The hideous cover of this short story collection really stood out when I first saw it in the paperback rack of a small-town pharmacy in 1984. No fourth-rate Carver wannabe stories in here, it fairly screamed. Emily Prager’s cv -- fashion model and National Lampoon staffer -- closed the sale.
The short stories and novella collected herein are mostly along the lines of what I’d been hoping for when I bought the book: the kind of anti-authoritarian comedy and tone the best Lampoon short stories offered, but more expansive and lyrical, on a more personal level. And genuinely transgressive where the lesser Lampoon stuff was merely gross.
Nothing prepared me for the title story, though, and I’ve never gotten over it.
“A Visit From The Footbinder” has the power and menace and simplicity of style of a great folk tale. As far as I know, it hasn’t been anthologized and taught in college. It should be. If you haven’t read it, track it down.
The short stories and novella collected herein are mostly along the lines of what I’d been hoping for when I bought the book: the kind of anti-authoritarian comedy and tone the best Lampoon short stories offered, but more expansive and lyrical, on a more personal level. And genuinely transgressive where the lesser Lampoon stuff was merely gross.
Nothing prepared me for the title story, though, and I’ve never gotten over it.
“A Visit From The Footbinder” has the power and menace and simplicity of style of a great folk tale. As far as I know, it hasn’t been anthologized and taught in college. It should be. If you haven’t read it, track it down.
9 comments:
Now I have to find it.
Sounds good and I'm still waiting for that hideous cover.
Ha! That's just plain awful. You were not kiddin'.
Aww i reeally want to read it. But i have yet to find a library with it... =="
Anonymous, see if your local library has interlibrary loan. Here in Michigan, if any library in the state has a book, they'll send it to your library upon request.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interlibrary_loan
The story is anthologized in Kelly Griffith's Narrative Fictions. I've taught it myself.
Glad to know this work hasn't been forgotten. Thanks for the info!
Ok. This cover absolutely terrifies me. I had to read this short story for my I.B. English but thank goodness it didn't come with the actual cover.
Sorry about that, Oceaneve!
If you enjoyed the story, I hope this cover didn't ruin your experience.
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