TL;DR: The Best of Odd Things Considered

by Anita Dalton

For the better part of a decade, Anita Dalton’s “Odd Things Considered” website has served as a unique outpost where myriad odd notions and odd creations — but mostly stacks upon stacks of odd books — are not merely considered, but treated with a kind of earnest attention that’s rarely encountered in contemporary cultural discourse. This massive anthology collects the most memorable and provocative examples of Dalton’s conversationally-intoned counter-criticism, with insightful discussions of overlooked literature, anthropodermic bibliopegy, serial killer memoirs, outsider manifestos, and conspiracy theories (among many other outré subjects) converging to illuminate a vast and volatile pyscho-literary topography that has been ignored or deplored (but seldom explored) by our reigning arbiters of taste and culture.

When you’re ready to put down that Jonathan Franzen doorstop, consider picking up a copy of Anita Dalton’s TL;DR — The Best of Odd Things Considered. You’ll see what you’ve been missing.

Genres: Nonfiction

618 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 2018

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Doug Brunell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished Dalton's book soon after publisher Adam Parfrey passed away. I can't help but think she is as sad about it as I am. Why? Because after reading Dalton's book I feel like I know her, and that if we met we would be friends. Our interests are so similar it is almost eerie, and it speaks volumes to her writing skills.

"TL;DR" is about odd books (and in some cases music videos, movies, the death of Borders, and books bound in human flesh). The reviews are taken from her website (and expanded upon) and cover books on everything from alien abductions to necrophilia to serial killers to some of Danzig's graphic novels. Oh, and there is more than one piece on Peter Sotos. If that didn't get you salivating, well ... enjoy your John Grisham.

Dalton's collection is, quite simply, the book of the year as far as I'm concerned. For anyone who loves books others would consider "strange," this is required reading. It isn't like reading book reviews. It's more like having a conversation with a friend who loves books as much as you. And while she may not agree with you on everything, her opinions are well-thought out and have merit.

I could go on and on about how necessary it is to read this tome. But by now you know if you want to read it. In fact, I'm betting a lot of you are already planning on ordering it. For anyone on the fence, I say do it. You won't be disappointed, and this is one of the few times I can say that and guarantee it.

Sotos. Furniture made of dogs. A child murderer. Aquatic apes. Conspiracy theories. What more are you waiting for?

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

An essential book (check out her website too) if you're one of those people who's always hunting for weird new reads, especially useful for those times when you hit a wall and just never seem to find anything weird enough. Even if you've read everything here--and trust me, you haven't--the book would still be worth checking out for the quality of the author's commentaries. She's no skimmer. She delves.

[Carlton Duff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wish there were more books like this out there...great resource guide for future reads and excellent job of presenting and dissecting some strange subject matter.