A few good things this July
I still hope you’re doing okay. These are weird times obviously, and not good weird. Even ole puppeteering Mitch is getting Bernie Lomaxed, and though Google tells me I’m not the first to make this comparison, it’s still among the least disturbing things happening right now. Which is very disturbing.
Despite the muck, though, I told my publisher I’d do more of these “a few good things” emails, in which I share some stuff that’s brought me some joy recently, with the hope that they bring some joy to you, too. That is the proverbial peanut butter, with the hidden pill of some quick albeit loathsome self-promotion.
My book MIDDLEMAN is coming out November 10 from Grove Atlantic’s Atlantic Crime imprint. It’s about a soul-seeking family man who pursues the American Dream through a series of comic nightmares involving Zoom calls, rental houses, and a narcissistic con man’s plot to rob the dead. You can pre-order it now and I will owe you one. Pre-orders count toward week-one sales and they inform what bookstores choose to stock. So, they really do help the non-James Pattersons. I’ll have some more info about it soon on my website bflah.com.
In the story, the main character is a remote worker in a bit of midlife crisis, so to promote it, I’m going to play with the tropes of remote work and modern midlife. If you’re interested in seeing my PowerPoint presentation about some key topics in it, like Ancient Millennials and Mazda Miatas, I’m hosting a Zoom call a couple Thursdays from now. The intention of it, and the book itself, is fun. I’ve been thinking lately about the Leonard Cohen lyric from “Anthem:” “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” I don't think I'm alone in wanting more light. So, let me know if you’re interested in an invite or in receiving a mind-blowing PDF of the PPT. Just shoot me a text or email.
Okay, now for the goods.
BUKS
One of the funniest books I’ve ever read—and one I returned to recently—is Charles Portis’s DOG OF THE SOUTH. The voice and line-level writing is hilarious. So many strange and beautiful sentences. I heard someone somewhere suggest the reason it wasn’t a bigger hit was because the narrator is kind of a loser. The mostly unheroic hero, though, is what makes it so funny. I can’t do Marvel movies, but Ray Midge I can get into. This book was Charles Portis’s third of five. It came out 11 years after TRUE GRIT, which I read not long ago for the first time, and wish I’d gotten to sooner. It was as good as advertised. In TRUE GRIT, the hero, Mattie Ross, really is a hero on a clear mission: revenge. I’m guessing she was a hard act to follow for Portis, or maybe he just made enough money to opt out for a while, or maybe some combination of the two.
Another favorite writer of mine, Tom Perrotta, is well-known for his books ELECTION, THE LEFTOVERS, LITTLE CHILDREN, and MRS. FLETCHER, all which translated brilliantly to the screen. Tom was kind and generous enough to blurb my book, which truly floored me. I loved his new one, GHOST TOWN, about a suburban New Jersey kid who’s grieving after losing his mom and how he finds connection. It’s about hauntings too, both good and bad. Though it’s set in the 1970s, it felt very timely, as it taps into some of the roots of now. Tom gave a great talk about it recently at the Mark Twain house in Hartford.
I’m currently reading Henry Wise’s PROMISED LAND, a follow-up to his Edgar Award-winning HOLY CITY. I don’t love all of William Faulkner, just most of it, and one of my favorite books is his collected stories. Each one creates a real sense of atmosphere. I can feel the heat, smell it. I return to my childhood in the tiny, summer-baked public library across from the church and the General Store in Canton Center, CT, where I first discovered those stories. Henry’s work reminds me of Faulkner in its immersive quality, its power to transport you in time and place. The story moves with narrative propulsion, but Henry’s a poet, too, so there’s a real ear for the music.
MUZIKS
The algorithms brought me Truman Sinclair. I like the lyrics and the blend of lo-fi sound with great melodies. This song “Dustland,” is one of my favorites and very catchy. Content-wise, it reminds me of early Springsteen.
I’ve been playing a lot of George Jackson’s “Aretha, sing one for me,” which is a song addressed to Aretha Franklin. Just a smooth, heartfelt soul groove. Make your Sunday morning breakfast to this one, please.
One more, this one from disco land and 1970s Spain. If Spain wins the World Cup today, their victory song should be Baccara’s “Yes sir, I can boogie.” I love the formal response to the implied question of: Can you boogie? Yes sir, as a matter of fact, I am presently capable of boogie-ing. And the accent on “boogie voogie” ices the cake.
SHOZ
We just got back from a family vacation. My nephews are now old enough to show some of my favorite comedy things, like “Celery Man” with Paul Rudd from the Tim & Eric Show. I remember playing this for a group of people at a friend’s wedding years ago, and half the people laughed their heads off and the other half just shook their heads confused. Both are understandable reactions, but I was happy my nephews were in the laughing camp. It’s hard to know what’s going to hold up after almost twenty years. A “print-out of Oyster smiling,” though, somehow still works for us.
That’s it. Sorry for the too-long email. Any help spreading the word on the book is much appreciated. Again, I hope you’re doing okay. Let me know, if you feel like it.
Thank you,
Brendan
