Madeline Galbraith Madeline Traveler $5.00 X interesting, you’re not wrong “If your takeaway…is that and insightful criticism.” h iall Harrison, October 2016 XVol. 4 6.No. N QUARTERLY A LITERARY A The Guardian The The Cascadia Subduction Zone Subduction Cascadia The

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IN THIS ISSUE by Sheree Sleeping Under Tree the of Life by Donna Haraway Making Kin Chthulucene inthe Staying Trouble: withthe by Barbara Barnett by Sonya Taaffe Other LivesThe by Sonya Taaffe A Death of Hippolytos by GwynneGarfinkle by L. Timmelby L. Duchamp by Elisabeth Sanxay Holding Otherand Works Sarah Zettel on Speak of Devil the Really(and Shouldn’t Have) I Response: Reading Chris Kraus’s Sometimes Anger Is Necessary the The Apothecary’sThe Curse GirlThe We Forgot G Una O’Connor unleashes her scream

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one does. does. one

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this and then soon forgetting them, as as them, forgetting soon then and this

ing the handful in my mind as I write write I as mind my in handful the ing I feel that you’re utopian too. utopian you’re that feel I

- read than them to more mean will tion

not change it? Oh Dick, deep down down deep Dick, Oh it? change not

- recollec such since forgotten, then and

we want reality to change then why why then change to reality want we

mind instances they have encountered encountered have they instances mind

intellectuals. All of them are men. If If men. are them of All intellectuals.

like readers to make an effort to call to to call to effort an make to readers like

leuze, and eight of France’s leading leading France’s of eight and leuze,

These cases are so numerous that I’d I’d that numerous so are cases These 1

- De him, between schizophrenia on

there’s a great discussion discussion great a there’s Chaosophy, not memoir or autobiography, as many many as autobiography, or memoir not

…. Dick Love I book,

they’ve already said it. In Félix’s book book Félix’s In it. said already they’ve tion? Or cultural theory? Certainly it’s it’s Certainly theory? cultural Or tion?

Kraus’s endlessly ironic ironic endlessly Kraus’s

ter what these four men say, it’s like like it’s say, men four these what ter defies formal identification. Is it fic- it Is identification. formal defies

lies at the heart of Chris Chris of heart the at lies

- mat No inevitable. depressingly is a work that that work a Dick, Love I book, ironic

being taken seriously seriously taken being

early 30s. Sometimes coincidence coincidence Sometimes 30s. early the heart of Chris Kraus’s endlessly endlessly Kraus’s Chris of heart the

women creators have have creators women

childless younger women in their their in women younger childless ators have being taken seriously lies at at lies seriously taken being have ators

The difficulty innovative innovative difficulty The

their 50s, all divorced and now with with now and divorced all 50s, their The difficulty innovative women cre- women innovative difficulty The

bold (rather than naïve) as to employ it. employ to as naïve) than (rather bold four straight white European men in in men European white straight four

1

ally a short while later) when a man is so so is man a when later) while short a ally between such a homogenous crew: crew: homogenous a such between

- (usu brilliance its for hailed be to only be interested in any conversation conversation any in interested be

she is doing), or even due to insanity, insanity, to due even or doing), is she seemed strange that people would would people that strange seemed

rules must be assumed to not know what what know not to assumed be must rules They needed one more speaker. It It speaker. more one needed They

a woman who breaks long-established long-established breaks who woman a German playwright Heiner Müller. Müller. Heiner playwright German

technical naïveté (presumably because because (presumably naïveté technical sion between Félix and Tony and the the and Tony and Félix between sion

dismissed as personal idiosyncrasy and and idiosyncrasy personal as dismissed - discus live a moderate would Sylvère

undertaken by a woman is ignored or or ignored is woman a by undertaken show about the “future of the left.” left.” the of “future the about show

which literary or theoretical innovation innovation theoretical or literary which casting, were planning a TV panel panel TV a planning were casting,

work. We all know of numerous cases in in cases numerous of know all We work. - broad French in Félix’s of follower 1

fields in which both men and women women and men both which in fields Tony Negri and François, a younger younger a François, and Negri Tony

i be credited with innovation in creative creative in innovation with credited be had just come down. He, Félix and and Félix He, down. come just had

film-makers, composers, and artists to to artists and composers, film-makers, loft with Sylvère. The Berlin Wall Wall Berlin The Sylvère. with loft

impossibility for women writers, poets, poets, writers, women for impossibility i]’s i]’s ­ tar [Guat Félix at dinner a at was I

because it can’t be quantified, is the near- the is quantified, be can’t it because

It Up”: Up”: It

but one that gets little attention, perhaps perhaps attention, little gets that one but

say that appears late in the book, “Add “Add book, the in late appears that say

female protagonists. A related problem, problem, related A protagonists. female

- es epistolary the in occurs Dick Love I of

male protagonists over those featuring featuring those over protagonists male

women are saying?” A signature moment moment signature A saying?” are women

the nongendered, and novels featuring featuring novels and nongendered, the

one hearing a word I and all these other other these all and I word a hearing one

men over those written by women and and women by written those over men

“Love me, Dick!” but, rather, “Why is no no is “Why rather, but, Dick!” me, “Love technical naïveté…. technical

persists in favoring books written by by written books favoring in persists

is not, as those reviewers had it, it, had reviewers those as not, is coeur personal idiosyncrasy and and idiosyncrasy personal

uities in professional reviewing, which which reviewing, professional in uities

is ignored or dismissed as as dismissed or ignored is not fit such a reading. The book’s book’s The reading. a such fit not cri de de cri

have brought glaring visibility to ineq to visibility glaring brought have -

undertaken by a woman woman a by undertaken

simply ignored everything in it that did did that it in everything ignored simply

Count, for science fiction and fantasy, fantasy, and fiction science for Count,

or theoretical innovation innovation theoretical or

as naïve, raw, unprocessed memoir and and memoir unprocessed raw, naïve, as

fiction, and Niall Harrison’s annual SF SF annual Harrison’s Niall and fiction, cases in which literary literary which in cases

reviewers insisted on reading the book book the reading on insisted reviewers

cades ago. The Vida Project, for literary literary for Project, Vida The ago. cades We all know of numerous numerous of know all We

in her afterword to the work, its first first its work, the to afterword her in

- de feminists by raised issues revisiting

first publication. As Joan Hawkins notes notes Hawkins Joan As publication. first

and literary fiction both are currently currently are both fiction literary and

) than it received at at received it than ) Dick Love I titled,

The genres of science fiction/fantasy fiction/fantasy science of genres The

a television series based on the book, book, the on based series television a

attention (including, weirdly enough, enough, weirdly (including, attention I Love Dick Love I Kraus’s Chris

is momentarily enjoying more favorable favorable more enjoying momentarily is Joan Hawkins, “Afterword” to to “Afterword” Hawkins, Joan —

it was recently released in the UK and and UK the in released recently was it questions. only

1998, reissued by Semiotext(e) in 2006, 2006, in Semiotext(e) by reissued 1998, the are why and , what about speak

readers have assumed. First published in in published First assumed. have readers to gets who speak, to gets [W]ho

Duchamp Timmel L. by y Sometimes Anger Is the Necessary Response: Reading Chris Kraus’s I Love Dick Love I Kraus’s Chris Reading Response: Necessary the Is Anger Sometimes Sometimes Anger Is the “What about Christa Woolf?” I receded, and I could again dampen my Necessary Response asked. (At that moment she was sense of shame with defiance, for many (cont. from p. 1) founding a neo-socialist party in people shared my anger, and the few Germany.) And all Félix’s guests — critical remarks I fielded from people the culturally important jowelly men, who still saw feminism as purely a mat- their Parisianlly-groomed, mute ter of women taking total responsibility younger wives just sat and stared. for every difficulty they fail to overcome Finally the communist philosopher bounced off me.2 Negri graciously replied, “Christa I read I Love Dick in 2016, not in the Woolf is not an intellectual.” late 1990s when it was first published. (I Love Dick, 226-227) And yet it took me months to finish. I felt as if I had been plunged into a spec- Kraus composed her book in the mid- tacle of abjection and for about the first 1990s, which in the US (where she was half of the book wrestled with that feel- mostly living at the time) saw the peak Kraus composed her ing, a feeling that drove me to resist sym- of a backlash to feminism that began pathizing (much less empathizing) with book in the mid-1990s, in the early 1980s and by the mid-90s which in the US (where the narrator. In her resonant foreword, had taught most feminists to either alter “What about Chris?,” Eileen Myles be- she was mostly living their language or shut up altogether — at the time) saw the gins by recalling her sense of despair on which quite a few, unwilling to bow to seeing François Truffaut’s The Story of peak of a backlash to the punishing pressure of the status quo, feminism…. Adele H. (1975). On reading Myles’ de- did. “Women’s liberation” got down- scription, I recalled my own reaction to graded to “feminism” (which sounded the film: I seethed with fury at Truffaut politer and less threatening and implied and, on leaving the theater, turned my that the drive for liberation had become fury into ridicule — not of the character an anachronism); words like “patriar- of Adele (as had the object of Adele H.’s H chy” and “oppression” were made un- attentions), but of Truffaut, for foisting speakable, and words like “agency” and bathos upon her and her story. In the 2 “choice” became paramount declara- film, Adele, Victor Hugo’s daughter, ob- tions that women chose subordination, sessed with a British officer, follows him implying they were therefore already to Halifax. He repudiates and derides liberated, and that anyone who sug- her. Adele descends into destitution and gested that such choices weren’t acts of is ultimately returned to Paris and in- “agency” were thus demeaning women. stitutionalized. Bit by excruciating bit, It was a painful time for me, personally. Truffaut strips her of her humanity (for I still recall the sick feeling I got when abjection is all about stripping its object I read I Love Dick in 2016, I told a new acquaintance who identi- of human dignity). Myles writes: not in the late 1990s when fied as a feminist about my experience it was first published. And as a young composer trying to survive in [B]ut watching I felt she was me…. yet it took me months an exclusively male environment. Only a I just knew in a quiet way I was ru- to finish it. I felt as if I few years earlier Joanna Russ had urged ined. If I agreed to be female. There had been plunged into a me to put my account — and the anger was so much evidence on the screen spectacle of abjection and and in books. I read Doris Lessing for about the first half of I expressed in relating it to her — into in literature class and that depressed the book wrestled with that writing, but this feminist let me know feeling, a feeling that drove that she thought that the take-away the shit out of me too. I just hated me to resist sympathizing lesson for me was the need to take re- reading work by women or about (much less empathizing) sponsibility for myself and my actions women because it always added up with the narrator. and acquire the courage to transcend the same. Loss of self, endless self- the limitations imposed on me. I’d once abnegation even as the female was been deeply ashamed of that experience, trying to be an artist, she wound and this woman’s reaction triggered that 2 You can find the speech, “The old sense of shame. By the time I related Matter of Tongues,” at http://

the experience in my WisCon 32 GoH www.ltimmelduchamp.com/essays/

speech, the “reality” of the mid-90s had thematteroftongues. n

n

that is at the heart of the drive to create. to drive the of heart the at is that glenda-jackson-to-star-as-king-lear/

Cont. on p. 4 p. on Cont.

lack at all when talking about the desire desire the about talking when all at lack www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/actors/

innovation, here, is a refusal to talk about about talk to refusal a is here, innovation, 12 February, 2016 http:// 2016 February, 12 Telegraph The 5

the maternal breast) the Phallus. Chris’s Chris’s Phallus. the breast) maternal the

ultimate legal arbiters. arbiters. legal ultimate

that the lack in question is (when it isn’t isn’t it (when is question in lack the that

sympathy if not active support from the the from support active not if sympathy

complicated. Let’s just say, as shorthand, shorthand, as say, just Let’s complicated.

the perpetrators almost always receive receive always almost perpetrators the

only occasionally anger. anger. occasionally only

Lacan’s discussion of “lack” is extremely extremely is “lack” of discussion Lacan’s 3

cally subordinate to the perpetrators and and perpetrators the to subordinate cally

rouses in most people are are people most in rouses

- politi and socially are victims the that

with on a daily basis, whether or not not or whether basis, daily a on with that a sense of abjection abjection of sense a that

all these spectacles share in common is is common in share spectacles these all

ings that many, many women struggle struggle women many many, that ings abjection, and the feelings feelings the and abjection,

black people in recent US history. What What history. US recent in people black

revels in spectacles of of spectacles in revels - feel and abjection female of heart the

tion has been the continual lynching of of lynching continual the been has tion

The world we live in fairly fairly in live we world The

takes us to to us takes Dick Love I marginalization,

- abjec of spectacle infamous most the

tacle of unrequited love with creative creative with love unrequited of tacle

them in the back as they flee. Surely Surely flee. they as back the in them

- spec the conflating By women.) white tasering unarmed civilians or shooting shooting or civilians unarmed tasering

typically belong to people of color or or color of people to belong typically have videos of police officers beating or or beating officers police of videos have

“deserve” attention. (And such voices voices such (And attention. “deserve” trophies of Abu Ghraib? And now we we now And Ghraib? Abu of trophies

of abjection. Remember the photo photo the Remember abjection. of crazy” or “too shrill” or “too angry” to to angry” “too or shrill” “too or crazy”

are not the only objects of spectacles spectacles of objects only the not are to. Such a voice is typically either “too “too either typically is voice a Such to.

perpetrator feel powerful. But women women But powerful. feel perpetrator challenging or uncomfortable to listen listen to uncomfortable or challenging

spectacle of female abjection to make its its make to abjection female of spectacle

speaks in a voice most people find too too find people most voice a in speaks

is often deployed precisely to enact a a enact to precisely deployed often is

that inevitably confronts creativity that that creativity confronts inevitably that

the likelihood that sexual harassment harassment sexual that likelihood the

it is about a certain sort of rejection rejection of sort certain a about is it

with glee. And also please consider consider please also And glee. with

and not get that that get not and Dick Love I read could

rapes that so many young men share share men young many so that rapes

uncomfortable to listen to. listen to uncomfortable

any woman who does creative work work creative does who woman any

l the videos of gang- of videos the l al of think Just 4 find too challenging or or challenging too find

a generative, creative impulse. I doubt doubt I impulse. creative generative, a

in a voice most people people most voice a in

tragedy if the king were female and the the and female were king the if tragedy

desire as “lack.” as desire Desire, Chris asserts, is is asserts, Chris Desire,

creativity that speaks speaks that creativity

3

be a a be Lear Would staged. be will it how

3

that Lacan was wrong when he defined defined he when wrong was Lacan that

that inevitably confronts confronts inevitably that

open in October 2016; it’s not clear yet yet clear not it’s 2016; October in open

in fact Chris more than once declares declares once than more Chris fact in certain sort of rejection rejection of sort certain

parently appearing in a production set to to set production a in appearing parently

i and her world’s rejection of them. And And them. of rejection world’s her and get that it is about a a about is it that get

to appeal to me.” to appeal to - ap is Jackson Glenda

and not not and Dick Love I read novels and films she is driven to make make to driven is she films and novels

5

the time. “But soon its absurdity began began absurdity its soon “But time. the

does creative work could could work creative does for her offers a clear parallel for the the for parallel clear a offers her for

The idea was so outrageous,” she said at at said she outrageous,” so was idea The

I doubt any woman who who woman any doubt I desire for Dick along with his disdain disdain his with along Dick for desire

son] first asked me to do Lear, I laughed. laughed. I Lear, do to me asked first son]

whom he admires and respects. Chris’s Chris’s respects. and admires he whom

- [Wil Bob “When remarked, she 80, of

Chris is as a conduit to her husband, husband, her to conduit a as is Chris

anne Hoppe played the role at the age age the at role the played Hoppe anne

ally sneered at. Dick’s main interest in in interest main Dick’s at. sneered ally

- Mari when though woman, a by played

- continu are films her narrative, the out

occasionally been been occasionally has Lear course Of

- Through (Dick). theorist cultural a and

fe be to agreed I If ruined. was I male.” male.”

with her intellectual husband (Sylvère) (Sylvère) husband intellectual her with

Myles did? “I just knew in a quiet way way quiet a in knew just “I did? Myles

men, caught up in a strange triangle triangle strange a in up caught men,

Lear Lear watching someone ine reacting as as reacting

tual and artistic milieu that values only only values that milieu artistic and tual

ultation in transgression. Can you imag you Can transgression. in ultation -

relentlessly marginalized by an intellec an by marginalized relentlessly -

- ex or tragedy for subject a typically is

depicts a woman artist, Chris, who is is who Chris, artist, woman a depicts

pends. White male abjection, in fiction, fiction, in abjection, male White pends. men….

the first 117 pages of the book, which which book, the of pages 117 first the

milieu that values only only values that milieu ism on which our sense of abjection de abjection of sense our which on ism -

took me a very long time to get through through get to time long very a me took

intellectual and artistic artistic and intellectual

distract us from the hierarchical dual hierarchical the from us distract -

abjection is painful to watch. And so it it so And watch. to painful is abjection

marginalized by an an by marginalized

ing with the perpetrators) on the other other the on perpetrators) the with ing

to strip artifice of artifice’” (13). Female Female (13). artifice’” of artifice strip to

Chris, who is relentlessly relentlessly is who Chris,

or defensiveness (felt for those identify those for (felt defensiveness or -

Carl Dreyer’s exhortation to use ‘artifice ‘artifice use to exhortation Dreyer’s Carl

depicts a woman artist, artist, woman a depicts

(for those identifying with the victims) victims) the with identifying those (for

tion and in its fashion it reminds me of of me reminds it fashion its in and tion

pages of the book, which which book, the of pages

ings of shame and fear on the one hand hand one the on fear and shame of ings

get through the first 117 117 first the through get - abjec female in study remarkable a is

people are only occasionally anger. Feel anger. occasionally only are people -

me a very long time to to time long very a me And so, Myles writes, “ writes, Myles so, And I Love Dick Dick Love I

that a sense of abjection rouses in most most in rouses abjection of sense a that to watch. And so it took took it so And watch. to

it has, right here in this book. (13) book. this in here right has, it spectacles of abjection, of spectacles and the feelings feelings the and

Female abjection is painful painful is abjection Female

4

When would this end. Remarkably Remarkably end. this would When The world we live in fairly revels in in revels fairly in live we world The

some man. A Marxist guy, perhaps. perhaps. guy, Marxist A man. some who doesn’t take them seriously. them take doesn’t who

they feel unrequited love for someone someone for love unrequited feel they on waiting desperate, pregnant, up Sometimes Anger Is the daughters sons? Is the world ready to ac- Harbury, Hannah Wilke, and the figure Necessary Response cept that a woman’s madness, whatever of “the personal” (which is repeatedly the (cont. from p. 3) the cause, could be a legitimate source pretext for imposing silence on unwant- of literary tragedy? Or that the story of ed voices). Anger and defiance have long a woman’s destitution at the hands of been taken as an emotion and attitude her adult sons could ever be perceived as that disqualifies speech (public or private, anything but maternal sacrifice or ma- scholarly or creative). But anger and de- ternal foolishness and thus a different fiance, I assert, are essential for burning kind of story altogether? Presumably, through the shame of abjection. The ex- since this play itself, however it is staged, perience of abjection is smothering. And The experience of abjection must always be viewed through the without breath, one cannot speak. When is smothering. And without prism of a half-millennium-old institu- people tell those who react with anger to breath, one cannot speak. tion named “Shakespeare,” Glenda Jack- a spectacle of abjection that their anger son’s Lear might reasonably constitute is inappropriate, they’re basically wish- an exception. Ever hopeful, I tell myself ing they could shut them up and reduce that surely exceptions can sometimes be them to the fear and shame that are the a foot in the door (however poorly ex- only other responses available to them. ceptions have served women throughout And fear and shame, it should be obvi- European history). But, claiming an ex- ous, can only lead to disavowal and the ception that proves the rule still seems to averting of one’s gaze from abuse. set us a long way to go to render female In A Room of One’s Own, Virginia abjection as tragedy rather than a gro- Woolf famously deprecated Charlotte tesque obscenity (or absurdity), attract- Brontë’s anger, suggesting it diminished ing sneering rubberneckers on the one her art. And yet, all that playfulness in hand and causing women to avert their Woolf ’s essay in fact courts the defiance gaze in disavowal on the other. and anger of the women listening to or H In the second half of I Love Dick, I reading it. The very beginning of the es- discovered something in it that makes say is a provocation: the narrator has a 4 its tale of female abjection stand out Big Thought that she then loses because from those that, like Adele H., implicitly she is for a moment unconscious of the indict female insanity and foolishness prerogatives of male privilege and wan- for a woman’s failure to know her place ders onto turf that she, a mere woman, and stay in it. That nameless something is forbidden to trespass upon. She then provoked in me anger and recognition imagines the constant stream of gold of something large and important, giv- coins that has built a bastion of privilege ing me a sense of what lies below the that women are barred from. Later, in surface of the iceberg of institutional perhaps the most famous moment of the I understood that Woolf oppression that the VIDA and annual essay, she imagines a talented sister for found her own anger SF Count manifest. Joan Hawkins nails Shakespeare who comes to a sad, sorry beyond scary and left it it when she raises the issue of who gets end. “For it needs little skill in psychol- at that. But on further to speak and about what — those are ogy to be sure that a highly gifted girl consideration I don’t the real questions that still drive femi- who had tried to use her gift for poetry believe for a second that nism all right. (And those are still the would have been so thwarted and hin- Woolf got to that playful tone without going through questions that drive the fight against dered by other people, so tortured and seriously felt anger first. racism.) What I characterize as a “name- pulled asunder by her own contrary in- less something” is a provocation to an- stincts, that she must have lost her health ger embedded in the text; apparently, and sanity to a certainty” (51). How, I though, it is too subtle for people who have to wonder, did Woolf expect her don’t already have that question on their women readers to react to that? (I’m sure lips (perhaps in the same way in which she thought male readers would express some men, in psychological studies, find pity while feeling scorn or skepticism at it difficult to see anger in women’s faces). any woman’s ability, much as certain male

This provocation emerges gradually, as writers still openly do today.) Would

Chris writes about Guatemala, Jennifer they be bemused, and say to themselves, n

n

TV, and pop culture. pop and TV,

inspired by classic films, films, classic by inspired

on a book of poems poems of book a on

She is working working is She Dieselpunk.

The Mammoth Book of of Book Mammoth The

men and monsters quail before her decibels her before quail monsters and men

and and inkscrawl, Delirium,

unscathed horror the through way her makes she

Interfictions, Mythic Mythic Interfictions,

relief comic of guise the in Strange Horizons, Horizons, Strange as

in such publications publications such in

and fiction have appeared appeared have fiction and her blistering shriek the only weapon she needs she weapon only the shriek blistering her

Los Angeles. Her poetry poetry Her Angeles. Los

range in else everyone and

Gwynne Garfinkle lives in in lives Garfinkle Gwynne

Man Invisible the

Monster Frankenstein’s of

eardrums the splits and mouth her opens she

not pretty, no damsel in distress in damsel no pretty, not

features bird-like sharp, with

Belfast from woman diminutive a

fifties her in she’s

Garfinkle Gwynne by

Una O’Connor unleashes her scream her unleashes O’Connor Una

5

i

don’t think these can be separated. separated. be can these think don’t York, 1957. York,

with who gets to speak and about what. I I what. about and speak to gets who with Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New New Jovanovich, Brace Harcourt

is intertwined in a very complicated way way complicated very a in intertwined is A Room of One’s Own. Own. One’s of Room A Woolf, Virginia

their gaze from the issue. And the issue issue the And issue. the from gaze their

Los Angeles, 2006. Angeles, Los

in which women did their best to avert avert to best their did women which in

Semiotext(e), Semiotext(e), Dick. Love I Kraus, Chris

this all anew, after a couple of decades decades of couple a after anew, all this

of the twenty-first century we know know we century twenty-first the of

just been released. been just

Works Cited Works

feeling, lately, that in the second decade decade second the in that lately, feeling, , has has , World Waterdancer’s

against women is important. I’ve been been I’ve important. is women against

The The novel, new Her then anger is necessary. necessary. is anger then

. . Home at Never and is important. We know that violence violence that know We important. is

of it. If we need to be angry to do that, that, do to angry be to need we If it. of

, , Time in Dancing Body,

We know that sexual harassment harassment sexual that know We

remove the iceberg until we can see more more see can we until iceberg the remove

Love’s Love’s Cycle, Marq’ssan

out to feel either shame or rage.) rage.) or shame either feel to out

is still with us. But we won’t be able to to able be won’t we But us. with still is

is the author of the the of author the is

then sometimes I’m just quiet, too worn worn too quiet, just I’m sometimes then

mind us that the problem (or “question”) “question”) (or problem the that us mind

L. Timmel Duchamp Duchamp Timmel L.

that of rage with all its certainty. (And (And certainty. its all with rage of that nation. Our clear views of the surface re surface the of views clear Our nation. -

ruined. If I agreed to be female”) and and female”) be to agreed I If ruined. And that is what we need: more illumi more need: we what is that And -

tween the state Myles describes (“I was was (“I describes Myles state the tween only questions,” as Joan Hawkins puts it. it. puts Hawkins Joan as questions,” only

first. Myself, I’ve repeatedly swung be swung repeatedly I’ve Myself, first. - as completely different illuminates “the “the illuminates different completely as

out going through seriously felt anger anger felt seriously through going out ously and unrequited love unrequited and ously usually seen seen usually —

that Woolf got to that playful tone with tone playful that to got Woolf that - tion a refusal to take her work seri work her take to refusal a — -

consideration I don’t believe for a second second a for believe don’t I consideration conflation of two experiences of abjec of experiences two of conflation -

scary and left it at that. But on further further on But that. at it left and scary of One’s Own Own One’s of did). Kraus’s insightful insightful Kraus’s did).

Woolf found her own anger beyond beyond anger own her found Woolf ity of marginalization (just as as (just marginalization of ity A Room Room A

warning against anger. I understood that that understood I anger. against warning invisible, apparently agentless brutal agentless apparently invisible, -

For a long time, I was fooled by Woolf ’s ’s Woolf by fooled was I time, long a For ration of abjection confronts us with the the with us confronts abjection of ration

had to be a man. How very interesting! interesting! very How man. a be to had - elabo its but violence, physical graphic

I Love Dick Dick Love I offers up no scenes of of scenes no up offers Oh, yes, that explains why Shakespeare Shakespeare why explains that yes, Oh, y The Girl We Forgot (and Really Shouldn’t Have) Sarah Zettel on Speak of the Devil and Other Works by Elisabeth Sanxay Holding Speak of the Devil/The Obstinate Murderer by Elisabeth Sanxay Holding, Stark House Press, 220 pp., $17.95.

I will not the first person to observe You can tell as much that we are in the middle of a literary love about a society by what affair with Bad Girls. We are devouring it condemns as you can their stories whether they are gone, or on by what it praises. Maybe a train, or even when they are just Emma more. And in a genre that Clune’s The Girls. Women are writing focuses on discovery and about transgressive women — women who punishment, you can tell commit violent and other socially unac- a whole lot by who it kills, ceptable acts, sometimes because they and who it allows to get are victims of violence, sometimes just… away, and when, and why. because. These books are topping best- sellers lists and, like success always does, spawning dozens of imitators. Leaving aside the linguistic debate ity second to none. Patricia Highsmith about using the word “girl” to refer to is the author of several murder set-ups adult female human beings, it is worth that have become linguistic shorthand. it to the feminist scholar, or just plain Talk about “a strangers on a train sce- reader, to take a look at crime fiction and nario,” and people will know what you how the women in the genre, whether mean. Many of the authors who brought H transgressive, or heroic, are portrayed. us that durable, dramatic, dark subgenre You can tell as much about a society by of “noir” fiction were (are) women, like 6 what it condemns as you can by what Dorothy B. Hughes (In a Lonely Place) it praises. Maybe more. And in a genre or Lenore Glen Offord (Skeleton Key) that focuses on discovery and punish- writing about cold, closed-off enigmatic ment, you can tell a whole lot by whom men, frequently through the eyes of the it kills, and whom it allows to get away, women who were their victims, their and when, and why. partners, or, occasionally, their saviors. Transgressive women are popular char­ Then there is Elizabeth Sanxay acters in the broad genre category of Holding. “crime fiction.” What’s notable about Who? this fresh batch is the way the transgres- Yeah, I’d never heard of her either, that sive women/girls are portrayed. They are is until I read Sarah Weinman’s fantastic being written about as complex figures, anthology Troubled Daughters, Twisted even when they are the villains. Their Wives. In there, among the other gems, motives, and their pathologies, are going I found a story called, “The Stranger in way beyond the old crazy mom/femme the Car.” I was fascinated. Hooked. Here fatale/woman scorned stereotypes. And was a perspective, a humanity, a level of the world of suspense and crime writing intrigue I did not know existed in clas- is sitting up and paying attention. This, it sic noir and crime fiction, not to men- senses, is something new. tion some flat-out fantastic prose. I ran But is it all that new? Actually, no. (okay, I walked really fast) over to my lo- The history of women’s participation cal mystery book shop and asked if they in the multifaceted genre of crime fic- had anything more by this woman I’d tion is long, broad, and deep. Agatha never heard of. I was presented with an

Grandmother Magma Christie is still often referred to as the old Ace Double and a couple of reprints,

Queen of Mystery. Her sales record is which I devoured, and came away more

unassailable, and her ongoing popular- of a fan girl (there we are with the girl n

n

not necessarily advertise, and is clearly clearly is and advertise, necessarily not . Devil the of Speak Read question. no is

Cont. on p. 8 p. on Cont.

a number of languages, a fact she does does she fact a languages, of number a fiction enthusiast should seek out, there there out, seek should enthusiast fiction

tify, not even to the reader. She speaks speaks She reader. the to even not tify, terms of which book a feminist crime crime feminist a book which of terms

- jus or explain, to compulsion no feels two halves of a double volume, but in in but volume, double a of halves two

off. She has a full, active life that she she that life active full, a has She off. . I read them as as them read I . Murderer Obstinate The

Fernandez firmly and ably. She’s closed closed She’s ably. and firmly Fernandez and and Devil the of Speak pair the Take

or justify… or

first meet her she is dealing with Mr. Mr. with dealing is she her meet first

sub-genres. no compulsion to explain, explain, to compulsion no

single, independent woman. When we we When woman. independent single, novels covered the whole range of crime crime of range whole the covered novels active life that she feels feels she that life active

Miss Peterson captivated me. She’s a a She’s me. captivated Peterson Miss ably.… She has a full, full, a has She ably.… is she refused to be confined. Her crime crime Her confined. be to refused she is

ing to risk hunting down the murderer. the down hunting risk to ing Fernandez firmly and and firmly Fernandez one of the many reasons I love Holding Holding love I reasons many the of one

- go is she whom, for and how, and when she is dealing with Mr. Mr. with dealing is she current spate of popular “girl” books. But But books. “girl” popular of spate current

When we first meet her her meet first we When

she is caught up quickly, and must decide decide must and quickly, up caught is she can be seen as direct predecessors of the the of predecessors direct as seen be can

independent woman. woman. independent and does not want to take the risks, but but risks, the take to want not does and

As such, a number, of Holding’s works works Holding’s of number, a such, As

me. She’s a single, single, a She’s me. involved, does not see it as her business, business, her as it see not does involved,

er intimately, or at least think they do. do. they think least at or intimately, er

Miss Peterson captivated captivated Peterson Miss

She does not particularly like the people people the like particularly not does She

- oth each know who characters between

terson tries to remain aloof from events. events. from aloof remain to tries terson

home and is driven by the relationships relationships the by driven is and home

- Pe Miss murder. the comes then and

that happens in the private sphere of the the of sphere private the in happens that

indeed. And then comes the hurricane, hurricane, the comes then And indeed.

Domestic suspense is stories of crime crime of stories is suspense Domestic

over who is acting very, very strangely strangely very very, acting is who over

into the realm of “domestic suspense.” suspense.” “domestic of realm the into

the young woman whose job she’s taken taken she’s job whose woman young the

Much of Holding’s work falls solidly solidly falls work Holding’s of Much

are acting strangely, and then there is is there then and strangely, acting are

writer of them all.” them of writer

wrong in the hotel. Some of the guests guests the of Some hotel. the in wrong

Chandler called her “the top suspense suspense top “the her called Chandler

anyway. But something is very clearly clearly very is something But anyway.

own. How good was she? Raymond Raymond she? was good How own.

eventually, eventually, — to take no for an answer an for no take to

where she truly came into her creative creative her into came truly she where

add. Very unusually, he’s mostly willing willing mostly he’s unusually, Very add.

more lucrative mystery genre. That was was That genre. mystery lucrative more

of Mr. Fernandez himself, I hasten to to hasten I himself, Fernandez Mr. of 7

she turned to the more popular and and popular more the to turned she

soon has cause to regret it. Not because because Not it. regret to cause has soon

help support herself and her husband, husband, her and herself support help

accepts, more or less on a whim, and and whim, a on less or more accepts, i

no longer sell her mainstream work. To To work. mainstream her sell longer no

hotel on a small Caribbean Island. She She Island. Caribbean small a on hotel

But when the Depression hit, she could could she hit, Depression the when But

on offering her a hostessing job in his his in job hostessing a her offering on

lomat and traveled the world with him. him. with world the traveled and lomat

love and proposals of marriage, settles settles marriage, of proposals and love

- Dip British a Holding, George married

she skillfully deflects his declarations of of declarations his deflects skillfully she

heavy and have not aged gracefully). She She gracefully). aged not have and heavy

ing Spaniard, Mr. Fernandez, who, after after who, Fernandez, Mr. Spaniard, ing

Whartonesque stuff, but they’re pretty pretty they’re but stuff, Whartonesque

- charm a meets She change. a for ing

els (I’ve read a couple. Interesting Edith Edith Interesting couple. a read (I’ve els - look restless, she’s own, her on She’s job.

- nov mainstream several published and Peterson is sailing to Havana to take a a take to Havana to sailing is Peterson

early, and as a young woman she wrote wrote she woman young a as and early, opens, Miss Miss opens, Devil the of Speak When

able to follow her ambition to be a writer writer a be to ambition her follow to able tirely off guard. guard. off tirely

a solid liberal arts education and was was and education arts liberal solid a

published in 1942, that I was caught en caught was I that 1942, in published -

them all.” them

nineteenth century, in Brooklyn. She got got She Brooklyn. in century, nineteenth pected, especially for a book originally originally book a for especially pected,

top suspense writer of of writer suspense top

Elisabeth Sanxay was born in the late late the in born was Sanxay Elisabeth novel with abandon. She was so unex so was She abandon. with novel -

Chandler called her “the “the her called Chandler

So, who was she? she? was who So,

Peterson who caused me to dive into this this into dive to me caused who Peterson good was she? Raymond Raymond she? was good

character, Miss Peterson. It was Miss Miss was It Peterson. Miss character, her creative own. How How own. creative her

featuring two novels in one volume. one in novels two featuring

straight for Lauren Bacall as the main main the as Bacall Lauren for straight where she truly came into into came truly she where

editions, each, like that old Ace Double, Double, Ace old that like each, editions, mystery genre. That was was That genre. mystery In fact, if I was casting this, I’d go go I’d this, casting was I if fact, In

print. These are very nice trade paperback paperback trade nice very are These print. popular and more lucrative lucrative more and popular . Sleep Big The

busy bringing Holding’s work back into into back work Holding’s bringing busy turned to the more more the to turned or or Falcon Maltese The say in, dialogue the

and her husband, she she husband, her and dent publisher, Stark House Press, is is Press, House Stark publisher, dent modern ear, but no worse than some of of some than worse no but ear, modern

To help support herself herself support help To

the really good news, that an indepen an that news, good really the - dialogue will come across as stilted to the the to stilted as across come will dialogue

Then I got the good news, and I mean mean I and news, good the got I Then novella rather than a novel. Some of the the of Some novel. a than rather novella

few ebooks available, but not many. many. not but available, ebooks few standards as well. Today, we’d call it a a it call we’d Today, well. as standards

used or decades out of print. There are a a are There print. of out decades or used ern crime novel. It’s short by modern modern by short It’s novel. crime ern

I had in my hands were either heavily heavily either were hands my in had I is not as in-depth a book as a mod a as book a in-depth as not is Devil -

thing again) than ever. But the books books the But ever. than again) thing From the point of view of the prose, prose, the of view of point the From The Girl We Forgot very ­over-qualified for the position she’s ing’s domestic suspense. As in those oth- (cont. from p. 7) offered at the hotel. She’s traveling on er books, the people who encounter Miss her own, for her own reasons, which she Peterson are constantly attempting to as- likewise feels no reason to justify. She has sign her a specific role — lover, victim, or no hesitation in making her own sexual fool depending on how they meet her or and romantic judgments. She trusts her what they want from her. She spends the In short, Miss Peterson personal evaluations of the men she book deflecting, resisting, and ultimately is a hardboiled detective. All she lacks is the dingy might be romantically interested in, and defying their categorizations. She will be office and the bottle of of anyone else. She has a dry wit that her own person: flawed yes; frightened, rye in the bottom drawer. she can wield like a stiletto when she frequently; strong, always. Neither of which are her chooses. She operates using a mix of ex- Speaking of categorization, it’s impor- style. She has more money perience, cold logic, and instinct. She is tant to say something here about Hold- than private dicks usually physically brave, and she is compassion- ing’s presentation of people of color. do, not to mention better ate, although not always demonstrative, People of color play a part in a number taste. And anyway, she but she also gets angry, tired, frightened of Holding’s books. She does not draw drinks gin and tonic. when there is something to fear, and them as fully as she draws her European sometimes she drinks too much. characters. They are all supporting play- Oh, and she knows how to shoot, and ers, such as the staff at the hotel where she is not afraid to pull the trigger. Miss Peterson finds herself in Speak of In short, Miss Peterson is a hardboiled the Devil. They work, they run errands detective. All she lacks is the dingy of- and provide the occasional local insight, fice and the bottle of rye in the bottom but not much more. Holding does not, drawer. Neither of which are her style. however, descend into cruelty, mockery, She has more money than private dicks or racial stereotype. She acknowledges usually do, not to mention better taste. individuality and a personal agenda that And anyway, she drinks gin and tonic. can be in conflict with the dominant H This makes her very different from white characters without being detri- Holding’s heroines of her other brilliant mental or unreasonable, and no charac- 8 novels, The Blank Wall, or, The Old Bat- ter is simply clownish. There is a blessed tle Axe. Those two are solidly domestic absence of attempt at phonetically ren- suspense, and as such very much worth dering dialect. All of this means that her exploring. There is debate in feminist books have aged much better than some circles about stories of crime and sus- other works of the era that are consid- pense that take place mainly inside the ered classic. domestic sphere. These tend to be, no I’ll warn you though, not all of Hold- surprise, mainly written by women. Is ing’s work is a series of lost gems. The These women are each this another pink collar book ghetto? I’d second story in the volume I have, The overlooked and devalued say no. It’s something more, or at least it Obstinate Murderer, does not hold up by those around them, is in the hands of someone like Hold- nearly as well. I said it before and I’ll say seen only in terms of ing. Her domestic suspense is about the it again: read Speak of the Devil. Read The what they can do for strength and the individuality of women Innocent Miss Duff, The Blank Wall, and others, or how they get in who have been slotted into specific roles, The Old Battle Axe. Turn up your coat the way of those others. dutiful middle-class wife in The Blank collar and pull down the brim of your fe- But when the safe world Wall, and spinster aunt in The Old Battle dora, and lock the door. It’s going to be a of home and family Axe. These women are each overlooked dark and stormy night. breaks apart, it is these and devalued by those around them, women who fight back, fight through, and win. seen only in terms of what they can do for others, or how they get in the way of Sarah Zettel is an award-winning, those others. But when the safe world of bestselling, multi-genre author home and family breaks apart, it is these with enough pen names to women who fight back, fight through, populate a small village. When she and win. is not writing, she hikes, cooks,

And yet Miss Peterson has one point reads, and tries to keep up with her

in common with the women of Hold- rapidly growing son. n

n

. Horizons Strange

senior poetry editor for for editor poetry senior

. She is currently a a currently is She . Signs

Ghost Ghost is collection latest

multiple venues. Her Her venues. multiple

poetry has appeared in in appeared has poetry

fiction and award-winning award-winning and fiction

Sonya Taaffe’s short short Taaffe’s Sonya

holding light. holding

like a hand within a hand a within hand a like

resting within one shared shadow shared one within resting

we are not ghosts not are we

and even at stars’ distance from one another’s minds another’s one from distance stars’ at even and

we were not dead not were we

and when we came together down the snow the down together came we when and

we were living were we

When you held me on the ice the on me held you When

or Rose Lemberg Rose or f

Taaffe Sonya by

The Other Lives Other The

9

see where that gets you. gets that where see i

You try saying no to the Earth Mother, Earth the to no saying try You

You see too late the bull, the storm surge, the bicyclist. the surge, storm the bull, the late too see You

white as teeth through windshield glass. windshield through teeth as white

where the shaking wave slams wave shaking the where

you take the road by the headland the by road the take you

the fastest sports car, sports fastest the

You drive the fairest colts, fairest the drive You

boys like the trembling stillness of wild hares. wild of stillness trembling the like boys

like uncut apples, uncut like

Girls leave their hearts in your hand your in hearts their leave Girls

wrestle the stronger challenger laughing to the dust. the to laughing challenger stronger the wrestle

You sling the farthest-sailing discus, farthest-sailing the sling You

your finger with stamp-seal gold. stamp-seal with finger your

collar your throat with beaded crystal, beaded with throat your collar

You shine your hair with olive leaves and oils, and leaves olive with hair your shine You

Taaffe Sonya by A Death of Hippolytos of Death A y The High Cost of Eternal Living The Apothecary’s Curse, by Barbara Barnett, Pyr, October 2016, 340 pp., $17. reviewed by J.M. Sidorova

Dr. Simon Bell has a death wish. His wish is practically impossible to fulfill due The author’s biology to an honest error made by Mr. Gaelan background and her care Erceldoune, his longtime frenemy. The for accurate representation spirited Lady Elizabeth is a sister to Si- of the life sciences mon and the love of Gaelan’s life. And are unmistakable; as Gaelan… Gaelan is hundreds of years a practicing molecular biologist, I can put a old. And deeply traumatized. stamp of approval on the Part Victorian romance, part phar- nerd talk that surrounds maceutical thriller, Barbara Barnett’s the novel’s genetic and The Apothecary’s Curse is a likeable and medical mystery. entertaining read indeed. There are the beloved tropes: a book of ancient wis- dom, a villainous corporation hell-bent From that point on, Barnett effectively on human experimentation, a curse th juxtaposes narrative pieces from the 19 of immortality and a quest to reverse st and 21 centuries and succeeds in having it. There are love and darkness, faerie her readers stay just a step ahead of the myths and glimpses of depravity. Barnett characters in putting the puzzle pieces deftly ties it all together with the help together. Most of the time this adds to of some nicely twisted strands of alche- the suspense and grips you with concern H my and pharmacology and a couple of for the characters’ well-being; only on a well-placed loops of DNA. The author’s 10 couple of occasions toward the end may biology background and her care for it cause some impatient fidgeting, some accurate representation of the life sci- wondering why the characters still don’t ences are unmistakable; as a practicing “get it.” molecular biologist, I can put a stamp of It seems to me that the Victorian part approval on the nerd talk that surrounds of the book is where the author’s heart the novel’s genetic and medical mystery. dwells most eagerly, relishing a swish of The opening drops us into 1912 Lon- a gown here, a diaphanous sleeve there: don and into the middle of a dinner with small, confined tête-à-tête scenes. The Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and what we settings are just traced, more a nod to easily recognize as your classic British the images we already have in our minds dinner conversation as recreated for us if we’ve ever watched a single period in books and movies, complete with the drama. And that is quite all right, be- awkward remarks of a not-so-smart but cause more than half the fun, one real- perky Lady Such-and-such. Sherlock izes, reading, is in observing ladies and Holmes is mentioned, but this does seem gentlemen get tangled up in the tenets to be but a vignette. The story unfolds in of propriety and upbringing while trying a direction that barely touches Conan to communicate. Ah, where else can the Doyle or his detective. After a few pages plot pivot so heart-wrenchingly upon the thick with mentions of events, relations, inability of the Lady X to tell something and grievances we are not yet privy to, to Mr. Y? The tell-don’t-show dialogue of we get to the main trunk of the story — hints, telltale understatements (I ought to a dark night in London, 1837, when take a walk means I am about to have a

Reviews Dr. Bell convinces Mr. Erceldoune, an meltdown), and luscious verbal descrip-

apothecary, to make a salve for his dy- tions of one’s emotion instead of actual

ing wife. emoting, titillates the reader and fills her n

n

, Madeline Galbraith Madeline , Scape

. . www.jmsidorova.com

Learn more about her at at her about more Learn

West Writers Workshop. Workshop. Writers West

graduate of the Clarion Clarion the of graduate

Schuster, 2013). She’s a a She’s 2013). Schuster,

(Scribner/Simon & & (Scribner/Simon Ice

11

The Age of of Age The novel the and

speculative fiction stories stories fiction speculative

i and author of several several of author and

biomedical scientist scientist biomedical

Russian-American Russian-American

J.M. Sidorova is a a is Sidorova J.M.

steps she takes to act on her attraction attraction her on act to takes she steps with them. them. with

MD, PhD MD, less convincing, the hasty hasty the convincing, less — , will be very pleased pleased very be will , Zone Subduction dia

introduced love interest love introduced Anne Shawe, Shawe, Anne — - Casca The of readers including readers,

tions appears rushed, and the newly newly the and rushed, appears tions of her ending. But I am sure that many many that sure am I But ending. her of

- sec these in narrative the of flow The a happy, heart-shaped dot over every “i” “i” every over dot heart-shaped happy, a

tive than those from the 19 the from those than tive century. century. not fond of the author’s decision to put put to decision author’s the of fond not

th

that take place in 2016 seem less effec less seem 2016 in place take that - will be mere repetition. I personally was was personally I repetition. mere be will reader…. reader….

that of the past, the parts of the novel novel the of parts the past, the of that elsewhere in the novel, while for others it it others for while novel, the in elsewhere emoting, titillates the the titillates emoting,

present is more detailed and rich than than rich and detailed more is present emotion instead of actual actual of instead emotion will find a delightful symmetry to events events to symmetry delightful a find will

descriptions of one’s one’s of descriptions Perhaps because one’s image of the the of image one’s because Perhaps in hindsight. In the story’s ending some some ending story’s the In hindsight. in

and luscious verbal verbal luscious and blood flows copiously. copiously. flows blood a glitch and is narrated quite briefly, or or briefly, quite narrated is and glitch a

understatements…, understatements…,

lam, where scalpels are wielded and and wielded are scalpels where lam, been made, its execution goes without without goes execution its made, been

dialogue of hints, telltale telltale hints, of dialogue

for sufferers of psychiatric illness, Bed illness, psychiatric of sufferers for -

acters plan a solution. Once the plan has has plan the Once solution. a plan acters

Y? The tell-don’t-show tell-don’t-show The Y?

the basement of the notorious hospital hospital notorious the of basement the nett takes care only in having her char her having in only care takes nett -

to tell something to Mr. Mr. to something tell to

gardens alone; no, it also ventures into into ventures also it no, alone; gardens

2016 as well as in the 19 the in as well as 2016 - Bar century,

inability of the Lady X X Lady the of inability

th

narrative stays in bedrooms and rose rose and bedrooms in stays narrative once he turns up, is ready to be duped. In In duped. be to ready is up, turns he once

wrenchingly upon the the upon wrenchingly

Which is not to say that Barnett’s Barnett’s that say to not is Which

resolution all-too-easy, and the villain, villain, the and all-too-easy, resolution plot pivot so heart- so pivot plot

usual when the lovers finally oblige. oblige. finally lovers the when usual buildup of pressure seems real, but the the but real, seems pressure of buildup Ah, where else can the the can else where Ah,

arms. And it is thrice as satisfactory as as satisfactory as thrice is it And arms. to get to know each other, maybe. The The maybe. other, each know to get to

verbiage and finally fall into each other’s other’s each into fall finally and verbiage I just want to give them a bit more time time more bit a them give to want just I

lovers break through the brambles of of brambles the through break lovers I want them to get together, together, get to them want I — me wrong me

that the prospective prospective the that — wish single a with to Gaelan a touch arbitrary. Do not get get not Do arbitrary. touch a Gaelan to y The Good Kind of Disturbing Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene, by Donna J. Haraway Duke University Press, September 2016, 304 pp., Paperback $ 26.95; ebook $26.95; cloth $ 94.95 reviewed by Nancy Jane Moore

Donna Haraway, author of such titles fixing what we can and adapting to what Her work is difficult as Simians, Cyborgs, and Women and Pri- we cannot, learning to speak for the dead because she makes the mate Visions, is notorious for producing and dying, and recognizing that no indi- reader think deeply about everything she says. She difficult work. While “difficult” is a com- vidual nor group nor even species has all repurposes old words, mon complaint about academic writers, the answers. invents new ones, and it usually means an overwrought style There are many important words Ha- moves complex ideas and insider language. That’s not what raway uses in this complex work for our across disciplinary lines. makes Haraway challenging. Her work “disturbing times” — “trouble” derives is difficult because she makes the reader from the Old French “trubler,” which think deeply about everything she says. means “to disturb.” Critters — pointedly She repurposes old words, invents new not “creatures” — “refers promiscuously ones, and moves complex ideas across to microbes, plants, animals, humans and disciplinary lines. The result is material nonhumans, and sometimes even to ma- that differs — sometimes slightly, but of- chines.” Kin means much more than the ten radically — from accepted wisdom. other humans to whom we are related by In reading Haraway, we cannot cheat blood; Haraway challenges the reader to by trying to graft a similar, maybe sim- make kin across not just various human pler, idea onto what she says. We must lines, but across species ones as well — pay attention to every word she uses oddkin, to use her term. H and re-think everything we bring to “[E]arthlings are never alone,” Har- her work. Or, to use one of Haraway’s away writes in her chapter on sympoiesis 12 words, we must take response-ability and symbiogenesis. Sympoiesis means for our reading. “making with,” she explains, but her ex- Staying with the Trouble is no excep- panded use of it and incorporation of tion. Rather than use Anthropocene the concept of symbiogenesis makes a or Capitalocene to define the current powerful argument for everything be- and coming era of the Earth, Haraway ing connected on a multitude of levels. calls it the Chthulucene. This name is Much of this section of the book looks not drawn from Lovecraft (who used a at several projects where art and science different spelling), but is rather a refer- interconnect. Never Alone is the English Staying with the Trouble ence to “the diverse earthwide tentacular name for Kisima Ingitchuna, a computer doesn’t mean enduring the powers and forces,” also serving as a pro- world game developed in collaboration changes that will come; vocative and descriptive word “for the with the Inupiats, who are Native Alas- it means working with dynamic, ongoing symchthonic forces kans, but the common use of the words them, fixing what we can and powers of which people are a part, applies as well. and adapting to what we within which ongoingness is at stake.” Haraway manages to weave in such cannot, learning to speak for the dead and dying, Along with this creative approach to diverse elements as an xkcd cartoon on and recognizing that no naming this age, she emphasizes that an orchid that looks like a now-extinct individual nor group nor we need to make kin rather than babies female bee (explained by Randall Mun- even species has all the and that the kin should not be limited to roe as “an idea of what the female bee answers. human beings. With these approaches, looked like to the male bee…as inter- Haraway forces us to look at climate preted by a plant”), the crochet coral reef change, overpopulation, and economic that brings fiber arts to bear on envi- inequities without either false hope or ronmental destruction, and PigeonBlog, deep despair. Staying with the Trouble which documented the study of atmo-

doesn’t mean enduring the changes that spheric pollution using pigeons outfitted

will come; it means working with them, with monitoring devices, an example of n

n

- “fabu to told and people three or two

participants were divided into groups of of groups into divided were participants

Isabelle Stengers. In the workshop, the the workshop, the In Stengers. Isabelle

held during a 2013 colloquium run by by run colloquium 2013 a during held

a project begun at a writing workshop workshop writing a at begun project a

stories of the Children of Compost, Compost, of Children the of stories Oakland, California, with her sweetheart and two cats. cats. two and sweetheart her with California, Oakland,

years in Washington, DC, she now makes her home in in home her makes now she DC, Washington, in years speculative feminism. It tells the Camille Camille the tells It feminism. speculative

steampunk to military SF. A native Texan who spent spent who Texan native A SF. military to steampunk science fiction, speculative fabulation, fabulation, speculative fiction, science

recent short stories have catapulted from dragons to to dragons from catapulted have stories short recent The final section of the book is itself itself is book the of section final The

came out from Aqueduct Press in 2015. Her most most Her 2015. in Press Aqueduct from out came

leads us in this direction. this in us leads

Weave The novel fiction science whose futurist

and other types of SF of types other and — — — science fiction science

Nancy Jane Moore is a speculative feminist/fabulist/ speculative a is Moore Jane Nancy

world of difference.” The right kind of of kind right The difference.” of world

terraforming for a recuperating earthly earthly recuperating a for terraforming

dress “the question of finding seeds for for seeds finding of question “the dress

- ad must we and seeds, includes plants,

lows its tale, again.” Our world includes includes world Our again.” tale, its lows fort required is worth it. it. worth is required fort

- swal Ouroboros wherehow matters It - ef the But read. to difficult is Haraway

we think to think other concepts with. with. concepts other think to think we and die in the disturbing Chthulucene. Chthulucene. disturbing the in die and

stories with; it matters what concepts concepts what matters it with; stories how we critters will survive and thrive thrive and survive will critters we how

matters what stories we tell to tell other other tell to tell we stories what matters ourselves, so many complicated ideas on on ideas complicated many so ourselves,

net.” But things must be gathered. “It “It gathered. be must things But net.” So many ways to look at the world and and world the at look to ways many So

worthless without a bag, a container, a a container, a bag, a without worthless ulative fabulation, string figures, so far. far. so figures, string fabulation, ulative

world and ourselves, and world his beautiful words and weapons will be be will weapons and words beautiful his - spec feminism, speculative fantasy, ence

many ways to look at the the at look to ways many last thing the hero wants to know is that that is know to wants hero the thing last - sci fact, science fiction, science SF: real

string figures, so far. So So far. so figures, string

jumping off point, she observes, “The “The observes, she point, off jumping , we find find we , Trouble the with Staying In

speculative fabulation, fabulation, speculative

“The Author of the Acacia Seeds” as a a as Seeds” Acacia the of Author “The

stays with the trouble. the with stays 13

speculative feminism, feminism, speculative

she says. Using Ursula K. Le Guin’s Guin’s Le K. Ursula Using says. she us a snapshot of a human future that that future human a of snapshot a us

fact, science fantasy, fantasy, science fact,

ro’s journey for a different kind of tale, tale, of kind different a for journey ro’s i these five generations of Camilles gives gives Camilles of generations five these

science fiction, science science fiction, science

- he classic the behind leave must We with the butterflies. The summary of of summary The butterflies. the with

we find real SF: SF: real find we Trouble,

richer, more complicated way. complicated more richer, the Camilles has a different relationship relationship different a has Camilles the Staying with the the with Staying In

current state of the world in a deeper, deeper, a in world the of state current with the fifth, who dies in 2425. Each of of Each 2425. in dies who fifth, the with

approaches that help us comprehend the the comprehend us help that approaches the birth of the first in 2025, and ending ending and 2025, in first the of birth the

In all these variations on SF, she finds finds she SF, on variations these all In stories of five Camilles, beginning with with beginning Camilles, five of stories

tive fabulation, science fantasy, so far. far. so fantasy, science fabulation, tive Monarch butterfly. Haraway gives us us gives Haraway butterfly. Monarch

- specula fact, science feminism, ulative the Camille stories, the symbiont is the the is symbiont the stories, Camille the

- spec figures, string fiction: science than an animal symbiont for that child. In In child. that for symbiont animal an

she uses those initials to mean far more more far mean to initials those uses she The person who bears the child choses choses child the bears who person The

Haraway is a devoted fan of SF, but but SF, of fan devoted a is Haraway least three parents (of whatever genders). genders). whatever (of parents three least

without help. help. without quires all new children born to have at at have to born children new all quires

no one can claim to have done anything anything done have to claim can one no in our world our in - re that system a form , —

disturbed times in which we live, just as as just live, we which in times disturbed scratch since that is not an option option an not is that since —

No one can claim innocence in the the in innocence claim can one No Compost, while not starting from from starting not while Compost,

is not letting any of us off the hook. hook. the off us of any letting not is In her stories, the Communities of of Communities the stories, her In

in other parts of this work, for Haraway Haraway for work, this of parts other in story writing.” story

tale, again.” tale,

term “noninnocent” is crucial here and and here crucial is “noninnocent” term just in the imagination but also in actual actual in also but imagination the in just

Ouroboros swallows its its swallows Ouroboros

another’s lives,’” she points out. The The out. points she lives,’” another’s “for composing collective projects, not not projects, collective composing “for

with. It matters wherehow wherehow matters It with.

mitted ‘becoming involved in one one in involved ‘becoming mitted Haraway conceives of it is to be a model model a be to is it of conceives Haraway

to think other concepts concepts other think to

­ com risky, noninnocent, of case a “is ject as ­ ject pro the of idea the of Part others. at

what concepts we think think we concepts what

Each science/art project she discusses discusses she project science/art Each sharing them at times, and writing alone alone writing and times, at them sharing stories with; it matters matters it with; stories

of Churro sheep, and weaving. and sheep, Churro of dren of Compost since the workshop, workshop, the since Compost of dren we tell to tell other other tell to tell we

“It matters what stories stories what matters “It clude environmental activism, the raising raising the activism, environmental clude with their ideas of Camille and the Chil the and Camille of ideas their with -

Navajo projects at Black Mesa, which in which Mesa, Black at projects Navajo - low participants have continued to work work to continued have participants low

mans. She also covers in some detail the the detail some in covers also She mans. five human generations. She and her fel her and She generations. human five -

companion animals working with hu with working animals companion - late” a baby and take the child through through child the take and baby a late” y In the Dreaming Darkness Sleeping Under the Tree of Life, by Sheree Renée Thomas, Aqueduct Press, August 2016, 128 pp., $12. reviewed by David Findlay

Wordsmith Sheree Thomas’s poetry a world from what the powerful have Thomas’s universe- and short fiction collection Sleeping Un- missed or discarded: spanning, Southern- der the Tree of Life is fearless, grownup- …With the seeds you spat out inflected worldview people writing. It doesn’t need to hide yields a project that is indoors when back-country night wraps and left to dry on the paths lush, bold, and caring. the world in blackness and magic. you tried to bar from me It engages us with being This is grownup writing in other sens- I pieced together my own company embodied, being of the es too. It is both demanding and gener- A ragdoll made from homespun… earth and of each other. ous in the ways that the best speculative Thomas challenges herself to engage fiction and poetry can be. Thomas’s style and subject in personal, heartfelt universe-spanning, Southern-inflected ways. Most often the results are stellar. As worldview yields a project that is lush, with any brave exploration, though, not bold, and caring. It engages us with be- all of the explored directions are equally ing embodied, being of the earth and of fruitful all of the time. I’m unsure about each other. Flesh, landscape, and their the structure of “A River Almanac,” in intertwinedness are present in every which rhyming seems half-intentional. piece. So, too, is spirit present through- “Urban Blight” more effectively brings out, in a dazzling range of formulations. in a rhyming chorus, demonstrating (as The collection begins with poems, many pieces here do) a fascination and many of them engaging the idiom and deep familiarity with secular and spiri- structure of music, and progresses to tual musical traditions of the African longer pieces, some of which bridge H Diaspora. prose and poetry. Overall, they build a Thomas’s expert ease with poems, potent, dense, intensely emotional expe- 14 songs, and the shortest fiction is appar- rience, awash in rising waters and alive with ancestral voices. Thomas’s text ani- ent. “Origins of Southern Spirit Music” mates and illuminates, cries, sings, and is a four-page rush of healing conjure- celebrates. Some pieces, particularly work that rings wise and true as the orig- some of the poems, feel perfect. inal Delta Blues. In it we find lines like, The extraordinary “Ring Shout for “If music is the space between the notes, Survivors” finds caring and courage in a then love is the space between lives.” ritual of shared song: “River, Clap Your Hands” weaves (in ten pages, twelve chapters) a claustro- …forgive the blood pumping phobic, catastrophic, and quite brilliantly through temples and wrists muddy floodwater soup of PTSD and color in your own lifelines transformation, in the wake of which this and find a hand to clasp (hold it now!) reader is uncertain whether to mourn or Thomas’s text animates in your broken own… and illuminates, cries, rejoice. At the brief length of this story sings, and celebrates. Textures and patterns recur through- uncertainty is an asset, form and content Some pieces, particularly out: river water, spider silk, tree bark, and a seamless whole whose spookiness is some of the poems, feel all the shades of darkness in a Tennessee unique and resonant. perfect. night. Many pieces explore the relation- Other ultra-short prose here, like the ships of mothers, grandmothers, and lovely two-and-a-half-page “Treesong,” daughters to each other and to shared riffs on a single image or a single action, loss. Throughout also there are music expanding upon and layering a moment. and history, trees and more trees, and There is a gift to knowing just how many painful changes of state, as well as re- words to wrap around an idea, and in

covery, rebuilding, resistance. The poem most of these works Thomas seems to

“This by My Hand” speaks of crafting gauge that metric exactly. n

n

our suffering. Creatures just suffer. Some Some suffer. just Creatures suffering. our that go bump in the night. the in bump go that

ally offer a readily apparent rationale for for rationale apparent readily a offer ally politics, and other things things other and politics,

- usu not does in live we world The tice. of Afrofuturism, smut, smut, Afrofuturism, of

happens at the junctures junctures the at happens - jus and suffering to relationship story’s world of Sheree Thomas’s craft. Thomas’s Sheree of world

California. His own work work own His California. My primary concern here is about the the about is here concern primary My drawn into the evocative, important important evocative, the into drawn

living in Southern Southern in living

that seriously impedes the flow. the impedes seriously that unhesitatingly for readers ready to be be to ready readers for unhesitatingly

a recovering Canadian Canadian recovering a

that may not be helping, though none none though helping, be not may that

surprising collection. I recommend it it recommend I collection. surprising

of Clarion 2000, is also also is 2000, Clarion of

and logic in this piece and some details details some and piece this in logic and On the whole, I enjoyed this strong, strong, this enjoyed I whole, the On

Findlay, a proud graduate graduate proud a Findlay,

some minor awkwardnesses of language language of awkwardnesses minor some cniee voice. ­-considered well

Writer/artist David C. C. David Writer/artist

more edit wouldn’t have hurt. There are are There hurt. have wouldn’t edit more generally mature, compassionate, and and compassionate, mature, generally

me. Some of that is a sense that one one that sense a is that of Some me. ticeable one in the context of Thomas’s Thomas’s of context the in one ticeable

in on a bit more of what had bothered bothered had what of more bit a on in - no a but definitely, quibble, small A

tail. Second time through I also homed homed also I through time Second tail. marches (and moss) to heal the world. world. the heal to moss) (and marches

- de foreshadowing elegant the of more optimism about the power of protest protest of power the about optimism

The second time through, I caught caught I through, time second The ing horrifically punished for insufficient insufficient for punished horrifically ing

not fully satisfying about it on first read. first on it about satisfying fully not - be was protagonist the if wonder to not

all this, I found there to be something something be to there found I this, all clearly enough for me. I found it hard hard it found I me. for enough clearly

love, at points just pure nightmare. For For nightmare. pure just points at love, ulate its own cosmology of consequence consequence of cosmology own its ulate

story. It is at points a ballad of doomed doomed of ballad a points at is It story. - artic however, not, does It story. cellent

placable, high-energy momentum to the the to momentum high-energy placable, - ex an is Midnight” around World the

- im creepy, a and description sensory of “Tree of the Forest Seven Bells Turns Turns Bells Seven Forest the of “Tree

not going to end well. There is a wealth wealth a is There well. end to going not made apparent. made

a date that one knows from the outset is is outset the from knows one that date a in horror that choice also needs to be be to needs also choice that horror in

of a challenge. a of with environmental science, and depicts depicts and science, environmental with which everyone gets their just desserts, desserts, just their gets everyone which

great suffering is one heck heck one is suffering great

ment than other pieces, blends horror horror blends pieces, other than ment structuring the tale as a morality play in in play morality a as tale the structuring

relatable and deserving of of deserving and relatable

- develop character more features story, not is one If challenge. a of heck one is

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simultaneously very very simultaneously

the World around Midnight,” the last last the Midnight,” around World the latable and deserving of great suffering suffering great of deserving and latable

a main character character main a

“Tree of the Forest Seven Bells Turns Turns Bells Seven Forest the of “Tree i - re very simultaneously character main

being earned, to make make to earned, being

described and under-explained. and described consequences being earned, to make a a make to earned, being consequences

trope of bad consequences consequences bad of trope

frustration at what felt at times over- times at felt what at frustration

When writing within the trope of bad bad of trope the within writing When When writing within the the within writing When

tionally laden mental images, despite my my despite images, mental laden tionally be threatened by immense suffering). suffering). immense by threatened be

- emo of myriad a with me leaves poem to suffer immensely (or believably to to believably (or immensely suffer to

ably sure grasp of tone that this prose prose this that tone of grasp sure ably then needs some of those characters characters those of some needs then

- remark author’s the to speaks It concise. care a lot about some of the characters, characters, the of some about lot a care

total, however, could be clearer and more more and clearer be could however, total, ingly effective horror story, needs us to to us needs story, horror effective ingly

long after the tale is told. The story in in story The told. is tale the after long - chill a especially story, effective An

rendered and the sad, surreal mood lasts lasts mood surreal sad, the and rendered served suffering. served

The physical environment is exquisitely exquisitely is environment physical The - de deeply or undeserved utterly either

to an outsider feel poignantly familiar. familiar. poignantly feel outsider an to readers to expect that characters will face face will characters that expect to readers

Elements of the community’s response response community’s the of Elements es. Horror writing in particular trains trains particular in writing Horror es.

what has been excluded or left behind. behind. left or excluded been has what instead to character flaws and bad choic bad and flaws character to instead -

to address the persistent re-intrusion of of re-intrusion persistent the address to is to downplay chance, linking suffering suffering linking chance, downplay to is momentum to the to momentum story.

colony in another star system struggling struggling system star another in colony sponsible for our own suffering. Another Another suffering. own our for sponsible implacable, high-energy high-energy implacable,

me ache with its description of a black black a of description its with ache me mize the ways in which people are re are people which in ways the mize - description and a creepy, creepy, a and description

a wealth of sensory sensory of wealth a ceeds in the realm of emotion; made made emotion; of realm the in ceeds to exaggerate random chance and mini and chance random exaggerate to -

science…. There is is There science…. somewhat confusing. It completely suc completely It confusing. somewhat - consequence. One common approach is is approach common One consequence.

horror with environmental environmental with horror cal, complex, and ambitious, but to me me to but ambitious, and complex, cal, ing that imaginatively address cause and and cause address imaginatively that ing

around Midnight,”…blends Midnight,”…blends around

- lyri is Tree” Grassdreaming “The have developed conventions of storytell of conventions developed have -

Bells Turns the World World the Turns Bells

Both almost reach the mark they set. they mark the reach almost Both ly unavoidable facet of our experience we we experience our of facet unavoidable ly

“Tree of the Forest Seven Seven Forest the of “Tree

Grassdreaming Tree” both aim very high. high. very aim both Tree” Grassdreaming - whol random, largely this to reaction In

the World around Midnight” and “The “The and Midnight” around World the reasons entirely unrelated to our actions. actions. our to unrelated entirely reasons

“Tree of the Forest Seven Bells Turns Turns Bells Seven Forest the of “Tree times despite what we do, and often for for often and do, we what despite times

collection are vivid and entrancing. entrancing. and vivid are collection sometimes because of what we do, some do, we what of because sometimes -

The two longer pieces that close this this close that pieces longer two The of us suffer sooner, some of us worse. It is is It worse. us of some sooner, suffer us of Madeline Galbraith: Utopian Environments

I like to think of myself as an escape art- more than six different apps, while ist: I like to draw and paint things that are others needed only two apps. I let the not of this world that emulate utopian en- images go where they want to go. I vironments and creatures. I escape when I don’t have any preco­ nceived notions create the images, and hopefully, the viewer of what they will represent when I escapes as they see each piece. start, but then they either quickly or These images were produced with a gradually become something, and I finger on various drawing iPhone apps try to work toward that. within a space of 3” x 2.” Most images My college degree is in graphic originated in the Kik app. Some took a design, and in the distant past I have few minutes to complete; others took had award-winning work published in 10 hours or more, always in one sitting various professional journals. For the though. Some pictures were done using past 25 years I’ve worked in higher ed.

H

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Aquature

Hologram

Featured Artist n

n

Installation

17 i Observatory

Flare

Muse Harvester

Breach

Native Grass

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