Friday, December 19, 2008

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Information I am (still) looking for

Since people may happen upon this blog by accident now as opposed to by an inspired act of God before, I am reposting. So:

I am looking to speak/blog/correspond with anyone who has first-hand knowledge/experiences/photos/primary source materials/interests regarding the following topics:

The Christmas Island Crabs
-- Have you been to Christmas Island?
-- Have you witnessed the running of the crabs?
Jane Eyre, and the manipulation of existing characters in literature for use in other literature
Late Regency England (1820-1837)
US Nuclear Testing in the pacific from 1946-1962
Traveling in Oceania
Using actual people in fiction, and the manipulation/reimagining of those people in literature
The Poetry of Wallace Stevens, especially:
-- What the hell is "The Emperor of Ice Cream" about?
-- Is "Domination of Black" the scariest f-ing poem ever? Why? How does rhythm in language stir up the unconscious?
-- Why isn't "Blanche McCarthy" in The Collected Works?
Teaching literature at the college level in ways that appeal to the kidz but that also works
Suburban Gothic literature (ie The Ice Storm, Kelly Link's "Stone Animals," The Virgin Suicides")

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Blood Orphans

The teaser is up: www.bloodorphans.com

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Netherland

Just finished Joseph's O'Neill's Netherland. Jesus Christ who is this guy? Several reasons why this is a book worth reading:

1. The organic flow of the protagonist's character development; no, he is not a scintillating guy, which makes the fact that his story is pretty riveting all the more impressive. 
2. Captures a desolation to NYC that is neither forced (see Falling Man by Don Delillo) nor overly rhapsodic. That is, there is no Look Upon The Valley of Ashes. 
3. The character of Chuck Ramkissoon flits between real and gossamer; there is somthing imaginary about him that is quite beautiful he is best foil to a man's inner fury and longing since Tyler Durden in Fight Club. Except he exists.
4. The sentences are stunners, and the long descriptive passages often symphonic.

It is always a good sign when a book has taken a lot out of me. This one left me tired but exhillarated, like after a good run. 


Saturday, July 26, 2008

information I am looking for

I am looking to speak/blog/correspond with anyone who has first-hand knowledge/experiences/photos/primary source materials/interests regarding the following topics:

The Christmas Island Crabs
-- Have you been to Christmas Island? 
-- Have you witnessed the running of the crabs?
Jane Eyre, and the manipulation of existing characters in literature for use in other literature
Late Regency England (1820-1837)
US Nuclear Testing in the pacific from 1946-1962
Traveling in Oceania
Using actual people in fiction, and the manipulation/reimagining of those people in literature
The Poetry of Wallace Stevens, especially:
-- What the hell is "The Emperor of Ice Cream" about?
-- Is "Domination of Black" the scariest f-ing poem ever? Why? How does rhythm in language stir up the unconscious?
-- Why isn't "Blanche McCarthy" in The Collected Works?
Teaching literature at the college level in ways that appeal to the kidz but that also works
Suburban Gothic literature (ie The Ice Storm, Kelly Link's "Stone Animals," The Virgin Suicides")