Today I started reading, among other things, Rabbit Punches by Jason Ockert (published by LoFi Press). I met Jason at Sewanee. He was nice and he was also funny and sarcastic. At times, I could not keep up with his sarcasm, which meant that my comfort level in our many conversations was all over the place. I think this was good. It was exciting to not know what next to talk about in a way that would have felt tedious with someone else.Jason is a man of many surprises. Ask him. He knows things.
Anyhow, so far, I have read the first two stories in Rabbit Punches. They are whacked out. They seem normal at first, and then they get whacked. I am enjoying this whackedness. I am excited to read more.
There is a review somewhere on the internet, oh here it is, that says something like "I would recommend this book only for those who are attracted to strange and offbeat tales. If you choose to brave this one, be ready for a mental workout. Get comfortable - you'll be there for a while." I think this is a positive review for the most part (though it is skeptical of Jason's being a new and talented American voice), but I don't think there is anything 'tough' about Jason's stories (so far, and I mean this not as a criticism, but as something I liked about them). Is this meant pejoratively? Maybe. I don't know. Earlier the reviewer writes, "Some [of the stories] seem more like convoluted thoughts jotted down on a bar napkin." Is that bad?