GET YOUR READ ON! PART 2: ARTISTS CONTINUE TO COMBAT ISOLATIONISM

GET YOUR READ ON! PART 2

Mr. Fate reaches out to incredible artists to provide help in combating the pangs of self-isolation with bibliotherapy in Part 2 of the “Get Your Read On!” series.

ARTISTS TO THE RESCUE

I wanted to do something a bit unique during these unique times and settled on the idea of an artist-specific curated list of reading fueled exclusively by individual recommendations. So, I reached out to some of my favorite artists, pals & strangers alike, including some of the finest authors, musicians and illustrators (and some a combination thereof) to provide personal book recommendations. Suffice it to say, the responses came in fast and furious (which is precisely why these people are amazing).

Each entry begins with the artist and a biography and then a quick review of each book. Think of this as Mr. Fate providing you with a list of great artists you can explore, thus paying it forward. A caveat – most artists provided multiple recommendations but I am only featuring the ones I read (as of the moment). Enjoy!

NIK FIEND & MRS. FIEND – Musicians

Over 35 years ago, Nik & Mrs. Fiend, better known as the legendary Alien Sex Fiend, spawned from London’s Batcave in a rush of gorgeous, mind-contorting, beauteous music. Darwin would have been proud of Alien Sex Fiend, a highly successful, uncompromising and progressive musical organism that has resisted decades worth of attempts at pigeonholing and issued 13 barrier-breaking studio albums, 4 thrilling live albums and an array of compilations and collections in the process including last year’s killer “Possessed.” They are the realest of real deals. *Little known fact: I dropped out of university for a month to follow them on their 1st US tour.

GOOD OMENS BY Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman

As expected, Nik & Mrs. Fiend gave me lots of splendiferous reading reccos, all of which, like their music, were legit and with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Of course, they gave me all of Pratchett & Gaiman, but settled on the split of “Good Omens.” Oddly, this was already on my list as I’d not read it since it came out in 1991, so it was a natch. You’ve prolly seen the show (which I’ ve not) or read it, but it’s about good & evil working together to preserve the rather easy, comfortable life they’ve come to enjoy on Earth. Aside from re-experiencing it 30 years later and realizing it’s still genius, it made my heart ache for the absence of Terry and grateful that Gaiman’s still with us.

KEN LIU – Author

Folks may not know Ken Liu from winning the 2019 Fates on Fire Book Awards, but they certainly know him as the dazzling writer who has won the Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy awards for “The Paper Menagerie & Other Stories” (which I assert is the greatest short story ever written). A former corporate lawyer and software engineer, Liu now focuses on writing some of the most enchanting speculative fiction around. He’s also a public speaker on subjects ranging from origami to cryptocurrency. His brand new book of short stories, “The Hidden Girl“, is mandatory reading.

A SONG FOR A NEW DAY by Sarah Pinsker

This debut novel by Sarah Pinsker is astonishingly, frighteningly prescient. Set in a world ravaged by a plague that has caused humans to become isolated, work from home, living like hermits where social congregation is forbidden is about a poignant as it can get at the moment. The story itself centers around music and shared experiences – the importance of live music and the connections between performer and audience. As a musician, Pinsker does a marvelous job of getting all of the details spot-on. You can tell she has personally experienced the inner thoughts of a music artist and effortlessly integrates it into this modern dystopia along with uncomfortable insights into the long-term social horrors of human isolation. Without question, the best book I’ve read in 2020 and it may take some doing to knock this from the top spot in this year’s FOF Book Awards.

KRISTIN HERSH – Musician & Author

Since 1981, Kristin Hersh has been the principal musician, voice and face of the iconic band, Throwing Muses. With a style and sensibility all her own, Kristin has been a musical inspiration for many including her individualist stance against the mainstream recording industry. She is also an accomplished author of over 5 books that include, “Rat Girl,” which, in my opinion, is the best rock autobiography ever written. Even better? Throwing Muses’ new LP, “Sun Racket,” hits stores this September. Get it.

THE BEAUTY OF THE BEASTLY: NEW VIEWS ON THE NATURE OF LIFE by Natalie Angier

If you gave me an infinitude to guess what book Kristin Hersh would recommend, it would not be this one which is why it is a quintessential Hersh recommendation. Written by Natalie Angier, the science writer for the New York Times, “The Beauty of the Beastly” is a relatively interesting science-oriented read on the details and behavior that underlie the mysteries of the natural world. Intriguing tales ranging from the mating rituals of dolphins to larger topics on the nature of death. However, as the book was written 25 years ago, some of the science presented is no longer valid. That notwithstanding, while the book is a compendium of individual essays, the overall flow suffers a bit and makes for a jagged, incongruous read, but Angier’s anthropomorphic storytelling and interesting factoids make it all worthwhile.

EVAN DORKIN – Cartoonist, Writer, Illustrator

For the uninitiated, the comic genius that is Evan Dorkin came to international prominence in the 90s with the sociopathic mayhem of “Milk & Cheese”- his book of insanely violent, alcoholic dairy products gone bad. Shortly thereafter Evan unleashed “The Eltingville Club” stories in his “Dork” books which touched the heart of anyone who has ever remotely enjoyed sci-fi, fantasy, horror, RPG or comics. Evan continues to write and illustrate award-winning books like “Beasts of Burden” and his brand new “Blackwood – The Mourning After” series, so check them out.

HELLBOY by Mike Mignola

Like Gaiman’s “Sandman,” I also regrettably missed out on Mignola’s “Hellboy” in the early 90s because of some bogus elitism that had me staunchly reject anything that was meteorically ascending in popularity. Alas, over 25 years late to the brilliance that is Hellboy, I’m grateful to have made it. A sensational mashup of pulp, Lovecraftian horror, myth and legend, Mignola’s story arcs are fun and captivating and his art is nothing short of astounding. Man, did I miss out back in the day, but now that I’m up to speed, I look forward to reading some of Mignola’s other Hellboy spin-off books.

TALES DESIGNED TO THRIZZLE by Michael Kupperman

Unlike, the above, I had never heard of “Tales Designed to Thrizzle” or Kupperman prior to Evan’s recommendation. With a mentally engaging, surreal or Dadaist approach, the humor in TDtT is certainly unique and had me both laughing aloud and scratching my head with it’s “non-sequitur goofiness.” This is some interesting, out there stuff. Originally published a couple times per year, this volume collects the first 4 books. I really enjoyed this, but I do not recommend reading the entirety in one sitting as it is designed for quick, precise salvos, not a marathon where it can become too much of a good thing.

A. LEE MARTINEZ – Author

With over 15 glorious books to his name, the wonderful author, A. Lee Martinez, shockingly & confusingly still lurks a bit around the periphery of the general public which I find odd. He has an intriguing style and frequently wanders into one of my favorite artistic sub-genres that I loosely refer to as horror-comedy. If ever Douglas Adams and Christopher Moore went to a west Texas roadhouse and were served by David Wong, that’d be A. Lee. A true and original gem. If you’re interest is piqued, start with his classic, “Gil’s All Fright Diner” and then wade into his Constance Verity series which has very recently been green-lighted in Hollywood to become a major motion picture.

TARZAN OF THE APES by Edgar Rice Burroughs

While I’ve read the first few novels of Burroughs’ “A Princess of Mars” series, I actually never got around to reading Tarzan. As it is the most prolifically adapted story to film, I was well aware of the general plot, but curious to experience the writing. Burroughs commonly stated that he wrote stories that he liked to tell himself and, like APoM, it’s also evident in Tarzan. Being written in 1914, the book comes with a little baggage as one would expect, but it still holds up as a fun, well paced, if not adolescent read. It obviously captured the imaginations of millions as it spawned 24 sequels!

A ZILLION THANKS

So there you have it- some amazing reads from some even more amazing artists. Before we wrap things up, I want to extend my sincerest gratitude to all of the artists who responded to my call and then proceeded to offer up some spectacular books to help ameliorate the stress and anxiety of self-isolation and put a smile on my face. This alone speaks volumes to the individual integrity, artistic sensibility, and general kindness of Aimee, Alice, Laird, John, Robert, Nik & Christine, Ken, Evan, Kristin, & A. Lee. You are all awesome!

Lastly, I hope you found yourself an artist or book that intrigued or inspired you so you can take a respite from the madness and noise and lose yourself in great art instead. In the meantime, be safe and, most importantly, stay positive!