October 22nd, 2009 / 10:44 am
Snippets
Snippets
Blake Butler—
Lots of great in the Rumpus’s Last Book I Loved column. What’s the last book you loved?
Lots of great in the Rumpus’s Last Book I Loved column. What’s the last book you loved?
honest answer to that question would be the last book i read: beckett’s molloy
honest answer to that question would be the last book i read: beckett’s molloy
Judge on Trial, by Ivan Klima, and Tlooth, by Harry Mathews, and Fishboy, by Mark Richard, and Netherland, by Joseph O’Neill, and Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898, by Edwin G. Burrows & Mike Wallace
Judge on Trial, by Ivan Klima, and Tlooth, by Harry Mathews, and Fishboy, by Mark Richard, and Netherland, by Joseph O’Neill, and Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898, by Edwin G. Burrows & Mike Wallace
Mark Richard: Amy used to freak out over him. I never could quite grabbit. Some of the stories nail me, but a lot of it feels a wash. Fishboy, tho? Haven’t read that one, just the stories. Hm
Mark Richard: Amy used to freak out over him. I never could quite grabbit. Some of the stories nail me, but a lot of it feels a wash. Fishboy, tho? Haven’t read that one, just the stories. Hm
Short stories, Wells Tower, Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned, Maile Meloy, Both Ways Is The Only Way I Want It, and Adam Hazlett, You Are Not a Stranger Here.
And Victor LaValle, Big Machine
I think it’d be up your alley, Blake.
Short stories, Wells Tower, Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned, Maile Meloy, Both Ways Is The Only Way I Want It, and Adam Hazlett, You Are Not a Stranger Here.
And Victor LaValle, Big Machine
I think it’d be up your alley, Blake.
Big World by Mary Miller. LOVED it. From start to finish. Technically it’s a short story collection, but that counts, right?
Big World by Mary Miller. LOVED it. From start to finish. Technically it’s a short story collection, but that counts, right?
I read Nicholson Baker’s Human Smoke last week and really liked it, despite the fact that I tend to be entirely uninterested in anything having to do with WWII. Yesterday, I started reading Kenneth Goldsmith’s Fidget, which I intend to finish this afternoon — & I already think it is absolutely brilliant.
I read Nicholson Baker’s Human Smoke last week and really liked it, despite the fact that I tend to be entirely uninterested in anything having to do with WWII. Yesterday, I started reading Kenneth Goldsmith’s Fidget, which I intend to finish this afternoon — & I already think it is absolutely brilliant.
i agree, i can’t even really stand history at all, but HS killed me, hard.
i agree, i can’t even really stand history at all, but HS killed me, hard.
Bonsai, by Alejandro Zambra. It’s from the Melville House novella series and it’s wistful, nostalgic and great.
Last night I started reading Ablutions by Patrick deWitt (based on a recommendation from someone on this website) and holy cow, it is awesome.
Bonsai, by Alejandro Zambra. It’s from the Melville House novella series and it’s wistful, nostalgic and great.
Last night I started reading Ablutions by Patrick deWitt (based on a recommendation from someone on this website) and holy cow, it is awesome.
Carl Martin, Rogue Hemlocks. It’s one of the Fence poetry titles. Very strange and delicious.
Carl Martin, Rogue Hemlocks. It’s one of the Fence poetry titles. Very strange and delicious.
Rising, by Farrah Field. I keep returning to it quite unconsciously…
Rising, by Farrah Field. I keep returning to it quite unconsciously…
Rising, by Farrah Field. I keep returning to it quite unconsciously…
Big Machine by Victor LaValle
Big Machine by Victor LaValle
Big Machine by Victor LaValle
The last one I really, really loved, was blown away by was Black Flies by Shannon Burke. He’s a local (Knoxville, TN) writer and former EMS in Harlem and this book is as gritty as a Harlem EMS guy. Beautifully writter, as well.
The last one I really, really loved, was blown away by was Black Flies by Shannon Burke. He’s a local (Knoxville, TN) writer and former EMS in Harlem and this book is as gritty as a Harlem EMS guy. Beautifully writter, as well.
That is ” beautifully written.”
That is ” beautifully written.”
The last one I really, really loved, was blown away by was Black Flies by Shannon Burke. He’s a local (Knoxville, TN) writer and former EMS in Harlem and this book is as gritty as a Harlem EMS guy. Beautifully writter, as well.
That is ” beautifully written.”
“Phosphor in Dreamland” by Rikki Ducornet.
“Phosphor in Dreamland” by Rikki Ducornet.
love
love
“Phosphor in Dreamland” by Rikki Ducornet.
love
I read that Haslett book, but only liked it. Except for maybe 2 stories that I loved.
I read that Haslett book, but only liked it. Except for maybe 2 stories that I loved.
I read that Haslett book, but only liked it. Except for maybe 2 stories that I loved.
Word.
Word.
Word.
Which ones?
I’m only halfway into Haslett’s. But I guess the list was prompted, rather than from one collection in particular, from a general sensation of how lively the American short story still is, as opposed to, say, the British or French or Italian.
Meloy’s would be my favourite of the lot, for the record.
Which ones?
I’m only halfway into Haslett’s. But I guess the list was prompted, rather than from one collection in particular, from a general sensation of how lively the American short story still is, as opposed to, say, the British or French or Italian.
Meloy’s would be my favourite of the lot, for the record.
Which ones?
I’m only halfway into Haslett’s. But I guess the list was prompted, rather than from one collection in particular, from a general sensation of how lively the American short story still is, as opposed to, say, the British or French or Italian.
Meloy’s would be my favourite of the lot, for the record.
Wells Tower. That’s mine too.
Wells Tower. That’s mine too.
Wells Tower. That’s mine too.
physically or mentally?
physically or mentally?
physically or mentally?
THE QUICK AND THE DEAD by Joy Williams.
I read that over a year ago for the first time. After reading it, I could, for the first time in my life, give people a definitive answer to the question ‘What is your favorite novel?’
THE QUICK AND THE DEAD by Joy Williams.
I read that over a year ago for the first time. After reading it, I could, for the first time in my life, give people a definitive answer to the question ‘What is your favorite novel?’
THE QUICK AND THE DEAD by Joy Williams.
I read that over a year ago for the first time. After reading it, I could, for the first time in my life, give people a definitive answer to the question ‘What is your favorite novel?’
read hannah’s ray last night. what a disarming, beautiful book.
read hannah’s ray last night. what a disarming, beautiful book.
read hannah’s ray last night. what a disarming, beautiful book.
I’m trying to remember — the first one, w/ the bipolar dad & son, was def one of them. And I think there was another one later in the collection that maybe also involved mental health?
Also liked the one abt the sado-masochistic relationship w/ the classmate, but thought it could’ve hit harder.
And I remember thinking the one that took place in the cornfield, the therapist who goes to treat the rural woman or whatever, was totally crappy.
I’m trying to remember — the first one, w/ the bipolar dad & son, was def one of them. And I think there was another one later in the collection that maybe also involved mental health?
Also liked the one abt the sado-masochistic relationship w/ the classmate, but thought it could’ve hit harder.
And I remember thinking the one that took place in the cornfield, the therapist who goes to treat the rural woman or whatever, was totally crappy.
I’m trying to remember — the first one, w/ the bipolar dad & son, was def one of them. And I think there was another one later in the collection that maybe also involved mental health?
Also liked the one abt the sado-masochistic relationship w/ the classmate, but thought it could’ve hit harder.
And I remember thinking the one that took place in the cornfield, the therapist who goes to treat the rural woman or whatever, was totally crappy.
The Slynx by Tatyana Tolstaya. So dystopian, so Russian, so insane, so good.
The Slynx by Tatyana Tolstaya. So dystopian, so Russian, so insane, so good.
I LOVED Black Flies. Some of his descriptions just killed me.
I LOVED Black Flies. Some of his descriptions just killed me.
The Slynx by Tatyana Tolstaya. So dystopian, so Russian, so insane, so good.
I LOVED Black Flies. Some of his descriptions just killed me.
Word up. Becket is the motherfucker.
Word up. Becket is the motherfucker.
Word up. Becket is the motherfucker.
Fidget is great
Fidget is great
Damn. That’s a good one too.
Damn. That’s a good one too.
Fidget is great
Damn. That’s a good one too.
Sandy Florian’s The Tree of No. It melts and slides all over you’re body, and rearanges organs via ectoplasmic extensions.
Sandy Florian’s The Tree of No. It melts and slides all over you’re body, and rearanges organs via ectoplasmic extensions.
Sandy Florian’s The Tree of No. It melts and slides all over you’re body, and rearanges organs via ectoplasmic extensions.
third
third
third
Mao II. DeLillo’s plots don’t so much unfold as hover, circle, and finally taper off. The results are mixed, but this one hits it just right. His prose could make the menu at Denny’s compelling and existential vital.
Mao II. DeLillo’s plots don’t so much unfold as hover, circle, and finally taper off. The results are mixed, but this one hits it just right. His prose could make the menu at Denny’s compelling and existential vital.
Mao II. DeLillo’s plots don’t so much unfold as hover, circle, and finally taper off. The results are mixed, but this one hits it just right. His prose could make the menu at Denny’s compelling and existential vital.
she was my professor last semester, great prose-poetry stylist/teacher/human
she was my professor last semester, great prose-poetry stylist/teacher/human
she was my professor last semester, great prose-poetry stylist/teacher/human
Word. I’m jealous.
Word. I’m jealous.
Word. I’m jealous.