The Flatness and Other Landscapes

by Michael Martone

Seen from the air, the seemingly endless "flyover" spaces that form America's Midwest appear in rectangular variations of brown, green, and ochre, with what Michael Martone terms "the tended look of a train set." In these essays, the flatness of the region becomes the author's canvas for a richly textured, multidimensional exploration of its culture and history. In the tradition of the Greek myths that inspire him, Martone begins at the beginning―his beginning―as a child who "grew up" in his mother's high school English classroom. As the essays unfold, provocative accounts of his experiences lead us on a path toward discovery of the stories that build our own sense of place and color our understanding of the world.

From depicting the details of mechanized cow-milking to relating the similarities between the Greek city of Sparta and Indianapolis, Martone subtly connects different cultures, times, and stories. "Stories We Tell Ourselves" characterizes the fluid, energetic writing that transforms a mundane small town into an intertwined, vibrant world shaped by the perceptions and memories of the people who live there. What begins in one classroom at Central High effortlessly builds into a discussion, by turns playful, serious, and poignant, that touches on myriad subjects. Before our eyes, Martone unites The Odyssey , Iowa farmers, a human genome map, American Gothic, and Dan Quayle into a saga equal to any from Classical mythology, showing us that a house, a farm, a town, a country, or a civilization has energy and dimension only through the stories of its inhabitants. The Flatness and Other Landscapes proves that our lives and the landscapes that surround us are only as flat as we perceive them to be.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays, Memoir

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

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

[Amy Bernhard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Smart and interesting essays, but wish the prose hadn't been so...flat (heh).

[William Torgerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book looking for a collection of stories that had something to do with Fort Wayne, Indiana being 7th on Hitler's list to bomb. I'm from Indiana and I spent two years teaching English in the town

If you know the expansive fields of the Midwest, there will be something in this book for you. I particularly enjoyed the essay "Living Downtown" about Martone's return to Fort Wayne to live and try to work on a book. That he points out sometimes you have to write part of a book to realize it won't work is something I knew but hadn't realized in those words. Also, there's a story about going to see the house that inspired the painting American Gothic. I felt I knew a couple more interesting details about life in the Midwest every time I turned a page.

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty solid for a random used bookstore find. Lots of interesting thoughts about the Midwest that Martone explores through his own experiences in the region. Also interesting dives into midwestern agriculture. It's also great if you want to learn the history of the "fly-over" land and about some of its smaller rural cities. A short book with interesting things to say overall. I recommend it if you're into essays and you're from the Midwest.

[A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful collection of essays about the Midwest! At time the prose was dense, but then he'd pull out an incredible paragraph that just absolutely nailed the Midwest experience, and finding those gems was an absolute delight.

[Abigail Franklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The piece "Living Downtown" is my favorite.

[Trena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me homesick for the Midwest.

[M. Sarki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fine group of essays for anyone wanting to learn more about the Midwest in an honest and relaxed form of writing. Nothing silly here in this collection. Some very well-written essays.

[John Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This an amazing book. The generosity Martone extends to place and people is super-human.