The Zoo, a Going: The Tropic House

by J.A. Tyler, Anne Muntges (Illustrator)

"Tyler is asking, through his What is it to see the words that cover a thing instead of seeing the thing itself? Why do we have to name a thing in order to see it? Why do we constantly obliterate what s there in front of us in order to resurrect it in our imaginations as something altogether different? He asks these questions in a good way, a way that continues to quest, rather than seeking to obliterate the questions with answers." --Ken Sparling, author of Book and Dad Says He Saw You At the Mall

24 pages, Paperback

First published August 26, 2010

About the author

J. A. Tyler is the author of The Zoo, a Going (Dzanc Books). His work has been published in Denver Quarterly, Hayden's Ferry Review, Black Warrior Review, Fairy Tale Review, and New York Tyrant among others. He is also an interviewer for Ploughshares.

Reviews

[Andrea DeAngelis · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first story, The Tree Snake, these pieces cut at the wick of language and damage, the damage that cruel words can do. The young narrator's perspective is like an exacto knife cutting out my heart. I will never forget it.

You know those neighbors that you fear, the ones you suspect are treating their children viciously, how you can only make out snippets of their shouting and suspected thwacks? Well, J.A. Tyler's stories are like that, except you're thrust into the room at the worst transgressions, like in a lucid dream, fully conscious and frozen, unable to do anything but you can't stop watching, you can't stop being there because you so identify with the narrator you are his skin, his amazingly resilient skin.

The zoo, a Going is brutal and beautiful, everyone should read it again and again. I know I will.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting book of microfiction moments. In an extremely short space Tyler creates his child and uses him to paint this picture without looking at anything directly. Child perspective is great for speaking between the lines about something like this and Tyler uses it marvelously. The stories are so short yet have so much below the surface, it's almost like prose poetry. In any event, it is a wonderful little book.

[Leah Angstman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here's my review: http://alt-current.blogspot.com/2013/....