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books Reviewed by Will |
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UNFORTUNATE INCIDENTS is a debut collection of poems and short stories penned by local author Anthony Gancarski. Through its pages the reader is taken on a brutal tour of the dark side of life that exists all around us. From adolescent self mutilation, brooding over bullies past, and alcoholic fathers, it's all here. The reader is forewarned however, there are no happy endings in this book, just slices of life from characters who don't enjoy life very much. Don't get me wrong though, this is a very good book. People like Silvia Plath and Jim Morrisson have shown us that prose need not be happy to be good. To me, one of the key elements of good fiction is whether the reader can fully and quickly visualize the events described. On this mark, Gancarski is dead on. It all seems disturbingly real. For most of the short stories you can almost hear the "Peter Gunn Theme" playing in the background, and smell the stale smoke and beer of a bar at closing time. As for the poetry, I really can't tell. It seems good to me, but I never developed a keen appreciation for poetry in general. I will pass no judgment on that section of the book, except to say that I used to work in a bookstore, so I know it is better than Jewel's poetry, but not as good as Robert Frost. I did genuinely enjoy the fiction, although I wish he hadn't ended most of the stories quite so abruptly. For the most part I was left with a " wow, that was creepy" feeling. I kind of felt the same way when I read Stephen Kings THE STAND for the first time at fifteen. |
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"4:30 on a Friday morning. My neighborhood was bathed in pre-dawn quiet, as even the professional indigents had found a dumpster to sleep in or something." |
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That's a quote from one of the short stories named DOUBLE PLAY, and it's a good example of the kind of imagery that flows through this work. My only complaint with this book is that the reader wants to know more and is suddenly cut off. Sometimes, after I read a book, I'll think that what I just read would have been better suited as a short story or even a magazine article. This was a case where I felt a couple of these short stories might make good books. Mr. Gancarski's skillful, and frequent use of imagery creates vivid pictures in the reader's mind. The characters and situations seem to offer endless possibilities, which, sadly, are not explored. This shortcoming is hardly a deal breaker. Gancarski is clearly talented and insightful. The content and style of this book make it seem like it would be just for die hard "avant garders", but it is not. I found it to be a very enjoyable read, and it is nice to see a local artist get some national attention. I look forward to his next work. |
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upcoming: Moonage Daydream The Life and Times of Ziggy Stardust The eagerly-anticipated autographed limited edition book by David Bowie & Mick Rock will be published by Genesis Publications. It is the first fully authorized David Bowie/Mick Rock limited edition book ever produced: In 1972, David Bowie released one of the most iconic and memorable statements of modern popular music. The LP, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars not only established Bowie as a major musical force, it also provided him with a platform to present a visually fascinating and sexually ambivalent stage persona called Ziggy Stardust. This is a once-only opportunity to own a unique piece of the Ziggy Stardust legend. This beautifully produced edition is strictly limited to 2,500 copies (at about $345-$445 per copy), each personally signed by David Bowie and Mick Rock and individually numbered. Moonage Daydream - The Life and Times of Ziggy Stardust will be published in June 2002 to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the release of the original album. Visit www.genesis-publications.com for more info and pre-publication order info. |
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