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Scott
Nafz
 Elmer
McCurdy: The Misadventures in Life and Afterlife of an American Outlaw
By Mark
Svenvold
I first heard of Elmer McCurdy from a story posted at Snopes.com, the
so-called Urban Legends Reference Pages website, which answers questions
such as, "Did a television crew really find a human body hanging
in a fun house in California? In fact, this is one of the few urban legends
that is actually true, and the details can be -- and have been -- confirmed.
It turns out this weird little story is just the beginning (or the end,
depending on how you look at it) of a longer and far more interesting
story, about the life and death of McCurdy, a hapless, would-be train
robber from the turn-of-the-century American West.
Svenvold
not only chronicles McCurdy's life, but offers a series of descriptive
snapshots as well, which capture some rather interesting and not-too-savory
facets of American history.
As his bio
tells us, Svenvold is a published poet, and at times his writing leans
a bit too much toward the poetic rather than the straightforward, but
overall, he recounts his literary adventures in a thoughtful and engaging
manner. Highlights include an interview with David Friedman (1950s pioneer
of the exploitation film genre), and an account of the search for the
site of one of McCurdy's botched train heists. An entertaining account
of a strange subject.
Patti
Neske
 Extravagance
by Gary
Krist
1690s London and New York during the 1990s were two periods of time in
which capitalism's very nature was in flux. We remember all too well the
recent dot-com frenzy on Wall Street, and in late 17th-century London
a similar thing happened: People began purchasing "stock" in businesses
and speculating whether the price of an item would rise or fall, instead
of actually buying and selling tangible goods. Krist's daring novel employs
one storyline that occurs in both time periods -- a successful literary
device that allows us to see the amazing similarities and parallels between
both times. Extravagance makes it clear that next time someone
touts a "new" economy, a famous phrase from the Bible should come to mind:
"There is nothing new under the sun."
 Len
Vlahos
Welcome
to Higby
By Mark
Dunn
I have to admit, even though many friends recommended I read Dunn's
Ella
Minnow Pea, something about the idea of it never grabbed me, so
I never read it. Not so with Dunn's follow-up effort, Welcome to Higby.
From the very first page, this series of interconnected stories about
the plain folk of Higby, Mississippi, had me in its trance. The strong,
beautiful, and very accessible prose; the well-crafted, sympathetic, and
wonderfully real characters; and most of all, the winding and twisting
story -- which takes place over one long weekend -- left me with a feeling
of satisfaction that few books have. I loved it!
Andrew
Duncan
 Supercade:
A Visual History of the Videogame Age 1971-1984
By Van
Burnham
Not content with being a straightforward history of video games nor a
simple catalog of titles, the ambitious Supercade is a nostalgic
revelation for the select few of us who remember the days of "Pac-Man
Fever" with sunny warmth and glee. In this massive tome, a compelling
look at the creation of the very first video games (Pong, et al.) and
the early years of home console systems leads into an enjoyable look at
1980s arcade culture and the games that inspired it. Wired magazine
contributor Van Burnham presents an exhaustive tour through the Golden
Age of video games teeming with knowledge, appreciation, and hundreds
of fascinating illustrations, photos, and screen grabs from classic arcade
games. Sharp wit and modern design sensibility helps temper the sentimentality
in this coffee table-sized ode to the beginnings of what has since become
a cultural revolution.
Linda
Castellito
 Lucky
by Alice
Sebold
Those of you who know what this book is about -- the author was raped
and beaten at age 18, and Lucky details the attack and its aftermath
-- might be thinking it is the very antithesis of holiday cheer. In some
ways, of course, it is: rape is a horrible, horrible crime, and Sebold
describes her fear, pain, and shame with relentless and compelling accuracy.
Her writing is strong and sure; she succeeds in examining her past without
flinching, and without allowing the reader to shy away...but she is not
strident, simply honest and clear. Sebold's description of her triumphs
in court and in her personal life is exciting and inspiring. And, ultimately,
the book is (yes!) cheering: it's a testament to the fact that we humans
are capable of great violence and also great love; vulnerable and, like
Sebold, pretty damn strong. Also recommended: Sebold's The
Lovely Bones.
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