The guiding principle of Six Ridiculous Questions is that life is filled with ridiculousness. And questions. That only by giving in to these truths may we hope to slip the surly bonds of reality and attain the higher consciousness we all crave. (Eh, not really, but it sounded good there for a minute.) It’s just. Who knows? The ridiculousness and question bits, I guess. Why six? Assonance, baby, assonance.
The Mundane, the Absurd, and the Horrific: On Shirley Barrett’s “The Bus on Thursday”
Sometimes horror stories play out like puzzles to be solved. That’s not too much of a surprise: plenty of writers have done acclaimed work that falls under the header of both “mystery” and “horror,” after all, from Edgar Allan Poe to Stephen King to Elizabeth Hand. And in these sorts of stories, there’s a sense that the overarching terror might be abated if only a solution is found to something: an ancient crime unearthed, an old price finally paid. But there’s another subdivision of horror that hears a different call: specifically, that horrific events play out under their own logic, and no easy answer can be found for them.
Behold the Textured Cover for Gabino Iglesias’s Forthcoming Novel “Coyote Songs”
We were huge admirers of Zero Saints, the most recent novel from frequent Vol.1 Brooklyn contributor Gabino Iglesias…
Infinite Musical Genres: An Event Celebrating Ian King’s “Appetite for Definition”
As anyone who’s explored metadata, Wikipedia, or the hierarchies of self-created musical definitions can attest, music can be subdivided into a nearly-infinite array of genres, subgenres, movements, and styles. In his new book Appetite For Definition, Ian King delves into the history, aesthetics, and ups and downs of rock genres. As longtime admirers of King’s music writing, we’re thrilled to be co-hosting this event; Vol.1 Brooklyn Managing Editor Tobias Carroll will be in conversation with King.
Three Excerpts from Kat Gardiner’s Collection “Little Wonder”
We’re pleased to present an excerpt from Kat Gardiner’s new collection Little Wonder today. Influenced by music and memories, the short stories in this collection center around Gardiner’s time in the town of Anacortes, Washington, and feature numerous appearances by notable musicians like Neko Case and Tiny Vipers. Gardiner’s distinct voice and sense of timing offer a unique perspective on the quotidian, the surreal, and the creative.
On Oneiric Inspiration, Revision, and Family Stories: An Interview with Nicole Chung
Nicole Chung’s new memoir, All You Can Ever Know (Catapult) is the moving story of Chung’s childhood as a Korean American adoptee with white adoptive parents, her search for her birth parents, and what she learned once she found them. The knowledge that her search yielded was not at all what she had expected or imagined; some of it was hard to take. But if we are going to entrust anyone, Giver-style, with knowledge, I nominate Chung for trustee. The overwhelming impression that emerges from the book is a portrait of Chung as a thoughtful, conscientious, compassionate, and even-keeled person who considered the feelings of others at every step of her search and, of course, during the writing of the story.
Six Ridiculous Questions: Whitney Collins
The guiding principle of Six Ridiculous Questions is that life is filled with ridiculousness. And questions. That only by giving in to these truths may we hope to slip the surly bonds of reality and attain the higher consciousness we all crave. (Eh, not really, but it sounded good there for a minute.) It’s just. Who knows? The ridiculousness and question bits, I guess. Why six? Assonance, baby, assonance.
Vol.1 Brooklyn’s October 2018 Book Preview
It’s October. Halloween lurks at the end of the month; various awards shortlists are appearing on the scene; and the colder weather makes it ideal to curl up indoors–whether at home, a coffee shop, or a bar–with a good book. Thankfully, this month brings with it plenty of notable literary works, from experimental fiction to eagerly-anticipated essay collections. Here’s a look at some of the books due out this month that have our attention.