“Your father’s dead,” Malone said.
This was reported neither with relish nor with sympathy.
In a way, Tester liked this best. No pretense of concern.
Your father is dead.
Outwardly Tester took the news with great calm.
Inwardly he felt the sun close its distance from the earth; it came near enough to melt the great majority of Tommy’s internal organs.
A fire ran through his body, but he couldn’t show it.
Victor Lavalle The Ballad of Black Tom (2016)
Heartfelt thanks to all those who left messages with concern and kindness for me, either on posts here or in email: much appreciated.
It’s hard to believe it’s September already, back-to-school time here, and the beginning of the lushest publishing season of the year.
Later this week, I’ll post about my reading plans–for this autumn in general, for this November in particular (hint, hint).
Victor Lavalle’s remarkable novella is bookish and strange and enjoyed it wholly. He’s got a new, full-length novel, out now.
But, of course, no end of new books to consider just now. What’s new on your stack: new-to-the-literary-world, new-to-you?
So nice to see you posting again, Marcie. My reading had been up and down this year but I have read some great short stories, including a collection by Chris Flynn, and am
reading a good collection now. I also loved Robbie Arnott’s Limberlost which I read a few months ago. Too many books.
The only Chris Flynn I can see in the catalogue is a YA author (not that that discounts the possibility); I see Robbie Arnott’s first book is available up here, but in French, same with The Rain Heron (Bird of the Rain was my guess when I saw the French title), although both sound good to me.
Hello BIP! I loved that quote, thank you for including it. I’m not familiar with that author but my curiosity is piqued! How did you feel about the Scotibank Giller Prize longlist? I’m reading The Clarion right now, I was very excited to see so many small presses on it, as I’m sure you were 🙂
I think you might enjoy this spooky little novella. And I agree, it’s a relatable quote: how often we have to suppress our emotions in order to deal with a situation that requires you to be calm and self-aware.
Yes! It gave me a thrill to see that for sure. How are you finding The Clarion? I’m reading the David Bergen right now, but my stacks are squirrelly these days.
I’m reading the David Bergen too! I preferred it to the Clarion, but both are beautifully written
The library has ordered a copy of The Clarion so I won’t need to rely on my epub copy (i.e. I might read it) and I’m on the list.
Which one are you aiming for next? Or are you moving onto creepy October-themed reading soon?
You got that right, I’ve got my spooky reading on deck right now but I also have the Kuitenbrower novel on my shelf, so hoping to get to that soon.
So good to see you’re back! Just the other day I was thinking of bookish reading events in the fall and I was thinking about you! 🙂
Thanks, Iliana. The fall is such an inspiring season book-wise isn’t it. (And a relief from the heat for both of us, too, which always helps!)
Good to see you back here. I look forward to November’s blog events 🙂 I’m focussing on short stories for September. Just finished collections by Amy Bloom and Maylis de Kerangal.
Maylis de Kerangal sounds fantastic: is this the first of hers you’ve read? Where would you suggest is a good place to start? (I admire Bloom and sometimes enjoy her too.)
I’d read three of her novels before. Honestly, I probably preferred these short fictions. Someone new to her would probably read Mend the Living/The Heart.
Thank you: I’ll have a look!
I’m currently spending happy times with Proust and lots of Oulipian writers – always a treat!!! 😀
Though our books do not always align, it’s fun to follow along! (Look at what’s missing! Haha)
Lovely to hear from you, Marcie! I have my eye on the new Paul Auster, Ron Rash and maybe Jonathan Lethem.
Ohhh, those all sound good to me; if something shifted in the bookish universe and your stacks replaced mine, I’m not sure I’d even notice!
Good to have you back!
New(ish) to the world” Eugen Bacon, African Australian woman, author of Serengotti, which I will read soon.
New to me: Langston Hughes, whose Now Without Laughter I have just purchased, and whom I hope will prove to be up there with ZNH and Baldwin.
Last week I’d intended to look up and see which of Hughes’ books I’d read for my Writing Life year (I borrowed a lot from the library but didn’t read them all); this is one I didn’t get to reading, but it was on my list, and still holds all the same appeal. There’s a lot of material online about him, which makes exploring his work even more satisfying. Eugen Bacon sounds intriguing!