Alive and Dead in Indiana

by Michael Martone

Stories focusing on eight famous Americans who have had close connections to Indiana blend fact and fiction to cast new light on the personalities and the settings

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

114 pages, Hardcover

First published April 12, 1984

About the author

Michael A. Martone is a professor at the creative writing program at the University of Alabama, and is the author of several books. His most recent work, titled Michael Martone and originally written as a series of contributor's notes for various publications, is an investigation of form and autobiography.

A former student of John Barth, Martone's work is critically regarded as powerful and funny. Making use of Whitman's catalogues and Ginsberg's lists, the events, moments and places in Martone's landscapes — fiction or otherwise — often take the same Mobius-like turns of the threads found the works of his mentor, Barth.

Reviews

[M. Sarki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alive and Dead in Indiana is a good enough book, but nothing I would want to hang my own hat on if I were the author. Gordon Lish was the editor. Michael Martone, a writer Martone would claim Lish would later diss in public and act as if he did not know him. Lish is like that sometimes. Perhaps more often than not. Lately he has been dissing a few others so Martone shouldn’t feel he is being singled out and picked on, or even in select company. It happens to some of the best of them. I am not sure why it happens, but I do know when Gordon Lish has felt slighted in any way from somebody he has championed or helped pave the way by getting a first book published he tends to hold grudges. Long and hard and rarely, if ever, released and let go of. I have compiled quite a list of these confirmed past, and now discarded, bedfellows and sweethearts. Only the most religious of these anointed literary types ever remain in good stead with him. I count myself as one of the lucky ones, but sure to know my ending is eventually to come in some form or another. It simply has to be. It is only another playing piece in an elaborate board game.

It goes without saying the importance Lish has had in making stars of some of his brightest lights. Raymond Carver without a doubt is the best Lish has had to offer us, but of late even Carver has been said by Lish to not measure up much when it comes to good writing. I am not sure if old age is playing a more extensive role in these latest Lish bashings, but I would bet it has something to do with all his negativity. There isn’t a whole lot for Gordon to crow about these days as he ends the line of his long teaching career and reputation as a first-rate but tyrannical editor. His own books he has authored have never been big commercial hits or had first printings of over five thousand copies. Most titles have instead been remaindered, and none have gone on to second printings. That is not to say that Lish is not a fine writer. He is. And Michael Martone might be one as well, but by the measure of the words in this book he still has much to prove.

[Tamara D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not sure how this collection of short stories would fare with people not from Indiana but having grown up in Fort Wayne, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Each story includes a historical character that has some connection to Indiana, although Martone cleverly makes the reader work to understand who that famous person is. Martone is only a few years older than me, so the Indiana he describes is an Indiana that I knew and the memories some of the stories evoked were marvelous. His staccato writing style can feel frenetic, but let yourself be immersed in the story and you will be swept away.

I had wanted to read some Martone for years. I am glad I finally did!

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not saying that Martone sprung fully formed from the head of James Whitcomb Riley, but his debut short story collection is l0aded with the obsessions and themes that would inform his career. Indiana becomes a place active with energy and fame, whose residents and visitors carefully observe and chronicle what they see. The language is top-notch--John Barth's blurb is indeed right about Martone.

[Not Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hardcover.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

i too am both alive and dead in indiana, which mr martone spends these stories convincing us is the most interesting place in the world and i AGREE

favorites: dear john, everyone watching and the time passing like that, the greek letter in the bed

[Schuyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice introduction to Martone. Nothing struck me as particularly brilliant, but it was his first publication so I won't hold that against him. He has great ideas though. He was writing about Civil War reenactors long before George Saunders and Chuck Palahnuik. I'd be interested in exploring his collection of essays about the Mid West, titled The Flatness and Other Landscapes.

[Pete · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of my two favorite things about Fort Wayne IN is that it inspired martone to write "whistler's father." The other thing is Bernard Pollard saying "we got dancers in Fort Wayne" on HBO hard knocks five years ago.

[Perry Glasser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short fiction. Imaginative and often funny.