The Map of the System of Human Knowledge

by James Tadd Adcox

The Map of the System of Human Knowledge is a short encyclopedia, full of entries that waver between fiction and memoir, poetry and prose, realism and irrealism.

Construction workers build Indiana’s first official mountain. The entrails of vacuum cleaners are examined for hints of a dark future. Gift shops are burned down, rebuilt, burned down once again.

New forms of fathers appear. A man builds his wife a womb to protect her from the cold while she bakes their daughter.

Entries end, almost inevitably, not on what we know, but on what we cannot know.

The Map of the System of Human Knowledge is about everything, is about the need to put what we know in order, is about how orders break down. Is about how any encyclopedia must be incomplete.

The map of the system of human knowledge is, by necessity, incomplete.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

138 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2012

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never read books this fast. If someone were to ask me what I write about, I would tell them that I am interested in writing things that are about the existence of the truly mysterious and ineffable in everyday life. This is what I see these stories as being about as well. They push every one of my writing buttons and are consistently surprising and fascinating. I have not been this excited about a book since I first read Zachary Schomburg's Scary No Scary. This is a bit of a different feeling since I relate so strongly to what is going on in these stories. I want to live in the world these take place in. Also I am terrified of living in the world these take place in. Also I am simultaneously elated and terrified because I think I already do live in the world these take place in. I will be writing more about The Map of the System of Human Knowledge. I will probably talk many, many people's ears off about this book. I cannot say enough.

[Robb Todd]

Do not be deterred by the table of contents, which made me feel dumb as a ... I dunno, dumb as something that is really stupid. But I overcame my fear. This book will bend your brain. James Tadd Adcox knows how to twist up those gray tubes that are already twisty.

[mkfs · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure how I end up with these books of short stories that each start with something slightly ridiculous ("That morning, I awoke next to an eggplant" or "One day, the toaster started singing") and attempt to become poignant by the end. Is this what MFA courses teach now?

Anyways, this is another one.

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weird and enjoyable. Some stories were funny, some made me think, some left me completely baffled. Very entertaining and thought provoking.

[Thomas Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books is full of illustrations that fit my imagination and make me smile and laughter out loud often. I have read my copy so many times it’s coming apart at the seams. I cannot recommend it more highly if you’re lucky enough to find a copy.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful little book filled with flash fiction.

[Jim Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What the...?! I'm not exactly sure what that was but I liked it a lot. I've never read anything quite like it. The chapter list reads like a bizarre science/psychology/philosophy textbook table of contents. Each adjoining chapter is more of an example pertaining to the table of content entry. Some are brief narratives, most are situational descriptions and characterization depictions, but all are strange and well written. A most unique read.

[erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yo so this was a really fun quick read but then two days later I thought about it and realized that it's essentially the "Book" from The Golden Age and that totally blew my mind and was really cool. That is all!

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The strong stories were REALLY strong, REALLY good. There were some stories that didn't feel like stories and didn't feel as fleshed out as some of the others, but the strength of the best more than made up for it. They HIT you.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just because you figure out how to see what lies behind the curtains, it doesn't mean doing so provides you with a better grasp of why it is there in the first place.

More - http://bentanzer.blogspot.com/2013/01...

[diddleknabb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like it.

[Brooks Sterritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The picture of my aunt covered nearly half the living-room wall."

[Rand]

(( . . . ))
holy fuck

[Äshley Krälin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the greatest book ever written by man-kind.

[Sheldon Compton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's my favorite I've read so far this year.