Jim's Friend Comments

Happy New Year, Jim!

Dear Jim,

Actually I just "friended" you as a way to communicate to you that if you wish to remain on my "Bureau of Public Secrets" mailing list you need to send me your current email address -- the old one no longer seems to work.

Ken Knabb
knabb AT bopsecrets DOT org

Move over Mescaline, Bolaño's going to get that vibe for you. I don't know where you're starting with him, it doesn't matter, his genius is splattered across his books & poems & fictional memoirs like a plane disaster. Dig around anywhere & you'll get a jolt of pure Roberto.Sometimes even in most prosaic sentence is something astonishing, ominous, soul-chilling. But throughout its his physical mind making love on the page, suffering rejection, suicide attempts, travesties beyond charting. Let him have his way with you.

In the meantime, if you need to detour from the eminent profane to scabrous comedy that will make you scrub your sticky hands and check your bedclothes, check out Dirty Havana Trilogies by Pedro Juan Gutierrez. As soon as you've read the first 3 pages you'll either be grooving or gag. "Sex isn't for the squeamish," Pedro Juan cautions, and proceeds to prove his point and little else. Appalling. Makes me want to wander the warm wet winds of El Malecón Habanero all night with my zipper half down, drenched with seaspray, heady with some caramel kiss.

Hi Ed, I look forward to catching up on your list. Right now I'm distracted by the upcoming election - which, happily, will soon be over.

Thank you for the friends add, Jim. Much success and good reads to you. Have a great week.

Ed Lynskey
Author, PELHAM FELL HERE