Day 1,832, Quasi-Quarantine: Close-Knit Team Of Deaf Gridders Meets All Challenges In Inspiring "The Boys Of Riverside"

 

“It is sometimes said that blindness separates you from things while deafness separates you from people. The aphorism needs a crucial caveat. Deafness does not separate deaf people from one another. It brings them together.”

Thomas Fuller complemented an incredible story with meticulous research in constructing "The Boys of Riverside." The tale benefited immensely from the author's examination of the history and contemporary status of Deaf Culture.

There were some odd moments, including when the losing team in the championship game accused Riverside players of not being deaf. The situation seemed to call for some follow-up by the author, but none was forthcoming.

While it was clear that parts of the TV version of the story were dictated by ESPN for maximum Disney-fication, it was clear in print that there was nothing inauthentic about this dedicated group of students and coaches. "The Boys of Riverside" was emotional, inspiring, and celebratory -- needed sentiments these and all days.

Limerick Friday #632: State Wades Into The Post-Keatts Era -- Day 1,828

It's the game that's now played

Everyone deserves to get paid

Adjust to the times

Or pinch all your dimes

Bring on the era of Will Wade

Create your own board for chess

To stay above the mess

Stay one move ahead

And make your own bed

If they're going to pay you less

UNC made the dance

To the glee of sycophants

The fraud persists

Local bias insists

'Tis the season for hypocritical rants

Another place progress did defeat

Raleigh mistakes on repeat

But don't you dare worry

It's part of my origin story

I'll always meet you down on 42nd Street

"Severance" is right up my alley

A blend of irony and reality

This season's gone deep

To make you laugh and weep

Not sure if I'm ready for the finale

Last time ...

Day 1,827, Quasi-Quarantine: "Kill Joy" Is A Fun Prequel To Murder-Mystery Trilogy

 

Serving as a prequel to Holly Jackson's "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" trilogy ("A Good Girl's Guide to Murder," "Good Girl, Bad Blood," and "As Good as Dead"), "Kill Joy" offers a clever way to sketch some of Pippa Fitz-Amobi's character and provide context for the future choices she'll make.

“Cara shuddered. ‘Urgh, I hate the word moist.’”

Attending a murder-mystery birthday party, Pip and her friends are taken to 1920s Scotland. As the game escalates, she delves deeper into her assigned character and methodically plots out clues and suspicions.

Jackson's novella is an absorbing, short read -- complete with a reference to Stephen King's "It." While not essential to the ensuing trilogy, it does an admirable job of helping to set the scene.

Day 1,825, Quasi-Quarantine: Budding Terror Of AI The Central Theme Of Poignant (But Slow) "The Hum"

 

“‘Sy,’ she said, going over to the table. ‘What’s this?’

He glanced at the paper.

‘It’s a circle of death,’ he said matter-of-factly.

‘A circle of death?’

‘It goes around and around, even after you’re dead,’ he said.”

"Hum" is not for the faint of heart, as Helen Phillips's tale is marked by fatalism and foreboding. The short sentences, bizarre sex scenes, and persistently weird familial undertones create a jarring reading experience -- the prose equivalent of the uncanny valley.

Which is prescient, since artificial intelligence is a core theme of the novel. For good measure, a sprinkling of late-stage capitalism, global warming, and technological servitude (in both directions) permeate the book, making the bright moments difficult to find.

“There was a full instant between seeing the children and reaching for her phantom limb to document the children.”

Some balky rhythm made "Hum" difficult to get into initially. The slow pacing persists until the end of part two, when the story really seems to find its action. The novel finds its heart toward the end, when maternal protection and palpable connections combine to offer rays of hope.

“Their whole lives she had been telling them no, don’t roam, stay close. She had sold her face so she could bring them here so they could do just this.”

Day 1,821, Quasi-Quarantine: Unique Formats, Styles Mark "The Best American Mystery And Suspense 2024"

 

“Maybe some people can live the life they’re given, but some of us have to escape some way – for some people that’s by staring at a wall and for others that’s bringing the pain to others and making them look at it.” 

~ “Will I See the Birds When I Am Gone”

With a focus on unexpected and unique formats, the short stories in "The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2024" can be difficult and challenging to read. However, standouts like "Scarlet Ribbons" (by Megan Abbott), "For I Hungered, and Ye Gave Me" (by Barrett Bowlin), "Just a Girl" (by Alyssa Cole), "Will I See the Birds When I Am Gone?" (by Stanton McCaffery), and "Book of Ruth" (Mary Thorson) made the effort incredibly worthwhile.

“The best men, he thought, didn’t command their fellow man from a giant domed building. The best men disregarded the commands of those who sought power and control and instead basked in the plenitude of life and the abundance that this world offered, in all its forms.” 

~ “Lovely and Useless Things”

Perhaps the highlights here are Jordan Harper's "My Savage Year" and Bobby Mathews's "The Funeral Suit," both employing understated, atmospheric writing to paint vivid pictures in a finite amount of space. 

“‘Terror’s what you feel when you’re running from the wolf,’ I told her. ‘Horror’s what you feel while you watch the wolf feeding on your guts. Showing you what you’re really made of.’” 

~ “My Savage Year”

Series editor Steph Cha and version editor S.A. Cosby -- a favorite in his own right from works like "All the Sinners Bleed" and "Razorblade Tears" -- have done a phenomenal job curating this collection, which represents a kaleidoscope of writing styles and approaches.

“What’s the best way to change Emerson’s body from alive to dead? That was the problem before me: a man who ought to be a corpse.” 

~ “The Body Farm”

Scooter & Hum's Top Five Books Of The Year 2024

 

After reading 41 books and some 14,638 pages in 2024, here was the top five I read this year (ask me tomorrow and it'll be different). I probably say this every year, but nailing down a top five was near impossible. And on a side note, I've made a mental note to re-evaluate how often I'm using the word "stunning" in my reviews (a good problem to have).

Without further ado ...

1: "Prophet Song," by Paul Lynch

What I Wrote Then

What I Say Now: 

Stunning tale of dystopian Ireland is immersive, terrifying, and exhausting, featuring almost overwhelming grief, tragedy.

Passages to Remember: 

“I wish you would listen to me, Aine says, history is a silent record of people who did not know when to leave.”

“I should have known this would happen, he says, I should have known but I shut my eyes, I loved her once you know, I really did love her, I still do love her, oh– tell me, where did the love go, tell me that, I can’t remember where things go anymore, where does all our love go when once we held it beating in our hand?”

“Watching them all now with this feeling of the moment vanishing, knowing she will remember them like this, her children seated around the table, sensing the wheel of disorder coming loose into spin.”

“Sooner or later pain becomes too great for fear and when the people’s fear has gone the regime will have to go.”

2. "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay," by Michael Chabon

What I Wrote Then

What I Say Now: 

Beautiful novel captures the pursuit of love, identity, and belonging in 1940s New York City.

Passages to Remember: 

“Joe, on the floor, was aware for a moment that he was lying on a sour-smelling oval braided rug, in an apartment recently vacated by a girl who had impressed him, in the few instants of their acquaintance, as the most beautiful he had ever seen in his life, in a building whose face he had scaled so that he could begin to produce comic books for a company that sold farting pillows, in Manhattan, New York, where he had come by way of Lithuania, Siberia, and Japan.”

“The sound of their raised voices carries up through the complicated antique ductwork of the grand old theater, rising and echoing through the pipes until it emerges through a grate in the sidewalk, where it can be heard clearly by a couple of young men who are walking past, their collars raised against the cold October night, dreaming their elaborate dream,wishing their wish, teasing their golem into life.”

“It was marvelous that in this big town he had managed to rediscover, a year later, the girl with the miraculous behind.”

“The newspaper articles that Joe had read about the upcoming Senate investigation into comic books always cited ‘escapism’ among the litany of injurious consequences of their reading, and dwelled on the pernicious effects on young minds, of satisfying the desire to escape. As if there could be any more noble or necessary service in life.”

3. "James," by Percival Everett

What I Wrote Then

What I Say Now: 

Inspired reimagining of "Huckleberry Finn" sets emotions aswirl like the water of the Mississippi River.

Passages to Remember: 

“I don’t see no profit in askin’ for stuff just so I don’t get it and learn a lesson ‘bout not gettin’ what I asked fer. What kinda sense does that make? Might as well pray to that board there.”

“‘To fight in a war,’ he said. ‘Can you imagine?’

‘Would that mean facing death every day and doing what other people tell you to do?’ I asked.

‘I reckon.’

‘Yes, Huck, I can imagine.’”

“I hated the world that wouldn’t let me apply justice without the certain retaliation of injustice.”

“My name is James. I’m going to get my family. You can come with me or you can stay here. You can come and try freedom or you can stay here. You can die with me trying to find freedom or you can stay here and be dead anyway. My name is James.” 

4. "Clear," by Carys Davies

What I Wrote Then

What I Say Now: 

Remote Scottish island provides moody backdrop for beautiful tale of cloistered loneliness and unexpected hope.

Passages to Remember: 

“How is it, she thought, we never see the big things coming?”

“He remembered the strange hand movements his visitor had made in the beginning, and how he’d ignored them, not wanting to know why he was here because that would involve thinking about how long he would stay and when he would leave, and from the moment John Ferguson had looked him squarely in the face and the wave of emotion had crashed over him and almost drowned him, he’d never wanted to think about him not being here anymore.”

“‘Forgive me,’ he whispered, hardly knowing who he was talking to, only knowing that he was guilty.”

5. "The Passenger," by Cormac McCarthy

What I Wrote Then

What I Say Now: 

Sophisticated meditation on grief spans Gulf Coast and an unforgettable cast of characters -- and mysteries.

Passages to Remember: 

“Grief is the stuff of life. A life without grief is no life at all. But regret is a prison. Some part of you which you deeply value lies forever impaled at a crossroads you can no longer find and never forget.”

“Something on the road. Something coming. Some sweatsoaked beast, some hooded and wheezing abhorrence trundle upon the footpath. Just the faintest movement of the air like a gradient of ill come unshelved and drifting toward her lonely outpost.”

“You want to know when was the last time I saw anybody. I could ask you when was the last time you didnt see anybody. When was the last time you just sat by yourself. Watched it get dark. Watched it get light. Thought about your life. Where you’d been and where you were goin. Was there a reason for any of it.”

“The problem is that what drives the tale will not survive the tale. As the room dims and the sound of voices fades you understand that the world and all in it will soon cease to be. You believe that it will begin again. You point to other lives. But their world was never yours.”

Narrow Misses (in 15 words or less):

"Rules of Civility," by Amor Towles: Beautiful imagery, rhythmic pacing mark tale of coming of age in late-1930s New York. 

"Among the Thugs," by Bill Buford: Stunning depiction of football hooliganism explores disenfranchisement, mob mentality, and what propels disturbing lad culture.

"The Bee Sting," by Paul Murray: Cloistered Ireland backdrops wide-ranging tale of hidden identities, stagnant lives, looming regrets, misunderstood loves.

"You Like It Darker," by Stephen King: Extrasensory perception, visions, Covid battle for top billing in one more King short-story masterpiece.

"Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop," by Hwang Bo-Reum: Big heart drives feel-good read about the ripple effects of Seoul bookshop with soul.

"The Barn," by Wright Thompson: Native Mississippian digs deep to unearth the historical inevitability of Emmett Till's murder and whitewashing.

"Trespasses," by Louise Kennedy: Hypocrisy, religion, and violence backdrop an illicit love affair set against backdrop of the Troubles.

"Shadow Divers," by Robert Kurson: Intensity, conflict, danger, mystery, and history collide at 230 feet deep in mesmerizing true story.

"Table for Two," by Amor Towles: Absorbing, touching collection of short stories and a novelette span a number of genres, eras.

Honorable Mention (in 10 words or less):

"The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store," by James McBride: Culture clash in 1930s Pennsylvania spurs unlikely alliances, needed hope.

"Our Share of Night," by Mariana Enriquez: Haunting tale of dark magic captivates while documenting sprawling vision.

"Chain-Gang All Stars," by Nana Kwame Adjlei-Brenyah: "Gladiator" meets reality TV for coerced prisoners in provocative read.

"Berry Pickers," by Amanda Peters: Atmospheric Northeast backdrops story of loss, redemption for indigenous family.

"Loudermilk," by Lucy Ives: Midwest writer workshop reveals memorable characters and questions of authenticity.

"Just Kids," by Patti Smith: Tale of 1970s NYC culture is gritty, melancholy, and celebratory.

"Zone One," by Colson Whitehead: Surprising take on zombie apocalypse shows a master at work.

"Stella Maris," by Cormac McCarthy: Esoteric contemplations of math, philosophy, science, morality in McCarthy's coda.

"Arrowsmith," by Sinclair Lewis: Social climbing conflicts with scientific rigor in Roaring Twenties America.

"All the Sinners Bleed," by S.A. Cosby: Southern noir tackles racism, grief, religion in serial killer form.

"Wrong Way," by Joanne McNeill: Meandering examination of automation and its impact on worker dignity.

Notable (in 7 words or less):

"Last Best Hope," by George Packer: Attempt to explain America meanders into silence.

"The Guest," by Emma Cline: Serial thief/sex worker explores value concept.

"Think Again," by Adam Grant: Power of rethinking reinforced by visual cues.

"The Best American Short Stories of 2019," curated by Anthony Doerr: Diverse adolescent struggles dominate notable short stories.

"Godwin," by Joseph O'Neill: Midlife crisis drives quest for football prodigy.

"A Good Girl's Guide to Murder," by Holly Jackson: School project becomes fast-paced murder investigation.

"Yellowface," by R.F. Kuang: Culture exploration marred by one-dimensional characters.

"The Last Song: Words for Frightened Rabbit," edited by Aaron Kent and Maria Sledmere: Moving tribute to iconic band Frightened Rabbit.

"Steal Like an Artist," by Austin Kleon: Image-intensive book becomes lengthy motivational poster.

The Rest (in 5 words or less):

"Entitlement," by Rumaan Alam: Skin-deep NYC-dreams exploration.

"It. Goes. So. Fast," by Mary Louise Kelly: Bittersweet memoir of fleeting parenthood.

"Great Expectations," by Vinson Cunningham: Unfocused coming-of-age tale.

"As Good as Dead," by Holly Jackson: Trilogy finale adapts darker tone.

"Good Girl, Bad Blood," by Holly Jackson: Sequel features true-crime podcasting.

"The Cruel Prince," by Holly Black: Modern-medieval mix tackles identity.

"World Made By Hand," by James Howard Kunstler: Dystopian MAGA fantasy world depiction.

Day 1, 814, Quasi-Quarantine: "Brothers" Explores The Bond Of Music In Emotional Tale With Sudden Ending

 

“We’re not a rock band. We’re a rock ‘n’ roll band. Alex is the rock. I’m the roll.”

A surprisingly poignant and emotional read, "Brothers" explores the indelible bond between Alex and Eddie Van Halen, the founders of the seminal, eponymic rock band. 

Alex writes about his family's emigration from Holland, the early days in America, and the constant toil to go from club band to one of the largest musical acts in the world.

“You remember how freeing it was to wake up in the back of that bus and find the sun rising over a new city? The slate is wiped clean and you’re reborn in every place – you’ve got a whole new shot at life! Sure, wherever you go, there you are, and so on, but for the audience it’s a whole new you. The gig in San Antonio wasn’t up to snuff? Nobody knows that in Albuquerque. It was like the day before had never happened.”

"Brothers" can get grandiose and relies heavily on other books and interviews. Somewhat disappointingly, the work also wraps quickly, essentially ending after David Lee Roth left the band and skipping over the final 35 years of Eddie's life. 

“Marriage is easy compared to keeping four grown men together through year after year of nonstop traveling, performing, promoting, and recording. Especially when one of them is your younger brother and another is an egomaniac!”

Still, "Brothers" works best as an examination of the meaning of brotherhood, family ... and grief.

“Paul McCartney said something else I like: ‘The Beatles were brothers arguing. That’s what families do.’

“I’ll see you again, Ed.

“And when I do, I’m going to kick your ass.

Love,

Al”