VAGUE SPACE

Columbine

I'm not sure whether to recommend this book -- Time's back cover description "Comprehensively nightmarish" is a perfect analysis -- but I read the entirety of its 370 pages within 2 days, so I guess that's reason enough for a recommendation.  Dave Cullen, a reporter who admits in the introduction that much like the rest of the media, he got the story wrong, writes this detailed account of the Columbine massacre from April 20, 1999, and it really is an amazing story.  Through extensive research into the truckloads of evidence collected by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office ("Jeffco") but withheld from the public for much of the past decade, Cullen weaves an extraordinary tale detailing both the how and the why of such a devastating tragedy.  I remember Columbine vividly, or I thought I remembered it vividly, but it was a Tuesday and I was likely working and I don't really remember where I was or how I heard about the events as they were unfolding.  But I remember searching for the answers to "why" and I remember reading the contemporaneous accounts that evolved in the days and weeks after the attack -- reports about things like the "Trench Coat Mafia" and Marilyn Manson and Nazi imagery and retribution on jocks and bullies and the girl touted as a martyr by evangelicals when she admitted to believing in God just before she was killed.  I remembered all these things.  And they were all wrong.  Even the Michael Moore documentary largely about gun control, Bowling for Columbine, repeated an urban legend that the killers went bowling on the morning of the murders.  They didn't.  Everything you knew or thought you knew about Columbine after the attacks was wrong.  And Cullen not only reveals the facts but he makes them fascinating and he explains how and why the media perpetuated these falsehoods, while also explaining how such a tragedy occurred. 

Flight

I hate to travel.  And my extreme intense dislike for flying is a big, big part of that.  Well that and the fact that most of my traveling is for business, which is not enjoyable or fun or anything I look forward to, even to a place like Scotland, which I got to visit last week, unfortunately for business.  The flight there was horrible, not because of any issues with the flying itself but because I was sick as a dog, I'd been recovering from a week's worth of flu/cold or something but I thought I was better until I got on the plane and it hit me, almost immediately, in the throat and the head and the nose and then it was 7 straight hours of debilitating pain.  I watched Sherlock Holmes in flight but I was so sick I couldn't even finish it and then I lay there, for hours, trying to catch some sleep to put me out of my misery, but it didn't come, and when the plane landed it was 7 am (Glasgow time) and I had to spend the day working, not getting back to my hotel room until close to 5.  I'd been up for some 32 hours straight.  I'd been sick all day and night.  And I was in no mood to see any part of Scotland.  But after a too brief nap in which a few moments of sleep kept getting interrupted by coughing fits, I got up and washed up and took a walk to one of the dozens of eateries in Ayr, the town where I was staying, to try to get some enjoyment out of my night (and to get enough drinks in me that I might actually be able to fall asleep without coughing).  I brought along the book I'd been reading -- the one I'd grabbed just as I left for the flight, a "backup" in case I finished the other book I'd been reading -- and as I sat in a beautiful little cafe called Saffy's, eating the most wonderful dish of sea bass I'd ever eaten (possibly because I'd never eaten sea bass before), I opened the novel and read it all the way through.  I slept well that night and had a pretty good rest of my week, the best week of business travel I've had in longer than I can remember, but the best part of the week remains that meal at Saffy's, drinking a pint of Peroni, and reading Sherman Alexie's aptly titled novel Flight.

Genesis

Genesis

A novel by Bernard Beckett

New Zealand's Bernard Beckett wrote this slight novel while he was on a Royal Society genetics research fellowship investigating DNA mutations, and when I think of how difficult it is for me to find the time to work on my writing while designing warehouses during the day, I'm just in awe of the magic that he created in this book.  The man is clearly brilliant, and he's written an almost perfect novel, 150 pages that I can guarantee you will burn through in a single reading.  It's that gripping.  And that wonderful.  I can't -- or I won't -- get into many details of the plot of the novel, because each page is a new revelation, but it ostensibly takes place in a future world in which a girl named Anax is undergoing an oral examination to join the vaunted Academy, and the novel is divided into four parts based on the four hours of her intense examination.  As such, the story is largely told in a question-and-answer dialogue between Anax and her Examiners, but since her examination is about the history of Adam Forde, an important figure in the history of this future world (he lived from 2058 to 2077, we are told on the second page), much of the story is simply Anax recounting the history of this time, in response to the questions, but what a fascinating history (future history, in our case) it is. 

I cannot go into any other details without possibly revealing too much, but let's just say that the twists and turns are truly stunning and completely compelling.  It's a very cerebral work, not something that can be read lightly, but the language is clear and robust, and if you are able to take a few moments to reflect on the extraordinary themes in play about the nature of consciousness and freedom and fate and future, in the midst of your reading, I'd definitely recommend.  But it will be difficult to pause and think, for this is also a wonderfully suspenseful thriller that you won't want to wait to finish.  I'm not typically a reader of books like this -- I'm not sure how I ended up placing it into my "Saved for Later" cart in Amazon, or why I decided to purchase it many months later -- but in any case I haven't read a lot of sci-fi fiction, although I wouldn't call this a sci-fi book necessarily, and I'm not a philosophical reader, although this is certainly more than a philosophy book (even if several characters have great philosopher names), and I'm not really even a suspense novel reader (but this is much more than suspense).  This is probably something akin to a Philip K. Dick novel, but since I've only seen the movie versions of his stories (Blade Runner, Minority Report), I can only guess.  It seems to be thoroughly original to me.  And highly recommended.

• Buy Genesis.  Now.  Please.

I Guess I Remembered It Wrong

Our Noise:  The Story of Merge Records
Written by John Cook with MacMcCaughan and Laura Ballance
Rating:  An Absolutely Brilliant Must-Read

Buy it at Amazon

I first discovered Superchunk in 1995 after hearing "Hyper Enough" on modern rock stations and MTV, and I ended up buying Here's Where the Strings Come In, their 7th full-length record (including two singles collections).  They instantly became one of my favorite bands and I bought up their back catalog of releases for the next several years.  But although the band never officially broke up, they stopped touring in 2001 and stopped recording and focused their efforts in other areas, coming together only for a couple special shows a year in the past 7 years, while recording only a handful of songs here and there.  In 2009, they've been more prolific, releasing a 5-song EP Leaves in the Gutter (consisting of the songs they've recorded the past 7 years) and then a 7" this summer called Crossed Wires.  So they might not be done after all.  But even if they are, they are among the very select handful of bands in my life as a music fan that have affected me for the past 20 years, since I first started discovering so-called "alternative" music back in 1989.  In fact, I'd almost have to say no band -- not even my all-time favorites The Smiths and Pavement -- have influenced my life and my enjoyment of music more than Mac and Laura and Jim Wilbur and Jon Wurster.  And I thank them for that.

But Superchunk is only half of the story of a new book released to mark the 20th anniversary of Merge Records, the label founded by Mac and Laura (lead singer and bassist in Superchunk) back in 1989, and built into a juggernaut of independent music over this past decade.  What was started by Mac as simply a way to put out the 7" records of Superchunk and the other bands he and his friends were playing in has turned into one of the only success stories in a dying industry, as they've had their most successful years despite (or as a result of) the crumbling of album sales and the consequent failure of major labels.  And this book is a chronicle of both Superchunk and Merge, a combined Chapel Hill success story that I read cover to cover within 24 hours a couple weeks ago.  It is one of the best chronicles of independent music ever written.  It is a must-read for any fan of indie rock, Superchunk, The Arcade Fire, Neutral Milk Hotel, Spoon, Destroyer, or any of the dozens of beloved bands signed and nurtured by Merge into major successes or minor cult followings.  It really is that good.

The Omnivore's Dilemma

I recently read Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food, a fascinating look at the modern American diet and what is so horribly wrong with it that's making us fatter and less healthy than at any time in our history.  But it ultimately left me wanting -- for what exactly to do about it (where to shop, what to eat, other than simply "more fruits and vegetables").  So I've since read his prior book, the best-selling 2006 tome The Omnivore's Dilemma.  And where Pollan whets your appetite with his knowledge and proscriptions in In Defense of Food, his previous effort was absolutely brilliant.  I cannot emphasize this enough -- anyone who eats food from American supermarkets today should read this book, right now.  It's that powerful.  It's that shocking.  And it will change the way you view the food you are putting into your body.  It has for me, at least.

The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas

"The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" is a short story (7 pages) written by Ursula Le Guin in 1973, which won the Hugo Award for short stories the following year.  A poster on Daily Kos recommended this story as part of a post about the closing of Guantanamo Bay and how we as a society have accepted some dark and horrible deeds done by our government in the name of safety and security since 9/11.  The story, which you can read here (PDF here) details dark and horrible deeds done by society to a single child in the name of greater happiness for the rest of society, so the parallels to modern American society are well-drawn, even if we are simply seeking safety, not even happiness.  It's a compelling read, a modern parable, and the author claims inspiration from the writings of William James, although Dostoevsky's Brothers Karamazov supposedly has a similar theme.  The ending is a surprise and I won't spoil it here, but it definitely made me think -- what would I do in similar circumstances?  Have I already answered that by being a non-protesting member of American society during years of torture and other abuses at Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib?  The country is evenly divided between whether or not we think torture is ok to use in certain circumstances, and for men, the majority are in favor.  But is torture worth it?  What are we giving up?  Do we even know?  Do we even care?  I know no one on Fox News cares -- hell, they've been fearmongering the closing of Gitmo for an entire week for no other reason, presumably, than to further scare its already frightened, weak-minded audience of the evils of an Obama administration.  But what about the rest of us?  What does it say about us if we're willing to have that child in the basement being abused just for our happiness (as in the story), or if we're willing to have prisoners - some guilty, some not - abused and tortured in an island off the coast of Florida just for our security?  Read the story (PDF version) if you have a few minutes to spare.  I found it to be incredibly thought-provoking.  And if you already know of this story from a philosophy class or literature class, please comment.

It Is Done.

After 2 years, 3 months, and approximately 8,000 hours of work, it is done.  Multiple revisions, multiple more re-writes, too many hours, days, weeks, months, years of writing and editing all to satisfy some unknown muse who may not ever give me the satisfaction of publication.  But as of this weekend, I have finished what I'm calling my 3rd draft of my novel Five Day Morning, and I hope to someday soon, begin the long, arduous process of getting it into the hands of potential agents or publishers (anyone who has a contact in the industry, let me know!).  But for now, I can celebrate, I guess... although I will miss the story.  I might have future revisions ahead, if this version goes nowhere, or if it goes somewhere but not far enough.  But I definitely feel like I can't put any more of myself into it right now.  It is done.

So the Phillies won the World Series, Obama won the presidency, and I finished my novel.  Exactly what I am supposed to do with my free time now?  At least my rehab should be starting soon.  I'll actually be happier about taking off this damn brace and walking around (and sleeping) like a normal person again than any of the above.  But for now, I will celebrate.  And I will echo the theme of the novel (sleep deprivation) by wishing all my loyal readers good night, and sleep well.

• Download Goodnight, Sleep Well - "It is Done.  People Did Not Like It Here".mp3

• Download Mum - "I Can't Feel My Hand Anymore, It's Alright, Sleep Still".mp3

• Download Envy - "All That's Left Has Gone to Sleep".mp3

• Download The Notwist - "Sleep".mp3

• Download Stars - "My Favourite Book".mp3

• Download Belle and Sebastian - "Wrapped Up in Books".mp3

• Download The Clientele - "Five Day Morning".mp3

• And it's a five day morning here as I am in the rain
  And I don't know if I'll see you again
  Again, again, again, again

Little Brother

The young adult novel Little Brother, written by Boing Boing co-editor Cory Doctorow is an absolutely thrilling story about privacy, security, terrorism, technology, and individual rights in an America in the near distant future where the government tracks and monitors everything we do -- under the auspices of making us safer -- and we as citizens go along with it willingly, sacrificing our rights and the Constitution in order to "capture the terrorists," which of course, they never do.  They only end up capturing us.  Pretty heady stuff for a novel written primarily for a young adult audience, although it's certainly meant for adults as well.  It features a riveting story, excellent characters, and a plot that is not only ripped from today's headlines but one that offers frightening insight into the nature of security monitoring and the nature of human beings to simply give in out of fear.  But don't take my word for it.  Here's the blurb that's on the front cover, written by author Neil Gaiman: 

“A wonderful, important book…I’d recommend Little Brother over pretty much any book I’ve read this year, and I’d want to get it into the hands of as many smart thirteen-year-olds, male and female, as I can. Because I think it’ll change lives. Because some kids, maybe just a few, won’t be the same after they’ve read it. Maybe they’ll change politically, maybe technologically. Maybe they’ll want to argue about it and disagree with it. Maybe they’ll want to open their computer and see what’s in there. I don’t know. It made me want to be thirteen again right now, and reading it for the first time.” —Neil Gaiman, author of Sandman and American Gods on Little Brother

The Children's Hospital

In one of my classes last year, I read a short story by author Chris Adrian, titled "Stab," the story of a little girl who goes around killing animals in her neighborhood.  It was one of the best stories I've ever read.  And I'm not typically a fan of short stories.  The story actually focused on an 8-year-old boy named Calvin, whose twin brother had died a year earlier and he hadn't spoken since the funeral.  At all.  To anyone.  He ends up befriending the young girl who moves into his neighbor's house with her grandparents, after both her parents were killed.  And she's just a little nutty.  She starts out killing squirrels and rabbits, but progresses to family pets, and let's just say, when she goes into a stable on a local farm, the story really picks up steam.  It's a sick and twisted and sadistic story, told wonderfully brilliantly, from the point of view of a troubled and even suicidal young boy and his even more troubled and murderous friend.  The ending is absolutely brilliant.  But the writing throughout uses some of the most carefully crafted and beautiful language I have ever read.  Chris Adrian is absolutely a top-notch talent.  (The story appeared in the Summer 2006 edition of Zoetrope: All-Story, and you can read the opening excerpt here).

So I ended up buying Adrian's novel The Children's Hospital, which I believe was his second full-length novel, following Gob's Grief, which I haven't read.  The Children's Hospital, unfortunately for someone taking classes that require a lot of reading and writing a novel of my own, is over 600 pages and in the smallest font I've ever seen in a published book, making me think this was actually a thousand page novel that got condensed into this form so that readers wouldn't feel so daunted.  So yeah, it's long.  And as such, it's taken me almost 6 months to read the thing.  I almost stopped a few times -- actually, I guess I did stop a few times -- and I've read probably a dozen other books since I started it.  But I kept going back, because the writing was so brilliant and the story was so fascinating.  In the end, when I finished, I realized it was one of the better books I've ever read.  So if you've got a lot of time on your hands and/or you love great modern literature, go take a look at The Children's Hospital.  It ends up being time very well spent.

Me of Little Faith

I haven't read all of it yet, but I did recently receive Lewis Black's new book on religion, Me of Little Faith, which has the tag line: "What do we believe? And for God's sake, why?"  Lewis Black is one of my favorite comedians and I love his work both on The Daily Show and of course, in his standup routine.  He's bitter, angry, biting, and sarcastic, which are all things I admire.  And he hates organized religion, which I really admire.  This book is certainly right up my alley, and so far it's hilarious.  I suggest strongly you go pick up a copy if you (like me) have issues with religion and like to make fun of religious people.  If you are afraid of all of that, or afraid that some supernatural boogeyman will zap you to "hell" for all eternity for even reading this post, then maybe this is the wrong book (and website) for you.  But here's a couple choice quotes that I've read in the first 50 pages.  Enjoy.

On the first night of Chanukah, Jewish families do something that can only be described as sadistic.  They give their children a top to play with.  That's right, A TOP! A TOP!  They call it a dreidel, but I know a top when I see one.  You can call it the king's nuts if you want, it's still a top.

For God's sake, a top is not a toy.  A toy is something you play with.  You stare at a top.  All a top is good for is if you have toddlers and want to see how they are going to do in school.  Just spin a top in front of them.  If they stare at it for more than fifteen seconds, you are fucked.

(Nice.  No word on how long Mama Straw spun the top for little Elmer, but I hear it was close to 10 minutes)