The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King
Synopsis: This is a short story collection, most of
which deal with mortality in one form or another.
My thoughts: While this might sound wrong considering
King might be the most prolific novelist of this era, I think he might be at
his best in the short story realm. It keeps him grounded, it limits the amount
we see his monsters, and focuses his ideas. Not that I don’t like many of his
novels, it’s just his short stories always seem to have more impact.
I’ve also read by Stephen King: Too many to list.
Some are hits, some are misses. I’d recommend the Dark Tower Series, The Stand,
and any of his short story collections including Night Shift.
A Son of the Circus by John Irving
Synopsis: I don’t think I can do any better than this
from Goodreads about this book, it’s a “pandemonium of servants and clubmen,
dwarf clowns and transvestite whores, missionaries and movie stars. This is a
land of energetic colliding egos, of modern media clashing with ancient
cultures, of broken sexual boundaries.”
My thoughts: John Irving always puts the magnifying
glass in places most other writers never seem to consider looking. He creates
characters from a variety of backgrounds with interests ranging the spectrum. I
always get done with his books and wonder how a mind could ever conjure such
limitless boundaries to their real-world tales.
I’ve also read by John Irving: A Prayer for Owen
Meany, The World According to Garp, The Cider House Rules, A Widow for One
Year, Until I Find You.
I Was Told There’d Be Cake by Sloane Crosley
Synopsis: This is a collection of creative nonfiction
essays portraying the struggles of the author as she continually reaches for
the stars but comes up short.
My thoughts: My favorite writing course in college
was Creative Nonfiction, and the columns and features I wrote at the paper
tended to veer in that direction. Just like reading short story collections, I
like books like this to explore another way to tell a good story. I wouldn’t
say this was my favorite collection, certainly not on the level of some of
Chuck Klosterman’s collections, but it still had its humorous and poignant
parts.
Disobedience by Jane Hamilton
Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Henry Shaw discovers
that his mother is having an affair when he starts reading her emails. His
relationship with his mother becomes strained, yet he keeps the secret from his
father and younger sister.
My thoughts: Again, I like to see how different
approaches to common arcs influence a story. There are plenty of stories of
infidelity, but few told through the eyes of a son, whose knowledge comes from
spying on his mother’s emails. It creates an interesting dynamic and tension
which is magnified by the behavior of the other characters, including the
sister who is an avid Civil War reenactor.
I’ve also read by Jane Hamilton: A Map of the World
American Nerd by Benjamin Nugent
Synopsis: This is a combination of an academic
analysis of the nerd stereotype in media, literature, schools, and the general
public, and Nugent’s application of this knowledge to his own level of
nerdiness and its roots in his childhood.
My thoughts: I wanted this to be better, but I think
he needed to pick a lane. The academic side, while at times interesting,
dragged, and the personal essay portions all seemed kicked to the last half or
third of the book and felt like they missed the mark at times. I’ve certainly
had ideas like this and struggled to find the best way to turn the idea into a
narrative.
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