Status Updates From The Pushcart Prize XLVII: B...

I now know what motherhood will be like with the way this book has been testing my patience. The highs and lows almost follow a three act structure to an almost infuriating degree. Usually I really enjoy these Pushcarts but I've found myself often checking to see when I'll be done with longer pieces of work in here. Despite how drawn out they feel there's a surprising amount of pieces with very little to say.

Honestly while some of the content from the last point to this point was interesting, it wasn't anything noteworthy, very much like the beginning of the book in some of its worst ways, considering I'm almost done (book is actually 477 pages long) I hope that it picks up again soon

Last short story was pretty good, and the pacing of longer stories between shorter ones and poetry is really appreciated.

THE KISS really picked up the anthology and Unknown continued that momentum, the essay I just read was a little long and dry but I'll say the spacing of the essays, fiction and poetry are pretty well-done and I appreciate the brevity the editor gives us from the heavy pieces with short pieces so you're never overwhelmed. At least in my experience reading today.

The beginning started off with a punch, and then it began to get a little depressing before The Cloud Lake Unicorn. Even though death of a family member is the next point of the essay I'm reading it still is disheartening to see how depressive and jaded writing has become in twelve years

The first story is extremely heavy but interesting, I can't wait to see what this edition has in store for the year 2023 (which was a great year for me? Are these editions my version of vintage wines/wine tasting? Yes, will I probably collect every single one? Also yes)

Nothing as good as Sanam’s story in here yet. There was a good poem with a terrible ending that only seemed not terrible once I read the poet died 😬 at which point the poem’s ending seemed less terrible (but still; minor editing would have tightened it and improved the rhythm; why do we treat the dying as if they are already no longer people?!)