Fantastic Metropolis

Lester Leaps In: The Life and Times of Lester Pres Young, Douglas Henry Daniels

The new, very necessary, biography of Lester Young; the greatest saxophone player who ever lived. I know you Charlie Parker fans are going to kick my ass, but I’m sticking to my guns here. Young’s life holds all the interest of the best novels. Get a couple of CD’s first and listen to Young. After that, no one will have to suggest you read this book.

White Apples, Jonathan Carroll

Matters of life and death as only Carroll can do it. This book is both zany in its cosmic scope and profound in its depiction of human relationships. All this and a good dose of humor to boot. The appearance of one of his novels is like a holiday for me.

The Mount, Carol Emshwiller

As with Harrison, Emshwiller is another discovery for me this year. This story of invasion, masters and slaves, coming of age, is wonderfully written and very moving. If I could find more Science Fiction out there like this, I would read more Science Fiction. Emshwiller’s collection from this year, Report to the Men’s Club is a nice companion to this novel as it shows her diversity of theme and style. I’ll be hunting down her other work in the coming years.

The Impossible Bird, Patrick O’Leary

I think I mentioned this one on my list last year, but fuck it, I’m mentioning it again. O’Leary dives deep in this book. There’s an engaging science fiction plot here that will have your head spinning, but what he brings to the surface about the meaning and importance of the bonds of family, specifically brothers, is the real treasure.

Spirited Away, Hayao Myazaki

A truly inspirational fantasy film. Like no other animated film I’ve ever seen. My wife and two sons and I went to see this together and we all loved it. Complete agreement on anything is a rarity in the Ford household. It’s been months since I’ve seen this, and the creatures, the characters and the scenery are all still vividly alive in my memory.

Nowhere Near Milkwood, Rhys Hughes

Thank Christ, a Hughes collection that doesn’t cost 45 dollars. There are no easy phrases to describe Hughes’ fiction; it’s so exotic. These stories are surreal and yet utterly real unto themselves. His writing is incredibly precise and at the same time his imagination is so unfettered. You can chew on one of these stories for a week before going on to the next. Now I’m kicking myself for not dropping the money on the early books of his I have let slip through my grasp. Don’t let this one get away.

The Horned Man, James Lasdun

An idiosyncratic novel about a college professor losing it. I know, nothing unusual in that plot, but what distinguishes this book is the great writing and the wicked sense of humor. You don’t know whether to laugh or cry at this sorry son of a bitch. There’s a compelling mystery here as well, and the bard of Avon rears his eloquent head.

Coraline, Neil Gaiman

I spent years reading to my sons, and now, though they are off reading on their own, I still peruse the childrens’ and YA shelves of the book store for interesting works I would have liked to have read to them. These, I sometimes buy and read myself. I was almost turned off Coraline by all the hype surrounding it, but luckily I got a copy and read it. Gaiman knows what children demand in a good book—honesty. There’s no sugar coating here, but a very real character with real desires and fears. Great writing and wonderful art by David McKean. Good for adults and good for kids, but I suspect best shared by a parent and child.