Misfits and Other Heroes
By Suzanne Burns
Dzanc Books

First off, we'll make no effort to hide the fact that local author Suzanne Burns is a contributor to this publication. You might remember her pieces on playing Bunco, traveling to Mitchell and you'll soon read about her experiences with psychics in an upcoming issue. But there's a good chance that your first exposure to Burns' writing came in the form of an excerpt of her quirky short story, "Tiny Ron," which took the top prize in the 2008 Source fiction contest.

Now, that short story - a woman's narrative of life married to the world's smallest man - appears in the aptly titled Misfits and Other Heroes, a collection of 14 short stories, all of which share the same whimsical quirkiness of "Tiny Ron." Throughout these stories, Burns weaves a collection of often-outlandish characters into fluid narratives that allow us to believe the tiny worlds she so meticulously creates. Each story is focused on wildly interesting characters, as evidenced by the soap opera star turned kidnapper in "Bittersweet" and the baking-obsessed copy editor in "Domestic Arts."

 

It's been 20 years since Portland author Katherine Dunn published her quirky novel, Geek Love, a book that is still widely read and loved for its weird depiction of a family of circus freaks. Dunn's fans also know her as one of the country's most accomplished boxing reporters and some of her most memorable pieces on pugilism now appear in a new book, One Ring Circus: Dispatches from the World of Boxing. We caught up with Dunn before her pair of appearances in Central Oregon on July 15 to chat about, well, mostly boxing. Makes, sense, right?

When you were putting together One Ring Circus, was that sort of a walk back through your entire career as boxing reporter?
Oh, absolutely. It was definitely a trip down memory lane for me. One of the things, of course, was that almost all of the pieces were written for general interest publications, not for boxing publications. Although I did write and continue to write for boxing publications, these seem to be the most consciously designed to reach out to people who were not necessarily boxing fans and to try to engage with people who might have even negative attitudes toward boxing, of which they are a larger number of, unfortunately.

Thanks For the Memories, George

By Mike Loew

Three Rivers Press

Reading through to the end of Thanks For the Memories, George is not unlike sitting down with friends for breakfast in a seedy diner the morning after a brutal all-night bender on the town. Somewhere deep down, you know exactly what happened, but you need to have it all recounted to you - even the embarrassingly awful parts - just to make sure that it really happened.

Mike Loew, a contributor to the hilariously satirical Onion, uses this look back at the Bush presidency to remind us that the last eight years were really not too far off from a long and especially brutal bender. And now Loew is here to sit us down in that diner and tell us what the hell just happened.

Author and narrator Thor Hanson details his Peace Corps experience from beginning to end in his new book, The Impenetrable Forest: My Gorilla Years in Uganda. The story begins with a host family's home in Kajansi - a small town in Uganda where Hanson trained for his impending Peace Corps duties. During his brief stay, Hanson drinks with the locals, experiences cultural milestones (crowning of a Bagandan kabaka - the first royalty ordained in almost 30 years), and bears witness to Ugandan violence as well as the first of many deaths brought on by the AIDS virus. And while he discovers that impatience might perhaps be a Western phenomenon, he is ever ready to make his way to Bwindi and the Impenetrable Forest.

Soon after his arrival in Bwindi, Thor begins the task of habituating gorillas - his first face-to-face experience with the herbivores. By tracking the animals throughout the surrounding forests, Hanson comes to identify "fresh" nests created by these gigantic, stoic creatures. Sketching their noses, he's able to easily identify and commit all local gorillas to memory. Hiking miles to spot primates ripping away the inner fibers of banana trees for feeding (hence their reputation as fruit lovers) becomes a daily routine. And while the village is remote, many tourists seem to find their way to gorilla country. It becomes Hanson's job to lead them into the depths of the Impenetrable Forest. Descriptions of gorillas passing gas offending the so-called "adventurous" tourists are priceless as he captures the humor in the most honest circumstances.

Impenetrable Forest is a story that offers revealing details of Hanson's gorilla-tracking days in Uganda. Marred by run-ins with Empazi (fire ants), gorilla smugglers and AIDS, his tales are raw and riveting - written as if the reader were tracking gorillas along side him in the forest. And while the title promises a book devoted to gorilla stories, the personal relationships Thor (Tour - as the villagers call him) developed during his stay all but blur the line between gorillas and villagers. He is passionate about keeping gorillas moving freely throughout the forest, as well as the villagers healthy.

And while his description might be impeccable, the flow of the book is not. A slow beginning leaves readers wondering if he'll ever leave Kajansi and encounter the sought after primates. Each chapter ends rather anti-climactically, leaving readers yearning for more emphasis on the truly unique stories that Hanson tucks quietly into the tale of his three-year adventure. But if the reader can make it through the entire book, a captivating ending awaits - one full of love, loss and friendship. Because even though Uganda has been afflicted by terror, violence and sickness, Thor Hanson's story brings a touch of light and laughter into an extremely conflicted part of the world. -Amy A. Clark

The Art of Racing In The Rain by Garth Stein puts a canine in the narrator's seat and gives readers a chance to experience life through the eyes of a dog. From the clumsiness of birth to the agony of old age, the character of man's best friend, Enzo, guides readers through love, loss and victory as he discovers his passion for car racing.

His owner, Denny Swift, happens to be a race car driver as well as Enzo's hero and some of their best times together consist of watching car racing videos. But as many pets often realize, humans desire to share their lives with other humans and Enzo finds he is literally the odd dog out. Much of his life is spent at home watching the Speed Channel on cable. But it is Enzo's quick ability to compare the sport of car racing with the lessons of life that captures the reader's attention. Throughout the book, Enzo often expresses his desire to spend his next life with opposable thumbs as a human being. But before he can think about reincarnation, he must help Denny get back the one thing they both hold dear.

While Enzo's opinions on evolution and his knowledge of television shows such as Law & Order seem a little far-fetched, readers will enjoy insightful statements from Enzo such as "your car goes where your eyes go," that are developed throughout the book. Stein's attention to detail when describing the bitter personality of crows, observations of Denny's in-laws and rides around a race track are what captures the reader. Most of all, Stein is successful at making us believe we're on hands and knees with a keen sense of smell. As with any good dog story, emotions run high as Stein tackles some of life's most painful experiences. But his playful illusions through Enzo's eyes otherwise keep the book light-hearted and humorous.

Garth Stein Central Oregon Appearances
12pm Friday, August 1. Paulina Springs Books in Sisters. 252 W. Hood Ave. (Signing only). 5pm Friday, August 1. North Soles Footwear. 800 NW Wall St, Bend.
5pm Saturday, August 2. Sunriver Books & Music, Sunriver Mall Building.