"Novi Sad" by Jeff Jackson (Kiddiepunk)

www.kiddiepunk.com Kiddiepunk

I read "Novi Sad" on the bus where my destination was at the barber for my haircut, and I didn't want to go home till I finished the book - so I ended up in a local bar to read the entire novella. It's a very moving book regarding the subject matter of imminent death, the loss of an important person in one's community, and the presence of the world that is not going to get better. A gang of young people, who are barely existing, are located in an abandoned hotel waiting for their 'leader' of sorts. They go through an abandoned and destroyed city to find the lost one. Not to give away the details of the plot, but it is very much a haunted work I think dealing with sadness and the acknowledgment of one who has passed on to the other side.

One of the characters in this short narrative is named "Blue," and the pages in this book are on light blue paper. I was reading it in a dark bar, and the blue is a nice bath for the eyes, but also in tuned with the character "Blue," as well as the story being sort of a version of the blues. It's a beautifully designed artbook by Michael Salerno and published with great love by Kiddiepunk, who works by the way, with Dennis Cooper. The images or artwork fits in greatly with the narrative. A really nice package. A great read. Now, it must be yours.

"Mira Corpora" by Jeff Jackson

Two Dollar Radio, ISBN 978-1937512132

It's a rare day when I read a contemporary novel, and when I do, its fantastic when I read a great one.  Jeff Jackson's "Mira Corpora" is an amazing series of short narratives about a youth growing up in a world of pain and misery.  The lead character's name is "Jeff Jackson" but I am not sure if its true or not - and to me that's not important.  What is important is the visual images I get from his writing - slightly surreal, with a mixture of horror and beauty.   

The image that stays with me the most after reading this book is Jackson being tied to a tree in a dark (as it should be) forest with honey gook over his body, just waiting for the wild dogs to come by.   But saying that the narrative in this book is a real page-turner.  The pace moves in a nice pattern and the beauty of the writing is crystal clear.  I find a lot of heart in "Mira Corpora" but its never sweetness, but more of a bitter-sweet trip to the youth's underworld.   I love how the book goes from forest to urban city.  The location, although never stated, is important to the book.  It can be just a figment of the author's imagination, but it becomes real, in a dreamy way, through out the novel. 

I picked this book up at Skylight Books, because I needed to read something while waiting for someone - and at the time I was reading the new Pynchon novel.  "Mira Corpora" became a more important book for me to read and finish than Pynchon.  Which says a lot to the talent and vision of Jackson.  Also want to note that the book is beautifully designed.  A classic act!