Soft Skull's publication of Pasha Malla's story collection "The Withdrawal Method" gives me an excuse to promote it on the blog again. Re-reading the collection, as I did today, I was reminded just how good these stories are.
"The Past Composed" tells the story of Lester, who moves into his sister Judy's backyard shed after he separates from his wife. Lester builds furniture he hopes to sell, teaches a card trick to a neighborhood child who bears a slightly disturbing resemblance to Richard Nixon, and marvels at the five-second memory of the pet fish Judy keeps. Every element of the story is so well chosen, and they add up to a beautiful and slightly haunting meditation on the fragility of life and the impossibility of forgetting.
"Five seconds of memory," Lester thinks, watching the fish in their blue glow in his darkened room. "A lifetime composed of these five-second installments, just flashes of existence, only to have them vanish, recede mercifully from you like an accident you'd drive by at night on the highway."
"The Film We Made About Dads" is based on a whimsical but also poignant conceit -- the narrator has produced a documentary film covering every minute of the lives of its father-subjects.
"When Jacques Cousteau Gave Pablo Picasso a Piece of Black Coral," is, like the object of its title, a shining jewel.
The risk of writing a quirky story is that the quirks will feel forced, that they'll become gimmicks. In Pasha's stories, though, they never are. Their odd turns help give these stories life, but never completely take them over. Instead these stories are driven by Pasha's sure use language, his light and graceful touch.
-- Sean
The quality of your last two issues was WEAK. Who's selecting this stuff? Sixth grade girls? And the popcorn in the air bag was an old SNL skit. That's the best you get?
Posted by: Reader for Now | May 29, 2009 at 06:31 PM