THE 2020 FATES ON FIRE BOOK AWARDS!

Welcome to the 2020 Fates On Fire Book Awards! With over 200 entries, the competition was fierce and the 2nd annual award ceremony is going to be riveting. So grab your date, make your way down the red carpet, and take your seats – it’s showtime!

WHAT THE HELL ARE THESE AWARDS AND WHY SHOULD I CARE?

If you happen to read a lot, then you know that the Booker Prize is essentially the Oscars for books. This is my version of that. Like the Booker, each category receives a “short list” comprised of 6 books, with 1 being the winner. Unlike the Booker, but like the Oscars, I divide the awards into separate categories. The bottom line is that whatever kind of reading you may be into, I hope there are a few books you may want to check out!

CAVEATS & CONDITIONS

There are a couple of caveats and conditions for the awards which are:

• All 203 books I’ve read since the last awards are eligible candidates (with the exception of any re-reads).
• Eligible books can have been published any time in human history, so long as I read them since the 2019 awards.

THE CATEGORIES

1. GENERAL FICTION – This category includes any and all types of fiction. From popular, mass appeal to more peculiar and independent books, they are all here.
2. NON-FICTION – No qualifiers needed – Just non-fiction.
3. NON-FICTION: MUSIC – With over 40 music-oriented auto/biography entries in 2020, this genre has its own category this year.
4. GRAPHIC NOVELS – Amazing writing with amazing art – that’s what’s in this category.

GENERAL FICTION

WINNER – 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 as poignant as it can get in 2020. The story itself centers around music and shared experiences – the importance of live music and the connections between performer and audience. As a former musician, one can tell Pinsker has personally experienced the inner thoughts of a music artist and effortlessly integrates these into this modern dystopia along with uncomfortable insights into the long-term social horrors of human isolation. Without question, the best book I read in 2020.

THE SHORT LIST – GENERAL FICTION

Getting In Tune by Roger Trott. Daniel, the nascent punk leader of the Killjoys who is imploding on a cocktail of ennui and methamphetamine in the California boonies, takes his going-nowhere band to Puente Harbor near Seattle for a residency at the Mai Tai Hotel for one-last shot at glory. Based on a true story, “Getting in Tune” is a resplendent amalgam of the emotional realities of being in a band, authentically told by a seasoned musician, and an ‘exploration of the transcendent power of music and friendship’. Fiction about music is exceedingly difficult to pull off, but Trott gets all of it right, particularly the details. If you’ve ever been in a band, or wondered what it’s like, give this gem a read.

Dead Leprechauns & Devil Cats: Strange Tales of the White Street Society by Grady Hendrix. With 2 books shortlisted in 2019, Hendrix is back with a collection of stories that skillfully satirize the casual racism and prejudice of the 19th century in such an hilariously inventive way, that you will laugh until you ache. It’s a delicious blend of William Hope Hodgson’s fictional occult detective, Thomas Carnacki, with ridiculous, over-the-top supernatural shenanigans and the outrageously insensitive sensibilities of the Society members. I also put “The Christmas Spirits” among the best holiday stories ever written. Postmodern humor at its finest.

The Vinyl Detective: Written in Dead Wax by Andrew Cartmel. I stumbled on The Vinyl Detective when desperately searching for British humor novels. As I am an avid vinyl collecting, cat-loving musician who revels in Sherlockiana, I was floored when I came across this series and instantly devoured all 5 books. It’s amazing fun with the attendant dazzling elements like a murder mystery, rare vinyl hunting, evil plots, London, cats, and an array of witty, engaging characters. A must for anyone who enjoys vinyl and mystery.

The Fisherman by John Langan. Over ten years in the making, “The Fisherman” is a majestic accomplishment in that it deftly integrates a high degree of literary execution with elements of cosmic menace and dark folklore, something that is, sadly, rare. Langan spins a ‘story within a story’ in a hypnotic and immensely engaging fashion that pulls the reader deep into the work. The writing here is masterful and quickly transcends the realm of genre into legitimate literature. Evocative and stunning and a very pleasant surprise.

The Unnoticeables by Robert Brockway. Late 70s punk rock? Tarmonsters & angels out to destroy the human race? Modern day stuntwomen? Hells yes, I’m in. The first book in a trilogy, the “Unnoticeables” is an absorbing take on horror with flashback narratives and a plot that, ultimately, traverses the 3 epicenters of punk: New York, London and Los Angeles. Equally freaky, humorous, graphic and interesting – a punk rock masterpiece.

NON-FICTION

WINNER – WOW, NO THANK YOU BY SAMANTHA IRBY

Not since reading David Sedaris’ “Me Talk Pretty One Day” have I read something that made me convulsively explode with laughter to the point that I actually cried. The writer for the blog, “Bitches Gotta Eat,” Irby is unbelievably hysterical. Her uninhibited, caustic and overtly colloquial style is genuinely unique (though not for the squeamish or easily offended) and her cunning ability to leverage self-deprecation to convey larger truths is superlative. I also pounced on her other 2 essay collections, that are right up there with this one. Whether she’s riffing on her uncontrollable bowels from Crohn’s disease, her troubled childhood, her ungrateful cat, or legitimately blasting we men, she keeps you howling in tears. In short, Irby is brilliant.

THE SHORT LIST – OTHER FICTION

A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost. As I stopped watching SNL years ago, I’d never heard of writer/Weekend Update anchor/comedian, Colin Jost. However, like Irby it had me laughing until I cried – in public! While reading this in a medical office, several people approached me to ask if I was okay since I was snortling under my mask with wet eyes. Colin will be happy to know I did not, however, soil myself, but I came close. Rekindled my interest in SNL for sure. I finished this book after the final awards were written and the day before they were published and, like any good SNL episode, I made a list minute switch to this shortlist. It’s that good.

White by Bret Easton Ellis. I’ve always had somewhat of a love/hate relationship with Ellis. His novels “Less Than Zero” and, particularly, “American Psycho” are, inarguably, among the greatest of the late-20th century However, Ellis has also occasionally fallen prey to the very things he artfully excoriates like celebrity, overuse of cocaine, pretention. That said, I’ve always appreciated the way he thinks and his pointed wit, both of which come across magnificently in this collection of essays. His views on our “post-Empire” culture certainly resonated, particularly the idea that a lack of personal investment in and ubiquity of art/media render it disposable nowadays. As such, it becomes meaningless, thereby sadly transforming authentic art and expression into “content.” Many other insightful, thought provoking ideas flow throughout this percipient examination of today’s culture.

iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy–and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood–and What That Means for the Rest of Us by Jean Twenge. Frankly, the absurdly protracted title of generational researcher, Twenge’s, “iGen” could be simplified to, “Generation Puss.” Every generation gets its turn in the proverbial barrel and with early-Millennials now in their 40s, it’s time for iGen. Excellent, if alarming, data here on a generation characterized by overly sensitive, socially inept, shut-in snowflakes Hell-bent on dragging childhood into their 20s. As a cynical, disaffected Gen X slacker, I just can’t respect any teenager who doesn’t want to get loaded, get laid, crank the tunes and fuck shit up. C’est la vie.

Candyfreak: A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbelly of America by Steve Almond. Writer and essayist, Steve Almond, has spent a lifetime obsessed with candy and takes us on a wonderful Wonka-esque journey across the U.S. exploring its history with a focus on the handful of storied small-batch, independent candy makers who continue to exist in spite of the Big 3 global confectionary giants. It is not only intensely fascinating, but will have you gleefully running out in search of those delightful, rare candies you fondly recall from your childhood. Steve now owes me for 4 fillings and 30 days at a candy detox facility.

Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover. It’s no surprise that “Educated” is a #1 NYT bestseller and landed itself on the top spot of pretty much every credible review source. “Educated” is a magnificent & astonishing story of personal triumph. Having been raised in a family led by a mentally deranged, repugnant and sociopathic father who is a lunatic fringe of an already lunatic fringe, Westover’s story of escape from a childhood devoid of any education to ultimately becoming a Gates Scholar and receiving a PhD from Cambridge University is beautiful, heart wrenching, jubilant, and remarkable.

NON-FICTION: MUSIC

WINNER – THE HACIENDA: HOW NOT TO RUN A CLUB BY PETER HOOK

Peter Hook’s account of one of history’s most famous clubs, the Hacienda, is utterly gripping and fascinating. The profligate recklessness and insane financial waste had my bowels churning and head spinning. As Hooky said, “We never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity.” It is acutely painful to read poor decision after poor decision, but it is tempered by the unfolding story of a truly magnificent and legendary part of UK history. This book should be mandatory reading for all graduate-level business students and any aspiring entertainment entrepreneurs. That said, you simply cannot put a price on a legend. Too young to know and too wild to care, indeed!

THE SHORT LIST – NON-FICTION

Sing Backwards and Weep: A Memoir by Mark Lanegan. Harrowing, brutal and enthralling, Mark Lanegan’s dark memoir chronicles his life as a rock singer and drug addict in the 80s and 90s and is, arguably, one of the best rock autobiographies ever written. With an unflinching level of honesty, Lanegan shares his descent into addiction and homelessness as well as the birth and rise to quasi-fame of the Screaming Trees. Some of the book’s stark nature is offset by humorous stories and accounts of a life spent in rock. A must read.

More Fun in the New World: The Unmaking and Legacy of LA Punk by John Doe. Last year’s category winner, John Doe, is back with a killer follow up to his “Under the Big Black Sun.” Using the same format of storytelling by way of individual contributions from many of the same artists, Doe follows the LA punk story covering the years between 1982 – 1987. From its pinnacle of prominence to its ultimate fracturing and dissolution, the first-hand stories here do a splendid job of sharing what it was really like.

Mad World: An Oral History of New Wave Artists and Songs That Defined the 1980s by Lori Majewsky & Jonathan Bernstein. I wish the 80s music book I co-authored was as good as this. “Mad World” profiles some of the greatest artists of the 80s in a very distinctive way. Each chapter focuses on a particular song (usually the most notable) and then the artists themselves chime in on its history and their place in the scene. While very specific and perhaps not for everyone, if you’re a fan of bands like Echo & the Bunnymen, The Smiths, Devo and ABC, this is for you.

Totally Wired: Postpunk Interviews & Overviews by Simon Reynolds. Acclaimed music journalist and author of the postpunk bible, “Rip It Up and Start Again,” Simon Reynolds presents us with 32 interviews with postpunk legends, including musicians, label heads, managers and producers, as well as a handful of essays. Like “Mad World,” its appeal may be selective to those with interest in this particular sub-genre, but with the anecdotes, insider information, personal insight and never-before-told stories, it absolutely delivers the goods and gives greater depth into the history of postpunk.

Substance: Inside New Order by Peter Hook. Yep, Hooky nets himself another award for his near 800 page account of his renowned life in New Order. While I enjoy “Blue Monday” as much as the next guy, I’ll admit that, unlike Joy Division, New Order did not change my life. That said, I am shamelessly intrigued by the inner lives of bands, and “Substance” is the best that it gets. Here, we are provided with an exhaustive, detailed account of the rise and painfully protracted decline of one of the world’s largest bands, along with all the lurid excess, debauchery, innovation and glory. The beauty of Hooky’s informal, anecdotal style is that it evokes a feeling of intimacy – it’s like he’s sharing these stories with you over a few pints in a Salford pub.

GRAPHIC NOVEL

WINNER – NICK CAVE: MERCY ON MY BY REINHARD KLEIST

As a lifelong admirer of Cave’s art, it was no surprise that I adored this novel. Irrespective of my bias, Kleist’s “Mercy on Me” remains a powerful work in the graphic format. A somewhat dreamlike interweaving of the biographical history of Cave with characters and themes from many of his songs & fiction, including cameos by the likes of Eliza Day, Euchrid Eucrow and Vengeance from “Red Right Hand.” Kleist’s art and especially his stellar inking are also noteworthy in and of themselves, but the combination of quasi-truth and artistic ability make this a truly sublime experience.

THE SHORT LIST – GRAPHIC NOVEL

Dork by Evan Dorkin. Wait, Dorkin? Again? A 2-time winner in 2019, Evan Dorkin takes his 3rd award in 2020! This deluxe hardback collects (most of) the contents of the long-running “Dork’ comic series. Here you’ll find darkly humorous tales and hijinks of Murder Families, Devil Puppets, Disco Skinheads and a ton of gag strips, like “How to Get Your Ass Kicked” & the autobiographical, “The Soda Thief.” Its mixed-bag nature means you’re always unsure what’s coming next, but it’s always fantastic. Throughout it all you can feel Dorkin’s sincerity, rage, humor, and passion, all of which make him the amazing, genius talent that he is.

Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion. What is happening to the children of Archer’s Peak? I don’t know, but James Tynion’s kick-ass, monster slaying protagonist, Erica Slaughter sure does. A new book laden with atmosphere, tension and mystery, underscored by an uncompromising cool. The initial story arc will suck you right in. It’s not even remotely shocking that it’s been nominated for an Eisner award this year for Best New Series.

Monstress by Marjorie Liu. Admittedly, neither steampunk nor fantasy are my thing, but I was immediately pulled in by the mesmerizing, ethereal art. Set in an alternative 1900 Asia where war is imminent, “Monstress,” tells the involved tale of a woman with a psychic link to a powerful monster who, ultimately, transform one another. While the plotting can sometimes be a challenge to follow, the extraordinary artwork and the evolving tale keep the reader spellbound.

Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill. Oddly, I’d read Joe Hill’s (son of Stephen King btw) excellent collection of short stories this year prior to reading this. A very intriguing concept and executed astonishingly well. A tale of magic and grief set in an enchanted house of keys were an evil entity attempts to wrest itself from imprisonment. I was immediately hooked after the initial volume. The overall effort is supremely enriched by Gabriel Rodriquez’ art. Apparently, this is now a Netflix show.

Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis. Like Gaiman’s ‘Sandman,’ I sadly missed out on Transmetropolitan during it’s original heyday as I was unable to embrace something that received such incredible levels of hype. Glad I finally got in with the utterly deranged, genius journalist that is protagonist, Spider Jerusalem and his clever, entertaining antics railing against a corrupt president. For the uninitiated, think Hunter S. Thompson meets Blade Runner with insane amounts of drugs, black humor and whip-smart social commentary.

THAT’S A WRAP!

That’s a wrap and I hope you enjoyed the ceremony! Please join me in one last toast to celebrate all of our 2020 category winners and short list finalists. All of these fine folks are not only distinguished writers, but helped interject rays of brightness into what has been a dismal year for most of us.

I also hope you found a book or two that piqued your interest to read yourself or that would make a nice holiday gift for someone. Now, I’m off for a few photo ops before hitting the after party! Until next year, darlings. In the meantime, keep reading!