Chris Almeda > Recent Status Updates

One of my favorite things about nonfiction is that you also get a catalog of all the author’s sources. I had know idea looking backward even existed but I threw that boy on my want to read list because Howard Zinn made it sound cool.

Oblivion: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

She’s so down bad she’s literally dreaming about arguing about bullshit with her husband.

Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

This almost feels like a proof of concept story for the rest of the collection.

Tenth of December: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maybe I’m being harsh because I just read a David Foster Wallace short story that does a much better job addressing the need to self harm for attention but this is honestly the weakest one in the collection.

The book doesn’t have the line where he’s like “I’m not questioning your honor sir Janos. I’m denying its existence.” :(

My Chivalric Fiasco: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

A common theme in short stories is a character realizing what exactly is happening as it is happening. I think this kind of leads short story writers to write about sexual violence. This one really was heartbreaking.

Home: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Also an interesting look at the war on terror. It’s about soldiers coming home, having carried out the empire’s violence, only to be shamed by those they return to, who, at some level, are both grateful for and ashamed of the violence.

Semplica Girl Diaries: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Interesting way to talk about exploitative immigrant labor in the imperial core. It doesn’t focus on, or hardly mention, the Semplica Girls. Think of this like the Zone of Interest. It just shows the daily lives of the “normal people” in the exploiter nation.

Good Old Neon: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I can’t wait for the Pale King bro these are all so fire 😭

Another Pioneer: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I couldn’t really find a sense of dread in this one in terms of the negative events but it definitely has something to do with running things through a game of telephone which can be pretty scary I suppose.

Al Roosten: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

These are all bangers. I’m having such a good time

Exhortation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Brother we are still ROLLING! I really like this one a lot.

Escape from spider head: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the first one that was like a black mirror episode, which is what I was expecting the entire collection to be like. We are still rolling.

The part in the first chapter where he’s talking about how you can’t write a history book without imbuing it with ideology because you have to make decisions on what to focus on and what to gloss over is so good. You really should just never be on the side of the executioner and it doesn’t have to be too much more complicated than that.

Incarnations of burned children: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Sometimes David really does just go hard with some long ass sentences. Like ones that actually do take your breath away.

Dear life: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Honestly a really nice end to the collection. Feels like the Dear Life piece really sheds some light on the rest of the collection. I’m just not sure exactly where the line between the autobiographical fiction and autobiographical creative nonfiction lies.

Voices: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Feel kind of bad that she got a subconscious childhood attraction to British men. What a wretched nation of people.

Night: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

I often have thoughts like this when I’m driving. It would just be so easy to run one of them over like in gta.

The eye: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m just not sure how this constitutes a separate section of the book. Are all the stories not semi-autobiographical?

The Soul Is Not a Smithy: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Not gonna lie we are absolutely rolling. I LOVED the turn at the end where he starts talking about dreading adulthood as a child and missing out on things. Really excited for the rest of the collection.

Dolly: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The message here is no matter how old you get, or how bad you want to kill yourself, it’s worth it to keep going because everything will always be dumb and funny.

In sight of the lake: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

I often feel like Nancy in that I have no idea what day it is or what’s happening or who anyone is.

Just got to the part where Ned and his boys rolled into the throne room and Joffrey and Cersei were already boolin in there that is that good shit boy oh my god

The scene where Arya tries to tell Ned about Varys and Illyrio is so good in the novel.

Mister Squishy: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Can only be described as the most David Foster Wallace thing ever written.