Fantastic Metropolis

Novels

Dreamer, by Charles Johnson

Dreamer is set around the time of MLK’s assassination and is an evocative examination of greatness and failing. The narrative voice is beautiful and the story compelling. It’s a big story told on a very personal level.

☑ Laugh (the painful uncomfortable inner-chuckling kind of laughter) ☑ Weep ☑ Think

Normal: Transsexual CEOs, Crossdressing Cops, and Hermaphrodites With Attitude, by Amy Bloom

I admit to being fascinated by things I don’t understand. The essays and interviews in Normal are thoughtful and beautifully written examinations of what it means to sexed outside the norm.

☑ Laugh (the painful uncomfortable inner-chuckling kind of laughter) ☑ Weep ☑ Think

Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood, by Oliver W. Sacks

A memoir by a writer who makes every subject fascinating. Every Oliver Sacks book is worth reading. This one is simply his latest.

☑ Laugh ☑ Weep ☑ Think

Catalogs

William Spear Designs

Eileen Gunn gave me my first William Spear enamel pin and I’ve been a collector every since. He makes a great “Write Hard, Die Young” typewriter biker pin that’s a must for any writer and you can find Ray Troll “Spawn till you Die” pins and pins that look like stomachs and oh so much more.

☑ Laugh ☑ Think

Mark Ziesing Books

Mark Ziesing’s catalogs are a great read and I’d pay to subscribe to them. Instead, I try to buy new books from him whenever I can. The catalog has great covers and interesting articles by Mark about what’s going on in his life. Inside is a wish list of books to buy and read.

☑ Laugh ☑ Weep ☑ Think