August 17th, 2009 / 4:34 pm
 Uncategorized

RILEY MICHAEL PARKER’S CHAPBOOK “BOYS”

is really fun to read.  it uses a tonal device that is kind of like a discovery channel show, or something on the nature channel but “boys” are the subject, not animals.    the language is usually, “some boys are like this…these boys can be seen…etc.”  it’s like a typology of boys. i like the way it moves from funny things to serious observations.  here is an example:

“some men hate women and only sleep with them to stop other men from having them.

some men do their best to destroy every relationship they come across.

a lot of these men eventually learn to play the guitar.”

i think another aspect i liked was that, even though it is using language that objectifies the topic, and makes each example so transparent, it also does things to complicate these ideas and then make them clearly about the narrator.  the book looks really nice too and it only costs two dollars.   email wonderlustzine@yahoo.com

12 Comments

  1. August 17th, 2009 / 8:48 pm Nathan Tyree—

      I loved RMP’s Our Beloved 26th

      I can’t wait to read Boys

  2. August 17th, 2009 / 4:48 pm Nathan Tyree—

      I loved RMP’s Our Beloved 26th

      I can’t wait to read Boys

  3. August 17th, 2009 / 8:55 pm KevinS—

      RMP is bringing “underground literary fiction” back.

  4. August 17th, 2009 / 4:55 pm KevinS—

      RMP is bringing “underground literary fiction” back.

  5. August 17th, 2009 / 10:15 pm Maurice B—

      Riley’s a terrific guy and his little book’s are fantastic. The thing I like about MRP is that his experimentation is never really with the language of a sentence or its structure, but with what constitutes a “story” and how that is laid out in front of the reader. He crams a burning building into a tiny box and leaves it for the reader to unpack and process. His stories always unfold in ways that surprise me.

      If you like “Boys”, Sam, you should read “Sophie’s Choice”.

  6. August 17th, 2009 / 6:15 pm Maurice B—

      Riley’s a terrific guy and his little book’s are fantastic. The thing I like about MRP is that his experimentation is never really with the language of a sentence or its structure, but with what constitutes a “story” and how that is laid out in front of the reader. He crams a burning building into a tiny box and leaves it for the reader to unpack and process. His stories always unfold in ways that surprise me.

      If you like “Boys”, Sam, you should read “Sophie’s Choice”.

  7. August 17th, 2009 / 10:39 pm sam pink—

      i have sophies choice too, looking forward to it

  8. August 17th, 2009 / 6:39 pm sam pink—

      i have sophies choice too, looking forward to it

  9. August 18th, 2009 / 1:19 am ryan—

      i really dug “Boys” and “Our Beloved 26th” last I saw on riley’s myspace “Sophie’s Choice” hadn’t been released yet, but it’s been a while since i checked.

  10. August 17th, 2009 / 9:19 pm ryan—

      i really dug “Boys” and “Our Beloved 26th” last I saw on riley’s myspace “Sophie’s Choice” hadn’t been released yet, but it’s been a while since i checked.

  11. August 18th, 2009 / 5:59 am daniel bailey—

      i have that chapbook but haven’t read it yet. now i will.

      i feel like i was trying to seem “detached” with that statement of intent.

      even more so with that shit.

  12. August 18th, 2009 / 1:59 am daniel bailey—

      i have that chapbook but haven’t read it yet. now i will.

      i feel like i was trying to seem “detached” with that statement of intent.

      even more so with that shit.