Reader's Choice: Books From Independent Presses
Select an upcoming review of: 'The Gadfly' by Ethel Lilian Voynich, 'The Kirschbaum Lectures' by Seth Rogoff or 'This is Not Miami' by Fernanda Melchor
Even though Donna and I have been on the move again, with recent trips to Toronto and Montauk, I am not doing a fourth installment of the books I bought while traveling series. Another time. Instead, I want to show you some books from independent presses that have been on my TBR for a while. One I found randomly on a work break, one is from a publisher I’ve been following for years and the other is a collection of translated work from an exciting author. Remember to scroll down and vote on what I should review first.
‘The Gadfly’ by Ethel Lilian Voynich
I was browsing McNally Jackson’s Rockefeller Center location on a break from work when I spotted a book that appeared to be mislaid on the new releases display. The translucent dust jacket with the pointy end of a knife caught my eye, and when I examined it closer, there seemed to be no end of interesting tidbits on the book. The cover has two blurbs. One describes the ‘The Gadfly’ as ‘the wildest nineteenth-century novel you’ve never heard of. Delight in this story of Italy’s Risorgiamento starring a mysterious satirist, a hard-working lady-radical and a Catholic cardinal with a BIG secret.’ The other says the publisher, Mandylion Press, ‘unearths lost literary gems by women & weirdos in the (very) long nineteenth century.’ Then, I flipped the book open to find a stamp indicating the copy I held was 240 of 250. The blurbs and the scarcity had me like:
Since buying the book, I’ve learned that Mandylion Press has published only two books so far; ‘The Gadfly’ is its first (I have the other one, too). I also read the inside-page bio of Ethel Lilian Voynich and am even more eager to read her work. She was born in Ireland in 1864, married a Polish revolutionary/antiquarian book dealer, worked as a music teacher and translator in New York, had her ashes scattered in Central Park and had an asteroid named after her by the Soviet scientist who discovered it in 1970. How cool is that? I’m excited to read this book, and to see what Mandylion Press publishes next.
‘The Kirschbaum Lectures’ by Seth Rogoff
Seth Rogoff’s novel ‘First, the Raven: A Preface’ by Sagging Meniscus Press is one of my favorite books from Books on GIF’s early days. (You should hunt it down and read it, it’s wonderful.) That book launches the story of Sy Kirschbaum, a teacher and translator of literature, who had spent 17 years translating a Czech novel into English. His story continues in ‘The Kirschbaum Lectures,’ also from Sagging Meniscus (and it concludes in ‘The Castle,’ recently published by The University of Alabama Press). This book follows Kirschbaum as he teaches a college course on literature. ‘Standing before a group of disoriented but enthralled students, facing down an increasingly tyrannical dean, Kirschbaum embarks on a twelve-week journey into his past and toward the heart of his literary life, 1990s Berlin, where art and dreams surged with the raw energy of utopian aspirations,’ reads the back-cover description. ‘Sy’s lectures cross treacherous narrative terrain and spiral toward the shocking revelation of an unhealed wound, from which literature itself, in its infinity of interwoven forms, seems to pulsate.’ I’m like:
I am a great admirer of Rogoff’s work. I’ve reviewed his other previous novel, ‘Thin Rising Vapors,’ as well as his collaboration with former NBA player and current basketball analyst Kendrick Perkins. I’m excited to revisit Sy Kirschbaum’s world and to read this book.
‘This Is Not Miami’ by Fernanda Melchor
Fernanda Melchor is one of the most exciting authors working today. I’ve previously reviewed her novels ‘Hurricane Season’ and ‘Paradais,’ and both were chilling, intense and great. When I saw ‘This Is Not Miami,’ Melchor’s latest book to be translated into English, at Books Are Magic, I was like:
‘Set in and around the Mexican city of Veracruz, This Is Not Miami delivers a series of devastating stories—spiraling from real events—that blend together reportage and the author’s rich and rigorous imagination,’ reads the description on the back. ‘These narrative nonfiction pieces probe deeply into the motivations of murderers and misfits, into their desires and circumstances, forcing us to understand them—and even empathize—despite our wish to simply label them monsters.’ This book sounds fascinating, and New Directions is an imprint that rarely misses. ‘This Is Not Miami’ has been on my TBR for years, and I’d love to finally read it. What do you think of these books? Have you read any of them? Let me know in the comments, and tell me which to review first by taking this poll:
Books on GIF does not solicit or accept review copies. We feature books we purchase at independent bookstores around New York City and on our travels, or were borrowed electronically from the Brooklyn Public Library.
Thanks for reading, and thanks especially to Donna for editing this newsletter!
Until next time,
Mike
This is not Miami is sooooo good - one of my favourites from last year. I look forward to hearing what you think!