books
OREGON'S LGBTO NEWSMAGAZINE
NOVEMBER 11. 2011
21 J M
Book ‘Em
• Temps dip, leaves fall, pages turn. Just Out's columnists share their current favorites.
Daniel Borgen,
LAD Y A B O U T TO W N
T he C hronology of
W ater : A M emoir
Lidia Yuknavitch,
Hawthorne Books &
Literary Arts, $15.95
There are books you read leisurely, consuming
handfuls of pages over days and weeks. There
are others you gobble up in one sitting, books
that stir insatiable questioning and wondering
about humanity, truth and, yes, love. Lidia Yuk-
navitch’s The Chronology o f Water falls into the
latter camp— and could, in fact, encompass one
all its own. In this harrowing memoir, Yuk
navitch, lifelong swimmer and one-time Olym
pic hopeful, accepts a swimming scholarship to
escape an alcoholic, suicidal mother and abusive
father. Subsequendy, Yuknavitch’s own addic
tions cause her to lose that beloved lifeline—
and the self-destruction that ensues is captivat
ing and haunting: sexual experimentation,
S&M, drugs— and eventually, fulfillment in
writing, marriage and motherhood.
The principal metaphor here—that we all
struggle to keep our heads above water, finding
what joy we can in life despite endless reasons
not to— is certainly universally applicable. That
Yuknavitch made it through the fire and sur
vived is reason enough to marvel; that, as a re
sult, she crafted 300 pages of the most beauti
ful, dazzling, challenging prose I’ve ever laid
my eyes on is inspirational. The Chronology of
Water is brave, difficult and evocative. This isn’t
a book about finding happiness. Readers won’t
always love this protagonist and narrator. But,
as one absorbs every bit of wisdom, cultural and
social insight, and satisfaction, he realizes this
was the book Lidia Yuknavitch was meant to
write. And our world is a better place because
she did.
The Chronology of Water
\ iitriit/iur
I.idin Yuknavitch
h t t l i u l i x i ' I» l >
<T. I < »0:*;.»
.
\ . ■ f j f t i t , » !
4
, »n
w*l.
» la y u
1 » ;. • i m » i
»A I
» iv ,
I. • W
.
Nick Mattos,
'fc »#»•
f ( » u q ’fM u - . l u l i i - . f
v i $ I mita ***«« I n #
• t
• :»
t
\ i «l I -.tU. «> •»« I
iciy.
i p
' tutti
R E M EM B E R TO BREATHE
- »• • Ml i»*» I
i
»
< .,«p •
.s
>»
>
Kristin Flickinger,
A S K A GAY
The Well o f Time is the first installment in an
inspired seven-part series (We The Trees) by
Julie Raymond. Book One takes us
on a journey deep into the past, to a
time when female warriors roamed
the lands of the east, guarding the
divine feminine and all o f the an
cient wisdom surrounding it.
We follow Alana Bell, an archae
ologist, as she embarks on a trek
from present day into Amazigh
country, traveling inside the body o f Issaura, an
Attorney at Law
2075 SW Is! Ave., Ste. 2J, Portland, OR 97201
(503)421-8169
• w w w .n o rth w e stla w o ffic e .co m
T ransgender Law • C rim inal D efen se • LGBT C ivil R igh ts
M em bers of the LGBT com m unity face unique challenges in both the civil and crim inal justice system s.
Hire a committed and compassionate attorney who understands
M eta M aus : A N ew
L ook I nside a M odern
C lassic , M aus
A rt Spiegelman, Pantheon,
$35
.
T he W ell o f T ime
Julie Raymond, Author-
House, $15.99
K aren J . M o ck rin
ancient female warrior. The journey, sparked by
a lightning strike that brings the women to
gether across time, takes us into warring lands,
secret underground hiding places, and through
sacred visions. It’s a time when queens com
mune with lionesses and falcons, princesses are
smuggled to safety through hostile territory,
and priestess healers read the signs. For Issaura,
these signs are clear. The visions seen through
her eyes—which have turned from brown to
green— are clear enough for all to read, and the
strange language she sometimes speaks points
to the presence o f another.
Raymond’s book is “woo woo” out there,
combining a classic fantasy feel with the
spiritual rem inder that we all carry with us
the memories o f those who came before.
you , who cares about what you are going through.
Call Karen at (503) 4 2 1 -8 1 6 9 or e-m ail her at karen@ northw estlaw office.com for a FREE co nsu ltatio n.
m MetaMaus, A rt Spiegelman’s long-awaited
companion to his Pulitzer Prize-winning
graphic memoir offers readers insight into the
Holocaust and its lingering effects while illu
minating the creative process o f a brilliant and
challenging artist.
The publisher aptly describes Meta
Maus as a “vast Maus midrash”— a
thick homily composed o f copious
notes and backstories about the people
and situations that Maus depicted in
animal form. A lengthy Q& A with
University of Chicago professor Hil
lary Chute and interviews with
Spiegelman’s family, alongside hun
dreds of illustrations and photos and a supple
RAINBOW
mental DVD with enough special features to
rival a Hollywood release, thoroughly answer
many questions that readers have posed in the
two decades since the publication o f Maus.
However, MetaMaus transcends the basic
queries— Why comics? Why mice? Why the
Holocaust?—to present stunning revelations
into the artistic and intellectual process o f a
man who sought to ensure that his family’s ex
periences were never forgotten, despite his own
sense o f being haunted by the events that un
folded in the concentration camps. “In a story
that is trying to make chronological and coher
ent the incomprehensible,” Spiegelman reflects
upon his use o f the comic form, “the juxtapos
ing o f past and present insists that the past and
present are always present.” Unsettling and
thought-provoking, MetaMaus deepens the
impact o f a modern classic while standing on
its own as a meditation on the creative process,
illustrating the ways that we are tethered to our
personal and collective history.
Jackie Wheatley. C M
20* Yean Experience
ACCOUNTING
• Discounts to aH LG6TQ and Allies
• Quality Bookkeeping & Accounting
• Individuals. Small Businesses, Non-Profits
(M ention this Ad - Receive a 10% Discount)
503.482.8298 ... www.RainbowPDX.com ... JackieàRainbowPDX.com
Sw úüei
When you visit Portland's Dr. Edward E. Ward you'll discover
how our cosmetic dentist can help you make the most of your
smile. Dr. Ward is highly skilled in using the latest cosmetic
materials and technology to create gorgeous new smiles.
• Cosmetic Dentistry • Implant Dentistry • Family Dentistry • Tooth Whitening
8036 SE 13th Avenue,
Portland, Oregon 97202
503 . 954.2656
loveartgallery.net
IN T E R S T A T E D KNT AI | Edward E. Ward, DMD
Providing quality, caring, painfree d en tistryfo r JO years.
5835 N. Interstate Avenue | (503) 285-5307
Make an appointment online! «'osnicticdcntalportland.com