A couple of big literary names are featured in this entry. David Mitchell is an English author of nine novels. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Lana Wachowski, of the movie adaptation of his book, Cloud Atlas. The only book by him, that I have read, other than this year, is the dark fantasy/sci fi The Bone Clocks, which was my #2 read for 2014. Jane Smiley is an American novelist who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1991 for her work The Thousand Acres a best seller that was based on William Shakespeare’s King Lear. I don’t know if I would have ever read one of Smiley’s novels if I hadn’t heard her being interviewed on NPR about her latest release and it intrigued me.
#6 – Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell
With David Mitchell’s exploration of a fictional, psychedelic/folk/rock British band from who gained modest success in the late 60’s, he mines deeply into the music industry, while exploring the state of the world and society at the time, and even brings in some of his speculative, secret society theme into play. He, at once, creates well-drawn, relatable characters, a slice of historical fiction, and an examination of schizophrenia that dips into the metaphysical all the while creating a dense, yet highly-readable novel. All the things you might expect, sex, drugs, industry back-stabbing, family drama, are in evidence, as well as a whole bunch of name-dripping as he charts the origins, success, and demise of Utopia Avenue and they encounter Jerry Garcia, Janis Joplin, David Bowie, Francis Bacon, Leonard Cohen, Cass Elliot, Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon and many more.
For me, it’s his characters that really bring the novel to its glorious heights. There’s lead guitarist, Jasper de Zoet, whose fractured psyche is balanced by his psychedelic guitar genius. Elf Holloway is a folk singer, one-half of a faltering duo who attained minor success, then joins a pack of blokes to add her keyboard virtuosity, and songwriting chops to raise the band to a new level. Dean Moss is the down-on-his luck bass-playing songwriter whose roots are steeped in the blues, is unofficially the bad-boy sex symbol, and is moments away from pawning his bass before his break arrives. And anchoring any good band is Griff, the foul-mouthed, Northern lad who pounds the drums and keeps his feet firmly on the ground. Their untested, Canadian manager, Levon Frankland, is convinced the band he has assembled has what it takes to make the big-time, and intends to help them do so without the typical, double-crossing that rock & roll managers are known for. Beyond that, even the minor players make an impact. Most notably, Mecca, a German photographer who shares a few blissful days with Jasper, remains a presence even after hundreds of pages go by.
I loved Mitchell’s Bone Clocks, and he earned lots of points with me for his work on Kate Bush’s programme book, and spoken dialog on stage as part of her ‘Before The Dawn’ concert in 2014. He’s become a must-read author for me, and this wasn’t doesn’t let me down at all.
#5 – Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley
Perfect book for the times, a magical little tale about Perestroika, a race horse who spends the winter in Paris befriending a dog named Frida, a raven called Raoul, a couple of mallards named Sid & Nancy, a rat named Kurt, and a select assortment of humans. This gentle story explores the city of Paris surrounding the Eiffel Tower, highlighting the bakeries and butcher shops as well as the lovely parks as they explored by Perestroika and Frida.
Smiley has a soothing, gentle way of writing, describing the neighborhood by the smells and sounds heard by the animals, and creating a lovely portrait that humans possibly miss out on. The handful of humans that the animals interact with are all solitary souls, who share a connection with Perestroika. The magic of Paris is enhanced by the magic of an elusive horse wandering the city at night. Her characters are unique and full of personality. Smiley is a well-known author with over twenty books in her canon, including, I was surprised to discover, a series of young adult novels about horses! I’m glad she brought her interest in horses to an adult novel. Truly a delightful read.
In an effort to read more science fiction, which I hadn’t really done for a while, I asked for recommendations, and got Becky Chambers. Fun, character-driven space opera; a little different from me, but the emphasis on character really drew me in. I’m always up for a book by Peter Cameron. His 2012 novel, Coral Glynn came in at #6 for that year’s list. I really loved the stylized manner in which he wrote this newest dark, surreal novel.
#8 – The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
The plot of Becky Chambers’ science fiction novel, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is fairly thin, but that’s not really the point. Instead, Chambers creates a thoroughly entertaining story about a ragtag, interspecies crew of The Wayfarer, a space ship that bores tunnels through space to allow for interstellar travel. Our entry into this tight knit merry band is Rosemary, a young woman hired to be the clerk, and keep their paperwork in order. Rosemary has a family secret in her past that she keeps from the crew, but as they welcome into their family, and we learn about each of the diverse characters, she gradually lets her guard down and secrets are revealed. Yet while Rosemary is terrified that her secret will turn her newfound colleagues against her, instead she learns what real family is.
I love the way Chambers explores each member of the crew, sprinkling in just enough tension and danger to keep the book engaging, all the while creating a beautifully moving character study of disparate characters who prove to each other, and the reader, that family isn’t about who you’re related to by blood, but by who you choose to spend your lives with. I could definitely read more books about this fascinating batch of characters, all of whom come from fascinating and imaginative backgrounds.
#7 – What Happens at Night by Peter Cameron
Mysterious and inscrutable… much like life. Peter Cameron’s What Happens at Night tells the story of a couple traveling to a far off European city in order to adopt a baby. The woman is dying of cancer, and this will most likely be their last act together… the retrieval of a child for the man to continue on with as a family. They arrive at this tiny, northern European town as a dark, forbidding winter descends and every day that passes seems like part of one long, endless night. Things happen that are unexplainable, aggravating, wondrous, perplexing, hateful… things that neither would do during the light of day, but what happens at night… well that’s another matter.
Cameron writes with stylish grace, creating a mood from the very first page that establishes everything you need to know about setting, time, tone, which is not a whole lot. Yet, the journey taken by the reader, while not as harrowing personally, is the one taken by these two lost people, and our hope is only that when morning comes again, they will no longer be lost. It’s beautiful and unsettling, and unique. Filled with bizarre supporting characters, and a simple story that is complicated by the things that make us human, What Happens at Night is a journey worth taking.
As we enter the Top 10 books read for 2020, we’ve got an season writer, and a newcomer for me. Jo Walton has impressed me with her unique takes on science fiction, fantasy, and the creative process in general. In 2015, Walton appeared on my Top Books list at #5 with The Just City; in 2014, she came in at #6 with My Real Children; and in 2012, the first book of hers I read, Among Others came in at #5. So, while this year is a slight dip for her, all the books of hers that I’ve read has ended up in my Top 10 for the respective year!
Sam J Miller was a new author for me, and I read his 2018 novel, Blackfish City totally randomly. The ARC had been on my bookshelf at work for a couple of years, and when I was looking for something to read, the cover art featuring Inuit-style artwork, caught my eye, so I gave it a chance. And now, preparing to write this blog entry, I noticed that Sam has a new book that just came out, so I will be reading that soon as well. Love finding new, intriguing authors, and thanks to Virginia Stanley and the fun-loving crew at HarperCollins for keeping me up-to-date on the publishing world and making me laugh!
#10 – Or What You Will by Jo Walton
Jo Walton is a writer’s writer, and her latest book, Or What You Will is more so than most. Exploring the creative spark, and how a writer creates the worlds and characters that they populate their books with, turns into a whole fantasy meta-novel in Walton’s hands. Along the way, she deconstructs works by Shakespeare, mothers who withhold love, modern-day and pre-renaissance Florence, domestic abuse and more. Most fascinating for me, was her exploration of grief in the context of a world that has abolished death. It’s not the main point of the novel, but a beautiful and fascinating diversion that Walton does so beautifully.
Not all of Walton’s diversions work for me however. A detailed, and overwrought chapter describing an actual restaurant in Florence that serves food that is so sublime it cannot be described (although there is an entire chapter trying to do just that) that seems a pretty unnecessary bit.
Still, that’s a minor quibble when you think about the scope of Walton’s story, and the masterful way she weaves together the art and science of writing, an actual historical fantasy tale, and ruminations on mortality and grief, and Or What You Will proves that however Walton manages to create entire worlds, like a mythological god, it’s worth going on the journey with her.
#9 – Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller
When it comes to dystopian societies, Sam J. Miller sure has created something complex that borrows from pop culture, Inuit myth, capitalism and environmental collapse just to name a few! In fact, the rich threads that Miller weaves into Blackfish City threaten at first to overwhelm the story, making it difficult to breakthrough and stick with it. But perseverance is worthwhile, as the story of a family torn apart by genocide who unite to combat oppression (or maybe just to get revenge?) and at about the halfway mark, things start to really come together and race forward nicely.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of, and a lot of different storyline threads, as I mentioned, but most of them don’t need all that much effort. A thread about an AIDS-like virus that is transmitted sexually, but involves communal memory and mental disjointedness sometimes feels like something from another story. Yet Miller manages to weave that thread smoothly into the larger tapestry.
Clearly the most compelling story for me, the bonding between man and beast as exemplified by the strange woman riding on the back of an orca, takes the longest to get its due, but once it does it does so beautifully. Still, with political corruption, organized crime, post-punk technology, climate change, gender identity and generational memory all added to the mix, there’s probably something for everyone. Hopefully readers will not find that there is too much for everyone.
Well, 2020 was quite a year, one like no other. In terms of my reading, I thought perhaps the the social isolation would be a boon to the number of books I read throughout the year. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. I found during the first several months of the pandemic, I didn’t have the required focus to read anything beyond comic books for any sustained length of time. That did change as the year when on, and I did manage to surpass my total books read in 2019, but not by much. I’m not going to make any promises about 2021, but I’m going to try!
In the meantime, I read some great books in 2020, and some not so great as well. Here is my list of the books I read this year that I feel deserve a mention. This year that comes to twelve titles.
#12 – Hammered by Elizabeth Bean
I have dabbled with Elizabeth Bear’s bibliography, reading four or five of her novels from different genres. I finally went all the way back to the beginning to read her first novel, Hammered. A bold debut, Hammered is a mash-up of genres, from gritty, crime novel to cyberpunk exploration of advanced A.I., and some quirky, imaginative additions thrown in throughout. Ostensibly the first in the Jenny Casey series, we are dropped into the middle (or perhaps the sunset years?) of Jenny’s life. About to turn 50, former military, fitted with a prosthetic arm after a traumatic injury, with an insanely complex history, Jenny is gruff, tough, someone to turn to with a problem, but not someone to mess with. She has interesting allies, and very dangerous opponents.
The first allies we meet, in her stomping grounds of Hartford, CT, include the areas most significant crime lord, Razorface, whose teeth have been modified to be three, razor sharp steel plates. Morally ambiguous, but exceedingly loyal and reliable, Razorface comes to Jenny for help with one of his boys who is suffering from an overdose of what appears to be a doctored drug. Unable to turn him away, Jenny is drawn into a web of murder that might involve a woman who looks very much like her.
Soon after we learn that Jenny’s life is in serious danger, after years to the modifications made to her body to control her mechanical arm, or rejecting the technology laced throughout her spinal column and brain, and may only have a very short time to live. A powerful, authority figure from her past emerges, as do a past love and a family figure, that draw her into the promise of a complete overhaul of her cybernetics that will save her life, but in return, conscript her into a mysterious mission involving travel to outer space. Jenny’s complicated life is caught in two different worlds that are somehow, mysteriously connected.
Hammered is fun, with great characters, a convoluted plot that lures you in. The gradual emergence of Jenny’s very complicated past is a little overdone — there’s a lot to keep track of, and it’s hard to know at this point what might be relevant or important to remember — and the very late-introduced romance is a distraction that was frankly, in my opinion, disappointing, but overall it’s an auspicious start to a three part series, and I enjoyed it enough to eventually read the follow-up.
#13 – Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski
Tomasz Jedrowski’s debut coming-of-age novel may be on the brief side when it comes to page count, it certainly tackles some serious themes in a way that has a powerful impact, yet never comes across as heavy-handed. Set in the Poland of the early 1980’s as the decline of communism forces the Party to tighten its stranglehold on the people, University student Ludvik finds himself in the throes of first love. At a summer agricultural camp, he finds himself drawn to Janusz, dark and handsome, who thrills him but also reminds him of the deep shame he hides so deep within himself. The two boys bond over the novel Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin, and as they extend the summer after camp is over, spending a couple more weeks alone camping in the forest, they find their bond growing and deepening into something powerful and lasting.
Back in the city, however, real life intrudes, and while Ludwik dreams of leaving Poland to go to the west, namely the States, Janusz allies himself with the wealthy, to use the declining system to better himself, even while other struggle to find food or medicine. It’s a philosophy that threatens to tear the two young men apart. Jedrowski weaves a lovely, simple tale of first love and coming-of-age, with the transformation of a country and a moment in time that affected a culture profoundly. It’s a quick read and one well worthwhile if the subject intrigues you.
And here we are, my favorite Heart songs of all time. It’s a more interesting and varied batch from multiple time periods that i would have expected. It’s also a bit mellower than I’d expected. Heart can certainly rock out, and I love when they do, but these are the 5 songs that grab me the most. I’ve got to admit, the top 5 is heavily 1970’s leaning, but the 80’s, and even 2010 make their mark here, proving that Heart is still giving it. The prevalence of acoustic guitar does say something, though, and while i love Barracuda as much as the next person, it’s that acoustic rock that Heart does so well that thrills me the most.
#5 RSVP – Bad Animals (1987) written by Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Sue Ennis
Imagine my surprise to see a song from Bad Animals in myTop 5 Heart songs! My least favorite time period for the band — the big hair, 80’s period, and they still manage to score a Top 5? Maybe it’s because it’s one of the few songs from that era that was written by Wilson, Wilson and Ennis? Possibly it’s also the first time an acoustic guitar pops up audibly – and it’s the last track of the second album of the period? And it not only pops up ; it drives the song, and Nancy is nothing if not a consummate talent with the acoustic guitar.
Mainly, I think it’s because it features another amazing vocal rendition from Ann Wilson. She and Nancy do some beautiful harmonizing on the chorus. I love Ann’s shouts at the end of each chorus. Howard Leese plays a gorgeous, mournful and soul-filled guitar solo, that perfectly matches the desire oozing form the song. Did I mention the vocals? Maybe Ann throws in some extra emotion and passion when she’s singing one of her own songs (not true – she’s a professional; she even sings the heck out of the crap songs) but I love the way RSVP builds. The verses sung with restraint before exploding into the chorus. Sure, it’s got those omnipresent 80’s synths blasting in, and those arena-pounding drums, but it all works.
I really don’t know much else about the song. I couldn’t find any specific anecdotes about it. I can’t see that they performed it in concert. There’s no video for it. Let’s just say the song speaks for itself, and here, it anchors my Top 5 Heart songs.
#4 Sylvan Song/Dream of the Archer – Little Queen (1977) written by Nancy Wilson, Roger Fisher, Ann Wilson
Ah, if this doesn’t resonate with my youth, listening to records in my parents living room, I don’t know what does. Honestly, Sylvan Song and Dream of the Archer probably made the biggest impact on me when I listed to Little Queen the first time. As a boy who devoured fantasy novels, how could this medieval epic not speak directly to my soul. Like Led Zeppelin’s Battle of Evermore, Dream of the Archer was Heart’s nod to both their rock & roll idols, and the bard himself, J.R.R. Tolkien, and his Lord of the Rings. More, it featured Nancy Wilson (and Roger Fisher) rockin’ the mandolin! These two songs just transported me to another world, and I was in love.
It starts with the sounds of the forest, frogs, birds, a footstep in the brush, the Roger and Nancy’s intertwining mandolins softly begin their descent. The elaborate picking is thrilling in its intricacy, but when the moog bass comes in and the mandolins start strumming its as if they are lifting you up to heaven, as the chords ascend higher and higher until they break and wash down on you like sweet, warm rain. With barely a moment to sigh with contentment, the acoustic guitar comes in and we’re in the Dream of the Archer. Ann’s voice, I can’t say it enough, it crystalline beauty just makes you think of elf-queens, witches, spells, and heroes. It’s gentle at first, the beginning of a dream, but when danger comes, it leaps octaves, and its clarion call like an angel roaring battle or inspiring the archer to let loose his arrow to fly.
So unique, so unabashedly geeky, yet with musicality that is astounding, this duology from Heart inspired the album art for Little Queen, and inspired this young teen to become a lifelong fan. (Still, this pair of tracks is only #4… there are three more still to come!) Below, enjoy the audio track from the album, and a gorgeous live rendition from their The Road Home concert in Seattle in 1995.
#3 Sand – Red Velvet Car (2010) written by Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Sue Ennis, Frank Cox
Here’s a drank horse to be coming in so high, and it’s a cover to boot, but a cover of a Lovemongers song. The Lovemongers was a Heart side project that came together in the late 80’s, when the Wilson sister wanted to get away from that big hair, MTV behemoth that Heart had become, and get back to basics. They started playing acoustic shows in clubs in Seattle with their friend and songwriting partner, Sue Ennis, and Frank Cox. Sand first appeared on the Lovemongers only full-length studio album, Whirlygig. The song would pop up in various Heart live shows, so the band finally recorded it for their fourteenth studio album, Red Velvet Car in 2010. It’s the only song from that album to appear on my Top 40, but it was a big commercial comeback for the band, reaching #10 on Billboard’s Top 200 albums chart, and #3 in the U.S. Rock Albums Chart, making it Heart’s first top 10 album in two decades.
Sand is a gorgeous elegy of sorts, a song about a special person who’s no longer with us. I’m not sure if it was written with anyone specific in mind, but the Wilson sister performed it with Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell at Layne Staley’s funeral in 2002. Staley, the former lead singer of Alice in Chains, sang with Heart on the Bob Dylan dover Ring Them Bells from the Desire Walks On album and appeared on this Top 40 list at ##32. It’s a powerful song lyrically and melodically, often performed with just the sisters on acoustic guitar and harmonizing. Again, it shows off Nancy’s virtuosity on the acoustic guitar, and showcases Ann’s amazing voice. Filled with emotion, it builds to powerful moment when Ann wails good-bye to her friend. It ranks this high on my list of Heart songs because it makes me emotional every time I listen to it. Below is the studio track from Red Velvet Car, and a live version of the song from 2005.
#2 Straight On – Dog & Butterfly (1978) written by Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Sue Ennis
Landing strongly in the #2 spot, I was a little surprised to find Straight On, Dog & BUtterfly’s lead single. Honestly, I can’t believe how well this song has aged, as one of the most playful, well constructed grooves that truly melds rock, funk, and dance together in the way only Heart does it. Ann Wilson calls Straight On the bands first dance song, possibly influenced by the massive disco movement going on at the time? The song became the band’s third Top 20 hit, peaking at #15 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
The great intro, with a funky bass line and scratch electric guitar just make you want to move. When Ann launches with her big, “Quite some time…” line, you are primed. Nancy’s acoustic providing edgy texture throughout. The gambling metaphors fly, but it’s Ann and Nancy’s fantastic harmonizing that really elevate the energy and beauty of the song. Roger Fisher’s lead guitar lick brings the rock & roll back into the funk, and he and Howard do a beautiful duet line that I always miss now that the band doesn’t have two lead guitarists. Steve Fossen and Michael DeRosier really shine here as well with the bass and drums just making you want to groove.
In addition to the original audio track, I’ve included two live tracks. The first from the Dog & Butterfly tour, when the song was brand new, and the band was still young and scrappy. I had to include a second live performance through, this from their 2002 Summer of Love tour where you can really see how much they’ve matured, and how much they really seem to enjoy performing this song. Ann is so free and easy with her vocals, with her movements… she just looks so relaxed and is enjoying herself while performing. That live rendition best captures the energy and spirit of what makes this song deserving of its #2 slot!
#1 Love Alive – Little Queen (1977) written by Ann Wilson, Roger Fisher, Nancy Wilson
My favorite Heart song has been a favorite since the beginning, and it’s possibly one of the most understated Heart songs around, but it’s magnificent in its complexity and its beauty. Love Alive is a deep cut off their 1977 Little Queen album, and it’s acoustic intricacies and power chord chorus create an evocative, three part rock & roll ballad with a tinge of folk-rock and a dash of medieval mysticism. Lyrically it’a message is simple and powerful — keep your love alive, whether it’s the simple thrill of seeing the sun rise, being held by your lover, or performing on stage in front of thousands of people, keep that love fresh and alive.
Despite being a fairly standard 4+ minute song, it’s broken up into three parts. The delicate acoustic guitar intro played by Nancy and Roger herald Ann’s calm, low-key vocals. The first two verses are joined by a brief flute interlude played by Ann. After the second chorus, a bright barrage of acoustic/electric power chords sweeps in followed by the drums and a flowing bass line that ushers in that trademark Heart chorale of voices – Ann, Nancy and Howard; their aahs rising up into the stratosphere where Ann takes the lead for the final denouement. Basically the final verse, but with more intensity as Ann lets the soul fill her voice and bring it home to the two acoustic guitars entwining one final time to bring us back down.
I remember how this song made me feel as a teen, singing along at the top of my lungs. I will never forget seeing them perform this song live at my very first concert, preceded by an extended flute solo that would give Ian Anderson pause. The light show was thrilling, and the guitar play just incredible. Over 40 years later, I still remember that experience vividly. Below, in addition to the album track, I found a concert performance from 1978 that is very similar to the one I experienced, and I couldn’t resist including the 2002 Summer of Love tour performance because that whole concert was pretty amazing.
And there you have it, my Top 40 Heart songs. Heart and Fleetwood Mac defined music for me in the 70’s, and both pretty much continued to provide me sonic delight throughout my adult life. In the end, making this list made me listen to Heart a bit more critically than my memory was allowing, so that songs I thought I remembered as amazing really… weren’t, and other songs that I either never really gave much of a chance, or forgot about deserved more accolades. It allowed me to go through those 80’s big-hair albums and rediscover some of the non-hits that the band wrote that were actually damn good. It reminded me of the talent wielded by these two women and the people they surrounded themselves with throughout the years. I’ll be back with one more post ranking Heart’s albums in the next several days.
The original Heart, so young and fresh. this line-up was never topped, in my opinion. From left, Nancy Wilson, Steve Fossen, Ann Wilson, Michael DeRosier, Roger Fisher, Howard Leese
#6 – Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell
#5 – Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley
#8 – The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
#7 – What Happens at Night by Peter Cameron
#10 – Or What You Will by Jo Walton
#9 – Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller
#12 – Hammered by Elizabeth Bean
#13 – Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski
