Did anybody know that Goodwill stores sell books too??
I was lucky enough to find Ford Maddox Dord's The Good Soldier and Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes for $2.73!
Read it and weep!
THAAS RIGHT
Sent from my iPhone
Monday, November 30, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Raymond Carver back in my life or my review of Stephen King's review of Carol Sklenicka’s biography of Raymond Carver
I once worked as a busboy at a little bar in South Miami called Fox's Sherron Inn. The place has been around since the 40s, and in the interior has the ambiance of a cave and a speakeasy. I met a writer there once who highly recommended Raymond Carver. So I ran to the bookstore and bought "Will You Please be Quiet, Please?"; Carver's first short story collection that came out sometime in the 70s. But anyway, this writer, who shall remain nameless, advised me to read a particular short story in the collection called Nobody Said Anything. I was young and stupid and I didn't really like the story or get the ending. To me, at that time, Carver came off as a boring Hemingway. Or Hemingway if he'd stayed in the USA. The prose was very similar to Hemingway but I didn't real care about the characters. Let's face it, most of the characters in Carver's stories are has-been people, victims of poor uninspired living, jealous people, sad married couples; beat down folks basically. As I grew older, my opinion changed. I can more clearly see Chekhov over Carver's shoulder's now. But it was mostly living that made me appreciate Carver 's stories more. It's also scare to think how Carver belongs more to say, a Bukowski kind of writing than Updike or any contemporary of that time. Yep, Minimalism was what they called it and there were a bunch of them.
So I was reading Stephen King's review of Carol Sklenicka's biography Raymond Carver: A writer's Life. ( And was it ever!) King mostly focuses on the fact that Carver was an asshole, and an alcoholic. Then he talks about how Carver's editor at Esquire heavily edited most of his stories. King even gives a couple of examples to show how Carver's stories would have been better without the editing. That with the editing they lost their heart. Despite, that, King still gives Gordon Lish some credit. So my question is, so how did Carver become known as such a great writer? So without Gordon Lish's editing, would he have been greater? The point that King is making is that Lish made the stories darker. He cut out the heart in them. Pretty fucked up. I can see King's point, but then would we even be talking about Carver if Lish hadn't edited him? Would his books be as popular? Who the fuck knows. There is a new compilation of Carver's stories that is coming out, before the traumatic editing. So I guess we shall see. Either way, it's funny how Raymond Carver came back into my life this last week without me even thinking about it. I just picked up his book and started rereading those stories that left me unimpressed so long ago and I found myself captivated by every word and coma. What to do know? Which Carver to love? The Post Lish or the pre Lish??? Who the hell knows. I guess, perhaps, sometimes it's better for a writer to remain a ghost as long as he can before being truly discovered. Isn't funny how important that first contact a writer makes with an editor or publisher is?? Your whole future depends on someone believing in you. And if they think you should write a certain way, well, most writers will probably agree, specially if they're just starting out. So I call on writers to not seek fame or publishing, but just simply write. Go to a cave and write.
So I was reading Stephen King's review of Carol Sklenicka's biography Raymond Carver: A writer's Life. ( And was it ever!) King mostly focuses on the fact that Carver was an asshole, and an alcoholic. Then he talks about how Carver's editor at Esquire heavily edited most of his stories. King even gives a couple of examples to show how Carver's stories would have been better without the editing. That with the editing they lost their heart. Despite, that, King still gives Gordon Lish some credit. So my question is, so how did Carver become known as such a great writer? So without Gordon Lish's editing, would he have been greater? The point that King is making is that Lish made the stories darker. He cut out the heart in them. Pretty fucked up. I can see King's point, but then would we even be talking about Carver if Lish hadn't edited him? Would his books be as popular? Who the fuck knows. There is a new compilation of Carver's stories that is coming out, before the traumatic editing. So I guess we shall see. Either way, it's funny how Raymond Carver came back into my life this last week without me even thinking about it. I just picked up his book and started rereading those stories that left me unimpressed so long ago and I found myself captivated by every word and coma. What to do know? Which Carver to love? The Post Lish or the pre Lish??? Who the hell knows. I guess, perhaps, sometimes it's better for a writer to remain a ghost as long as he can before being truly discovered. Isn't funny how important that first contact a writer makes with an editor or publisher is?? Your whole future depends on someone believing in you. And if they think you should write a certain way, well, most writers will probably agree, specially if they're just starting out. So I call on writers to not seek fame or publishing, but just simply write. Go to a cave and write.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
April Wheeler I love You: A Review of Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates
Well I finished Revolutionary road. So here is my rant, I mean review. This will be spoiler heavy so if you haven't watched the movie or read the book, please skip this post. I had a day to think about the book which I finished reading last night. It took me about three weeks, and it's even a faster read than that but like I said before I wanted to savour it. There are pages that scream to be reread. And if you love words and sentences like me, well you'll find some good ones. I'm basically going to just concentrate on one thing about the book because I've gone online and read some stuff where they compare this book to stuff by Updike, which is pretty laughable. It's like comparing books because they are set on earth. And I've also read that it's feminist statement, specially the movie.
There is no such thing as that in the book. There is no feminism agenda by Yates or any great literary statement against the suburbs. I think he did want to write something against the lust for crap that we have and the lust for a meaningless life in a little pink house. Grant it, there is some of that, but that's not what the book is about. The book, or his theme, is simply loneliness and just being honest with yourself when you are confronted with a constantly unhappy life. Let's face it, no one is happy all the time. Life is not perfect, and you need the sad to appreciate the happy.
But this book goes deeper than that. It's about constantly making the wrong decisions in your life because of circumstance, ignorance, and just plain fear. The book is about a woman that realizes, after three pregnancies that she does not love her husband. And the husband, Frank, who has nothing else to show for his life except that woman. And that's it. April Wheeler doesn't really die at the end, it's Frank Wheeler that dies. And even Shep Campbell wakes up. The rest of the characters remain dead.
April Wheeler's decision to try to abort the baby late, is basically the only possible choice she had because it was the only honest one.
When John Givings tells her that he feels sorry for that baby, that's when she realizes what she must do. It is the only thing she can do. And it has nothing to do with a woman being bored of being in the kitchen and just having babies.
It's really about April not knowing who she is. And that was not it. When she convinces Frank to go to Paris, and she tells him that she will work while he discovers his true vocation or whatever, that's not true. She is actually talking about herself. She's the one that wants to go to Paris and discover herself. By this time, all she is seeking is support from her husband.
Think about it. She meets him at a party and he tells her a bunch of shit about being worldly and knowing French, (pretty much what most guys would do) and she falls for it. But by the time she hears him talking to the Campbells in their living room about how American society sucks and the suburbs suck, and yada, yada....she realizes that she has come into a turning point in her relationship with Frank. He basically needs to put up or shut up. So the big test she throws at him, which she is totally willing to go for, because she truly embodies the revolutionary spirit that America was based on, is going to Europe. And of course he goes along with it for a little bit. But you can be sure, that if she wouldn't have gotten pregnant he would have found an excuse. That's why when John Givings(the loony from the insane asylum and the givings son who come by to visit the Wheelers on Sundays) tells them that, ironically, don't people have babies in Europe? He totally hits the nail in the head. April needed that extra boost in order for her to realize, that her husband is a fraud. And it wasn't only his fault, but it was her fault as well. So her decision doesn't have anything to do with family life, or suburbs, or her pregnancy, it has to do with the fact that for all this time she had lived a life where she continuously fooled herself. Going through with the abortion was the only honest thing she could do. That was her revolution, that was her chance to say that she was special after all, and she wasn't afraid of facing her own mistakes and doing something about it.
And Frank, well, as Shep puts it, he continues a life of denial. The thing about Frank is that he was never extraordinary. He was fooling himself more than April and he was a coward. He liked to pretend like he was an intellectual but he didn't even read any books. His arguments were great exercises in speech and acting and pretending like he knew what was best, but in reality he didn't know his head from his ass.
What's really sad about the book is that there are people just like the Wheelers, or more like Frank. Who walk around thinking they are special, and that something great is going to happen to them and that someday they'll be famous for something. It's BS. It's just like that Ayn Rand crap. A cultist just like the Scientologists. Look at me, I am special, I don't have to suffer, life will be great because I am great. That's not the way the world works. We don't choose who our parents are. But don't get me wrong, I'm not saying confidence is evil or anything. But empty self esteem is like a balloon full of holes. If you are good at something you work hard at it and you earn it. Nothing is given to you. The only thing Frank Wheeler ever got in this world is April Wheeler, a pretty girl. So he made his world this pretty girl, because he was either too lazy or because he thought he was special and the rest will come eventually. That is so sad. You can't make a woman your world or a man or whoever your with. Frank loved April, but April did not love Frank, and she didn't realize this until it was too late. In the end, the message, is don't lie to yourself. Be genuine, be humbled, have fun. Be happy. No delusions please. Revolutionary Road is about as perfect as a book can be. Highly recommend it.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Ciao! Miami: A Pictorial Tour
The idea for this little project is that I will connect a story from the book, with a photo that can best represent that particular story...so this is for people that haven't bought the book.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Currently Reading: Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates
This is my first Richard Yates book. And so far so good. There are some brilliant lines in this bad boy. The kind of prose that will make you reread entire pages, to fully savour the poetry. Tao Lin and Noah Cicero are big Richard Yates fans. And Tao Lin is gonna be releasing his novel, "Richard Yates" this year I believe which I can't wait to read. So I decided to stop dragging my feet and finally read him. After Revolutionary Road, I plan reading The Easter Parade and Eleven Kinds of Loneliness.
I will let you know how it went.
Cheers!
FYI...2666 by Roberto Bolano gets an A- from me. I really think it's that good. I will write more about it later.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Currently Reading: 2666 by Roberto Bolano
I've read all of Bolano's books except the new ones that are about to come out. 2666 is very good, and the whole time you're reading it, you have no idea where he is taking you. So it's pretty exciting. I'm taking my time reading it, because like a good wine, you got to savour it.Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Charles Willeford's Copy of My Friend Henry Miller by Alfred Perles
I was looking through my old books the other day, and I seemed to have discovered a book that once belonged to Charles Willeford, the author of Miami Blues. Charles Willeford was a Florida writer that was well known for his highly literary pulp novels. He made it really big in the 80's with Miami Blues which became a series about the detective Hokey Mosley. They even made a movie starring a much slimmer Alec Baldwin. The book that I believe belonged to Willeford is Alfred Perles' My Friend Henry Miller. It's a Henry Miller biography by someone that was there in Paris during the writing of Tropic of Cancer. What leads me to believe that the book belonged to Charles Willeford is that there is a stamp in the book with his name and address. As you can see in the photo. And since Charles Willeford taught at UM and Miami-Dade College where I bought the book during a library fire sale, I can safely say that I have a book that belonged to one of the greatest pulp writers of all time. :)
Ebay here I come!
Just Kidding.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
A Review of Stories By Scott McClanahan
The cover of Scott McClanahan's book of short stories has the mug shot of an 1930's felon with a bright yellow background. So just on a quick glance at the cover, I was expecting hard-boiled stories about low lives in the mid-west. To my pleasant surprise, the book was funnier than I thought it was going to be and if a book can make you laugh out loud at the characters and situations, then that's a book that I will highly recommend. Mainly because comedy is difficult in literature. Not every writer can be what's his face - Amy Sedaris' brother. Sorry, I'm an Amy Sedaris fan. I forgot her brother's name. But I hear his books are funny. Stories by McClanahan is like watching Charlie Brown go through puberty into young adulthood in a West Virginia setting. And I have no idea where Charlie Brown was from. Anybody? McClanahan gives us the set up and paints a nice picture of the type of person the narrator is right from the get-go in the first story Randy Doogan - which wasn't even my favorite story in the book. In that particular story, the narrator, a fellow also named Scott, is telling us about the last good deed he did and the consequences. By the end of that telling, he has become a kind of Charlie Brown character which to whom strange, funny things keep happening to. Scott the character gets taken advantage of, gets bullied by a homeless guy, and is a witness to various people getting run over by cars. What I liked about the narrator, is that he never once judges the characters or situations and just presents them as they are. The book concentrates mostly on the town of Rainelle, its quirky inhabitants, and the narrator's adventures sprinkled through out. From beginning to end we encounter flying possums, people that prefer to be arrested in protest of getting speeding tickets, funky beatific strippers, and bums that interrupt your daily living just because they can. The book reminded me a lot of Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson. The narrator is also a kind of everyman with a unique way of looking at his world and the special characters that inhabit it. What makes this book work is that McClanahan knows his subject. He knows his character's strength, weaknesses and what ever makes them tick. There are some characters that jumped off the page like the main character in The Rainelle Story. There are short-shorts like The Chainsaw Guy which had me laughing out loud. From the beginning of every story it was difficult to determine where Scott McClanahan was taking the reader. I would compare Scott McClanahan the narrator to a modern day George Willard from Winesburg, Ohio. There were a lot of stories, specially Poop Deck Pappy that had me thinking about George Willard and his quirky townsfolk. The weakest stories in the collection might be a couple of the vignettes but they are not so poor that they bring the whole book down. And they also help paint a better picture of the narrator and his family. The book is very enjoyable and very funny. The publisher, Six Gallery Press, has been churning out top quality literature by interesting and innovative writers like Noah Cicero and Che Elias. Reading books like Scott's makes me very happy about the state of small publishers in the US. Despite the odds, these small publishers are releasing quality work. And mark my words they have their nose to the ground, and the next important literary movement and/or author will come from there. It's just a matter of time.
Buy Stories by Scott McClanahan at Amazon HERE
Check out Six Gallery Press's list of books HERE
Monday, June 29, 2009
Jack Saunders-The Proust Questionnaire
Jack Saunders is a true blue Florida writer. He is the real thing and in this day and age, they are scarce. What I enjoy most about his work is that it's soaked in Florida cracker lore and culture. He is our own Marcel Proust, as he works on an immense epic novel that he posts online. Parts of this massive literary feat have been published via traditional channels through out the years. One such volume that was published not too long ago by Pat Simonelli's Lit Vision Press was Bukowski Never Did This. I also highly recommend Forty, which could be his most accessible work. Jack Saunders reminds me of The Ramones. Like The Ramones, he is an immensly inspirational figure. To remain in the underground for so long, puching out volume after volume despite constant rejection by the mainstream is an odyssey of Herculean proportions. I salute you Jack Saunders, Florida writer.
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
What I'm doing now.
2. What is your greatest fear?
Used to be letting my loved ones down. Now, I can't think of any. I let them down and they still love me.
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Small-mindedness.
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Small-mindedness.
5. Which living person do you most admire?
Most of the people I admire are dead or old. When they die, I think, "Oh yea. I admired him." Alive, they're out of the limelight. Private.
6. What is your greatest extravagance?
I steal time to write. From my employer and my loved ones. I stole 38years.
7. What is your current state of mind?
At peace.
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Is it's important to you it's not overrated.
9. On what occasion do you lie?
I haven't noticed any pattern to it.
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
I could stand to lose some weight.
11. Which living person do you most despise?
Anybody associated with George W. Bush. I don't much like him either.
12. What is the quality you most like in a man?
A sense of humor. Intelligence.
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Intelligence. A sense of humor.
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
I fucked up.
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
So far, my wife Brenda.
16. When and where were you happiest?
Just writing about that. On sabbatical after Lucent Technologies laid me off. I was on unemployment.
17. Which talent would you most like to have?
Sing and play a musical instrument.
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I worry too much.
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Writing the great American novel without a lot of encouragement and support.
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
Don' want to come back. Pretty sure I'm going to die.
21. Where would you most like to live?
Where I live now. Parker, Florida.
22. What is your most treasured possession?
Don't own anything I can't do without.
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Receiving several rejection slips a week.
24. What is your favorite occupation?
Writing hardback books for money. Haven't done it yet, but still hope to,before I die.
25. What is your most marked characteristic?
Irritable and preoccupied by writing.
26. What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty.
27. Who are your favorite writers?
Charles Bukowski, Charles Willeford, Hunter S. Thompson.
28. Who is your hero of fiction?
Henry Chinaski, Hoke Moseley, Hunter S. Thompson.
29. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
The Unknown Soldier.
30. Who are your heroes in real life?
See No. 27.
31. What are your favorite names?
Bob, Bill, Jim.
32. What is it that you most dislike?
Arrogance. Possibly aggressiveness.
33. What is your greatest regret?
Didn't make a living writing.
34. How would you like to die?
Soon. Go to sleep and not wake up.
35. What is your motto?
Always merry and bright (from Henry Miller).
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
What I'm doing now.
2. What is your greatest fear?
Used to be letting my loved ones down. Now, I can't think of any. I let them down and they still love me.
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Small-mindedness.
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Small-mindedness.
5. Which living person do you most admire?
Most of the people I admire are dead or old. When they die, I think, "Oh yea. I admired him." Alive, they're out of the limelight. Private.
6. What is your greatest extravagance?
I steal time to write. From my employer and my loved ones. I stole 38years.
7. What is your current state of mind?
At peace.
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Is it's important to you it's not overrated.
9. On what occasion do you lie?
I haven't noticed any pattern to it.
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
I could stand to lose some weight.
11. Which living person do you most despise?
Anybody associated with George W. Bush. I don't much like him either.
12. What is the quality you most like in a man?
A sense of humor. Intelligence.
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Intelligence. A sense of humor.
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
I fucked up.
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
So far, my wife Brenda.
16. When and where were you happiest?
Just writing about that. On sabbatical after Lucent Technologies laid me off. I was on unemployment.
17. Which talent would you most like to have?
Sing and play a musical instrument.
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I worry too much.
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Writing the great American novel without a lot of encouragement and support.
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
Don' want to come back. Pretty sure I'm going to die.
21. Where would you most like to live?
Where I live now. Parker, Florida.
22. What is your most treasured possession?
Don't own anything I can't do without.
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Receiving several rejection slips a week.
24. What is your favorite occupation?
Writing hardback books for money. Haven't done it yet, but still hope to,before I die.
25. What is your most marked characteristic?
Irritable and preoccupied by writing.
26. What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty.
27. Who are your favorite writers?
Charles Bukowski, Charles Willeford, Hunter S. Thompson.
28. Who is your hero of fiction?
Henry Chinaski, Hoke Moseley, Hunter S. Thompson.
29. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
The Unknown Soldier.
30. Who are your heroes in real life?
See No. 27.
31. What are your favorite names?
Bob, Bill, Jim.
32. What is it that you most dislike?
Arrogance. Possibly aggressiveness.
33. What is your greatest regret?
Didn't make a living writing.
34. How would you like to die?
Soon. Go to sleep and not wake up.
35. What is your motto?
Always merry and bright (from Henry Miller).
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Noah Cicero Proust Questionnaire
Noah Cicero is the author of The Human War, The Condemned, Burning Babies and Treatise. He currently resides in Youngstown, Ohio. I first read him on web site called Lit Vision. I think we were both published on the same issue if I'm not mistaken. My favorite book of his is The Condemned. The thing I like about Noah Cicero's writing is that I can't really compare him to anybody else writing today. To me, he stands on his own as far as his style. His spirit, I would compare to Henry Miller.
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?Being ten years old holding sparklers on a nice summer night.
2. What is your greatest fear? Currently, trying to have any courage at all.
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?coldness
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?talking a lot
5. Which living person do you most admire?living people scare me
6. What is your greatest extravagance?ice cream
7. What is your current state of mind?okay
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?ambition
9. On what occasion do you lie?i don't lie, i remain silent on certain issues
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?my forehead
11. Which living person do you most despise?the person who invented text messaging
12. What is the quality you most like in a man?quietness
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?quietness
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?devastating
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?fuck i don't know
16. When and where were you happiest?i don't want to answer that one either, i feel like I would be discriminating against other moments
17. Which talent would you most like to have?perfect pitch
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?that i don't have perfect pitch
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?scoring a touchdown in junior high football
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?women's underwear, preferably a cute pair
21. Where would you most like to live?i have no clue
22. What is your most treasured possession?my photo albums
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?asking someone for money knowing you'll never pay it back
24. What is your favorite occupation?kickin' ass and takin' names
25. What is your most marked characteristic?sarcasm, cruelty to those who deserve it
26. What do you most value in your friends?quiet
27. Who are your favorite writers?Jack Kerouac, Richard Wright, and Richard Yates
28. Who is your hero of fiction?Cross Damon
29. Which historical figure do you most identify with?Diogenes
30. Who are your heroes in real life?That's depressing
31. What are your favorite names?tasha
32. What is it that you most dislike?a lot of talking and really any kind of loudness
33. What is your greatest regret?it doesn't matter, does it
34. How would you like to die?i'm a writer, what do you think
35. What is your motto?devastating
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?Being ten years old holding sparklers on a nice summer night.
2. What is your greatest fear? Currently, trying to have any courage at all.
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?coldness
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?talking a lot
5. Which living person do you most admire?living people scare me
6. What is your greatest extravagance?ice cream
7. What is your current state of mind?okay
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?ambition
9. On what occasion do you lie?i don't lie, i remain silent on certain issues
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?my forehead
11. Which living person do you most despise?the person who invented text messaging
12. What is the quality you most like in a man?quietness
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?quietness
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?devastating
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?fuck i don't know
16. When and where were you happiest?i don't want to answer that one either, i feel like I would be discriminating against other moments
17. Which talent would you most like to have?perfect pitch
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?that i don't have perfect pitch
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?scoring a touchdown in junior high football
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?women's underwear, preferably a cute pair
21. Where would you most like to live?i have no clue
22. What is your most treasured possession?my photo albums
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?asking someone for money knowing you'll never pay it back
24. What is your favorite occupation?kickin' ass and takin' names
25. What is your most marked characteristic?sarcasm, cruelty to those who deserve it
26. What do you most value in your friends?quiet
27. Who are your favorite writers?Jack Kerouac, Richard Wright, and Richard Yates
28. Who is your hero of fiction?Cross Damon
29. Which historical figure do you most identify with?Diogenes
30. Who are your heroes in real life?That's depressing
31. What are your favorite names?tasha
32. What is it that you most dislike?a lot of talking and really any kind of loudness
33. What is your greatest regret?it doesn't matter, does it
34. How would you like to die?i'm a writer, what do you think
35. What is your motto?devastating
Thursday, June 18, 2009
New Old Story
The Acentos Review has published a story of mine called The Demons. It's a story I wrote a while ago and it's actually one of my favorites. I tried to get it published with no luck, and finally did a little rewriting of some parts and sent it back out. I am appearing in their first anniversary issue. I congratulate them on a great online lit mag that concentrates on Latino writing. There are other cool writers in that issue you guys should check out. Here is the link to my story:
http://www.acentosreview.com/June_2009/Zablah.html
and cover of the issue with some great artwork by Irene Martinez:
http://www.acentosreview.com/June_2009/June_2009.html
http://www.acentosreview.com/June_2009/Zablah.html
and cover of the issue with some great artwork by Irene Martinez:
http://www.acentosreview.com/June_2009/June_2009.html
Saturday, April 11, 2009
If I Ever Fell Better Lyrics by Phoenix
They say an end can be a startFeels like I've been buried yet I'm still aliveIt's like a bad day that never endsI feel the chaos around meA thing I don't try to denyI'd better learn to accept thatThere are things in my life that I can't controlThey say love ain't nothing but a soreI don't even know what love isToo many tears have had to fallDon't you know I'm so tired of it allI have known terror dizzy spellsFinding out the secrets words won't tellWhatever it is it can't be namedThere's a part of my world that' s fading awayYou know I don't want to be cleverTo be brilliant or superiorTrue like ice, true like fireNow I know that a breeze can blow me awayNow I know there's much more dignityIn defeat than in the brightest victoryI'm losing my balance on the tight ropeTell me please, tell me please, tell me please...If I ever feel betterRemind me to spend some good time with youYou can give me your numberWhen it's all over I'll let you knowHang on to the good daysI can lean on my friendsThey help me going through hard timesBut I'm feeding the enemyI'm in league with the foeBlame me for what's happeningI can't try, I can't try, I can't try...No one knows the hard times I went throughIf happiness came I miss the callThe stormy days ain't overI've tried and lost know I think that I pay the costNow I've watched all my castles fallThey were made of dust, after alLSomeday all this mess will make me laughI can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait...If I ever feel betterRemind me to spend some good time with youYou can give me your numberWhen it's all over I'll let you knowIf I ever feel betterRemind me to spend some good time with youYou can give me your numberWhen it's all over I'll let you knowIt's like somebody took my placeI ain't even playing my own gameThe rules have changed well I didn't knowThere are things in my life I can't controlI feel the chaos around meA thing I don't try to denyI'd better learn to accept thatThere's a part of my life that will go awayDark is the night, cold is the groundIn the circular solitude of my heartAs one who strives a hill to climbI am sure I'll come through I don't know howThey say an end can be a startFeels like I've been buried yet I'm still aliveI'm losing my balance on the tight ropeTell me please, tell me please, tell me please...If I ever feel betterRemind me to spend some good time with youYou can give me your numberWhen it's all over I'll let you knowIf I ever feel betterRemind me to spend some good time with youYou can give me your numberWhen it's all over I'll let you knowIf I ever feel betterRemind me to spend some good time with youYou can give me your numberWhen it's all over I'll let you know
The Lazy Reader's Review of Senselessness by Horacio Castellanos Moya Translated by Katheirne Silver
Moya was born in Honduras but grew up in El Salvador. The book paints a great picture of the hell that Central America went through in the 80s and even before that, when most of those countries were run by Generals and like 12 families that controlled all the wealth.
The story of El Salvador's bloody civil war will be slightly different depending on who tells you the story. If you meet a guy from El Salvador who's family was well off, or just from a family that could be considered upper middle class and perhaps middle class because there weren't many of those, you'll hear a story about the terrorists that hid in the mountains and kidnapped people spreading their communist ideals to the mass of poor people living in little villages helping protect this people that were behind most of the horrible massacres of innocents and drive by shootings and churches and yada, yada.
Now if you meet an illegal Salvadorean immigrant working, say, at a restaurant as a busboy or a dishwasher you will hear a slightly different story. His story will probably be more about how the mass of poor people were stuck in the middle of a civil war between the rich, (us backed military) and the intellectual, college students, poor, wanna be Robin Hood, Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, and perhaps, even, George Washington all for ideology and the future of the country. He will also tell you stories about how entire villages were wiped out by US backed military death squads. Entire families slaughtered because a guerrilla fighter passed by the village the night before passing out propaganda flyers.
The funny thing is, is that they're both partly right. Real wars are hardly as simple as black and white, or bad or good. Real war, and specially civil wars, are a complicated thing.
Either way, El Salvador has gone through it's Civil War, so the country may be at their own point in History where they need their own Spanish American War to unite the country, and maybe, sending troops to Iraq helped that cause a little bit.
So the facts are the guerrillas were fucked up by dragging the poor into their war, and the Salvadorian government were even more fucked up by trying to kill off the problem of rebellion. And the US was fucked up by giving money to these deathsquads. So everyone was at fault but that doesn't detract from the fact that little countries like El Salvador and Guatemala have a whole generation of survivors that are traumatised at having witnessed and lived through one of the most horrible massacres of people since the Holocaust.
What I like about Senselessness is that Moya doesn't try to point the finger as much as just already state the truth after the facts. From the first paragraph we have the wonderful set up and setting given to us: Paranoid, lush, womanizer, atheist hired by the Catholic Church in unamed post-civil war central american nation to copy edit thousand page document with the testimonies of the survivors of an Indian massacre perpetuated by the US backed military not too long ago. It doesn't get any better than that folks. Moya's writing reminds me a lot of Hunger by Knut Hamsung. The book is very similar too in the way the frantic narrators are running around the city. It almost feels also like the kind of book Bukowski would have written in he had grown up in Central America. The great theme of the book also is, is the narrator paranoid? Or is he really being chased by the military for his sensitive work?
But what makes this great piece of literature work is the way Moya handles the topic. The work is funny, sad, tragic, ironic, and brilliant all in one. If the narrator wasn't funny, this would be a waste. I think what Moya is trying to tell us is also that there comes a point, where we have to laugh at the history of our countries for if not, we just might go insane looking back and we will never rebuild or move on.
The US had the Red Badge of Courage and the Spanish American War and the BOOM, we hit the BIG TIME!!!!!!!!!
El Salvador had Iraq, (perhaps a future war with Honduras?) and now Senselessness by Moya.
Buy it, and laugh, and cry, because that is what life really is.
The story of El Salvador's bloody civil war will be slightly different depending on who tells you the story. If you meet a guy from El Salvador who's family was well off, or just from a family that could be considered upper middle class and perhaps middle class because there weren't many of those, you'll hear a story about the terrorists that hid in the mountains and kidnapped people spreading their communist ideals to the mass of poor people living in little villages helping protect this people that were behind most of the horrible massacres of innocents and drive by shootings and churches and yada, yada.
Now if you meet an illegal Salvadorean immigrant working, say, at a restaurant as a busboy or a dishwasher you will hear a slightly different story. His story will probably be more about how the mass of poor people were stuck in the middle of a civil war between the rich, (us backed military) and the intellectual, college students, poor, wanna be Robin Hood, Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, and perhaps, even, George Washington all for ideology and the future of the country. He will also tell you stories about how entire villages were wiped out by US backed military death squads. Entire families slaughtered because a guerrilla fighter passed by the village the night before passing out propaganda flyers.
The funny thing is, is that they're both partly right. Real wars are hardly as simple as black and white, or bad or good. Real war, and specially civil wars, are a complicated thing.
Either way, El Salvador has gone through it's Civil War, so the country may be at their own point in History where they need their own Spanish American War to unite the country, and maybe, sending troops to Iraq helped that cause a little bit.
So the facts are the guerrillas were fucked up by dragging the poor into their war, and the Salvadorian government were even more fucked up by trying to kill off the problem of rebellion. And the US was fucked up by giving money to these deathsquads. So everyone was at fault but that doesn't detract from the fact that little countries like El Salvador and Guatemala have a whole generation of survivors that are traumatised at having witnessed and lived through one of the most horrible massacres of people since the Holocaust.
What I like about Senselessness is that Moya doesn't try to point the finger as much as just already state the truth after the facts. From the first paragraph we have the wonderful set up and setting given to us: Paranoid, lush, womanizer, atheist hired by the Catholic Church in unamed post-civil war central american nation to copy edit thousand page document with the testimonies of the survivors of an Indian massacre perpetuated by the US backed military not too long ago. It doesn't get any better than that folks. Moya's writing reminds me a lot of Hunger by Knut Hamsung. The book is very similar too in the way the frantic narrators are running around the city. It almost feels also like the kind of book Bukowski would have written in he had grown up in Central America. The great theme of the book also is, is the narrator paranoid? Or is he really being chased by the military for his sensitive work?
But what makes this great piece of literature work is the way Moya handles the topic. The work is funny, sad, tragic, ironic, and brilliant all in one. If the narrator wasn't funny, this would be a waste. I think what Moya is trying to tell us is also that there comes a point, where we have to laugh at the history of our countries for if not, we just might go insane looking back and we will never rebuild or move on.
The US had the Red Badge of Courage and the Spanish American War and the BOOM, we hit the BIG TIME!!!!!!!!!
El Salvador had Iraq, (perhaps a future war with Honduras?) and now Senselessness by Moya.
Buy it, and laugh, and cry, because that is what life really is.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
SPOILER ALERT- DON'T READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE BRIEF WONDROUS LIFE OF OSCAR WAO
If you haven't read the book by the extremely talented Junot Diaz please skip this post be I will be discussing the ending of said book.
Here we go. I'm giving this book 3 1/2 stars. Keep in mind I give the Cather in the Rye 4 1/2 stars.
I loved the book but I thought the ending was lacking. And I thought the character of Oscar needed a little more chuztpah. Is that the word? Or bigger balls. But i could definitely relate to Oscar. I didn' t really date in high school or Junior high for that matter, but only obssessed over extremely hot unnatainable blond cheer leaders who I'm sure are on the way to Cindy Mcain land.
But let's get back to poor sexless, friendless, D&D loving, Oscar Wao. The apparently Un-dominican Dominican. I loved the story about Oscar and his sister and Junior and his mother in the DR when she was growing up and rebelling and the story about her father.... and how he tried to save his family against the great evil of the dictator. ....BUT WHY GIVE ME AN ENDING WHERE OSCAR SACRIFICES HIMSELF FOR A STREET WHORE? I felt a little cheated to say the least. Give me a break, anybody can assume that Oscar would have gotten his nut off in the DR on any of his visits at the age of 12 and up......via any hoochie. And here is the big clue regarding the ending. Notice how Junot Diaz, ahem, sorry, I meant Junior backtracks to explain that Oscar finally had some sex and didn't die a virgin. See, at least if Oscar would have gotten some before, then I could maybe buy his sacrifice. Are you telling me Oscar couldn't have gotten a regular hoochie in Patterson or even a prostitute??? Yes a PrePagada...lol Okay what about a stripper? If he would have met her at at strip club it could have been more belieaveble. So it was his turn to rebel and do the crazy shit that his sister and mother did when they were younger, and follow the curse which he wouldn't survive because he was the male of the family??? And I know he was looking for love and he got what he always wanted from that girl, even if it was brief, but I just don't believe that kept his holyness or saintliness or whatever you call it from leaking out of him. You are actually telling me that Oscar would have never met some nerdy girl that was into D&D and comics and all that shit online????? I knew a lot of nerdy dudes (myself included) who's first real relationships during their nerd days was with equally nerdy girls from canada they met online. And maybe they met or never met, but still that still does count as experience. Having online or phone game helps you get real game eventually. I feel like Oscar could have died for a different cause, rather than dying by just simply confusing sex with love. Specially with a girl he could have had any time he went to the Dominican Republic. Are you really fucking telling me that his uncle never tricked him into going to a prostitute or strip club to get his nut off???? That is the Latin American male tradition! But don't get me wrong because I loved 99.9 percent of this book except for the end, and the catch up end where he explains that Oscar got laid so the reader won't be mad if the kid died without getting any action.
To me, the ending makes the character of Oscar Wao seem like person that went against the world and just gave up to die for a prostitute with a kid and a gangster boyfriend.
I want to read endings that tell me that no matter who you are, as long as you take risks no one else will take, you will be a winner, you will get that special girl that you really want, you will make that great work of art, you will be remembered, because you never gave up, even if you were a fat, nerdy kid from Paterson, New Jersey that wanted a Sports Illustrated model.
Let's face it, those are the people that become great, the ones that fight against all odds. The ones that go for the brass ring, despite everybody telling them is no possible. I never felt like Oscar was a fighter. Do you really expect me to believe that Oscar Wao never got any cooch at Rutgers? This is America, and that is an American University(or college) and any nerd can get draws in college. Community college is a different animal, but college, going out of town!?
Please!
What The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao tells me is that if you're a fat, nerdy kid you can forget about it, because you will die for some hoochie in a third world country trying to get punanni before you find someone that loves you for who you are....
But try telling that to Bill Gates, and Roman Polanski, and Malcolm X, and Bob Dylan, and Rivers Cuomo, and Henry Miller, and Jack Kerouac, and Allen Ginsburg, and Willam Burroughs, and Frank Zappa, and Conan O'brien, and The Revenge of the Nerds cast, and Raymond Carver, and Frank Miller, and Alan Moore, and Steve Ditko and every nerd that loves his life, and his journey to self.........try telling them that Junot Diaz.
Here we go. I'm giving this book 3 1/2 stars. Keep in mind I give the Cather in the Rye 4 1/2 stars.
I loved the book but I thought the ending was lacking. And I thought the character of Oscar needed a little more chuztpah. Is that the word? Or bigger balls. But i could definitely relate to Oscar. I didn' t really date in high school or Junior high for that matter, but only obssessed over extremely hot unnatainable blond cheer leaders who I'm sure are on the way to Cindy Mcain land.
But let's get back to poor sexless, friendless, D&D loving, Oscar Wao. The apparently Un-dominican Dominican. I loved the story about Oscar and his sister and Junior and his mother in the DR when she was growing up and rebelling and the story about her father.... and how he tried to save his family against the great evil of the dictator. ....BUT WHY GIVE ME AN ENDING WHERE OSCAR SACRIFICES HIMSELF FOR A STREET WHORE? I felt a little cheated to say the least. Give me a break, anybody can assume that Oscar would have gotten his nut off in the DR on any of his visits at the age of 12 and up......via any hoochie. And here is the big clue regarding the ending. Notice how Junot Diaz, ahem, sorry, I meant Junior backtracks to explain that Oscar finally had some sex and didn't die a virgin. See, at least if Oscar would have gotten some before, then I could maybe buy his sacrifice. Are you telling me Oscar couldn't have gotten a regular hoochie in Patterson or even a prostitute??? Yes a PrePagada...lol Okay what about a stripper? If he would have met her at at strip club it could have been more belieaveble. So it was his turn to rebel and do the crazy shit that his sister and mother did when they were younger, and follow the curse which he wouldn't survive because he was the male of the family??? And I know he was looking for love and he got what he always wanted from that girl, even if it was brief, but I just don't believe that kept his holyness or saintliness or whatever you call it from leaking out of him. You are actually telling me that Oscar would have never met some nerdy girl that was into D&D and comics and all that shit online????? I knew a lot of nerdy dudes (myself included) who's first real relationships during their nerd days was with equally nerdy girls from canada they met online. And maybe they met or never met, but still that still does count as experience. Having online or phone game helps you get real game eventually. I feel like Oscar could have died for a different cause, rather than dying by just simply confusing sex with love. Specially with a girl he could have had any time he went to the Dominican Republic. Are you really fucking telling me that his uncle never tricked him into going to a prostitute or strip club to get his nut off???? That is the Latin American male tradition! But don't get me wrong because I loved 99.9 percent of this book except for the end, and the catch up end where he explains that Oscar got laid so the reader won't be mad if the kid died without getting any action.
To me, the ending makes the character of Oscar Wao seem like person that went against the world and just gave up to die for a prostitute with a kid and a gangster boyfriend.
I want to read endings that tell me that no matter who you are, as long as you take risks no one else will take, you will be a winner, you will get that special girl that you really want, you will make that great work of art, you will be remembered, because you never gave up, even if you were a fat, nerdy kid from Paterson, New Jersey that wanted a Sports Illustrated model.
Let's face it, those are the people that become great, the ones that fight against all odds. The ones that go for the brass ring, despite everybody telling them is no possible. I never felt like Oscar was a fighter. Do you really expect me to believe that Oscar Wao never got any cooch at Rutgers? This is America, and that is an American University(or college) and any nerd can get draws in college. Community college is a different animal, but college, going out of town!?
Please!
What The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao tells me is that if you're a fat, nerdy kid you can forget about it, because you will die for some hoochie in a third world country trying to get punanni before you find someone that loves you for who you are....
But try telling that to Bill Gates, and Roman Polanski, and Malcolm X, and Bob Dylan, and Rivers Cuomo, and Henry Miller, and Jack Kerouac, and Allen Ginsburg, and Willam Burroughs, and Frank Zappa, and Conan O'brien, and The Revenge of the Nerds cast, and Raymond Carver, and Frank Miller, and Alan Moore, and Steve Ditko and every nerd that loves his life, and his journey to self.........try telling them that Junot Diaz.
Friday, March 27, 2009
I would love you even if you had been a guy like in a.....
Is the title of the next story I'm submiting to glimmer train.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
WMC 09
We were looking for a party that didn't exist.
But we just didn't do our homework.
To be continued...
But we just didn't do our homework.
To be continued...
Sunday, March 22, 2009
...
I was feeling flat today. I think I was out of tune. They were playing Wilco at the local Chipotle. I gave a girl that was begging a dollar. She couldn't have been older than 18 or 19. Her sign mentioned something about trying to feed her brothers. I really just wanted to pick her up.
I almost fought a guy outside the vagabond yesterday. I stepped on his shoes and I apologized but he kept going on about his expensive shoes so I almost gave him two tickets to the gun show.
I also ran into somebody I haven't talked to in almost ten years. He looked good. I've gained some weight.
I'm reading a confederacy of dunces. Getting into it.
I have a crush on the girl that works at the pizza shop by my job. I only tried to make small talk with her once and it didn't come out smooth. When she gave me change in a bunch of ones I tried being funny by telling her I had enough ones for the strip club. I think she gave me a pity smile.
I am sinking in quick sand.
I almost fought a guy outside the vagabond yesterday. I stepped on his shoes and I apologized but he kept going on about his expensive shoes so I almost gave him two tickets to the gun show.
I also ran into somebody I haven't talked to in almost ten years. He looked good. I've gained some weight.
I'm reading a confederacy of dunces. Getting into it.
I have a crush on the girl that works at the pizza shop by my job. I only tried to make small talk with her once and it didn't come out smooth. When she gave me change in a bunch of ones I tried being funny by telling her I had enough ones for the strip club. I think she gave me a pity smile.
I am sinking in quick sand.
Monday, March 9, 2009
short short story
Single Hispanic male seeking female that is obsessed with the Talking Heads...among other things.
