Like Susan, I usually like to read at least a few books at once. In my head, it's kind of like being able to change the channel on the TV during commercial breaks so that you can watch more than one show.
This week, I'm reading two books that are pretty twisted:
1) Dolls , a very creepy collection of prose poems by Tom Whalen. You can probably tell what the poems are about by the title. The poems in this chapbook are pretty different from the poems you could typically find me reading, but I absolutely love the idea behind the collection. And for someone who tormented her little sister with dolls (sorry!), the idea of dolls coming to life is one that hits close to home. I really enjoyed the more sinister poems (a doll cuts out the eyes of her owner in one of the creepiest!), but I loved some of the more poignant ones as well (especially "Woman and Dolls" and "Four Visitations"). All in all, I would highly reccommend Tom Whalen's work if you like something that is thematically interesting, a little unconventional, and pretty twisted. Also, the cover art is fantastic!
2) Haunted, by Chuck Palahniuk. For anyone who has never read this collection of stories, I have to warn you, keep a chuck-bucket nearby. Though I've only made it through the first story in the collection, the infamous "Guts", this story left me feeling light-headed and absolutely sick to my stomach. I'm not sure whether that's a good or a bad thing, but I have to give Chuck some serious credit. It's not often that I read something and feel such strong physical discomfort, so you know that the writing is phenomenal. I'll have to update the blog when I finish the rest of the book. I'm just hoping that there isn't anything too puke-inducing in any of the other stories....
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1 comment:
Okay, I've got to comment on Haunted. . .(Melissa--you can't say I didn't warn you!)
I read the book last summer, and I never forgot how that first story affected me: "Guts" seriously almost made me throw up. . .yet (like you) I can't help but admire Palahniuk's ability to cause a physical reaction with what really should amount to just words on a page.
If it makes you feel any better, nothing else in the book is quite as disgusting!
I'll have to check out Whalen--Dolls sounds pretty fascinating. . .although I can't help but think of the Chucky movies whenever I think of creepy dolls!
--Susan :)
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