The century is bending—have a very happy ending

[sovay]

We are still dealing with Schrödinger's plumbers, but last night I was in bed for almost twelve hours and may have slept for as much as ten. The previous night I slept none and had an urgent care appointment even later in the day than it had been scheduled for: who needs a functioning health care system when a pandemic is no longer a national emergency? It turns out I have a sinus infection. I curled up with spatch and cats and read Gwynne Garfinkle's Can't Find My Way Home (2022), which I loved with its varyingly figurative degrees of haunting and its never simplistically shifting definitions of art and friendship and revolution and its own questioning, exhilarating soundtrack as it spirals in and out of time, which I impractically wish could have been included as a mixtape with the text. I have a better grounding in protest music of the Vietnam era than in American daytime drama of the same decades, but Garfinkle makes a strong case for caring just as much about the soap operas. With any luck, coming a year late to this full-blast first novel only means less of a wait to its follow-up, whatever form it may arrive in. This one takes several by turns: an unmissable kaleidoscope.

Comments

[minoanmiss]

*sends your body strength for evicting the infection*

[yhlee]

*support support* I hope the plumbers finish up soonest and that you get more sleep and that the infection goes away!!

[gwynnega]

Thank you so much! This made my day. (There is a Spotify playlist for the novel, though I created it before Joni Mitchell yanked her catalog from that service.) Revisions of my next novel continue apace; it also has its own soundtrack.

I hope your sinus infection vanishes soon.

[asakiyume]

Wonderful review--I have this on my pile to read and am very much looking forward to it--even a year late.

[sandrylene]

Oh no, a sinus infection in the middle of the plumbing saga sounds like an awful combination! :( I'm glad you at least got some sleep.

I hope both health and plumbing improve promptly!

[pameladean]

Sinus infections are such a very bad idea. I would like to speak to the management.

I hope the plumbers will depart soon, leaving your wall in better trim than when this all began.

Also I now have a whole lot of CSN and CSNY earworms at once, but of course I already had some because of the departure of David Crosby recently.

P.

[thisbluespirit]

<3

I'm glad to hear there was some sleep, even if the plumbers are ambiguous. I very much hope you recover soon - and have a break from all these infections as well! *hugs*

[shewhomust]

I played 'Taoe from California' last week, and had just cleared out the resultant earworms ...

But I'm glad you found the right book for your week.

[skygiants]

Thanks for mentioning this book, it sounds phenomenal and I'll definitely be seeking it out! (But I am sorry to hear about the sinus infection...)

[thisbluespirit]

I don't know what you might be able to handle right now, but if you might like another small Martin jarvis-related audio distraction, I just listened to Craddock and Co (1993): https://archive.org/details/craddock-and-co-01

There are only 3 eps (*sob*) and it was really sweet and fun - features Martin Jarvis as a Victorian bookseller turned detective by night, who is joined by his resourceful and down-to-earth niece from Lancashire, Lucy - And Together They Fight Crime! I feel like someone mashed up Adam Adamant Lives! with the Eight and Lucie run from BFA and therefore I loved it. You might well enjoy it too, especially if you could use something light and easy (but not without a bit of heart) - if audio is still working for you. But ♥ anyway!