this is my response to the books i’ve read in 2023, short and immediate. i have no memory of ASTRA, and i don’t think that’s good, do you? DAUGHTER OF THE DEER was lovely but needed an edit. LOST CHILDREN ARCHIVE was complex and trying a bit too hard, TBH. but that’s okay. SUPERFAN was full of curiosity and assuredness. is assuredness a word? i don’t know. DICTIONARY OF OBSCURE SHADOWS was funny and imaginative. DUNBAR was all about voice. NICKEL BOYS was all about painful truths. WHAT I TALK ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT RUNNING was instructive and i quit reading it half way through, indicating i would quit a running program in 23 minutes. don’t judge me.
next is THE SLEEPING CAR PORTER, a stylistic journey across time and space. TRIO was completely forgettable. THE OPPORTUNIST was a screenplay in a novel form and that’s okay, too. BREATH was two books in one–it changed midway through. i dunno. THE ANATOMY OF GENRES was educational and changed my writing. SEA OF TRANQUILLITY was brilliant although i do wonder if it was dashed off in a bit of a rush? i could be wrong. SING HER DOWN was a stylistic rush of female-oriented noir and included a showdown. MISTAKES TO RUN WITH made me sad, because change isn’t always possible. THE FROZEN THAMES was a delight. ELLEN FOSTER took me into a child’s POV quite effectively. GIRLFRIEND ON MARS was terrific! then there’s AND A DOG NAMED FIG, a book about dogs and writing and loneliness, too. THE RIDERS held my attention for half the time necessary and i don’t know why?
WHAT MY BONES KNOW was personally educational and recommended by my therapist. THE OBSERVER was strong and soft and grievous, and my #1 pick of the year. it struck a personal chord. PLEASE SEE US was a terrific book about Atlantic City, a city in decay. STRANGE SALLY DIAMOND was a terrific book about a person with a personality disorder. i can’t say i recommend BOY PARTS, but i read it and found it well-written. the subject matter was difficult. THE THINGS THEY CARRIED and IN THE LAKE OF THE WOODS were re-reads and i enjoyed them both immensely. it’s the author voice, you know? MY MOVIE BUSINESS was pompous as only the author can be, and i enjoyed it for that very reason. and, finally, CROW VALLEY KAROKE CHAMPIONSHIPS was a romp of a screenplay in novel form.
there were many screenplays read this year (homework). i won’t comment on them.