The Weepies! Leif Enger!
Two new releases this week that make me happy and cost me money:
Leif Enger’s second book, So Brave, Young, and Handsome.
———-You may remember Enger as the author of Peace Like a River, one of the first books discussed here in the Rabbit Room. I haven’t read the new one yet, but it’s next on my list. Actually, I’m having a hard time not putting the current read on hold so that I can dig into this one.
The Weepies record Say I Am You was my favorite discovery last year. Their music is breezy, sweet, melodic and delightful, like what you’d listen to at the outset of a good road trip. And some of the lyrics are brilliant, deeper than you may think on the first listen. I haven’t had time to listen to this new one all the way through, but so far I’m digging it. And I love the album cover, by the way.
A.S. Peterson has crafted a work of compelling historical fiction which begs the question, “Can this really be a debut novel?” With dogged fidelity, Peterson captures the spirit, manners, and social conditions present during the American Revolutionary War. We meet colorful, credible characters who navigate the high seas of life and love, dependence and independence, war and peace, truth and consequence, and despite forays into dark places, The Fiddler’s Gun is beautiful, lyrical, and redemptive.
Walt Wangerin, Jr. strikes again.
Janner Igiby lives in Glipwood, a nothing little village in the land of Skree, on the edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. Manhood is on the horizon, but Janner finds it hard to feel much hope for the future. Skree is ruled by foreign oppressors, snake men called the Fangs of Dang, servants of a shadowy emperor named Gnag the Nameless. The Skreeans are weak and weaponless. They’re even tool-less. Any Skreean who needs to use a hoe has to borrow one from the Fangs (and fill out the requisite paperwork). And from time to time, the Black Carriage arrives in Glipwood to carry young Skreeans toward an unknown fate across the Dark Sea.
I am not a fan of Civil War literature; in fact, I have always thought of it as one of those weird sub-genres for obsessive types. They’re almost like Trekkies with their re-enactments and maniacal devotion to detail. It’s just not my thing (although I’m secretly jealous that they get to dress up and shoot cannons).
A Randall Goodgame song is like a great independent movie. Characters deliver lines like they were lifted from a break room, a truck stop, or a downtown diner. Seemingly incongruent scenes are juxtaposed and plot isn’t obvious; in fact, narrative–a good story–is often more evident than linear plot lines. An indie movie, like a Randall Goodgame song, seems to tell itself. Rather than being rudely yanked by a chain through a sequence of contrived events, with a Randall Goodgame song, I have the sense that I’m being allowed a willing, but vicarious sneak peak into the real lives of his real characters.
Sara Groves irritates me just a little bit. With each album she makes, she moves from strength to strength and is always raising the bar with the quality, depth, and lyrical ambition of her work. And as a fellow artist, that’s just a little irritating since it means the rest of us are going to have to work harder if we hope to keep up.
I am outside on my front porch. The yellowed leaves are methodically falling from the black walnut in the yard, my breath is chalky visible in the recent cold snap, and lately I have been exploring the unpleasant nuances of the dark night of a soul - my own, to be exact. It is a strange passion we live out on this over-glorified orb of rock hurtling through space at some rate that I’m sure would astound me were I to know what it was. It is an odd series of days, I am realizing, when you question your own faith more than you question your own doubt. And, indeed, it is these nagging questions which have prompted me to share my thoughts on Andrew Peterson’s 2003 album, Love and Thunder.
11-year old Reuben Land, a character in the 2001 book Peace Like a River, provides narration that is clear-eyed and insightful, yet retains the magic, wonder, and innocence of youth. I found it easy to entrust my imagination to the author’s clever method of telling the story through the sensibilities of a pre-teen boy. An author with lesser skill would have either made the boy too smart-alecky for his own good or impossibly cute.
I just finished a book that upon closing it, I felt like it finished me in a sense. A quiet meditative book that reached down and stirred the deep waters in me. It’s Marilynne Robinson’s 2005 Pulitzer prize winner Gilead, given to me by my friend Andrew Peterson.
Eric Peters’s body of work addresses a diverse range of topics, but hope is a recurring theme that gently percolates in the midst of it all. And yet, somewhere between the 2001 masterpiece Land of the Living, and Scarce, the flavor of hope that Peters’s work emits has evolved closer to a tone that is more resolute than what came before. And though the complexion of hope has a broad range, the lyrics from Scarce–while intermittently contrite and timorous as in previous efforts, are now strengthened and bolstered by roots that have grown deeper, radiating an underlying grit and security.
Having read The Great Divorce many times over the years, I’ve found this classic from the great C.S. Lewis to be full of startling clarity and depth on the differences between Heaven and Hell. The only thing both have in common is that both begin in the human will; we can either let Heaven enter us and rule in us to blossom into love and goodness, or allow Hell to infect and reign in our hearts by the daily refusal to submit to Heaven.
Even if you haven’t heard Room to Breathe, its still likely you’ve heard Andy Gullahorn. He’s what I’d call a heavy lifter by trade. He writes lyrics, plays guitar, arranges vocals and adds production help to the work of artists like Jill Phillips and Andrew Peterson.
Allow me to preface this by telling you that I am a great despiser of gushing reviews. I’d much rather write (or read) a scathing dismemberment of the latest Brett Ratner film or Terry Goodkind book than suffer through four hundred words of overblown hyperbole about even the best of things. But when asked to write some thoughts on Frederick Buechner’s Godric, no amount of distaste for high praise was able to intervene. I hope you’ll take what I say with the understanding that I do not say it readily or lightly.
My heart just did a jig - Peace Like a River is one of my all-time favorites. I hadn’t heard that Enger had penned a second book, so this is a delightful surprise!
i heart the weepies
I absolutely LOVE this new Weepies record. No idea you liked them at all. Andrew, I owe you an email…
What are you currently reading?
I have been waiting on Lief Enger’s next novel for, like, three years. Waiting, like, every single day.
But the title … It gives me pause.
Deb Talan, Yay…..! (To be exclaimed enthusiastically in the way Kermit the Frog introduces a guest by yelling, wiggling his arms in the air and sliding out of view.) I’ve been digging A Bird Flies Out a lot lately thanks to my wife.
The two songs off of this new record that have been on the last few Paste CD’s have been great. Want!
I downloaded the Weepies yesterday afternoon! I especially love the facial expression of the whale on their cover. He’s pretty much the most endearing whale I’ve ever seen. Time will tell if “Hideaway” will come close to the perfection that is their “Say I Am You” album, but I will keep an open mind and an accepting heart. (Thank you, Andrew, for introducing them to me that night out at The Warren. I owe you, big time.)
Geof Morris told me to get “Say I Am You” a while back. I did, but I wasn’t crazy about it. It’s not bad, and it’s definitely grown on me, but I wasn’t thrilled with it. Maybe with time…
I am reading Peace Like a River right now and LOVING it. I am so excited to hear Leif Enger wrote another novel! It’s on my wish list.
I can’t resist piling on. The great Eric Peters introduced me to the music of The Weepies a long time ago. When Sir Peters makes a musical recommendation, I listen. He’s directed me to several artists that are now favorites, including David Mead.
Andy’s description is perfect: “breezy, sweet, melodic and delightful, like what you’d listen to at the outset of a good road trip.” Yes! The Weepies have a sound like nobody else. When I first listened to their sound clips, I knew immediately that they would be a favorite and ordered Say I Am You right away. The best compliment I can give Weepies music is that they transport me to another place–similar to the way great books and movies do. For me, that’s a rarity in music. Thanks for the reminder of the new CD, AP.
I know this is off subject but I have a question to ask everyone here in the rabbit room. Do you think it weird when a writer becomes emotionally attached to their characters to the point that when they finish their final chapter, said author will weep with sadness at finishing the book (or series)?
A good place to hear the Weepies live.
http://www.archive.org/details/weepies_2004-09-18_live_in_ohio.shnf
Andy thanks for the heads up on the new Weepies album! I’ve been listening to songs at http://www.theweepies.com all day and the new songs are great! This album is definitely on my list now.
Thanks for the new recommendation, AP; they have a sound that seems very familiar, but I can’t place it.
Also, on their website, when you mouse over the “mailing list” link at the bottom, it looks like “mating list” @_@
WAHOO!!! NEW WEEPIES !!! I have been stalking this disc, so to speak, since I heard of tis conception. I have been listening to leaked tracks online for weeks now- I bought it, and it has been on heavy rotation, wait, it has BEEN my rotation since it entered the car after purchase-
LOVE THEM !
Is that Lief Enger book about Gullahorn?
I began reading Enger’s new book at Border’s last night. I made it through three pages before we had to go, but I have already fallen in love with it. I am definitely going to have to add that to my “must read very soon” list.
[...] The Weepies! Leif Enger!The Weepies record Say I Am You was my favorite discovery last year. Their music is breezy, sweet, melodic and delightful, like what you’d listen to at the outset of a good road trip. And some of the lyrics are brilliant, …rabbitroom.com - http://www.rabbitroom.com [...]
I should confess something…I don’t read much. In fact, Andy G. has probably read more books than I have. And I ESPECIALLY don’t read fiction. It’s the engineer in me. I think I should be learning something very factual every time I take to the page. But my mom has been pushing Peace Like A River at me probably since it hit the shelves in 1934. So I broke down and bought So Brave Young and Handsome at ye olde Costco the other day because of the RR recommendation (the RRR for short). It was either that or an 98″ TV.
So here’s the deal…I can’t put it down. I love it. It’s fantastic. I feel inspired to write music. What? From reading a book?? That’s right. It’s amazing. I’m in. Reading rulzzz. In fact, reading is fundamental (RIF for short…say, that’s catchy).
I finished So Brave Young and Handsome this past weekend. Wonderful read. I can’t wait to read Peace Like a River. I’m 35 and I’ve found reading again. Thanks Rabbit Room.
I’ve been listening to the new Weepies this week. It finally came in the mail. So far–though I like it A LOT–I don’t like it as well as Say I Am You, but it’s too early to know for sure.
Tom Bubb, thanks for the Weepies link. I especially like this video they did for the album:
http://www.ilike.com/artist/The+Weepies/videos/127458060
They should be a part of the Square Peg Alliance or at least honoray members of this site. They obviously share the same sense of humor as most of the folks that wonder into this electronic pub.
Ha. Cool/cute video, Tony. Thanks for the link.
Andrew,
I received Enger’s novel for my girflriend and I’s anniversary, and it has been sitting on my shelf waiting for my finals week to be finished. Wednesday at 4 I’ll be sitting down and enjoying this, which I am very excited for. Any update on it yet? How has it been?
-j
I love the Weepies! Say I Am You was awesome, but Hideaway equaled it at least. I agree that thier lyrics are deeper than one would see at first glance and I can always find more nuances each time I listen, it seems.