Just a short note to those of you still with me: I recommend Laird Hunt's The Exquisite. It's one of the strangest, most jarring books I've read in a good, long while.

Also recommended: Stephen Graham Jones's Demon Theory. It's written like a really bad slasher flick. Certainly worth a look, especially once Halloween rolls around. (But does horror ever really go out of season?)

I'll let you know how Sam Savage's Firmin goes. I've been looking forward to it for quite some time.

Comments

[Citizen Reader]

Thanks for the suggestion--Laird Hunt is Mr. Zadie Smith, right? I've been wanting to read one of his for some time.

Can't wait to hear your thoughts on Firmin. I have thoughts of my own but won't share until I hear yours.

In other news, how's Zoe?

[Brandon]

Is he married to Zadie Smith? I had no idea. Looking at his author photo, and thinking about what she looks like, I can't imagine those two being together. She looks like she'd go for philosophers or academic types. (He teaches at the University of Denver, but he doesn't look like an academic. Hm.)

Are we going to have a discussion (blog war?) on "Firmin"? Bring it!

As for Zoe, she's, well, Zoe. She still drives me apeshit. Her latest tactic is to sit on my shoulder for a bit, like an oversized parrot, then start walking in circles around my shoulders. And she only does this when I'm--you guessed it!--reading.

[claire]

Hi Brandon, I haven't heard of any of them, but am curious now. I wanted to tell you, you've an award over at my blog: http://kissacloud.blogspot.com/2009/01/premio-dardos-award.html

Happy week! :D

[Citizen Reader]

D'oh! There I go showing my fiction ignorance yet again. Zadie Smith is married to Nick Laird--I saw "Laird" and got all confused. I figured, how many authors out there can have the name "Laird"? And I was wrong. I'll still take a whack at this Laird Hunt book, though. Sorry for the misinformation!

And, that's what cats DO--my cat likes to sit on my chest when I'm trying to read on the couch or in bed. You are there to feed and serve them, not do anything crazy for yourself like read or anything.