Rec. #155: Garfunkel and Oates

What: Garfunkel and Oates are Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci. You might also know them as "the bulimic dandelion from Pushing Daisies" and "the babysitter/ petsitter/ eldersitter from Raising Hope." Together as a musical act, their songs include "Pregnant Women Are Smug," "I Don't Understand Job," and "Running With Chicken." Warning: After you listen to "Pregnant Women Are Smug," you will likely have the chorus stuck in your head for the rest of your life and will be in danger of actually singing it when you see a pregnant woman.

Comparable to: Flight of the Conchords, but female, not male. And the U.S., not New Zealand.

Representative quote: "He doesn't think I know, but I know, I know, I've always known./ He doesn't think it shows, but it shows, for sure, it's always shown." --- from "Gay Boyfriend"

You might not like it if: The only comedy songs you listen to are those by "Weird Al" Yankovic.

How to get it: Well, writing this rec gave me an excuse to watch all their videos on YouTube (ahem, again). They also have two albums, Music Songs and All Over Your Face. And they're developing a pilot for HBO because of course they are.

Rec. #154: On Histories and Stories

What: Over several years, and through some trial and error, I've come to the realization that I like A.S. Byatt best in short chunks. That could be short stories, or it could be essays, like the ones here in On Histories and Stories. In this small collection, Byatt examines several aspects of contemporary postmodern fiction, including its incorporation of natural sciences, historical fiction, and myths.

Comparable to: Your favorite English lit professor.

Representative quote: "We narrate ourselves to each other in bars and beds."

You might not like it if: You don't read in order to think about reading.

How to get it: Buy it or borrow it.

Connections to previous Wreckage: Consider these essays part of a continuing series on getting the university education you wish you'd had. Check out Opening Skinner's Box (Rec. #28) for Experimental Psych 101, The Rituals of Dinner (Rec. #63) for Social Anthropology 302, Sontag & Kael: Opposites Attract Me (Rec. #89) for extra credit in Critical Studies, and The Journalist and the Murderer (Rec. #114) for Journalism 201: Ethics.

Rec. #153: Much Obliged, Jeeves

What: Although Much Obliged, Jeeves comes near the end of P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster books, it's actually a good place to start. The central tangle in this installment centers on a London gentleman's club for valets. The members are required to document the exploits of their employers in the club book. When a disgruntled valet (not Jeeves) steals the book in order to sell its juicy contents, chaos breaks out. Add to that two of Bertie's former flames threatening to marry him, and you have a very nice introduction to Reginald Jeeves and his charge, Bertie Wooster --- who, despite everything, is quite a good egg.

Comparable to: See Connections below.

Representative quote: "If a girl thinks you're in love with her and says she will marry you, you can't very well voice a preference for being dead in a ditch."

You might not like it if: You experience undue anxiety about whether Bertie will manage to get out of this scrape. (Spoiler: He does.)

How to get it: I gave a little face time to a non-Overlook Press edition in the cover image above, but the Overlook edition is great, as always.

Connections to previous Wreckage: This is the first time I've spotlit a Jeeves and Wooster book, but I've already recommended two other P.G. Wodehouse novels --- Cocktail Time (Rec. #24) and Jill the Reckless (Rec. #132). And Hugh Laurie, who is famous in certain circles for portraying Bertie, wrote a book called The Gun Seller (Rec. #54).

Rec. #152 (abbrev.): Eddie Izzard --- Dress to Kill

What: Comedy performance, eyeliner, San Francisco, grapefruit-coveting squirrel, European history, free association, snowboarding, bungalows, flags, religion, Heimlich maneuver, executive transvestite, Sean Connery impressions, stubborn virginity, scooters, druids, the American Dream, endless quotability

Representative quote: "Thank you for flying Church of England --- cake or death?"

Notice of a Few Upcoming Changes

I have Additional Time Commitments looming on the horizon, so the Daily Wreck is about to undergo a few changes.

Starting in July, there will be one main recommendation per week, supplemented by some additional content, such as short lists or abbreviated recommendations. (You'll see an example of an abbreviated recommendation with the next post. I'm giving the format a tryout before its official debut.)

Also, did you know that July is this week? It is this week!

Rec. #151: Here Beneath Low-Flying Planes

What: Merrill Feitell's collection of stories won the Iowa Short Fiction Award. The slim volume contains eight perfect little glimpses into different lives, including realizations made during a bike-a-thon through New York, an impromptu dumpling party, and a sudden storm in Texas.

Comparable to: Less bitter than Erika Krouse, more melancholy than Elizabeth Crane.

Representative quote: "It is Thanksgiving , the great day of dinner, of Dockers and dress shirts and marshmallow-sweetened squash. This year we are forgoing our standard slow graze on the home front to spend the day with my sister and her boyfriend's family, meeting them for the first time --- on this, a National Holiday."

You might not like it if: The 123 pages go too quickly.

How to get it: It's in print and also Kindle-able.

Connections to previous Wreckage: More contemporary short fiction --- Julie Hecht's Happy Trails to You (Rec. #6), Ellen Gilchrist's Nora Jane: A Life in Stories (Rec. #25), Adrienne Sharp's White Swan, Black Swan (Rec. #53), Elizabeth Crane's When the Messenger Is Hot (Rec. #73), and Erika Krouse's Come Up and See Me Sometime (Rec. #122).

Rec. #150: Smilla's Sense of Snow

What: In Smilla's Sense of Snow, the eponymous narrator finds herself drawn into the amateur investigation of a young boy's fatal fall from a roof. Smilla is half Greenlander, half Danish. She lives in Copenhagen, still somewhat torn by the two worlds (post-colonial history alert!). Author Peter Høeg tangles up his compelling main character in deceptions, conspiracies, and intrigues, while imbuing the story with the rich detail of an unusual setting.

Comparable to: It's a literary thriller in the vein of Arturo Perez-Reverte, except it's cold here and hot there.

Representative quote: "People hold their lives together by means of the clock. If you make a slight change, something interesting nearly always happens."

You might not like it if: Too quiet. Too contemplative. Too much snow.

How to get it: Borrow, buy, download. There's also the movie adaptation. Lots of snow in that, too.

Rec. #149: A Patch of Blue

What: In 1960s Los Angeles, a young, blind white woman falls in love with a black man who befriends her. She is largely uneducated and lives with her verbally and physically abusive mother. He is well-educated and his background is more affluent, being firmly middle class. Given those broad plot points, you may be surprised to learn that this is not a melodrama. It has moments of powerful emotion, sure, but in general A Patch of Blue quietly and carefully tells the story of two people facing the precise point where the personal meets the political.

Comparable to: Other award-bait films that Sidney Poitier starred in around the same time include Lilies of the Field, To Sir with Love, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, and In the Heat of the Night. 

Representative quote: "I'm sorry. You were much sinned against."

You might not like it if: You were in the mood to watch a melodrama, actually.

How to get it: The film is widely available to rent, stream, or buy. The novel on which it was based --- Be Ready with Bells and Drums, by Elizabeth Kata --- is not quite as easy to find.

Rec. #148: Lady Windermere's Fan

What: Lady Windermere's Fan was Oscar Wilde's first major comedy, and it revolves around many of the same themes as his more famous later plays, such as The Importance of Being Earnest. (It is also the source of many of Wilde's most famous bon mots [see Representative Quotes].) The upper classes are mannered and witty, Victorian hypocrisy is satirized, and a rigidly moral woman goes slightly astray. 

Comparable to: Of Wilde's other plays, it most closely resembles An Ideal Husband.

Representative quote: "I can resist anything but temptation."

Bonus representative quote: "Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about."

Bonus bonus representative quote: "Scandal is gossip made tedious by morality." 

[I could go on.]

You might not like it if: You're not wild about Wilde.

How to get it: It's in the public domain. Enjoy.

Rec. #147: Better Off Ted

What: Better Off Ted is equal parts sarcastic, surreal, silly, sly, and satirical. You probably judged it by its terrible, terrible title and you didn't watch it and then ABC canceled it and it's all your fault. This is what you abandoned: Ted Crisp, a single father, is the popular head of a R & D department at the corporate composite Veridian Dynamics. His boss, Veronica, is an adamant supporter of the company line. His love interest, Linda, is not. And then there are Lem and Phil. I dare you not to love Lem and Phil.

Comparable to: The show is often compared to another short-lived series from the same creator --- Andy Richter Controls the Universe.

Representative quote: "We can't leave work in the middle of the day. We're not Somali pirates."

You might not like it if: You have a deep-seated prejudice against shows that include a character breaking the fourth wall. 

How to get it: You could get it through various temporary means, but it would be best to buy it, as the only way to catch all of the good lines is to watch each episode several times.

Rec. #146: The Box Garden

What: The Box Garden is about kindness. It's also about heart attacks and weddings and kidnapping and poetry and defrocked priests and botany and assholes who are so concerned with "finding themselves" that they screw over everyone else. But it's mainly about kindness.

Comparable to: Alice Munro, probably. I mean, I'm always getting Carol Shields and Alice Munro confused. So I'll say they're similar, in defense. (This one's by Carol Shields. Alice Munro is known for her short story whatsits.)

Representative quote: "[He] could never guess at the single certainty which swamps my life and which can be summed up in the simplest of phrases: I will never be brave."

You might not like it if: You would actually like some gardening tips, please.

How to get it: Various book retailers will be happy to sell it to you. Your library will be happy to loan it out to you. Amazon will be happy to Kindlefy it for you.

Connections to previous Wreckage: Would you like to have a day full of Canadians? Of course you would; they're lovely. In addition to The Box Garden, please also enjoy Margaret Visser's The Rituals of Dinner (Rec. #63), David Rakoff's Don't Get too Comfortable (Rec. #76), Kate Beaton's Hark! A Vagrant (Rec. #95), Margaret Atwood's The Robber Bride (Rec. #105), and the television series Slings and Arrows (Rec. #127).

Rec. #145: The Trouble with Harry

What: Briefly, the trouble with Harry is that he's dead. Several people individually stumble across the body (a few of them literally), but no one alerts the authorities. For some of the stumblers, Harry's death is quite inconvenient. For others, it's almost too convenient. This mid-'50s Hitchcock film is notable for a couple of reasons: it's a rare comedy from the master of suspense, and it's also the film debut of Shirley MacLaine.

Comparable to: Although this is a comedy, it is not slapstick. Do not expect the physical humor of Family Plot. This movie is the deadest of deadpans.

Representative quote: "He looked exactly the same when he was alive, only he was vertical."

You might not like it if: You miss the suspense. And you get a little confused trying to keep track of all the times Harry is buried, then dug back up, then buried, then dug back up, etc.

How to get it: Between 1955 and 1984, you were sore out of luck. The Trouble with Harry was one of the five films Hitch bought back the rights to (along with Rope, Rear Window, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Vertigo). But it's 2011, so you shouldn't have trouble getting it now.

Connections to previous Wreckage: Have yourself a Hitchcockian weekend with Rope (Rec. #5), Shadow of a Doubt (Rec. #78), and Family Plot (Rec. #120).

Rec. #144: Death of an Englishman

What: Marshal Guarnaccia has the flu and just wants to go join his family in Sicily for the holidays. Unfortunately, the flu has been going around the police department and since it is the holidays, the Florentine caribineiri is very short-staffed. So it's the quiet, self-deprecating marshal who ends up with a murder to solve. This is the first book in Magdalen Nabb's Marshal Guarnaccia series. With so many suspense novels about smug detectives who can't be confined by the system, it's a relief to have a series with a protagonist who's a bit insecure.

Comparable to: The intelligent marshal is a more diffident, lower-ranking version of Ngaio Marsh's Inspector Alleyn. But the books themselves are reminiscent of Simenon or Camilleri.

Representative quote: "Watch him and listen to him, and don't try to be too clever."

You might not like it if: You prefer your detectives to be spontaneous and so sure of themselves they don't listen to anyone else.

How to get it: Soho Crime has issued some excellent editions of Nabb's books. Death of an Englishman is also Kindle-able.

Connection to previous Wreckage: Roderick Alleyn can be marveled at in Death and the Dancing Footman (Rec. #37) and Night at the Vulcan (Rec. #102).

Rec. #143: Me Without You

What: Anna Friel and Michelle Williams give knock-down-drag-out powerhouse performances as charming, volatile, possessive Marina (Friel) and quiet, insecure, frustrated Holly (Williams). The film follows the childhood friends through the '70s and '80s, drugs and breakups, unforgivable actions and inescapable dependencies. It's a harsh, unflinching look at the layers of support and mild sabotage that are inherent in almost any close relationship.

Comparable to: The friendship in Heavenly Creatures is only slightly more toxic. (OK, that's an exaggeration. Anna Friel and Michelle Williams don't murder anyone.)

Representative quote: "Don't ever be yourself, you've got to have a gimmick. How about 'intense and difficult'? You could manage that."

You might not like it if: You are looking for Beaches. Or maybe you're unprepared to hear Michelle Williams with a British accent. Or Anna Friel without her Pushing Daisies U.S. accent. Or maybe you're sick of seeing Kyle MacLachlan pop up in unexpected places.

How to get it: Tricky to buy, but easy enough to rent or borrow.

Connections to previous Wreckage: When the show Pushing Daisies first came out, I was already prepared to like it because I was a big fan of Anna Friel, both from this and from the miniseries adaptation of the Dickens novel Our Mutual Friend (Rec. #88). And Oliver Milburn, who plays Marina's brother, also shows up in Green Wing (Rec. #110).

Rec. #142: Tex and Molly in the Afterlife

What: Dead hippies. This book is about dead hippies --- specifically the Tex and Molly of the title, who've fallen down a well. It's also about corporate doers of environmental evil, glib afterlife factoids, '90s computer hackers who call themselves the Prophets of Delirium, a nerdy botanist, the deconstructionist staging of a midsummer play, and a baby bear. There's also some transmogrification.

Comparable to: Tom Robbins, Thomas Pynchon, Kurt Vonnegut. Also, author Richard Grant specifically references Neil Gaiman, which is a pretty accurate sign of where his head is.

Representative quote: "Tex and Molly eyeballed one another. Tex made a little wiggle of the brow, as though assuring her that whatever she might be thinking, he wholeheartedly agreed."

You might not like it if: You don't want to read about hippies. Even (or especially?) fictional dead ones who the author mocks affectionately.

How to get it: Tex and Molly in the Afterlife isn't currently in print, but you can buy it used or borrow it from your library.

Rec. #141: Party Girl

What: The "girl" of the title is Mary, a '90s club kid whose fun times are cut short when she's arrested for hosting an illegal party. Her godmother, a librarian, bails her out. To repay the debt, Mary takes a job as a library clerk. Sounds silly, right? Well, it is. It's also lots of fun, full of quotable lines, and a surprisingly realistic look at library work. And Parker Posey's taut mannerisms are uniquely suited to this role.

Comparable to: Party Girl is recognizably part of the flurry of indie comedies that came out in the mid-'90s. (Most of which also feature Parker Posey.)

Representative quote: "What's up, buttercup?" "The rent, and I'm not paying."

You might not like it if: Realizing that you're nostalgic for the '90s makes you feel old.

How to get it: You can watch it instantly through Netflix or Amazon.

Connection to previous Wreckage: Parker Posey was sooo good in her guest role on season 3 of Parks and Recreation (Rec. #119).

Rec. #140: Cloud Atlas

What: You probably don't need me to add my voice to the general clamor of people telling you to read this book. But I can't help myself.

So, the gimmick here is the structure --- six stories embedded like matryoshka dolls, spanning various places and time periods. Different genres are represented, from mystery to dystopian sci-fi. It's all brilliantly done, and author David Mitchell more than proves he can write any sort of book he wants to, thank you very much. The kicker is that when you read Cloud Atlas again, after the oohs and aahs of the structural trickery have worn off, the brilliance of the writing is not diminished. It remains achingly tragic and funny and suspenseful and sad.

Representative quote: "The sacred is a fine hiding place for the profane."

You might not like it if: You are tired of people gushing over it.

How to get it: The novel is widely available, which is good, because you should read it before the film adaptation comes out. You don't want to be the only one without a scathing remark about what the movie got wrong.

Connection to previous Wreckage: Mitchell's follow-up to Cloud Atlas was Black Swan Green (Rec. #72).

Additional note: I have it on very good authority that David Mitchell is delightful at his readings.

Rec. #139: Junebug

What: A newly married couple, Madeleine and George, travel from Chicago to a small town in North Carolina with a dual purpose. Madeleine is meeting George's family for the first time, and she is also interested in signing a local, self-taught artist for her outsider art gallery. George's family includes his parents, his ne'er-do-well younger brother, and the brother's very pregnant wife. As the pregnant sister-in-law, Amy Adams has all the best lines, and she is so charming that she basically walks away with the entire movie stuffed in her prosthetic stomach.

Comparable to: Junebug shares The Station Agent's quietly encompassing character development.

Representative quote: "I wonder what she looks like. I bet she's skinny. She probably is. She's skinnier'n me and prettier too. Now I'll hate her. Oh, I can't wait!"

Bonus representative quote: "God loves you just the way you are. But He loves you too much to let you stay that way."

You might not like it if: You're expecting either a wacky fish-out-of-water comedy about dim country folk, or a preachy feel-good movie where the city slicker learns the true meaning of . . . something. What makes this film great is that it neither condescends to the rural nor demonizes the urban.

How to get it: Widely available to rent or buy.

Rec. #138: Bad Machinery

( . . . and we're back!)

What: John Allison's Bad Machinery web comics are a series of stories about sleuthing British youths. So far, Shauna and Jack and Lottie and Linton and Mildred and Sonny have investigated mysteries surrounding a haunted football club, an exotic animal collector, and a serial barn arsonist. If you know me at all, you probably know that I'm a sucker for good dialogue, and this Mr. Allison delivers in spades. The fact that the characters behind the dialogue are also robustly and believably written gives Bad Machinery double bonus points, with extra gold stars.

Comparable to: Jason Taylor, David Mitchell's stand-in in Black Swan Green, would fit in quite well with this group.

Representative quote: "Christ on the proverbial flipping bike!"

You might not like it if: You think that all British schoolchildren do magic (or ought to).

How to get it: Now is a good time to get into Bad Machinery because a new story, "The Case of the Lonely One," has just started! This is the main link to the current posts. This is the link to the brief preamble. You can start the first story here, the second story here, and the third story here. Also, John Allison has a shop, with many delightful posters, shirts, bags, etc. And he posts much art to Flickr. And he is a prolific tweeter (@badmachinery). (Message to my friend who knows to expect a message in this post: In regard to our earlier conversation, please note that I find John Allison's twitter output almost overwhelmingly charming. Also, happy birthday.)

Connections to previous Wreckage: Companion in spirit, David Mitchell's Black Swan Green was Rec. #72. Companion in the web comics community, Kate Beaton's Hark! A Vagrant was Rec. #95.