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This is a guest post by Nadia Jones who blogs at accredited online colleges about education, college, student, teacher, money saving, movie related topics. You can reach her at nadia.jones5 @ gmail.com.
I consider myself an indiscriminant and voracious consumer of fiction. While I mostly read novels, occasionally I find myself balking at the prospect of beginning yet another huge work of fiction, too exhausted by a previous book to dive into the new world of the next one. In these moments of reader fatigue, I take great solace in the numerous gifted short fiction authors writing today. I could go on about the classics (Carver, O’Conner, Hemingway, etc.) but I think current short fiction authors are much more fascinating reads, partly because their work is so immersed in the present.
Jennifer Egan
Jennifer Egan is a writer currently working out of Brooklyn, most recently recognized for her Pulitzer-Prize winning novel A Visit from the Goon Squad, released in 2010. The novel is called a novel but it reads more like a short story collection, with thirteen chapters cataloging the lives of interconnected characters across several decades. The characters deal with disappointment in their careers (mostly centered on the music industry) and in love, with the unrelenting passage of time driving the theme of every story. Seemingly insignificant characters in one story will reappear as the main character in a story several hundred pages later with new dimension and nuanced development. A character who you first encountered in high school will end up a completely different person by the last time you see them. Each story also follows a slightly different narrative structure; one story is even written in Power Point! I highly recommend any story in Egan’s “novel,” as they can all be enjoyed independently of each other.
Sherman Alexie
Sherman Alexie is a Native American author who writes about being a Native American in America, but the themes in his stories are relatable on a universal level. His short story collection The Toughest Indian in the World, published in 2000, is probably the best example of Alexie’s outstanding talent as a short fiction writer. Among his best stories in the collection is “Dear John Wayne,” an elderly Native American woman’s recollection to a professor about an affair she had with John Wayne over 100 years ago. More than just about being a Native American, the focus of Alexie’s stories can be distilled into the broader theme of identity. Who are you, what does it mean to be who everyone says you are, and how is that different from what you see in the mirror every day? His stories are often funny, and sometimes harsh and bleak in their subject matter, but they always ring true.
Haruki Murakami
Haruki Murakami became a superstar writer with his surrealist novels blending everyday life in Japan with unexplainable, even psychedelic events that make his characters question the nature of reality. But for all his mind-bending fiction, Murakami has also cultivated a strong collection of simple but powerful short stories. His collection After the Quake, published in 2000, features stories roughly associated with events following the 1995 earthquakes in Kobe, Japan. The stories reflect upon the unexpected events that can completely reshape ordinary life. The stories may initially read as breezy portraits of idiosyncratic characters, but look closer and you’ll see a depth of meaning behind every passage. Even though the stories are translated from Murakami’s Japanese, they don’t seem to lose any narrative impact as they weave between the lives of Japanese people trying to cope with events beyond their control.
This is a guest post by Jane Smith. Jane Smith is a freelance writer and blogger.
If you’re reading this, you’d likely agree that nothing delivers the same intellectual delight as reading a compelling work of fiction. Generations of writers and casual readers alike have sought shelter in the sheer joy of reading as a means of escape or as a landscape by which to navigate and explore their imagination. The long line of omnivorous consumers of books from Gutenberg to you, dear reader, stands as a testament to the universal allure of the bound volume.
But for all the draw to reading, there’s an complicit solitude involved; while reading engrosses us, it simultaneously isolates us from sharing the experience with others by virtue of being a solitary activity. This truth is particularly difficult to bear when we read a work that blows our minds or takes our breath away; there’s an irresistible urge to share how this sentence shook us or how that stanza made us rethink the fundamental ideas of time and space. And all too often when we do approach someone about fiction, we do so out of context and come off as a babbling and solipsistic bookworm gushing about our latest read. But reading doesn’t and needn’t be a solitary activity. No, there’s deep and meaningful enjoyment to be derived from a group of people gathering for the sole purpose of discussing a work of fiction together.
Unfortunately, the term “book club” has acquired a stigma thanks to the popularity of celebrity book clubs whose only goal seems to be to determine the summer book list of the nation’s uninformed readership. The popularized celebrity book clubs don’t bring people together through fiction as much as they serve as an excuse to socialize. What’s more, these book clubs do little to encourage readers to bring their own favorite works to discuss; a work is simply “chosen” ostensibly for its literary merit and participants generally agree about its greatness.
Real book clubs should foster intense discussion about a work of fiction: the reactions drawn from every reader, analyses as to how and why everyone reacted the way they did, sharing in the agonies and ecstasies of the actual text. People shouldn’t feel anxious about sharing their passions for fiction, nor should they hesitate to discuss how they feel certain works impact their lives. True works of fiction connect people attuned to those works on a very deep and personal level. It’s a linkage worth cultivating if you have the time and the resource.
If you have an urge to discuss your latest literary obsession, be proactive and found a local reading group. If you’re in a major metropolitan city, you’d be surprised at how many like-minded readers cast about for partners-in-reading. As for the specifics, start simply and with reasonable expectations. You can easily design a flier to advertising your club, filled with enough information to entice the passing reader. Disclose the first book/short story/poem/author in the flier, as well as a tentative location for the event (probably in a public place for starters) as well as an email where interested parties can contact you. I’d recommend posting the fliers in local coffee shops and book stores that would likely attract avid readers. And draw readers you will, because as intoxicating as it is to revel in a great book on your own, it’s infinitely more enjoyable to share the experience with someone else who can appreciate and understand your enthusiasm.
photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/auntie/
Not enough time. The forever growing stack of to-reads will never be tamed due to this one simple fact. Though I read every day, sometimes for hours at a time, I’m never able to get to all of the books I feel deserve to be read. With that, I bring you this short list of to-reads that I own already but have, embarrassingly, not had the chance to read. Why this post? Perhaps to keep me honest. Or, perhaps a way to get a few people to comment with variations of “what?” and “how could you?”
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee |
 Is my procrastination justified? No. This book was required reading in high school, yet I managed to coast by with barely even cracking the spine. Back then I was not into reading. I existed on a steady intellectual diet of video games and Family Guy. Even if the message of this book lacks any true modern day application, a classic is a classic for a reason, I suppose. |
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger |
 Is my procrastination justified? Maybe. Part of me embraces the hipster implications of having never read a classic, especially a classic such as this one, heralded as a shining example of teenage angst in literature. I’m proud of never having read this book in the same way I am proud to have never seen any of the Star Wars movies. |
The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky |
 Is my procrastination justified? Yes. I’ve tried reading this tome more than a few times. I think my contemporary attention span prevents me from getting past the fifteenth hexa-syllablic Russian name. I’ll likely try again in the future. Otherwise, I suppose, it wouldn’t be on this list, right? |
Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs |
 Is my procrastination justified? No. I’ve been told by many people whose opinion I respect that this book is amazing and should be a staple in any literatuer’s diet. However, I’ve been told by an equal number of people whose opinion I respect that the book is too self-indulgent, too non-linear, and all around too terrible for me to waste my time. Anything this divided deserves at least one attempt. |
Arc D’X by Steve Erickson |
 Is my procrastination justified? No. Though Arc d’X isn’t considered by most Erickson fans as his best work, I picked it up at a bargain book sale simply because it is an Erickson work. I’ve read The Sea Came in at Midnight, Rubicon Beach, and Tours of the Black Clock (and I have Our Ecstatic Days on my to-read as well), so being the completest that I am, this book is bound to get read at some point. It’s been a while since I’ve read an Erickson book, which is why at least one of them finds its way to this list. |
The Little Sleep by Paul Tremblay |
 Is my procrastination justified? No. I’ve only read short fiction by Tremblay, and judging from my experience with those shorter works it’s a travesty that I haven’t yet read The Little Sleep. Tremblay and I hang out a bit at the same Liternets so my procrastination is even more non-justified. At least with The Little Sleep being unread I’ll have something to really, really look forward to.
[EDIT: I have officially started reading this book. I have unofficially already crapped my pants in awe] |
The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World by Lewis Hyde |
 Is my procrastination justified? Maybe. Author friends have told me that this book reads like a definitive manifesto on creativity. Sounds great. The problem is that I have an aversion, albeit an unwarranted one, to books that have self-help titles and pictures of hearts on the cover. Call the book Creativity Kicks So Much Ass and replace the heart with some titties or a fist and you’ve got me interested. |
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky |
 Is my procrastination justified? Maybe. Much of what I said above about Dostoyevsky’s The Idiot can be said here as well. Crime and Punishment carries a bit more gravitas, thus placing it higher on my to-read stack on my nightstand. That is if impressing visitors were important to me. Though, the kind of visitor that would be within close proximity to my nightstand probably doesn’t need any more impressing. </ douchey ego trip> |
The Colony by Jillian Weise |
 Is my procrastination justified? No. I met Jillian earlier this year at the AWP conference in Washington, DC. She’s a gem. She has presence, can crack a damn fine joke, and knows her way around a conversation. In fact, she’s such a great person that I feel bad not having read this book before even leaving the conference for the airport. I’m terrible. |
C by Tom McCarthy |
 Is my procrastination justified? Maybe. I’ve never read a McCarthy book. I’ve heard so many mixed opinions both from strangers and from people who know my tastes well. What ultimately brought me to wanting to read this book is the way Jennifer Eagan goes on and on about it on the Sept 10, 2010 episode of the NY Times Book Review Podcast. So, if it sucks, it’s your fault Eagan. |
A Pint of Plain: Tradition, Change and the Fate of the Irish Pub by Bill Barich |
 Is my procrastination justified? Probably. Every since visiting Ireland in 20…um…2007 I think, I’ve been quite interested in the pub life of the country. Hell, I’ve been interested in the pub life of every country since I first started drinking, but never before have I actually been to the native pubs (Ireland is the only trip abroad I’ve ever taken). Having a physical association with the content of this book makes me think it will be well worth my time and worth the inevitable Guinness flashbacks. |
The Ones That Got Away by Stephen Graham Jones |
 Is my procrastination justified? No. Stephen Graham Jones is one of those authors who can get away with writing any genre. He’s just so good. My favorite pieces of his, short fiction, are what make up this entire book. Couple those passed-thru filters with the fact that Stephen hangs out at The Velvet writing forums more than most non-super-amazing-authors, and there is just no reason for me not having read this book. |
The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano |
 Is my procrastination justified? Yes. I don’t know much about this book other than the author is dead and a lot of my reading friends rave about it. The reason I give this book a “yes” to the question above is simply because I know so little of it. |
Freight by Mel Bosworth |
 Is my procrastination justified? No. I’ve known Mel on the interwebs for a while. He’s a fellow contributor over at Outsider Writers Collective, he’s written a handful of amazing short books, he’s beloved by all, and this book is apparently somewhat of a departure not just for him but for contemporary literature in general. It’s a Choose Your Own Adventure type of book, from what I hear. Amazing, right? |
I’m a data nerd. I’m a spreadsheet and chart nerd. Therefore, I could have made this lede a bit shorter and simply said “I’m a nerd.” Recently, I conducted a very unscientific poll on Twitter and Facebook, asking a general group of readers how they decide what to read when choosing a book.
While this is an admittedly small poll with a slight slant toward people I know, even if tangentially (they are connected to me via Facebook and Twitter in some way), I feel the findings are still valid, at least as part of a possible larger survey. If anyone has the resources to conduct a larger poll, contact me. I’d love to see the data.
Here are the results:
Observations:
de Tietz:
“Caleb J.Ross writes like “if Jonathan Franzen did way too many barbiturates and got into a downward spiral.”
As always, Ben Tanzer moderates a fantastic episode of This Podcast Will Change Your Life. This episode brings with it Brandon Tietz, author of Out of Touch. He talks about his next book, Vanity, his work at The Cult, his contribution to Warmed and Bound, and much, much more.
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