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Symbionts
Posted January 28, 2012
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A surprising find, a candid and thoughtful author
I'm in the middle of reading this collection of stories, but felt the confidence to go ahead and recommend it before moving on and forgetting to review it. This is the first work of Bram's that I have encountered and what a nice surprise it is. The stories are very diverse. The author brings forth subtle ideas that I cannot express.
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Poetic Essays by a Literary Master
Christopher Bram is such a gifted story teller that it would stand to reason that his ramblings about his own life and about such varied topics as Henry James, adolescent problems of deciding sexuality, the effect of AIDS on literature, gossip novels, etc. would be rich in anecdotes and humor and philosophy. But even appreciation of his depth of literary skills does not provide the reader of MAPPING THE TERRITORY with an adequate clue as to just how fine Bram writes essays such as these.
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Much of the book falls into the autobiographical zone: 'Slow Learners' is an extended 'novella' of Bram's highschool, college, and grad school days as they molded his preference for friends in general and life partners in particular - an at times hilarious tale and at times tender and supportive guide to figuring out life as a young man. He also offers a rich essay on the books that influenced his own writing, books he reviews for the reader in a way that few other reviewers can. He shares his views of life in the Village in New York, revisits Larry Kramer's notorious novel 'Faggots', and delves into Oscar Wilde with a penchant for wit and concrete criticism.
Woven throughout this endlessly entertaining book is Christopher Bram's elegant use of the English language. Reading this collection adds to his stature as one of America's finest writers. And he seems like a guy you'd like to have over to dinner! Communication, elucidation, and warmth suffuse these pages as only Christopher Bram could write. Grady Harp, October 09 -
MAP MAKING
Whether making the map or just telling us about the territory, I feel safe in CB's hands. Thanks. We're ready for more adventure.
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