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McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern #25
McSweeney's Issue 25
If issues were anniversaries, this one would have to be printed on silver plates. You could melt it in some sort of forge and then pound it on an anvil until you had a set of earrings.
Instead, it's a hardcover book with stories by a few of our old favorites—Steven Millhauser, Joyce Carol Oates, Padgett Powell—and more than half a dozen others, investigating everything from ape men to unlucky island-hoppers to what happens when Canadians go AWOL in Bosnia.
Pound this one on an anvil and it'll pound you right back.
Instead, it's a hardcover book with stories by a few of our old favorites—Steven Millhauser, Joyce Carol Oates, Padgett Powell—and more than half a dozen others, investigating everything from ape men to unlucky island-hoppers to what happens when Canadians go AWOL in Bosnia.
Pound this one on an anvil and it'll pound you right back.
200 pages, Hardcover
First published January 9, 2007
7 people are currently reading
163 people want to read
About the author
Dave Eggers
337 books9,463 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
August 5, 2008
So far, I love the first story, Yuri. Of course its from the mind of a Texan. It has a wonderfully down-to-earth everyman quality of storytelling that I find in many of my mentors and friends back in Texas.
December 19, 2007
In an amazingly quick time of 28 hours (including work and sleep) I got this issue down. I really enjoyed the Joyce Carol Oates story, and the horses, of course. The one and only drawback to hefting a copy of McSweeney's around with you is the inevitable discourse you are required with literatti.
February 20, 2008
An umimpressive, based on what I've come to expect, collection for this quarter, unfortunately. As always, there was a bit of stuff that was a pleasure to read - Joyce Carol Oates never really lets anyone down, and while the story called "The Tower" had more than a dash of what's-lame-about-mcsweeney's-sometimes, i'd be lying if i told you i didn't enjoy reading it. That said, this one, for me, lacked a stick-to-my-ribs type of story, one that i'll remember reading in two years' time (you know, like the one where george bush grew a mustache, or the one where they stole the squid from the museum, or the one where the guy becomes a doctor in a strip mall even though he's not a doctor, or the one about the feral child, or...well, you get the idea).
This one gets two stars not because it isn't worth your time, but because i can only think of one or two issues of the quarterly (i've read maybe 15 of them) that i liked less than this one.
This one gets two stars not because it isn't worth your time, but because i can only think of one or two issues of the quarterly (i've read maybe 15 of them) that i liked less than this one.
Read
February 28, 2008I liked this one. The pictures of horses were nice. Also, Yuri was entertaining. The Joyce Carol Oates story was good and I liked that it was dedicated to Leonard Cohen. Love, The Frontier rubbed me the wrong way and I didn't finish it. The last story was pretty good too, but it was mostly cute. The naming of the islands story was interesting as well. The story about Peacekeepers was a bit uneven and possibly too long, as was the Tower. The Tower was funny and interesting, but just too long. The production values are great as always.
January 3, 2008
This is the first McSweeney's I have read in quite some time, actually. I have every edition of the magazine, but most casually sit in a carefully protected pile on my shelf. I decided that I wanted to dive into this one because the first story really grabbed me. Notable volume, this one is.
May 13, 2018
Yuri ~ 3 Connor Kilpatrick
The Tower ~ 3 Steven Millhauser
Love, The Frontier ~ 3 Emily Anderson
Magda Maria ~ 4 Joyce Carol Oates
The Naming of the Islands ~ 3.5 David Hollander
The Ape Man ~ 3 Alexander MacBride
Peacekeepers, 1995 ~ 3 Kenneth Bonert
The Butcher, The Baker ~ 1 Terry Wright
A Death in Custody ~ 4 Chloe Hooper (nonfiction)
No Empress Eyes ~ 3.5 Padgett Powell
The Tower ~ 3 Steven Millhauser
Love, The Frontier ~ 3 Emily Anderson
Magda Maria ~ 4 Joyce Carol Oates
The Naming of the Islands ~ 3.5 David Hollander
The Ape Man ~ 3 Alexander MacBride
Peacekeepers, 1995 ~ 3 Kenneth Bonert
The Butcher, The Baker ~ 1 Terry Wright
A Death in Custody ~ 4 Chloe Hooper (nonfiction)
No Empress Eyes ~ 3.5 Padgett Powell
June 5, 2021
Boy, these McSweeneys people don't mess around. Very handsomely bound book with high-quality stories. Skews weird and absurdist and I kind of like that. Especially liked David Hollander's The Naming of the Islands.
June 29, 2020
another good one here. I enjoyed Yuri and Naming The Islands the most. I found another book by the Islands author, I've got it on my wishlist. I really enjoyed the imagination of that story.
June 2, 2022
Some good stuff in here, the last story No Empress Eyes is particularly delightful,
August 20, 2024
A solid collection of short stories, poems, and essays.
April 12, 2010
This collection of stories was not so much a thrill as a chore, and given the fact I have yet to read a few numbers of the quarterly, makes me hopeful I will find this a fluke, given I am still subscribed to McSweeney's and have collected all of the back issues over the years.
I can't help but wonder if many, as myself, have been drawn to the design and spirit of the quarterly, to find after some time, an unchanging vein of storytelling that begins to lose its luster. Still, great names in literature grace its pages, and I am always thrilled to see what fun design comes next, and I can think of some stories that stand out (and authors that frequent McSweeney's) strongly in my mind. You would hope that a periodical as this would serve a wide range of readers, so it should be a good sign when a publication does not please just one reader all of the time.
McSweeney's is a dream for those who are obsessed with books themselves and not just their content. I am one of those who cracks my books and flips the pages at my nose to waft their scent towards me. McSweeney's smells good, looks great, and reads pretty well, but I was not that thrilled with Issue 25.
Stories I enjoyed most:
"The Tower" by Steven Millhauser
"Magda Maria" by Joyce Carol Oates
"A Death in Custody" by Chloe Hooper
I thought "Yuri" by Connor Kilpatrick was a pretty good story, but I am tired of these types of narratives, which are common in McSweeney's and seem super popular nowadays in general; a dispassionate, semi-sociopathic narrator coldly relates details from their lives, which usually involve gory content and their indifference to it.
"Peacekeepers, 1995" by Kenneth Bonnert, was ambitious, and hopeful, but seemed self-consciously crafted and became tedious. David Hollander's "The Naming of the Islands was kind of interesting, but seemed like a sketch that was not quite realized. Nothing else in the collection struck me as mentionable. I found myself looking up often, or switching to other books while trying to read this one.
I can't help but wonder if many, as myself, have been drawn to the design and spirit of the quarterly, to find after some time, an unchanging vein of storytelling that begins to lose its luster. Still, great names in literature grace its pages, and I am always thrilled to see what fun design comes next, and I can think of some stories that stand out (and authors that frequent McSweeney's) strongly in my mind. You would hope that a periodical as this would serve a wide range of readers, so it should be a good sign when a publication does not please just one reader all of the time.
McSweeney's is a dream for those who are obsessed with books themselves and not just their content. I am one of those who cracks my books and flips the pages at my nose to waft their scent towards me. McSweeney's smells good, looks great, and reads pretty well, but I was not that thrilled with Issue 25.
Stories I enjoyed most:
"The Tower" by Steven Millhauser
"Magda Maria" by Joyce Carol Oates
"A Death in Custody" by Chloe Hooper
I thought "Yuri" by Connor Kilpatrick was a pretty good story, but I am tired of these types of narratives, which are common in McSweeney's and seem super popular nowadays in general; a dispassionate, semi-sociopathic narrator coldly relates details from their lives, which usually involve gory content and their indifference to it.
"Peacekeepers, 1995" by Kenneth Bonnert, was ambitious, and hopeful, but seemed self-consciously crafted and became tedious. David Hollander's "The Naming of the Islands was kind of interesting, but seemed like a sketch that was not quite realized. Nothing else in the collection struck me as mentionable. I found myself looking up often, or switching to other books while trying to read this one.
July 24, 2011
I have recently delved back into the world of short stories, from which I quickly exited at a child. I mean, who likes a short kind-a unfinished story? Wait, I do! This is because A. I actually have time to sit down and read a whole story. B. I get to read a story and then sit and think about it for a bit, which I find is a very relaxing pursuit, and C. (related to B.) instead of the author taking hold of you and leading you down a path they put you on a path, give you a push, and then let you wander where you will.
There are two stories in particular in here that I recommend:
"Love, the Frontier" by Emily Anderson is a anachronistic tale of a 21st century girl who sets out west in her covered wagon told through short letters home. I had to read it twice to really appreciate it, but that's the nice thing about a short story, you can read it again! Laden with adventure, heartbreak, and a bit of hope there at the end.
"The Naming of the Islands" by David Hollander about "a crew of rogues and reprobates aboard the battered carrack Scapegrace...searching for a country of our own" during which they encounter an endless number of crazed islands with mystical and generally deadly occupants. I imagine they are still continuing their journey and I only wish I could visit more of the islands as well...
The bad thing about short stories is that the authors either A. never write a novel or B. write novels, but they are nothing like their short stories. Sigh.
To close I want to thank Timothy McSweeney for understanding that how a book feels in your hands can be just as important as what it contains. The artwork by Amy Jean Porter of the horses that say "What" reminds me of the endless hours I spent obsessively trying to draw every breed of horse as a child. Sweet memories.
There are two stories in particular in here that I recommend:
"Love, the Frontier" by Emily Anderson is a anachronistic tale of a 21st century girl who sets out west in her covered wagon told through short letters home. I had to read it twice to really appreciate it, but that's the nice thing about a short story, you can read it again! Laden with adventure, heartbreak, and a bit of hope there at the end.
"The Naming of the Islands" by David Hollander about "a crew of rogues and reprobates aboard the battered carrack Scapegrace...searching for a country of our own" during which they encounter an endless number of crazed islands with mystical and generally deadly occupants. I imagine they are still continuing their journey and I only wish I could visit more of the islands as well...
The bad thing about short stories is that the authors either A. never write a novel or B. write novels, but they are nothing like their short stories. Sigh.
To close I want to thank Timothy McSweeney for understanding that how a book feels in your hands can be just as important as what it contains. The artwork by Amy Jean Porter of the horses that say "What" reminds me of the endless hours I spent obsessively trying to draw every breed of horse as a child. Sweet memories.
March 21, 2008
Kind of a sub-par collection here. If they'd all been like David Hollander's "The Naming of the Islands" -- a Ray Bradbury-esque David Lynch-esque series of horrific adventures had by a group of exiled convicts, sailing to find land to call their own -- I would be overwhelmed with reverence. That amazing story, and the gorgeous design of the collection itself, nearly convinced me to overlook the shortcomings of some of the other stories and rate the whole thing as awesome.
But a couple stories were simply unforgivable travesties of writing. These included "Yuri" by Connor Kilpatrick, and "The Butcher, The Baker" by Terry Wright, both overusing shock and nonsensical metaphor to the point of gimmick. If these writers had been sitting next to me in a college writing workshop -- which doesn't seem like such a far stretch, honestly -- I would have really struggled with violent inclinations.
(I do feel a little guilty saying this, because these authors also happened to have the smallest biographies which contained nothing in italics: isn't the whole point of McSweeney's to publish new authors? Isn't that what's exciting about it?
Yeah! So what's a mediocre piece of writing from Joyce Carol Oates doing in there, too?)
Oh snap! I need to stop reviewing books at this late hour, it makes me curmudgeonly.
But a couple stories were simply unforgivable travesties of writing. These included "Yuri" by Connor Kilpatrick, and "The Butcher, The Baker" by Terry Wright, both overusing shock and nonsensical metaphor to the point of gimmick. If these writers had been sitting next to me in a college writing workshop -- which doesn't seem like such a far stretch, honestly -- I would have really struggled with violent inclinations.
(I do feel a little guilty saying this, because these authors also happened to have the smallest biographies which contained nothing in italics: isn't the whole point of McSweeney's to publish new authors? Isn't that what's exciting about it?
Yeah! So what's a mediocre piece of writing from Joyce Carol Oates doing in there, too?)
Oh snap! I need to stop reviewing books at this late hour, it makes me curmudgeonly.
October 2, 2008
Fairly strong collection this time around (so much better than M's 27 which was very weak. The Tower by Steven Millhauser, Love, the Frontier by Emily Anderson, and The Naming of the Islands by David Hollander were particularly strong stories. Hollander's story would actually be well suited for an episode of Tales from the Crypt.
Also of note: the artwork that served as title pages for each story was done by an excellent artist named Amy Jean Porter (http://www.amyjeanporter.com/). The title pages were taken from a series of paintings entitled "Tiny Horses Say What" (you can see the word 'what' trail out of each horse's mouth). She has other series of paintings that are similarly off-kilter, though somewhat self-conscious, such as "Birds of North America Misquote Hip-Hop and Sometimes Pause for Reflection." She will have a show here in San Antonio sometime soon which I look forward to attending...
Also of note: the artwork that served as title pages for each story was done by an excellent artist named Amy Jean Porter (http://www.amyjeanporter.com/). The title pages were taken from a series of paintings entitled "Tiny Horses Say What" (you can see the word 'what' trail out of each horse's mouth). She has other series of paintings that are similarly off-kilter, though somewhat self-conscious, such as "Birds of North America Misquote Hip-Hop and Sometimes Pause for Reflection." She will have a show here in San Antonio sometime soon which I look forward to attending...
April 10, 2010
Yuri: An interesting but unfocused literary debut.
The Tower: A charming and enduring fable-cum-allegory.
Love, The Frontier: A bonkers story of letters and love among the rodeo.
Magda Maria: Dull, melodramatic snoozefest from a well-known (and incongruous) author.
The Naming of the Islands: Rambling, self-indulgent, word-gobbling tosh.
The Ape Man: Hilariously confusing.
Peacekeepers, 1995: A compelling novelette about war/being held hostage. The centrepiece of the issue.
The Butcher, The Baker: Incoherent flash fiction.
A Death in Custody: Mouthwatering non-fiction focusing on typical Eggersian moral concerns.
No Empress Eyes: Bizarre and captivating thing.
The Tower: A charming and enduring fable-cum-allegory.
Love, The Frontier: A bonkers story of letters and love among the rodeo.
Magda Maria: Dull, melodramatic snoozefest from a well-known (and incongruous) author.
The Naming of the Islands: Rambling, self-indulgent, word-gobbling tosh.
The Ape Man: Hilariously confusing.
Peacekeepers, 1995: A compelling novelette about war/being held hostage. The centrepiece of the issue.
The Butcher, The Baker: Incoherent flash fiction.
A Death in Custody: Mouthwatering non-fiction focusing on typical Eggersian moral concerns.
No Empress Eyes: Bizarre and captivating thing.
August 16, 2012
Steven Millhauser's "The Tower" was the stand out for me in this issue. I enjoy the detached style he brings to his work. His ability to turn the fantastic into the everyday speaks to our times. We've become so inured to the wild, impossible things in our lives that we forget just how phenomenal and thrilling it is to live in this time. Likewise, the people in this story have built a tower that has penetrated the floor of heaven, but it becomes a mere reality of their lives and not a very exciting one at that. When the unknowable becomes known, it loses its allure. We forget that it was ever sought.
Other than that, I thought "Love, The Frontier", "The Ape Man", and "No Empress Eyes" were high points. I found "Peacekeepers, 1995" to be almost unreadable. Ditto for "Magda Maria".
Other than that, I thought "Love, The Frontier", "The Ape Man", and "No Empress Eyes" were high points. I found "Peacekeepers, 1995" to be almost unreadable. Ditto for "Magda Maria".
Want to read
August 7, 2013I liked this one. The pictures of horses were nice. Also, Yuri was entertaining. The Joyce Carol Oates story was good and I liked that it was dedicated to Leonard Cohen. Love, The Frontier rubbed me the wrong way and I didn't finish it. The last story was pretty good too, but it was mostly cute. The naming of the islands story was interesting as well. The story about Peacekeepers was a bit uneven and possibly too long, as was the Tower. The Tower was funny and interesting, but just too long. The production values are great as always.
March 23, 2010
This collection of stories was, to say the least, pretty bad. Four of the stories “Yuri,” “The Naming of the Islands,” “Magda Maria,” “No Empress Eyes;” were good. The rest—which took up most of the collection (page wise)—were terrible. This is the classic problem with a McSweeney’s volume two or three terrible stories, especially long ones, can completely outshine the work of the other authors. If you have time read the stories listed above, and make sure to skip “The Tower” and “Peacekeepers, 1995.”
February 19, 2008
The first McSweeney's I received since I up and subscribed a couple months ago. A couple of clear standouts here, including the piece by Joyce Carol Oates and the stellar capper by Padget Powell (I'll now add him to my "must get to know" list). Otherwise, this collection wasn't particularly memorable.
January 22, 2009
A funny travel writer tours Western Ireland trying to determine if he belongs there. Funny lines: “He was in his sixties, and a cardigan.” Hysterical scenes: chased by a cow, dead bird in the exhaust pipe. One of the few writers who mentions that he is actually writing while he is – sitting in the corner of a pub reading Thakery and writing about the patrons.
June 21, 2009
I very much enjoyed Emily Anderson's 'Love, The Frontier'. She throws three things together - the journal, the American Western ideal and a feminist outlook. The result is both charming and stirring. I especially like the heroine's courage and the way Anderson counterpoints that with the plight of the 'Celementines' - women who aquiesce in slavery for the payoff of security.
February 19, 2008
Yeah, I dunno.... A patchy affair, as always, with the pretension sometimes overwhelming any actual skill or ability to engage the reader. Occasionally hilarious. Occasionally intriguing. Sometimes just outright dumb. The pictures of horses are ace.
May 5, 2010
Chloe Hooper's non-fiction piece about the death of an Aboriginal man in Australia at the hands of a white police officer is great. Be sure to read the first part in issue 21 before you read part two in issue 25, though.
December 10, 2007
this is a good one, i haven't read all of them, just 16, 18, 23, 24 and 5. parts of other ones. but this is the best one i've read so far.
January 14, 2008
Another good McSweeney's. The subscription is one of the best things I ever got for myself.
February 4, 2008
"Peacekeepers, 1995" is reallyreally good.
May 16, 2008
So far, another great McSweeney's... man, they find some good stories.
February 5, 2009
I enjoyed McSweeney's 25.
I have read 6 M. Quarterlys, and this has the best group of short stories.
I have read 6 M. Quarterlys, and this has the best group of short stories.
August 4, 2008
This was another solid issue of McSweeney's. I particularly liked the drawings of the tiny horses saying "what" and the story set in Bosnia -- it was intense but also very good.
January 2, 2015
Just started. I'll return with a review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews