Required Slacker Reading
Lately I’ve been of the mind of recalling some of my favorite slacker literature. The previous statement is total bullshit, however, considering the fact that I wrote this a while ago and set it to future-post. But just for the sake of this lead-in, let’s say I am actually of the mind of recalling slack-lit at this particular moment, as you’re reading this. And now this, and so on. What better time, then, to offer recommendations of some personal favorites?
I used to do this sort of thing on Amazon, but as I’ve mentioned before, Amazon reviews are generally garbage; either written by paid reviewers or idiots, or both. I’ve also had the pleasure of writing a negative review, only to have the author E-mail me their life story (I read the dust cover) instead of better utilizing that energy to write a good book (after taking a class). Really though, should you take one guy’s opinion so personally? People tell me this site is crap all the time, and they’re right. What would be the point of my telling them my life story, just so they’ll feel bad and say the site rocks instead? They wouldn’t be doing me any favors, and if there’s one thing I’m always in need of, it’s favors, especially sexual ones. Okay, and bail money. I’m always in need of these two things. In fact, I’m going to put a bail money donation widget in my sidebar, just as soon as they give me access to a computer I can use to e-mail my online fiancé. A bail money donation doesn’t count as a favor, btw. A favor is taking somebody down on the outside, or a conjugal visit, or a Christmas card made of heroin. No, a bail money donation is completely different. You would actually have it returned to you unless I skip town, and I will.
But where was I? Ah yes, book recommendations. When not shanking punks, I like to read, and so, I usually manage to finish at least 2 books a year. I’m not going to give my own detailed reviews, because it’s been a while since I read these. I also get the books from the prison library, and they only give me 10 pages at a time. If they gave me the whole book, I would use it to skull my cellmate, again. He snores and I hate him. Even on the outside, I don’t like to own many books. I’ve felt this way ever since I realized that books are fucking heavy (to have to lug around (while on the lam)). The only books I like to own are those that I frequently turn to for reference and inspiration. I recommend these as well, and have featured them at the end of this article in a photo from my last known whereabouts.
So, what is slack-lit exactly? Well, much like this post, it doesn’t tend to have a specific point, or direction, or cohesiveness. Its characters are just sort of going through the motions. They don’t have the same motivations that drive most people and they neither belong, nor care to belong to what they perceive as the paint-by-numbers society around them. This doesn’t even bother them enough to feel alienated. They just accept what comes their way (relationships, employment, police investigations) with all the enthusiasm of watching paint dry. Ironically, their perspectives are always highly threatening to everyone else, because it calls into question their own transparent desires and senses of meaning and place.
Please: A Novel
Author: Peter Darbyshire
Year: 2003
Publisher: Raincoast Books
ISBN: 1551925621
Favorite Line (/Chapter): “Jesus cured my herpes!”
Description: Please chronicles the life of an emotionally numb man who drifts through a hallucinatory world of parties filled with celebrity wannabes, addictive relationships, and jobs that demand he become someone other than who he is. Both a dark satire of the contemporary obsession with the “mediascape” and a sophisticated critique of an increasingly uncaring society that offers fantasy in place of real experience, this first novel by a rising talent paints a compassionate picture of one man’s search for something real to embrace in life.
Apathy and Other Small Victories
Author: Paul Neilan
Year: 2007
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
ISBN: 0312352190
Favorite Line (paraphrased): “I would have gone to her funeral, but I had a Powerpoint presentation.”
Description: The only thing Shane cares about is leaving. Usually on a Greyhound bus, right before his life falls apart again. Just like he planned. But this time it’s complicated: there’s a sadistic corporate climber who thinks she’s his girlfriend, a rent-subsidized affair with his landlord’s wife, and the bizarrely appealing deaf assistant to Shane’s cosmically unstable dentist. When one of the women is murdered, and Shane is the only suspect who doesn’t care enough to act like he didn’t do it, the question becomes just how he’ll clear the good name he never had and doesn’t particularly want: his own.
And now, as promised, here is a photo of my “work”space featuring more books I recommend. If you’d also like to paint your own “work”space this color, just go to the paint store and ask for “Whorehouse Porchlight Red” (and tell ’em .45 sent ya!).
Updates:
First, I have to thank LOBO of Predator Press for his contribution to the Headspace and also strongly apologize. I was sooo grateful for his taking time to write a special post that I immediately thanked him by breaking the comments. I really was touched though. All his references to my archives here made me really sorry he had to read any of that crap, but it was a very nice tribute. If you had tried to leave him a comment before, but couldn’t, please still give a shout out here. Comments are working again, but I almost had to convince him that the ATF had shut them down. He thought it was the Jehovah’s Witnesses
I was also rather touched (and horrified) when Claire of A little piece of me brought my greatest fear, the character of Scallopman, to bone-chilling life in one of her signature doodles. She even had a backstory that involved an accident with cherry lube. We all know how those go!
Next, it was one loquaciously verbose slacker that actually got me to remembering how much I enjoyed these slacker books. Well this slacker, Jillian, has recently launched a shiny, new Wordpress site that she has very cryptically dubbed “Jillian Approved”. If you haven’t checked it out yet, I suggest you get your punk-ass over there before I skull you with my laptop.
Then, I also owe an apology to Relax Max of Britishspeak. He’s always had trouble with commenting for some reason, but to show him that I would have no reason (call it apathy) to moderate anyone out, I posted a fake comment as a fake commenter called “Relax Biscuits”. I guess people thought it was really him accusing me of being mean to “children and small dogs”. No, it wasn’t him. He would have been right if he had said that, though.
Finally, both of you may recall that I had previously mentioned that I was moving to L.A. Well, things change. I was literally 5 boxes deep in the U-Haul when I got a job offer in the Bay Area I couldn’t refuse. I’ll still be moving well outside of S.F. proper (in 2 days), which is good enough for now, but I won’t be getting back to Jumbo’s Clown Room any time soon. Sorry, Mercedes and Ginger. Someday.
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What a really clean desk you have. Cleaner than mine, I’d wager. I can sometimes get lost in the sea of empty beer cans and used junk food packaging before even attempting to find my laptop. But then, I’m a fucking slob.
Qelqoths last blog post..Online Military Operations Finally Improve
Comment made by Qelqoth on May. 8, 2008 @ 4:42 am
Welcome back .45!
It was my pleasure … :)
LOBOs last blog post..Idle Hands
Comment made by LOBO on May. 8, 2008 @ 9:18 am
Hmm who cleaned up for you?
I think I may see about getting those books, they sound interesting.
Am I your online fiance? or is it qelqoth?
Twas a pleasure to doodle Scallop Man! I know how much you love him and cherry lube :)
and finally that is not whorehouse red, that is pink! girl pants!
Claires last blog post..Doodle Week has started with Doodle You!
Comment made by Claire on May. 8, 2008 @ 3:48 pm
It’s the calm before a storm.
Thanks!
You don’t remember that night in Vegas? Phew! Me neither, then.
It’s actually Strawberry Letter 23. Time to calibrate your monitor (and send photos of your top bursting incident).
Comment made by .45 on May. 8, 2008 @ 9:59 pm
I still think its pink.
You can have the ruined shirt if you like :)
Claires last blog post..Doodle Monster!
Comment made by Claire on May. 9, 2008 @ 3:07 am
I liked Claire’s Scallopman portrayal! =) I like most of her posts. She’s pretty funny.
Oh - your posts aren’t so bad, either! =)
And you’re funny, too - in a warped sort of way.
Well… it takes one to know one, I suppose.
Comment made by kimbathewhitelioness on May. 9, 2008 @ 3:14 am
Great. I’ll add it to the pile I found under my bed.
I didn’t ask to be this way, but I heard there’s medication that helps.
Comment made by .45 on May. 9, 2008 @ 1:18 pm
I used to read quite a bit but it’s been awhile for me - both books sound like they would be good ones to check out.
Comment made by Chelle on May. 10, 2008 @ 8:38 am
If I may, I would like to offer one: “Catch-22″ by Joseph Heller is the only book I’ve ever read cover-to-cover more than once …
And yes, the movie was horrible … but isn’t that always the case??
:)
LOBOs last blog post..Wide Open Spaces
Comment made by LOBO on May. 10, 2008 @ 9:02 am
Until recently, I had a library close by, so I was reading A LOT.
But if you enjoy this book, won’t something bad happen?
Comment made by .45 on May. 11, 2008 @ 7:42 pm
Uhhh… wow. A post? From .45?? What a treat!
Those books sound awesome. And there is something quite fitting about your workspace being pink! NOT GOOD… but fitting.
Jillians last blog post..After These Messages
Comment made by Jillian on May. 11, 2008 @ 9:58 pm
See Jillian agrees with me about the pink! heh :)
Does that mean you will be painting the new place ‘red’ ?
Hope the move went well.
Comment made by Claire on May. 12, 2008 @ 9:02 am
(finger). ;)
There has been pink in there, but it wasn’t on the walls (okay, a couple times).
It has paneling I’m not too thrilled about because I feel like it’s the 70s and everything smells like wood. I’m gonna OrangeGlo the hell out of it this week and put up some blacklight posters.
Comment made by .45 on May. 12, 2008 @ 9:57 am
My bedroom is the same color as your work area. I often wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat and the weird desire to harm someone. I’m convinced it’s the color that makes me feel that way. At least that’s what I would tell a jury of my peers.
Mimzies last blog post..Tide Detergent and Yoo-Hoo
Comment made by Mimzie on May. 12, 2008 @ 11:42 am
LOL @ the finger. Some people would think that’s an offer. :-D
Jillians last blog post..After These Messages
Comment made by Jillian on May. 12, 2008 @ 9:06 pm
Mine too. Meaning: my work area is in my bedroom, so to speak. I wake wanting to harm people no matter what color my walls.
I can play it fast and loose like that (If there was ever a time to use that phrase, that was it).
Comment made by .45 on May. 12, 2008 @ 9:29 pm
I noticed there are a few writing books on your desk. Hmmm… I might have to read one of those. I wantsta to chooz gud words, 2. Also, what is that statue thing? At first glance I thought it was a Storm Trooper or something.
Jillians last blog post..Holy Matrimony
Comment made by Jillian on May. 13, 2008 @ 1:17 am
It’s Marv from Sin City in the electric chair. It jiggles when you pull the lever.
Choose the Right Word is a great book, btw. It’s like a thesaurus, except it defines the synonyms and distinguishes their subtle differences.
Comment made by .45 on May. 13, 2008 @ 1:49 am
Ahh… I, uh.. didn’t care that much for Sin City. I probably shouldn’t have told you that. Can you believe Jan yells at me when I tell him how I feel about it? We’ve had some serious beef about my views on this movie. He repeatedly yells: “It’s fucking awesome…. it’s fucking awesome…” I wonder if he’s trying to convince me AND him.
Anyways, I’ll check out that book. My blog is not only some hobby, but a way for me to improve my writing (I want and need to). The day I can read a post and not pick out things I could have done better is a day to celebrate indeed. :-D
Jillians last blog post..Holy Matrimony
Comment made by Jillian on May. 13, 2008 @ 5:05 am
This is pre-movie (by a couple years, maybe), actually from the book. I’m w/ Jan on the movie, but yelling about it may be harsh. It’s only a movie. Still, I can’t fuckin’ wait for the second one. Will it come out right now, dammit?! (it’s a guy thing)
Comment made by .45 on May. 13, 2008 @ 9:20 am
“People tell me this site is crap all the time” Who!? I’ll fucking kill them!
regretfulmorning.coms last blog post..Regretful Submission - Relax, its hair gel
Comment made by regretfulmorning.com on May. 13, 2008 @ 9:06 pm
Hey why did just Jillian get the finger?
Claires last blog post..Doodle Mad!
Comment made by Claire on May. 14, 2008 @ 8:12 am
I wouldn’t get too worked up. Without idiots, smart people would have noone to snark at.
(two-fisted finger)
Comment made by .45 on May. 14, 2008 @ 11:42 am
ouch!
Claires last blog post..Doodle Mad!
Comment made by Claire on May. 14, 2008 @ 1:38 pm
Did you see what that awful Max did to poor Alison over at BritishSpeak?? Can’t somebody DO something about him?? Alison is hopping mad, too!!
Comment made by Candy Girl on May. 14, 2008 @ 1:54 pm