In a “Manner” of speaking, this
post qualifies as a sleeper. As in, a cultural enterprise (movie, book, play)
that is fantastic but will very likely escape your notice.
The kind of prose you find in
“Most Perfect Things About People,” a novel by Mark Jordan Manner, is as far
away from what will put you to sleep as, well, “Dracula” by Bram Stoker.
Actually, I read Knausgaard at night before bed, and Manner during my subway
rides. Problem is, reading prose like I've posted below and you’re likely to get so
engrossed you’ll miss your stop. Here’s a sample, from a mother artist to her
baby:
“An uneasy feeling lifted inside
my chest. My breasts felt sick and strange. The moon kept approaching, got
closer and closer. It blocked the sky. I hung up the phone, walked over to you
and smelled your hair. Your daddy used to complain working at the warehouse
made his hair dry and his mouth parched. All the fucking cardboard, he used to
say. It’s funny, because that’s how I imagined him. I pictured him in a cell
with his hair like hay and a plain, thirsty tongue. It dangled from his mouth,
gray and empty, until I pressed your tiny hands into my palette and together we
colored the whole thing in.”
Next:
Running for Your Life: Heel, Runner
