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McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern #27
McSweeney's Issue 27
Plunging straight into the grayish, faintly understood area of the art world that involves oddly drawn objects coupled with uncertainly spelled text, McSweeney's Issue 27 brings together a previously uncategorized cadre of pithy draftsmen, genius doodlers, and fine-artistic cartoonists, and buffets them with articles examining just what it is that these people are doing and why the world should know about it. Featuring work from David Shrigley, Tucker Nichols, and many others — including an unreleased Art Spiegelman sketchbook — the latest quarterly from McSweeney's presents a new kind of contemporary art.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published May 28, 2008
3 people are currently reading
203 people want to read
About the author
Dave Eggers
342 books9,538 followersDave Eggers is an American writer, editor, and publisher. He is best known for his 2000 memoir, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, which became a bestseller and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. Eggers is also the founder of several notable literary and philanthropic ventures, including the literary journal Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, the literacy project 826 Valencia, and the human rights nonprofit Voice of Witness. Additionally, he founded ScholarMatch, a program that connects donors with students needing funds for college tuition. His writing has appeared in numerous prestigious publications, including The New Yorker, Esquire, and The New York Times Magazine.
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June 25, 2019Contains the story by Stephen King's "A Very Tight Place".
The package consists of three paperbacks enclosed within a hardback case. The first book is a sketchbook of Art Spiegelman's who drew it during March - May 2007.
The next book is another illustration themed book focused around drawings/paintings with some text accompanying them. Everyone from Goya to Shel Silverstein.
The third book Contents:
001 - Larry Smith – "Tight Like That"
019 - Jim Shepard – "Classical Scenes of Farewell"
053 - Ashlee Adams – "Bird Feed"
087 - Liz Mandrell – "Sod Turned Spring"
095 - Mike Jollett – "The Crack"
121 - Stephen King – "A Very Tight Place"
The package consists of three paperbacks enclosed within a hardback case. The first book is a sketchbook of Art Spiegelman's who drew it during March - May 2007.
The next book is another illustration themed book focused around drawings/paintings with some text accompanying them. Everyone from Goya to Shel Silverstein.
The third book Contents:
001 - Larry Smith – "Tight Like That"
019 - Jim Shepard – "Classical Scenes of Farewell"
053 - Ashlee Adams – "Bird Feed"
087 - Liz Mandrell – "Sod Turned Spring"
095 - Mike Jollett – "The Crack"
121 - Stephen King – "A Very Tight Place"
September 17, 2011
McSweeney's 27 is three paperbacks enclosed within a hardback case. The first book is a sketchbook of Art Spiegelman's who drew it during March - May 2007. It has some funny doodles in it and shows a talented artist even in these brief drawings. It's a very enjoyable, well produced book.
There's also another illustration themed book focused around drawings/paintings with some text accompanying them. Everyone from Goya to Shel Silverstein is represented here and has some great pics throughout that are very entertaining.
The third book is of course the stories. My favourites of these were two novella-length stories: Stephen King's "A Very Tight Place" is about two bad neighbours fighting over a nearby property. One of them goes too far and locks the other inside a port-a-loo and then tips it over. Will he escape the ghastly plastic coffin or will it be his end? Dark but funny moments in this book. If you've read King's 2008 book "Just After Sunset" then you'll know this story is included in that collection also.
The other was Jim Shepard's "Classical Scenes of Farewell" about the bloodthirsty 15th century child serial killer Gilles de Rais told from the perspective of one of de Rais' henchmen who brought the children to him to be molested/murdered. Shepard does a fantastic job bringing the setting of 15th century France to life and the increasingly unbalanced Christian knight gone terribly mad figure of de Rais. Very dark, very disturbing story. I'd never been a fan of Jim Shepard before but this story really showed his talent as a writer and was a definite highlight of this presentation heavy issue.
And as for the presentation? Superb, high quality production as always from the geniuses at McSweeney's. The wrap-around drawing of rooms within the words "McSweeney's Issue 27" are so awesome you could (and I did) stare at them for ages, imaging the lives of little people in these fantastic little rooms. Bedrooms, restaurants, living rooms, showers, basements, a whole little world can be found just on the cover.
A very enjoyable issue from the folks at McSweeney's who throw in a heck of a lot into each one. This had some great stories alongside great design and illustration work from some top professionals. Great fun, great read, and looks great on the shelf. Try replicating that on the Kindle!
There's also another illustration themed book focused around drawings/paintings with some text accompanying them. Everyone from Goya to Shel Silverstein is represented here and has some great pics throughout that are very entertaining.
The third book is of course the stories. My favourites of these were two novella-length stories: Stephen King's "A Very Tight Place" is about two bad neighbours fighting over a nearby property. One of them goes too far and locks the other inside a port-a-loo and then tips it over. Will he escape the ghastly plastic coffin or will it be his end? Dark but funny moments in this book. If you've read King's 2008 book "Just After Sunset" then you'll know this story is included in that collection also.
The other was Jim Shepard's "Classical Scenes of Farewell" about the bloodthirsty 15th century child serial killer Gilles de Rais told from the perspective of one of de Rais' henchmen who brought the children to him to be molested/murdered. Shepard does a fantastic job bringing the setting of 15th century France to life and the increasingly unbalanced Christian knight gone terribly mad figure of de Rais. Very dark, very disturbing story. I'd never been a fan of Jim Shepard before but this story really showed his talent as a writer and was a definite highlight of this presentation heavy issue.
And as for the presentation? Superb, high quality production as always from the geniuses at McSweeney's. The wrap-around drawing of rooms within the words "McSweeney's Issue 27" are so awesome you could (and I did) stare at them for ages, imaging the lives of little people in these fantastic little rooms. Bedrooms, restaurants, living rooms, showers, basements, a whole little world can be found just on the cover.
A very enjoyable issue from the folks at McSweeney's who throw in a heck of a lot into each one. This had some great stories alongside great design and illustration work from some top professionals. Great fun, great read, and looks great on the shelf. Try replicating that on the Kindle!
May 29, 2008
This, my first McSweeney's as a subscriber, was an odd little collection of three items in a single case.
1. A sketchbook from Art Spiegelman. This is predictably a treat. He doesn't even usually keep a sketchbook, or at least doesn't show anyone his drawings, from what I understand, so it's a pretty nice surprise.
2. The catalog from a recent art show of pieces including: a drawing, some words, and a sense of humor. I saw the original show a few months back, which was lovely, and this captures it nicely. I always want to get catalogs from shows I see, but never do, so I was happy to get this, fairly randomly, in the mail after the fact.
3. The actual McSweeney's no.27 compendium of stories. Let's just talk about Scott Teplin's cover for this. It's completely beautiful. Weird, diagrammatic buildings like a more surreal, less humanistic Chris Ware. I just saw that he has a show up right now, and I've clearly got to visit while I can. Ends next week.
Contentwise, the stories cover quite a bit of ground, as is typical for a McSweeney's. Two really great ones. First, the chilling "Classical Scenes of Farewell" (more chilling, incidentally, for the historical context of pious ignorance and terror it conjures than for the suitably horrifying particulars of the narrative, which is quite a feat). Also, the desperately clutched sense-of-wonder of "The Crack". Maybe this one is playing to my biases a bit, but great either way. Two others were quite good, including the odd inclusion of a Stephen King novella (I don't really read King, but this maintains my impression that the guy is a competent writer, just one who knows his audience). And two others that I wasn't crazy about but that were still probably above average for short stories I run across.
1. A sketchbook from Art Spiegelman. This is predictably a treat. He doesn't even usually keep a sketchbook, or at least doesn't show anyone his drawings, from what I understand, so it's a pretty nice surprise.
2. The catalog from a recent art show of pieces including: a drawing, some words, and a sense of humor. I saw the original show a few months back, which was lovely, and this captures it nicely. I always want to get catalogs from shows I see, but never do, so I was happy to get this, fairly randomly, in the mail after the fact.
3. The actual McSweeney's no.27 compendium of stories. Let's just talk about Scott Teplin's cover for this. It's completely beautiful. Weird, diagrammatic buildings like a more surreal, less humanistic Chris Ware. I just saw that he has a show up right now, and I've clearly got to visit while I can. Ends next week.
Contentwise, the stories cover quite a bit of ground, as is typical for a McSweeney's. Two really great ones. First, the chilling "Classical Scenes of Farewell" (more chilling, incidentally, for the historical context of pious ignorance and terror it conjures than for the suitably horrifying particulars of the narrative, which is quite a feat). Also, the desperately clutched sense-of-wonder of "The Crack". Maybe this one is playing to my biases a bit, but great either way. Two others were quite good, including the odd inclusion of a Stephen King novella (I don't really read King, but this maintains my impression that the guy is a competent writer, just one who knows his audience). And two others that I wasn't crazy about but that were still probably above average for short stories I run across.
April 28, 2010
Tight Like That: A fast-talking tale of a gang member who impresses a librarian with his penis. Pretty implausible, but oddly entertaining.
Classical Scenes of Farewell: An unsettling and dark tale of clerics gone mad, set in the 1400s. Almost unreadable at times, but not without a certain (car-crash) interest.
Bird Feed: One of those stories about a strong Southern woman feeling depressed and superior in her hick town. Entertaining enough, but left me feeling piqued.
Sod Turned Spring: McSweeney's filler 101. Take a handful of random scenes with a vaguely emotional undercurrent and staple them together. Voila!
The Crack: A mordantly witty tale of four soon-to-be-dead people assembling their own private death club. Very original and the highlight of the collection.
A Very Tight Place: Stephen King isn't exactly struggling to make his voice heard in the world of contemporary fiction. This scatalogical novella, with its cardboard characters and predictable suspense shtick, can kindly unclutter the pages of McSweeney's and let fresh talent take its place instead, thank you very much. I can only assume Mr. King "chose" to appear in McSweeney's. Eh-hem.
Autophobia: An entertaining book of doodles from Art Spiegelman.
Lots of Things Like This: A selection of funny and unfunny comedic art from a hand-picked ragbag of famous and infamous historical and contemporary artists.
Classical Scenes of Farewell: An unsettling and dark tale of clerics gone mad, set in the 1400s. Almost unreadable at times, but not without a certain (car-crash) interest.
Bird Feed: One of those stories about a strong Southern woman feeling depressed and superior in her hick town. Entertaining enough, but left me feeling piqued.
Sod Turned Spring: McSweeney's filler 101. Take a handful of random scenes with a vaguely emotional undercurrent and staple them together. Voila!
The Crack: A mordantly witty tale of four soon-to-be-dead people assembling their own private death club. Very original and the highlight of the collection.
A Very Tight Place: Stephen King isn't exactly struggling to make his voice heard in the world of contemporary fiction. This scatalogical novella, with its cardboard characters and predictable suspense shtick, can kindly unclutter the pages of McSweeney's and let fresh talent take its place instead, thank you very much. I can only assume Mr. King "chose" to appear in McSweeney's. Eh-hem.
Autophobia: An entertaining book of doodles from Art Spiegelman.
Lots of Things Like This: A selection of funny and unfunny comedic art from a hand-picked ragbag of famous and infamous historical and contemporary artists.
July 3, 2021
I felt well entertained by most of these stories, though tt feels borderline unfair to put other people's stories in a collection with something by Stephen King. The few King stories I've read have not been pure horror, but make the reader so unbelievably uncomfortable that you can barely finish it, and this story certainly fit that description.
March 17, 2023
Again, only purchased for the Stephen King short ‘a very tight space’ and glad I did. A great little story
June 20, 2008
You know what surprised me the most about this collection? Stephen King. I read his story in the waiting room to get blood drawn, and I waited in that room for nearly an hour, but every time the nurse came out to call a name, I prayed "please, don't let it be me, just one more paragraph." And that's saying something, considering it's a really, really gross story. Lots of poop involved. Cockroaches. Flies. Vomit. Who wants to read about that?
I do!
The graphic components were also really stellar: the sketchbook from Art Spiegelman (who knew he was so into Crumb?) and the collection of humorous art entitled "Lots of Things Like This" -- some of those pieces are ones I wish I could see every day. I actually considered tattooing some of them on myself.
There were a few fiction pieces I couldn't really get into, but considering the interview with Eggers I just read online (thanks Adam!), I'm having a difficult time trying to formulate a criticism without feeling like a total sad, lonely, bitter jerk. Seriously though, read that article.
I do!
The graphic components were also really stellar: the sketchbook from Art Spiegelman (who knew he was so into Crumb?) and the collection of humorous art entitled "Lots of Things Like This" -- some of those pieces are ones I wish I could see every day. I actually considered tattooing some of them on myself.
There were a few fiction pieces I couldn't really get into, but considering the interview with Eggers I just read online (thanks Adam!), I'm having a difficult time trying to formulate a criticism without feeling like a total sad, lonely, bitter jerk. Seriously though, read that article.
October 5, 2008
My first foray into the world of McSweeney's has me totally sold. This issue comes with three parts.
1.) Art Spiegelman's notebook of sketches he used to keep himself drawing with no intent of publishing. It's a fun, quick read and a charming look at something private from someone I love.
2.) A small booklet of "funny" art that includes art with text in it. The intro is really full of itself, since it's written by Dave Eggers. C'est la Eggers.
3.) Short stories, which are mostly mind-blowing. Stephen King's story isn't exactly new territory for him, but reading him is always a pleasure. My personal favorite was Jim Shepard's "Classical Scenes of Farewell," which was outrageously dark but just straight up amazing. Also of note is "The Crack", the story of a group of terminal patients who form a friendship and venture into a fissure in a busy street and find a huge cave. If this sounds like the Goonies, the fact that none of them will live more than five years makes the whole story horrifyingly tender.
1.) Art Spiegelman's notebook of sketches he used to keep himself drawing with no intent of publishing. It's a fun, quick read and a charming look at something private from someone I love.
2.) A small booklet of "funny" art that includes art with text in it. The intro is really full of itself, since it's written by Dave Eggers. C'est la Eggers.
3.) Short stories, which are mostly mind-blowing. Stephen King's story isn't exactly new territory for him, but reading him is always a pleasure. My personal favorite was Jim Shepard's "Classical Scenes of Farewell," which was outrageously dark but just straight up amazing. Also of note is "The Crack", the story of a group of terminal patients who form a friendship and venture into a fissure in a busy street and find a huge cave. If this sounds like the Goonies, the fact that none of them will live more than five years makes the whole story horrifyingly tender.
August 12, 2008
McSweeney's Issue 27 is purposely uncategorized by the editors, instead leaving the reader to pick out any unifying themes he or she chooses to see. And while this results in a collection of varying quality (Larry Smith's "Tight Like That" is excellent, Stephen King's "A Very Tight Place" less so.) it makes it hard to read as a whole.
Indeed, for me, the two supplementary volumes Art Spiegleman's "Autophobia" and the collection "Lots of Things Like This" from the apexart Gallery are much more interesting and fun than any of the prose stories within the main volume. The stories don't seem to be leading to anything greater than they are and they don't reveal too much that we, as readers, haven't seen before.
However, this is McSweeney's, where a certain amount of exploration and experimentation is the norm and this is an acceptable collection for any fans of the Quarterly.
Indeed, for me, the two supplementary volumes Art Spiegleman's "Autophobia" and the collection "Lots of Things Like This" from the apexart Gallery are much more interesting and fun than any of the prose stories within the main volume. The stories don't seem to be leading to anything greater than they are and they don't reveal too much that we, as readers, haven't seen before.
However, this is McSweeney's, where a certain amount of exploration and experimentation is the norm and this is an acceptable collection for any fans of the Quarterly.
May 20, 2013
I liked a few of the stories in here. Jim Shepherd's story stands out. Tight Like That was just weird. The Crack was quite good. I couldn't stop reading Stephen King's novella, though at times I wanted to. It was very long, too long in fact, but still very readable. Do not read this story if you have a weak stomach. It is not your typical horror material, but it will churn things up. There was one story that I just couldn't read. I started but after a page I decided that it made no sense to me, so I stopped. I'm standing by that decision.
The two books of artwork were also quite nice. Of course the whole package was lovely. Everything is printed on such nice paper and bound together so well. All in all, a pretty good time.
The two books of artwork were also quite nice. Of course the whole package was lovely. Everything is printed on such nice paper and bound together so well. All in all, a pretty good time.
July 9, 2008
I liked a few of the stories in here. Jim Shepherd's story stands out. Tight Like That was just weird. The Crack was quite good. I couldn't stop reading Stephen King's novella, though at times I wanted to. It was very long, too long in fact, but still very readable. Do not read this story if you have a weak stomach. It is not your typical horror material, but it will churn things up. There was one story that I just couldn't read. I started but after a page I decided that it made no sense to me, so I stopped. I'm standing by that decision.
The two books of artwork were also quite nice. Of course the whole package was lovely. Everything is printed on such nice paper and bound together so well. All in all, a pretty good time.
The two books of artwork were also quite nice. Of course the whole package was lovely. Everything is printed on such nice paper and bound together so well. All in all, a pretty good time.
October 9, 2013
Not as good as other McSweeney's collections. The Stephen King story, in particular, was disappointing. I was hoping for a much more involved turn-around at the end of that story, instead it just petered out. "Sod Turned Spring" was good after a few read-throughs. It felt more like prose poetry for the amount of effort involved to piece the story together. "The Crack" was the stand-out story of this volume, and what a fantastic story it is. The stories in this volume deal in one way or another with death. "The Crack" is the one that hit the death theme out of the park by facing it head on and not shying away from the simultaneous need to deal with it and avoid thinking about it.
July 17, 2008
Very interesting grouping of short stories, but this is to be expected by McSweeney's. The stories in Issue 27 did not group well with each other but each story was very interesting. Stephen Kings' story, which happend to be the last in the book, was a page turner. It evoked a gag reflex in me when he described a scene in which the main character is inside a Port-O-John. Is this a must read? Probably not. But if you are interested in reading something NOT on a bestsellers list then by all means pick this up. The writing contained within is very good just not what you'd expect.
November 1, 2008
Oh, pretty good. The accompaniments were a joyous hodge-podge of pictures and doodles. Bird Feed and The Crack are wonderful stories. I suppose I should mention how it was odd or something that Stephen King had a story in McSwy's, but it was a more or less what you'd expect if you like King's non-horror (well, non-supernatural, anyway - it certainly got high scores on the yuck-o-meter) stories, which I do. That is, it was difficult to stop reading because it was interesting. It's ok for you to admit this. Really. It is.
November 29, 2011
This issue came from my library without a slip cover and I had the damnedest time actually finding out what it was. On the whole, though, it was worth solving the mystery. The themes of this issue are varied, particular highlights being a story of intense pedophilia and murder (with an amazingly expressed ending) by Jim Shepard and a surprisingly sensitive story about a gay man trying not to die in a portable toilet by Stephen King.
Brief and worthy for the most part, I'll probably get another one of these out the next time I'm in the library's vicinity.
Brief and worthy for the most part, I'll probably get another one of these out the next time I'm in the library's vicinity.
August 5, 2011
I have never read S. King before, but his story in this collection was basically the only one that left some impression. Though it would be better if there is more dramatism added. Notebooks with drawings are quite funny (i also realized it is a lot more difficult to read a comic for me. I tend to look at it as a sort of art and searching for meaningful details. It makes me tired (or bored) faster than plain text). Therefore, notebooks are still waiting!
August 3, 2008
Spieglemans's sketchbook rocked and the demon story was severe and well crafted. This issue is well worth its price tag, even with the Stephen King novella (which, I'm sorry to say, I don't think was as mind blowing as other folks here thought it was. IMO, it was merely okay. He's done MUCH better work).
July 5, 2008
The Jim Shepard and Mikel Jollett stories are the stand-outs. Just finished the 70-page Stephen King shitshow* and I'm not sure what I think.
*The suburban girls standing next to us on the BU Bridge lastnight and watching the fireworks called everything a "shitshow" or a "crapshow." And then some unruly dog got in one of their faces. Man, those were some good fireworks.
*The suburban girls standing next to us on the BU Bridge lastnight and watching the fireworks called everything a "shitshow" or a "crapshow." And then some unruly dog got in one of their faces. Man, those were some good fireworks.
August 28, 2008
While I'm in between novels, I'm on a short story kick, and I loved McSweeney's 27 for "Autophobia" and "Lots of Things Like This" while making my way through the meat of the issue. Although I didn't finish all the stories, they all seemed to be really, well, violent or twisted in some way. Not badly told, but an interesting combo.
March 29, 2009
The Spiegelman sketchbook is interesting, as is the art-show catalog...The long Stephen King story was riveting and kind of stomach-churning...I assume that's how most of his stuff is. That's why I choose not to read his novels -- I don't really seek that kind of stomach-churning emotion out -- but the man sure is a terrific craftsman.
July 26, 2016
So I suppose, I'm kinda cheating by marking this as read. I really only just finished ready "The Crack" by Mikel Jollett. But, now I am intruiged to read this whole collection. The crack I really enjoyed. It reminded me a little of Chuck Palahniuk, only way better. I guess I'll have more to say when I read the rest of the collection.
May 29, 2008
Thought this one was pretty weak as far as McSwny's go. The Stephen King story is pretty disgusting but doesn't really do anything for me with its message of revenge and poop jokes. The art sections are pretty weak and didn't really feel like a finished product.
August 7, 2010
I bought this because it has an awesome collection of illustrations by Art Spiegelman (Maus). Other then that, Steven King's "A Very Tight Place" is the best story out of the collection making it worth buying.
September 6, 2008
I haven't read any Stephen King, so I was pleasantly surprised by the King story in this. Also, I loved this issue's design and the Spiegelman sketches. Whatever, I never like Everything in a McSweeney's. That's just how it is.
November 29, 2008
My favorite stories were Stephen King's "A Very Tight Place," Jim Shepard's "Classical Scenes of Farewell" (historical fiction about the fascinating and strange and depraved Gilles de Rais), Ashlee Adams's "Bird Feed" and Mikel Jollett's "The Crack."
May 23, 2009
Read this on a red-eye back to Florida for Christmas. A short, but excellent quarterly. Particularly enjoyed Classical Scenes of Farewell and The Crack. The cover artwork and overall packaging were delightful as usual. Stephen King needs an editor.
February 8, 2016
McSweeney's never disappoints. Issue 27 has a theme of words with pictures and includes a sketch book of Art Spiegelman. I really enjoyed the Stephen King story in this collection and I am occasionally dumbfounded as to how he can write so well from time to time and so poorly most of the time.
August 24, 2008
These are some grim, dark, hopeless stories. Well written and enthralling, but grim.
July 16, 2008
The Ashlee Adams story is very good keep an eye out for her, and I like the Jim Shepard story as well.
August 24, 2008
The best part of this were the exhibition catalogue and Art Spiegelman's notebook, some of the short stories were good, some were very good, but I could not get into the one by Stephen King.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews