eighty-seventh (2023-11-09)
“i had forgotten that time wasn't fixed like concrete but in fact was fluid as sand, or water. i had forgotten that even misery can end” ― joyce carol oates, i am no one you know
this is way too long which is what happens when i get behind on posting! i should be paid by the government for this act of public service. in other news, i have recently become a member of jewish voice for peace (and its local chicago chapter) and i invite you to join me.
books (this will be another lightning round)
demon copperhead by barbara kingsolver, 2022
i understand the praise here (it won the pulitzer for fiction and a dozen other prizes). it was moving, ambitious, and provocative, but my question: is literature meant to be pedagogical or a work of art? maybe i am paulo freire-pilled but reading this, i felt i was being taught as if i had an empty head; herded on a child leash through the broken judicial, child welfare, educational, and health systems of america from the 90s and today, in a fashion not dissimilar to forrest gump.
little birds by anaïs nin, 1979
this is nin’s second publication of short erotic stories that was apparently commissioned in the 40s. there are glimmers - “lina” is a standout - but overall, erotic stories is a misnomer because they are not very erotic and barely stories. they are short and odd and i’d rather read her (insane) diaries.
the new earth by jess row, 2023
TV makeup is troweled on, “the consistency of hummus”; root vegetables lie in a crisper, “the warty stepchildren of the vegetable kingdom.” This is a book of warty, messy things, intractable and strange — but stumbling, maybe, toward a state of grace. - Leah Greenblatt
i read your face in mine by jess row years ago and was dazzled, but it doesn’t hold a candle to this. this review says it best - this is a classic russian family tragedy transposed onto a hypermodern NYC setting. a sampling of topics includes: incest, infidelity, death, shifting racial identities, power dynamics in buddhism, the second intifada in israel and palestine, trump-era deportation policies, divorce, and late-in-life coming out. is it heavy-handed? yes, but so was nabokov - there is nothing subtle here.
all-night pharmacy by ruth madievsky, 2023
this was fun and reminded me of the surreal, bizarre worlds jen beagin builds. i am tickled most by madievsky being a real life pharmacist - other than that i don’t want to say much about it! it feels like a weird but perfect piece of clay art that isn’t done drying yet and if i touch it, i’ll change it. this should be read and not changed.
florida by lauren groff, 2018
my friend mark recommended lauren groff to me so i snagged this acclaimed collection of shorts from the library. groff is patient, incisive, and a huge fan of a slow burn. i’ve been haunted by “above and below” about one grad student who lost/let go of her life, apartment, studies, and became unhoused and transient in a daze of system failures. truly excited to read more of her.
kink: stories edited by r.o. kwon and garth greenwell, 2021
cutting to the chase: the stories in this collection were largely mediocre. the trope of the submissive woman who can’t articulate her desires to her straight boyfriend was repeated ad nauseum (though to be fair, over half of the stories were queer and trans narratives, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they were better). most of these brimmed with that young energy of finding a community for your niche interest - it’s inherently a bit earnest and embarrassing to glitter so brightly in your newfound seenness. a few standouts included carmen maria machado’s story (by far the best), chris kraus’ autofiction (shown above) and roxeanne gay’s, which surprised me.
freedom is a constant struggle: ferguson, palestine, and the foundations of a movement by angela y. davis, 2015
davis has a way of generating hope through a historical and global context that is so necessary. this book contains interviews and speeches; all are moving, deeply thoughtful, and engaging in that brain-ticklely way i needed.
article
sigrid nunez’s art of noticing by wyatt mason, 2023
this was fascinating and i’m not going to sum it up. i love becoming entranced by an author i’ve never read and i’m excited to read her.
event
joyce carol oates at the chicago humanities festival
where to begin! JCO is a troll- twitter legend, a prolific author and teacher, and a precise and bold voice. she is 85 and does not apologize for herself or shy away from topics like AI and dystopian technology. she is also - and i hesitate to say this, because it’s not a requirement of women writers - hilarious, and she knows it. above are my notes from her talk. the funniest part is she said at the end that she couldn’t hear most of the interviewer’s or audience’s questions - legend!
thanks for reading - more to come -
bria