What We’re Reading: Bonnie Nadzam’s LAMB
My new routine on my evenings off from work is to check the Lit Punch website to see if there are any readings that catch my eye. Recently, I found myself at Nina’s Cafe in St. Paul listening to Bonnie Nadzam read from her debut novel, Lamb (Other Press; 2011). I’ve been to a handful of Lit Punch events of authors I didn’t know, but until Nadzam’s reading I hadn’t been interested enough to purchase the books being featured.
Lamb is not an easy book to read, considering it’s centered on a fifty-five year old man, David Lamb, who befriends and, by all definitions, abducts an eleven year old girl named Tommie. The novel could be considered a coming of age story, albeit a twisted one in which one character comes of age much too late, and the other much too soon. I found myself at once repulsed by Lamb, and empathizing with how pained he is. The novel opens with the death of his father, his divorce, and his temporary dismissal from work. He’s stressed, alone, and unstable, which are all things I’ve felt. But that doesn’t justify his actions. It’s always a strange experience for me to enjoy a book, even as I find myself hating the main character.
What struck me during Nadzam’s reading, and again while I read on my own, was the pace of the dialogue. Nadzam could be a playwright, in the same tradition of Sam Shepard and Anton Chekhov. She has a knack for the kind of dialogue that sounds real, and compelling. Characters contradict themselves, and speak before thinking. Sometimes they take off on tangents. Take the following exchange between the Lamb and Tommie:
“Do you know how much a stamp costs?” [Lamb asked.]
“Like fifty cents?”
“In nineteen fifty-two, Tommie, a first-class stamp cost a man three cents.”
“Woah.”
“In nineteen fifty-two, Tommie, the United States federal government spent about sixty-eight billion dollars. Total.” He looked at her. “That doesn’t mean anything to you, does it?”
“Not really.”
“We need to do a better job learning about the world around us.”
“Don’t do that. Jesse does that.”
“Does what?”
“Says we when you mean me.”
Every line raises the stakes, but reveals so little information that the reader is left wondering what will happen next. As a result, the pages keep turning.
Despite the strength of the dialogue, Nadzam’s narrator is flat, almost not there at all. The narrative passages are few, and short, and there is an air of cool detachment to these sections that is at odds with how passionately alive the characters are. Nadzam is so bent on not passing judgement on her characters that she holds them at arm’s length and examines them clinically. There’s an occasional glimmer of beauty in these passages, but not enough to sustain without dialogue.
Nadzam is a talented writer, and Lamb is a compelling read, even if it falls flat at times. It’s no easy feat to write an abhorrent main character, while keeping readers engaged in the story. I can only think of a few books I’ve adored, whose main characters I hated—Tim O’Brien’s Tomcat In Love and Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina come to mind, and that’s good company to be in.
Are there any books you love even if you hate the main character?
All I hear about lately in the Twin Cities literary scene is punch this, punch that, wanna get punched? No, Minneapolis is not getting over its Minnesota nice and finally going to B-E AGGRESSIVE. So what are they all so nutso about? It’s the new Twin Cities Literary Punch Card, which had its kick-off event last night at Club Jäger. Beers were had, tweeps met face-to-face, and elbows were rubbed with, well, everyone. It was a full house, eager to be punched.
The Punch Card is sponsored by a bunch of literary organizations in town (Coffee House Press, Milkweed Editions, Graywolf Press, Rain Taxi, and the Loft Literary Center), in partnership with a bunch of local, independent booksellers (Magers & Quinn, Micawbers, Common Good Books, and more). If you go to eligible literary events around town (most of them), you get your card punched. Once you fill it up (12 is the magic number), the punch card magically transforms into a $15 gift card to participating bookstores. It’s a great way to get the community excited and involved. Also a wonderful way to find out about some exciting events happening in the Twin Cities area with stellar writers.
For this week’s What We’re Reading, I’ve flagged a handful of upcoming Punch-eligible events that feature authors I’ve read recently. Click on them to find out more on our Mpls/St. Paul Literary Calendar, or visit Rain Taxi’s calendar.
1. Kathryn Kysar and Jim Moore (Sept 18)
If you haven’t read my What We’re Reading post on Kathryn Kysar‘s poetry collection Pretend The World, you should. It’s a beautiful collection on the reality of motherhood, of being a woman, and of nature.
I haven’t yet read much Jim Moore (do I see a Jim Moore WWR post in my future?), but he’s got loads of awards and published work. Have any of you read him? What is your take on his work?
2. Nancy Paddock (Sept 20)
I stumbled upon Paddock through my apprenticeship at Red Dragonfly Press, where I discovered many great poets. Paddock has a strong, calm voice, and writes about nature, the process of aging, and much more, always with a playful sense of wonder. This event focuses on her newest work, a memoir called A Song at Twilight: of Alzheimers and Love.
3. Danielle Sosin (Sept 22)
Sosin’s novel The Long-Shining Waters is on my list of favorite books from 2011. The story centers around Lake Superior, and the intense draw, frightening power, and dark mysticism it holds for three women, each living in different time periods near the lake. Sosin doesn’t just write the story—she crafts it. Each of the characters are significantly different, but are connected through this one natural landmark in such a unique and heart-wrenching way.
4. Ed Bok Lee and Bao Phi (Sept 24)
Lee and Phi are two spoken word poets who perform both on the local and national stage of slam poetry, with a big stir. They both explore racism, culture, and history with a fresh, current voice. While launching Lee’s and Phi’s newly released poetry collections (Whorled and Sông I Sing, respectively), this event also spotlights their publisher, Coffee House Press. It’s a slam-dunk evening with a reading, Q&A, conversation with the poets, spoken word artist Shá Cage emceeing, music from DJ Nak, and, of course, free refreshments. Check out the other spotlight events happening this fall, if you’re in town.
Are any other cities doing promotions like this to get literary people out and about? Have you read any of these writers? If so, what are your thoughts on their work?
