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- - - - Copyright The Stranger
- - - - The Stranger THIS SHAPE WE'RE IN
Jonathan Lethem, author, 37 years old, born on the Aquarius-Pisces cusp, has published a book that, the McSweeney's representative assures us, "is among the best things Mr. Lethem has written." I have read the book. It is quite good. However, I cannot, in good conscience, reveal much about the plot. It would ruin it for you. All I can say is that it involves drinking and people looking for a giant eye. I will also say this: If you are one of those people who skip to the end to see what happens, don't do it. The book is short, a mere 55 pages, so you can certainly hold out until the end. As the suspense builds (Will they find the eye? Will the questions be answered?), Lethem does not torture the reader with filler. The questions are answered, though the answers leave the reader to ponder further the types of questions that have plagued mankind for millennia. In other words, it's deep. In an interview, Lethem agreed that giving away the plot would probably ruin the reader's experience, even though he thinks it's a book that can be enjoyed many times over once the reader is in on the secret. "It's [meant] to be re-read. It's better on second reading rather than first. And this format gives it a chance to have that sort of life." Those of you who are already familiar with Lethem's books (most famously, Motherless Brooklyn) will understand that the unexpected is to be expected. This book is no different. Nevertheless, This Shape We're In is unique because of its length. It's too long to be deemed a short story, and yet too short to classify as a novella. As Lethem explained, "The length [of the book] became an opportunity to make it inexpensive and unapologetically short, but there's something about it that has a kind of density. The piece really wants to be a stand-alone item." He added, "It's like a snack item to tide you over to the next book." McSweeney's was able to publish the book in its usual manner, with handsome cover, for a mere $9, a snack-size price. Lethem has previously published short works in McSweeney's magazine, including "K Is for Fake," which will be included in Kafka Americana, a soon-to-be-published collaborative effort between Lethem and Carter Scholz. Lethem describes the collaboration as "a series of collisions of Kafka with Americana--like Kafka and Batman, and Kafka and Frank Capra." Lethem claims to be a movie buff, so the mix of literature and film is not surprising. Lethem will not be touring in support of the book. He is focusing on writing and avoiding airports. "Nowadays, authors pontificate and trudge through airports eating Cinnabons," Lethem said. "I'd rather be writing." ASHLEY GAUTHIER - - - -
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