On a whim (and on the colorful eccentricities of the cover) I picked up My Cousin, My Gastroenterologist (by Mark Leyner) in a used bookstore, bought it, and read it. I’d never heard of the author, and the title certainly wasn’t something I remembered having seen before. But the book turned out to be a delightful read. Seventeen short stories, even though the back cover mentions only 16. I’m incredibly suspicious that it’s probably the sort of book that you’d either love or hate. It’s kind of polarizing.
Blow-Up
David Hemmings has recently died. That honestly means very little to me, but I enjoyed watching Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-Up , in which Hemmings starred. A nihilistic crime mystery type film that influenced the less exemplary The Conversation.
Posted by Ben on December 8, 2003
https://www.swordbilled.com/blow-up/
Peculiar taste
King of Fish: The Thousand-Year Run of Salmon by David Montgomery maintains a peculiarly optimistic slant despite its decidedly catastrophic smell. “There’s hope for this dicey fish yet, but don’t hold your breath” seems to be the general mantra. On Friday I had maple-glazed salmon for dinner. It simply appeared there in front of me and looked too good not to eat.
Posted by Ben on December 7, 2003
https://www.swordbilled.com/peculiar-taste/
Inward glance
Photographed by microphones in the dark, the sound of fate is a laughing French racing blue.
Posted by Ben on November 30, 2003
https://www.swordbilled.com/inward-glance/
Atomic Sledgehammer
Instructions on Creating An Atomic Sledgehammer: obtain a vehicle. The more bullet-shaped, the better. A high speed train would be ideal, but if unavailable you may substitute an automobile. E.g., a minivan. Or a hearse. spraypaint entire vehicle (incl. windows) fly yellow. If desired, wheels may be painted silver for effect. create large sledghammer stencil. […]
Posted by Ben on November 26, 2003
https://www.swordbilled.com/atomic-sledgehammer/
breathe, 1, 2, implode
Don’t worry about the cost of milk because you won’t need to worry about it much longer. Nor the cost of gasoline, if that’s more your thing. Nor blood pressure. The falling sky is none of your concern. Simply go inside and remain there, ensconced in your precious little crab-house, waiting for the next infusion of energy. Read a book. Watch a movie. Enjoy these things because nothing else is real, or, if it is real, it’s not something you can worry about.
Posted by Ben on November 25, 2003
https://www.swordbilled.com/breathe-1-2-implode/
Taken Out Of Context
Quote: “I appreciate that, you know, other people have to live, but I don’t see that they need to impinge on those around them. I mean, fine, survive if you must, but don’t bring the rest of us down with you. I enjoy my CDs and DVDs and PVC and PCBs and 9-5. No way […]
Posted by Ben on November 6, 2003
https://www.swordbilled.com/taken-out-of-context/
Wtd #354
Word of the day: quaff. There’s really nothing for me to say, other than that quaff is a seriously underused word. More to the point, I guess, quaff is far more interesting than its brothers and sisters. Drink. Swallow. Sorry if these words are putting you to sleep, but I had to bring them into […]
Posted by Ben on November 3, 2003
https://www.swordbilled.com/wtd-354/
in medias res: hats
–so you walk in, but who said anything about the hats? Nobody said anything about the hats; of this you are adamant. Outcomes were promised, things were said. But what can you really promise? A woman dressed entirely in corduroy promises, she will not tell you the proper way to defuse a bomb made to […]
Posted by Ben on October 31, 2003
https://www.swordbilled.com/in-medias-res-hats/
Favorite Delillo Books
Okay, I confess: this list is intended to replace actual thought. It’s a substitute for a well-constructed argument, it’s a distraction to divert attention away from the lack of substantive ideas. But here it is: my Favorite DeLillo Books
Posted by Ben on October 28, 2003
https://www.swordbilled.com/favorite-delillo-books/