Strange to Meet You

I admit it, I have a book problem. I cannot refuse a book sale. I read everyday, yet, I have 30+ unread books on my bookshelf. I am still buying books. It is a sickness, nourished by the dream of my own Library, furnished with a tufted, oxblood leather sofa, and a snoozing Great Dane that also doubles as an ottoman. If you enjoy collecting books, you’d be happy to know that Chapters is promoting it’s Buy 3 Get 1 Free Summer Sale. How convenient that I walked by Chapters on my way home from work last night. There’s no harm in having a look, right? Well, here’s what I picked up:

New Sudden Fiction edited by Rob Shapard, James Thomas

A Sport and A Pastime by James Salter

Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson

I Am No One You Know by Joyce Carol Oates

Happy reading friends. Enjoy your weekend.

Like many readers and writers interested in the short story form, I have an entire row of books by Raymond Carver on my bookshelf. I was introduced to his work a few years ago and have been reading my way through his catalogue at the rate grass grows, hoping I never come to the end. What We Talk About When We Talk About Love is perhaps best known for being edited (and depending on who you ask, clearcut) by Gordon Lish. If you’re unfamiliar with the backstory, you can read about Carver and Lish’s symbiotic (perhaps parasitic?) relationship in a fascinating article at the New Yorker.

I’ve wanted to read J.G. Ballard for quite some time and this book of short stories was my introduction to his written work. I should have consulted a Ballard enthusiast for a novel recommendation, because I must admit, I skimmed through the majority of this book. His early work is a little too science fiction for my reading tastes. Anthony Burgess’s (Clockwork Orange) introduction to the book explains that Ballard’s work takes a dramatic stylistic shift through the last few stories of the collection. In the late 1960’s, Ballard begins to explore his obsessions with the aesthetics of urban isolation, car crashes, sexuality and political assassination. I read some of Burgess’s recommendations from the early years and decided to move on to the last thirty or so pages which were written in the “Crash” period. I’ve read that section twice now which includes an excerpt from the book of “condensed novels” called The Atrocity Exhibition. I liked it so much that I’m heading to the book store to buy it this afternoon.

Update: I gave this book to my brother today because I thought he would appreciate it’s sci-fi-ness and he bought me The Atrocity Exhibition for my birthday (along with another wonderful book, which I will post about later on). All is great in Shannonland.

I picked up this book after reading an interview in The Paris Review that unveiled the literary hoax behind an author named Laura Albert and the persona known as JT LeRoy. I found this novel colourful and clever but it didn’t really dig under my skin like good books tend to do. Instead, I wanted to share the interview because the non-fiction side of this tale is miles more fascinating and strange than the book that made JT “famous”.

Being JT LeRoy:
A Q&A between The Paris Review and Laura Albert, the woman who was JT LeRoy.