Howard Junker reports: “Chapter Nine, ‘Traveling with Mother,’ appeared in ZYZZYVA Fall 2001, in somewhat different form; in fact, it was considered her ‘first nonfiction in print.’ It was also included in our anthology AutoBioDiversity (Heyday Books, 2005). The copyright page of Rules does not acknowledge either appearance.”
Now to be fair to Taylor, the copyright page of Rules for Saying Goodbye doesn’t list any previous appearances that this material appeared in. But when you snub the only literary editor in America brave enough to imbibe Pabst Blue Ribbon, while also dishing dirt on celebrities who fail to tip, is this not something of a double standard?
Junker, however, will have the last laugh when he questions Taylor at a Cody’s reading on Tuesday, June 26.
Magic Hours by Tom Bissell: This marvelous collection of essays chronicles everything from film shoots to novelists rescued from oblivion. (The essay on the Underground Literary Alliance, with its portrait of raucous factions, unexpectedly reveals how soft today's literary world has become.) But if you peer between the cracks of these smart pieces, you may very well see how cultural lives are formed from the most unexpected life choices. And as we follow Bissell's development as a writer over the years, that goes for Bissell as well. (
Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway: Harkaway's latest novel greatly improves on his previous book, The Gone-Away World, which I'm already on record as praising. Angelmaker adopts genre elements without ever feeling like a genre book, and it leads me to believe that Harkaway is well on his way to a narrative grace close to China Miéville's. Yet inexplicably this very fun book, which includes an eightysomething badass named Edie Banister, a mysterious mechanical object that may destroy the world, farcical scenarios involving lawyers and the police, and some unexpectedly moving moments about fatherhood, doesn't appear to be getting much attention in American newspapers. Nothing from the snobs at The New York Times Book Review, nothing from The Washington Post. And since I can't get Harkaway on Bat Segundo, I hope this Jump Up and Down mention gets you hopping as well.
The Age of Insight by Eric Kandel: Unless you're really pressed for time, forget Jonah Lehrer. If you want to understand creativity and its relationship to neuroscience, then the bowtie-wearing Nobel laureate is your man. In addition to being a physically beautiful book (you will drool over many of the paintings), there are helpful overviews on optical illusions, science, biographical backgrounds, and many vital figures from the Vienna Secession. Kandel's enthusiasm (and his call for greater unity between the humanities and science) is contagious.
in no way did i suggest that Katherine Taylor dissed me; the responsibility for acknowledging copyright is the publisher’s. similarly, she didn’t write the jacket copy, the publisher did.
if anything, Taylor, as I indicated in the first sentence of my post, was kind enough to help me in my struggles by buying an ad. Which is above and beyond, and something very very few other authors ever bother to do.
if i didn’t have the greatest respect for Taylor, and felt mutually appreciated, i wouldn’t have offered to interview her. i look forward to the chance to meet her, for the first time, at Cody’s next Tuesday.
Huh. I guess sometimes the shit just won’t stir, Ed. Nice try, though.
i like PBR. when you’re on a budget, it sure as hell beats bud.
Antoine: In case it wasn’t clear, this post was in comic deference to both Mr. Junker and Ms. Taylor.
Ed: Got it @ first, but HJ’s clarification made me second-guess. In any case, I’m just trolling teh intarwebs looking for opportunities to use variations on the phrase “stirring the shit.”
I enjoyed the questions and Ms. Taylor’s answers at Cody’s. If you would like to see a write up of the event, check out TheBayAreaIntellect.com.