We did not read many complete books this year--did much more dipping into collections, reading chapters, etc. There were some definite highlights though:
Fantasia for the Man in Blue by Tommye Blount
A collection we've read straight through a few times, as well as tons of days started by picking it up and dipping in for a poem or three before heading off to work. There are a ton of topics that Blount looks at very specifically--however, there's also a lot of searching for a self within these poems and while everybody's situations are different, Blount is able to get into his reader's heads in a way that leads to their own self-introspection.
Tapping Out by Nandi Comer
Another collection of poetry that came from a Detroit writer this year, Comer's Tapping Out ingeniously begins with Lucha Libre wrestling and spins from there to consider violence, and identity. The colors and adrenaline rush that spur wrestling matches on are brought to life by Comer's words.
Ladies Lazarus by Piper J. Daniels
Stumbled upon this title, in all honesty, by seeing its ridiculously amazing cover. It did lead me to try to find an example of Daniels' work online, which we did, and really liked. So, we ordered the book and after reading the first couple of essays realized that the cover just might not be the best part of the book. The essays hit on a plethora of topics that need to be discussed: identity, evangelical upbringings, sexual trauma, mental illness and more and not all done in simple straightforward essays. The combination of skill, style, and topic led to what was the best cover to cover read in 2020.
Meatheads Say the Realest Things: A Satirical (Short) Novel of the Last Bro by Colin Fleming
A wonderful read: satirical, witty, and truly a quick read. Fleming looks at the life of Chad, a Boston meathead--a gym guy, one completely absorbed with the Patriots. As the title says, he's a bro. Immediate reaction to chapter one is "I know this guy..." but as Fleming shows, we don't know people from a glimpse here or there and everybody out there is hoping to be understood, and understood accurately. Fleming uses a pretty unique literary character to remind the reader of what it means to be human.
The Museum of Whales by A. Kendra Greene
We have not listed the subtitle because it was different between the US and UK versions and we read from each (the text does appear to be the same). A book we'd had the lovely opportunity to read in manuscript form, and arc form, before finally obtaining a hardcover copy from each side of the Atlantic. These essays, theoretically about specific museums (VERY specific) in Iceland, yet truly about so much more--about obsession, collecting, historical artifacts, tradition, and more--are well done, pointed, and give great details about both the museums and their caretakers. Just a truly well done, very interesting, great work of non-fiction.
Capable Monsters by Marlin M. Jenkins
This poetry chapbook was another great read, and one that we believe will be the only one we can write this about--great usage of Pokemon. Jenkins uses the creatures from Pokemon both in tribute to the cards/game/show and to point out our world issues such as violence, identity, racism, mental illness and more. A collection that each re-read points to something more.
The Only Good Indiana by Stephen Graham Jones
Not sure how many Stephen Graham Jones books are on our shelves now, including the two Dzanc published and the trio in their rEprint series--there is straight up horror, coming of age, horror coming-of-age, video game, bizarre, literary, novels, novellas, short stories--but as great as they've been, this is a step up for his work. This novel hits revenge and sorrow, and identity--specifically looking at contemporary Native Americans living with traditions. What Jones always remembers is that there needs to be a good story to go along with whatever you might be "learning" while reading and he is one of the very best story tellers going. This novel does slide hard into horror territory, and creepy territory and even a touch of supernatural territory--it's an easy book to get lost in once you've started.
Alright, Alright, Alright: The Oral History of Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused by Melissa Maerz
A book we pre-ordered the second we'd heard about it because a) Dazed and Confused and b) ORAL HISTORY! We are oral history fiends here at the EWN where we'll read articles and books on topics we'd never heard of before if it's in oral history form. Maerz has put together one of the three best such works that we've read (alongside Terry Pluto's Loose Balls and Jonathan Abrams' All the Pieces Matter--about the American Basketball Association and The Wire). She was able to put together a mostly chronological history of the movie and the careers of those involved while also creating her own story lines. She also found her way to access to damn near everybody involved both in front of and behind the camera, working the equipment, and studio folks. She even talked to the lead singer of the band Jackyl, but we'll let you enjoy this book as much as we did to find out why.
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