book update
Finished Matter by Iain Banks, which was a good and interesting science fiction novel from someone I expect more than just a good and interesting science fiction novel. Pity, though I'm not sure if I should pity the novel or my expectations more.

Needing a break from 500+ page novels, I dived back into The Best American Short Stories of 2007, this time guest-edited by Stephen King. And once again, I wondered why. What is it about modern American literature where people feel compelled to write about rich white patricians dying and the children feeling sad and/or ambivalent about it?

The good shit deviates from this, but it's pretty spare. John Barth's "Toga Party", a look at aging and retirement that's nothing but rage and fury, blew me away. And William Gay's "Where Will You Go When Your Skin Cannot Contain You" is the most lyrical and moving story about meth-addicted rednecks I've ever read. Uh, not that I've read a lot of them. But it's still an awesome story.

I'm told I should skip ahead to Karen Russel's "St. Lucy's Home For Girls Raised By Wolves", becuase, you know, werewolves; but seriously, how many times can I want to put down a so-called best of anthology before I just give up and toss it?

But I'll probably keep it. King's introduction is fantastic and thought-provoking, if a bit gloomy on the fate of the American short story. I can see lending it to my friends. "Large book for such a short essay, huh? Yyyyeah, about that..."