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Stripmalling
Part graphic novel, part journal, this tale follows one young man's embarrassing and hilarious journey to literary awareness. Jonny lives and works in a suburban strip mall but dreams of being a writer. He already possesses most of the elements needed to realize his dream—a supportive girlfriend, an active imagination, and an abundance of subject matter—but nonetheless finds his literary pursuits impeded by his own relentless stupidity. From big-box capitalism to growing up in the 21st century, Jonny's irreverent musings are captivating and deceivingly wise.
184 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2009
31 people want to read
About the author
Jon Paul Fiorentino
20 books14 followersJon Paul Fiorentino is the author of I'm Not Scared of You or Anything (Anvil Press) and Needs Improvement (Coach House Books). He is also the author of the novel Stripmalling which was shortlisted for the Paragraphe Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction, and five poetry collections, including The Theory of the Loser Class, which was shortlisted for the A. M. Klein Prize and Indexical Elegies which won the 2010 CBC Books "Bookie" Award for Best Book of Poetry.
He has written for The National Post, Walrus, Maisonneuve, sub-Terrain, The Huffington Post, The Montreal Gazette, The Barnstomer, New American Writing, Hobo, Joyland, The Capilano Review, Event, The Winnipeg Review, The Queen Street Quarterly, fillingStation, Prism International, Opium and many other publications.
He lives in Montreal, where he teaches Creative Writing at Concordia University, is the editor-in-chief of Matrix magazine, is a poetry editor for Joyland, the poetry editor for the Snare Imprint of Invisible Publishing, and the fiction editor for the Serotonin/Wayside Imprint of Insomniac Press.
He has written for The National Post, Walrus, Maisonneuve, sub-Terrain, The Huffington Post, The Montreal Gazette, The Barnstomer, New American Writing, Hobo, Joyland, The Capilano Review, Event, The Winnipeg Review, The Queen Street Quarterly, fillingStation, Prism International, Opium and many other publications.
He lives in Montreal, where he teaches Creative Writing at Concordia University, is the editor-in-chief of Matrix magazine, is a poetry editor for Joyland, the poetry editor for the Snare Imprint of Invisible Publishing, and the fiction editor for the Serotonin/Wayside Imprint of Insomniac Press.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 21, 2013
I liked it...
That's pretty much all there is to it. I can't write a review on this book because it's a bizarre way of writing that's quite hard to judge, you either like it or you don't.
And I liked it.
I found it pointless and refreshing and it made me laugh.
Which to me was great at the time - it's a one-read kind of book.
But yes, I liked it.
That's pretty much all there is to it. I can't write a review on this book because it's a bizarre way of writing that's quite hard to judge, you either like it or you don't.
And I liked it.
I found it pointless and refreshing and it made me laugh.
Which to me was great at the time - it's a one-read kind of book.
But yes, I liked it.
November 15, 2018
although i was not very into the story or the characters, the themes and the structure of the book as well as the crossing of genres- novel/diary/graphic novel/commentary appealed to me. Enough that I want to read more from this author.
November 9, 2025
Immensely self-indulgent. There's a sort of typical freshman you get in creative writing workshops who seems so completely devoid of creativity that their entire oeuvre becomes just a bland rehashing of their bland experiences ad nauseum. I'm not saying there's no room for "autofiction" or semi-autobiographical work, but just read some of this. It's banal.
Our classes went from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. And then we would often continue our literary discussions at the King’s Head Pub. Carmen would drink double Scotch on the rocks, smoke Pall Mall cigarettes, and hold court for hours talking about Gertrude Stein, T.S. Eliot, James Joyce, and Canadian writers too, like Alice Munro, Margaret Atwood, Leonard Cohen. She had a way of treating her students that was unlike any teacher I had encountered before. She could be gruff and cutting, but she was equally generous. And she did not treat any of us like students after that first class where she tried to scare the shit out of us (she confessed that her strategy was to try to frighten away students on the first day to make her marking load lighter), she treated us like peers — like fellow writers. It was astonishing, and it was just what so many of us needed. Instead of keeping her knowledge about the publishing world to herself, she shared it openly. And those of us who wanted this knowledge listened attentively
It's all like this, top to bottom. This is nothing prose. It's bland and clunky and unrewarding. The only "ideas" Fiorentino brings together are the more "meta" elements within the book ("Jonny" interviewing the character of Dora, for instance, about their relationship, or sections of her thoughts on "Jonny," all provided as "bonus material"), but it's just more self-indulgence. Get a therapist, Jon! Don't waste my time.
On that note, however: Fiorentino has become rather notorious in recent years, and I suspect that that reputation will become the principal legacy he leaves behind. Unlike McGimpsey, Allen, or Irving, Fiorentino does not have the benefit of at least leaving behind books that people will fondly remember. Here's another excerpt from the book which I think summed up Jon's problem rather nicely, something Dora says to "Jonny" during their interview:
"The only people who hang out with you, who will sleep with you, who show interest in you, are actually just showing interest in themselves. They want to publish, or to have some sort of credibility in your writerly world. It’s sick, Jonny. And it’s sick that you chose that over something real."
No comment.
Our classes went from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. And then we would often continue our literary discussions at the King’s Head Pub. Carmen would drink double Scotch on the rocks, smoke Pall Mall cigarettes, and hold court for hours talking about Gertrude Stein, T.S. Eliot, James Joyce, and Canadian writers too, like Alice Munro, Margaret Atwood, Leonard Cohen. She had a way of treating her students that was unlike any teacher I had encountered before. She could be gruff and cutting, but she was equally generous. And she did not treat any of us like students after that first class where she tried to scare the shit out of us (she confessed that her strategy was to try to frighten away students on the first day to make her marking load lighter), she treated us like peers — like fellow writers. It was astonishing, and it was just what so many of us needed. Instead of keeping her knowledge about the publishing world to herself, she shared it openly. And those of us who wanted this knowledge listened attentively
It's all like this, top to bottom. This is nothing prose. It's bland and clunky and unrewarding. The only "ideas" Fiorentino brings together are the more "meta" elements within the book ("Jonny" interviewing the character of Dora, for instance, about their relationship, or sections of her thoughts on "Jonny," all provided as "bonus material"), but it's just more self-indulgence. Get a therapist, Jon! Don't waste my time.
On that note, however: Fiorentino has become rather notorious in recent years, and I suspect that that reputation will become the principal legacy he leaves behind. Unlike McGimpsey, Allen, or Irving, Fiorentino does not have the benefit of at least leaving behind books that people will fondly remember. Here's another excerpt from the book which I think summed up Jon's problem rather nicely, something Dora says to "Jonny" during their interview:
"The only people who hang out with you, who will sleep with you, who show interest in you, are actually just showing interest in themselves. They want to publish, or to have some sort of credibility in your writerly world. It’s sick, Jonny. And it’s sick that you chose that over something real."
No comment.
May 22, 2023
Navel gazing literature.
October 31, 2011
I really wanted to like this book. The idea has promise, that of taking a fairly commonplace central story - guy with dead end job in what he feels is a town that stymies his creativity aspires to be a writer - and blowing out the walls by approaching it from conventional text, graphic novel, workshopped screenplay and multiple perspectives. But the reality is that it's a thin story with no really interesting characters or fresh insights, especially on the encroachment of big box corporate concerns, which we all know suck the life out of small towns - but didn't the author already think his town sucked?. The different stylistic renderings just feel like gratuitous padding and short attention span noodling. But I feel a bit insulted as a reader, because *I* don't have a short attention span if he wants to try to stick with his story and explore it in more depth.
The well-illustrated graphic novel portions feel especially wasted because they look great, but add nothing to the story. Is the workshopped bit with the clueless handwritten edits supposed to draw the reader in on the joke, whatever that is? Yeah, I get it, but again it doesn't add anything new to the central story.
The well-illustrated graphic novel portions feel especially wasted because they look great, but add nothing to the story. Is the workshopped bit with the clueless handwritten edits supposed to draw the reader in on the joke, whatever that is? Yeah, I get it, but again it doesn't add anything new to the central story.
August 12, 2009
A hybrid book--not quite graphic, not enough novel. But really funny and dark and the two kinds of storytelling complemented each other quite well here. It wasn't strong on plot, mostly feckless, self-loathing characters. The Jonny character was hilarious and you're always skating on the thin ice the author deliberately sets up between what is autobiography and what is fiction. Both are funny and no decision is necessary. They both get thumbs up from me. I will definitely seek out some of his earlier work.
April 12, 2013
CanLit, Winnipeg-centric.
I enjoyed the romp through Transcona of yore, the scathing wit, and the apt depictions of Winnipeg. Slightly confusing and occasionally hard to follow. Contained some good laughs.
I enjoyed the romp through Transcona of yore, the scathing wit, and the apt depictions of Winnipeg. Slightly confusing and occasionally hard to follow. Contained some good laughs.
June 29, 2009
See my review at Fiction Writers Read: http://fictionwritersreview.com/revie...
December 2, 2011
I rather thought the pink cover of this book was representative of Transcona's flamingos, but turns out the book comes in blue too. So much for that idea.
Review to come.
Review to come.
February 19, 2013
One of the most pathetic books I've ver read.
Just by saying: "It's a shitty book and I'm an ass", you don't make the book any better.
Not original at all.
Just by saying: "It's a shitty book and I'm an ass", you don't make the book any better.
Not original at all.
March 19, 2013
I loved this book. It was unique and hilarious. A book to read over again and again just for its quirkiness! I finished it the same day I started it. I couldn't put it down.
June 20, 2012
A little different but was a interesting little read.
December 9, 2012
This book is kind of dull. It's a mid life crisis biography of a man who doesn't matter....
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews