Such quality. Such excellence.

(speaking of the writing but not always the editing)

.

Seven books, six of which I really loved and the seventh is the only one that left tears on my face! So . . . some good stuff, I have to say. You can't go wrong.

Unless it’s by getting Substacks’s wrong side. Once again, it reeeelly did not want me to post this books post. But I was able to persuade it by removing all the pictures. If you’d like to see them, they’re up on Thutopia.

But I suppose if you’d like to

or

even given these annoyance, go right ahead.

.

064) Here by Darlene Young, finished June 1

The cover is beautiful and the words inside are exquisite. You could argue it more adventurous than her first but I don't think I'd agree with you. Some of the adventures in some of the poems are more surface-visible, but I don't think that's the same thing at all. No, what we have here is two books that play with many of the same tools but stand alone as unique collection.

But I think that's a mark of a good poet. They are always themselves yet they are always doing something different. So let's applaud that.

It's late now and I have a late night tomorrow so I'll hold off on saying more, but I'm considering writing a more in-depth review for somewhere else. I'll let you know if it appears.

how long goes here


065) Theseus Volume 1 by Jordan Holt, finished June 1
066) Theseus Volume 2 by Jordan Holt, finished June 1

Before reading volume two, I sat down with volume one which, I knew from experience, would be a delight. And it was. (Although I skipped the interchapter prose.) (Not because it wouldn't be delightful.) (But because I wanted to get to volume two.)

And the story of Theseus's madcap adventures continues. There is some evidence, near the end, that he's interested in growing up. We'll see, in volume three.

Given the explosion of movie production for streaming, I just want to say: easiest adaptation in the world. It's darn near ready to film now.

But you don't need it moving to enjoy it. Holt has a great sense of pacing and little cutaway images and dialogue and just plain being funny. These are winning books. Highly recommended.

how long goes here
 

067) Reviews for Non-Existent Movies by Eric Goulden Kimball, finished June 5

I have a lot to say about this book.

First, I loved it. I love it so much. Reviews for nonexistent movies should become an established genre and we should all write them. Done.

I think I first read (on Ships of Hagoth) the review for Psycho or Smith, and when the book was announced (and the price was so cheap) I just bought it instantly, and deliberately ignored later excerpts about the likes of Doggerland, an alternate Star Wars prequel trilogy, and Clark Kent when the Hagoth email recommended them.

The reviews live up to the promise of the two I read beforehand. They range across films of multiple genres and quality, and they never fail to delight. I love the book.

I'm deeply tempted to try and talk my school into buying copies for my my sophomores. They're too cheap right now to buy anything, but maybe I'll try.

The two things that make me hesitate are the handful of Mormon films (not a dealbreaker, but may change how I use the book) and the enormous number of design and copyediting errors. They are legion. There are inconsistencies of design, one movie title ceases italicization partway through, there are multiple examples of missing words and incorrect words. It feels like it was run once through a subpar spellcheck and sent to press. On top of all that, the title page gives the copyright to Ships of Hagoth rather than the author. Which is either a grotesque mistake, shady business, or excellent evidence as to Eric Goulden Kimball's identity.

Because of course he is not real. Eric Goulden is Wreckless Eric's real name, though adding Kimball at the end is a fun resonance. According to his bio, lives with his wife in Tahiti (where else would he have found her?) where he works at a nonexistent university.

I'm not complaining, to be clear. As far as pseudonyms go (and pseudobiographies), this one is delightful.

Anyway, back to the errors. That's not a dealbreaker either because highschoolers would love being assigned the task of finding errors in a published book. No problem.

But whether I decide it's a fit for my pedagogy (and my skinflint district's budget) or not, conceptually and in execution (excepting, you know, the lazy polish) this is a wonderful volume of wonderful reviews and I loved it.

maybe four weeks
 

068) The Scarlet Plague by Jack London, finished June 6

This reads like a sequel or maybe an alternate version of Earth Abides (which, wildly, was also a #068, finished six years and five days ago). It also takes place in the Bay Area with UC Berkeley being an important setting. London's novel takes place at the end of the 37-years-younger Earth Abides and is one day in which the last-remaining plague survivor tells the story of the plague to some boys he's out watching sheep with. Well, he's in his dotage. The kids are watching the sheep.

It's a good pandemic novella, to be sure, though London's latent racism shines through (again) which is a bummer. The story's short in a good way and, if you now collect pandemic tales, worth your time.

I guess The Great Bay should be next for me.

two days
 

069) Anne of West Philly by Ivy Noelle Weir and Myisha Haynes, finished June 10

I had high hopes for this modernization of Anne Shirley, but it's only okay. It does manage some tearjerkiness at the end, but given how susceptible I am, it's a bit shocking that was the only moment I had tears on my face.

Part of the issue that the modern world doesn't track perfectly with the past. A sprained ankle can't really compare with croup in an era where respiratory distress could reasonably mean dead in the morning. And cramming Matthew's heart attack into the final pages perhaps required that modern medicine would let him survive.

And other choices were confusing. Why is Anne in love with Diana? Are we supposed to believe that's actually true or that Anne just can't tell the difference between close friendship and sexual desire? The text isn't clear.

The writer/artist teamup is tight enough that I don't feel I can place either lauds or blame on either party. When the book is weak, both are weak together. When strong, strong. Conceptually, I still like it. Maybe it's not-quite-there-ness is one more thing I can blame on the state of American editorial.

this morning


070) Ramona and Her Mother by Beverly Cleary, finished June 10

It's great fun to watch Ramona grow up and her father evolve and change as she does. It's, you know, literature.

about a month