No Map...No Legend

Book Review
Michael Chabon
Maps And Legends
200 Pages
Published by Mc Sweeney’s











I have sung the praises of Mc Sweeney’s already in these pages but seriously, check it out. It is a real readers site of eclectic fiction and great new authors.

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/

It has been a source of a reasonable amount of pleasure and several authors who have bowled me over. Among them is this Michael Chabon character. He has four or five books out including some award winners but you can read more about him at Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chabon

He appears to be multifaceted and while I am currently getting into his fiction I got turned on to this book of his essays through Mc Sweeney’s. He writes about everything but has a special feeling for pop culture, music, comic books etc... All of the important stuff. Mc Sweeney’s takes pride in how it packages it’s books as art objects (things like books that come in boxes and the like) and this book is no exception. Beautifully bound with a multi layered heavy stock dust jacket. Buy it from them if you can still get it.

But do not buy the book because it looks pretty (even though it does). Buy it because it is a good read. he writes among other things about maps and how they effect us and what they have to say about us. he reviews serious literature like Cormac Mc Carthy, Arthur Conan Doyle and Howard Chaykin.
He writes most convincingly about his child hood stories, and most specifically about Golems.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golems

He writes a lot about being Jewish and what that means, or meant or is going to mean to him. Aside from the Golem’s he writes convincingly and with passion about comic books and Will Eisner. I would love to read his review of “The Dark Knight.”
This is a really good book of essays. I do not normally like non-fiction but he has a great writing style which allows him to convey empathy and criticism in almost the same breath. I will be reviewing a couple of his works of fiction down the line but I heartily recommend this book as an excellent companion for middle aged men in the bathroom. be forewarned however that there is not porn involved.
The bottom line is that there is a lot going on in this guys head and more to come. get to know him now. His best stuff is still ahead.
8 Slingers on the 10 scale.