War (in itself) is the Most Important Thing
War is the Most Important Thing maps
the progression from "In Utero" through the war past the house fire
into the bedroom and then into consciousness. This collection marks the
very beginning, wordplay and the earliest vignettes mixed with war
stories and autobiography. Imagines of love making and desert warfare
produce a juxtaposition of sex and violence. Highly episodic, War (in itself) is the Most Important Thing, is the anthem of the 1990s, The alienation of veterans returned home from war, and Generation X.
335 Pages. 73,000 Words.
The Perils of Reading
In
the title story of this collection, Ted hits heavy Bakelite typewriter
keys when he composes ill-conceived love letters in "The Perils of
Reading the Classics When You're No Holden Caulfield." The Perils of Reading as
imagined, are inherent dangers moving over deserted plains within and
instead of connecting with saviors and condemners. "All Things
American," happens in every town throughout the USA: it happens when
young couples take fiancees home to meet the family. And In "The Escape
from Recess," Ricky finds a comrade in Claude, the two share in their
terminal illness, ennui.
245 Pages. 51,000 Words.
The Last Waiter on Earth
When
Harvey becomes “The Last Waiter on Earth,” he's sure to have the best
shifts and make the biggest tips. Even with natural disasters destroying
his neighborhood and leaving the place condemned, Harvey takes to
recollection: being a waiter wasn't all that bad. The double life of
Lowell in “Unforeseen Circumstances” teeters between the safe suburban
bedrooms and the Bohemian dreams of living in a flat above the shop.
When long suppressed high school crushes come home for a funeral in
“Undertone of a Smile” adultery and anger mix with the noises of the
streets below. And to take a turn for the macabre, what does become of
the “Hands of Barbies”?
226 Pages. 48,000 Words.
Life in the Abyssal Zone
In
the depths of the Sargasso Sea the darkness invades from a distant sun.
The coolness of the sterile water keeps life away, far away, and
distant. Paradox? Desert under the waves? The Sargasso Sea comes
landward in this collection. This is the paradox of a post
industrialized world, deep in the sterility of our streets, our cities
and our now barren psyche. “Home for the Holidays” quietly screams of
the loss of family, community and sensation. The title story “Life in
the Abyssal Zone” creeps into the dirty tenements that have now grown
chic despite the lack of food. The farce of “Sugarhouse” can be summed
up in the opening phrase, “The good days can't last forever...” And yes,
bad things happen in neighborhoods where no one lives.
220 Pages. 48,000 words.
