. I think a part of us wants to believe that maybe Austen sought a similiar redemption as she was dying of what was most likely Addison's Disease. However I am also starting to believe that Austen, while she was in dire straights, was evolving as a writer. Persuasion was a step towards more adult subjects such as death, war, and lost chances. Will she settle for William Eliot? The stakes are more personal as Anne Eliot feels that she has blown her chance at happiness.

I prefer to believe that Jane Austen regretted nothing about her life. Perhaps she would have liked to make more money and write more books. But otherwise I'm not interested in the tragic view, we'll leave that to the Brontes. I think this is why my favorite is Pride and Prejudice because it reflects a convergence of comedy, commentary, and pure joy. As her first written book P&P, originally known as First Impressions, I still marvel at how different it is than any other books of the time. I've written about this at length here. But today I revel in the humor and knowing winks that Jane gives us through her 3rd person narrative voice. She is our guide in this 19th century country society world. And although she'll show us the silliness of this societies culture, she also shows us the nobility that exists. You get the feeling in P&P that Austen loves it, flaws and all.

Of course this entire discussion is highly subjective. With only 6 novels available in her literary oevre us Jane-ites have the ability to really dwell on all the nuances. The fact that so much discussion could be pulled from so little material is a testament to her skill. It's undeniable.

For anyone interested here's our respective lists:
(BTW In all fairness I have not read Sanditon or Mansfield Park and my mom has not read Northanger Abbey, so these have been omitted)
Mom
Persuasion
Pride and Prejudice
Sense and Sensibility
Emma
Mansfield Park

Me
Pride and Prejudice
Emma
Persuasion
Sense and Sensibility
Northanger Abbey

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Cranford, The Return.

For the last two weekends I had the opportunity to return to a magical place called Cranford. For those who are uninformed here's where I've discussed my fondness, love, and fascination for this wonderful haven.

*How December Got Awesome
*Television can occasionally be good for you

In my opinion, with very few exceptions, Masterpiece Theater Classic has been an amazing gift for us lit fans over the last two years. This is high quality television that rather than highlight the worst of humanity, it rises above to present us with the best. This tradition is maintained with the sequel Return to Cranford (RTC).

This continuation from last year's was able to capture the humor, tragedy, and progress, of a small 1840s village. The village of Cranford is filled with spinsters who rely on each other as they face the changing times. Of course the oncoming industrial revolution is represented by the railroad, which is still trying to develop a route through Cranford. In RTC the route becomes a necessity as the local economy begins to suffer driving residents to "horrible" towns such as Leeds and Liverpool.

Progress is difficult and inevitable is the theme of part one of this series. And although the time period is the 19th century, I couldn't help but feel the relevancy to our current times. With the economy in the dumps, and no recovery on the horizon, it becomes essential that technological innovation becomes the new driving force. Even in the work that I do (librarianship) it is becoming a case of embracing new technologies, like ebooks, or get out of the way. Not everyone is willing to do this but even in the world of Cranford it is inevitable.


It is a masterstroke and wonderful surprise that the catalyst for change in this story is Miss Matty. Miss Matty, as portrayed by Dame Judi Dench, is the beating heart of Cranford. She remains at the center of events in RTC, but is much more proactive in her influence. As the passive of the two sisters in the original Cranford, in RTC she decides to become a driving force. And how could anyone say no to her? She is the kind of person who is amazingly selfless. Her empathy is untainted by cynicism which is refreshing in this day and age. It is heart-breaking when she has to deal with the often cruel fact that sometimes terrible things happen. I was blown away by how the character of Miss Matty internalizes and takes responsibility for the negative consequences. Further she is able to take that guilt and turn it into a positive action.

Her internal journey gives this story emotional heft that is absent in other characters. I was not as invested in the romantic relationships in this volume. Also the villians were sadly a bit one-dimensional. I'm not sure whether this reflects Gaskell's story-telling or the intentions of director Simon Curtis. It was sad to see Septimus portrayed as such a one-dimensional villian (and btw what was up with the gay overtones? Aren't we past fey gay villian stereotypes in our modern times?) considering the build up that we've had with his character since the first Cranford. Poor Mr. Pryce was given an inconsistent character of Edward Buxton in the second half. One minute he's a good guy, the next he's a manipulative jerk. That's just poor storytelling.

RTC does maintain Gaskell's theme that a strong woman will sacrifice for the better good. Whether it's Miss Matty or Miss Galindo with Harry Gregson, these women are resilient. This series has motivated me to check out Gaskell this year. And I can't wait. In the end I highly recommend checking out Return to Cranford either online here, or on DVD soon. It is completely worth the return trip.

Teach Me Comics, I'm Willing to Learn

Hello,
Today I decided to take a few hours and dive into my comic stack. It was an enjoyable time I have to say. It solidified my resolve that I need to get rid of things like TV, and make a solid decision to carve out reading time into my schedule. I am a chronic multi-tasker. It's not that I have ADD and can't focus. It's that I just strive to find the most effective way to make use of my time. However I'm slowly coming to the realization that maybe just focusing on one thing for a set amount of time may be more personally fulfilling.

So enough emo-introspection already! I haven't done one of these for awhile but I felt like it today so hell...

Lessons from Comic Literature
(These were curbed from the following comic issues: Amazing Spider-Man 615-617, Buffy the Vampire 31, Action Comics 885, Green Arrow Black Canary 28.)

1. Joe Kelly is the best writer for Spider-Man. He understands the humor, action, and attitude. I will always read a Spider-Man issue where he is the main writer. This is odd since I tried reading his critically-acclaimed series I Kill Giants and couldn't get into it.
2. Joss Whedon should always write Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8. I think one can trace the gradual decline of this series with lack of Whedon writing involvement. Whedon does the best job with characterization and dialogue. If you want to see the difference in quality just check out the difference between #31 & #30. Also I never want to see Jane Espenson write for this book again.

3. I like Action in my Action Comics. I don't know enough about Kryptonian lore to understand any of that hardcore nerdness. I really just like it when they're fighting.

4. Why am I still reading Green Arrow/Black Canary? I don't know.

5. Amazing Spider-Man has the best villian gallery. I really love how they are all getting featured in the latest "The Gauntlet" arc. We've gotten to see Electro, Sandman, and Rhino. Classic Villians are fun.

6. Comics! It's great to read fun superhero comics after reading nearly 50 issues of The Walking Dead. It was just what I needed.

Have a great week! Book Slave.