No one belongs here more than you.
I highly recommend this collection of stories by Miranda July, who had a piece featured in the summer fiction of the New Yorker a couple of weeks back. July is best known for writing, directing, and starring in a film called Me and You and Everyone We Know a couple of years ago. (I'm not enough of a film buff to have seen this, but I want to now. And not just because the first five plot keywords on IMDB come up as "Neighbor / Stalking / Blow Job / Playground / Person on Fire." Sounds like a dazzling adventure for kids of all ages!)One of my friends remarked when I mentioned July that she's very "buzzy" right now; I don't know in what crowd or in what sense, but, duly noted.
The stories are marked by a very dry, often absurd wit and a consistent lonely undertow. July's characters are various kinds of tragic misfits, ranging from normal to eccentric to rather goofy. Plot elements are often pretty quiet, not to say unimportant, though many of the stories are extremely short or are fashioned with only a couple of moving parts. The couple of relatively long stories aren't particularly complex, but it's refreshing to grab onto a more involved storyline after some of the shorter bits.
July has a great, snappy way with words, especially when she's tossing off an aside or idea like a quick pencil sketch:
It doesn't really feel like driving when you don't know where you're going. There should be an option on the car for driving in place, like treading water. Or at least a light that shines between the brake lights that you can turn on to indicate that you have no destination. I felt like I was fooling the other drivers and I just wanted to come clean.Pretty decent, I'd say! Short stories make for good summer reading and fill up time on regional rail systems or in restaurants when you're alone.
4 Comments:
Probably "buzzy" in the sense that people who base their summer reading in part on the New Yorker read about it at the same time you did too. I haven't read it or read much about it but I've seen mentions of it in a couple of places.
It sounds like an enjoyable read, though. If nothing else those couple of sentences about driving with nowhere to go sound like a likable example of that kind of sad-n-wispy fare (actually they read a little bit like a subtle parody without any context). If you bring it to the beach when we're all on vacation I'll probably take a look at it.
Interestingly, the last collection of new American short stories you recommended to me (or bought for me, I guess), way back around 2003, has more or less put me off of contemporary literary fiction since then, though I liked it well enough at the time. That would be "You Are Not a Stranger Here" by Adam Haslett, which is also muted and probably more overtly sad... I'm not sure why I stopped reading extremely character-driven stuff over the past four years, though I guess a big part of it is that I burned out on it a little in college, so it was the easiest thing to jettison to make room for types of stuff that I hadn't been reading before. Which reminds me, if you have a copy of "I Am a Strange Loop" to lend me for the beach as well I'd be much obliged. I'm trying to finish "Ton Beau de Marot" before then though I may miss that timetable by a bit.
I also have to say: I saw this post and had this kind of prejudiced thought that "It seems like Pete would disapprove of you reading Miranda July." Even though I haven't read the book and haven't talked to Pete about it at all. Thoughts, Pete? I feel slightly guilty that I immediately assumed that you'd call someone a sellout for reading the literary short fiction collection that seems to be buzzy this summer.
Really, I hadn't ever heard of Miranda July, except for recently a friend of mine who lives in Brooklyn mentioned her name in a positive context. Also, I try not to judge people for reading "buzzy" literature - only judge them for reading "popular" literature. If, Jack, you bring along these Miranda July stories, I will read them, or at least enough of them to have an opinion.
I do, of course, remain proud of the fact that I am out of such loops, wherein people know whats buzzing.
I gave you a book that put you off its entire genre for four years? Jeez, sorry.
Can I borrow that from you, by the way?
My buzz receiver mostly turns up static and the occasional orchestra premiere.
I really enjoyed Me And You And Everyone We Know. It's that rare indie film that shows you why indie films work, enough quirks to keep you off balance but enough care and intelligence in crafting the characters to keep them grounded. Sort of an icy, fizzy summer punch kind of movie that leaves you grinning.
Post a Comment
<< Home