verbatim: Miranda July, Two Ways

The first time Miranda July's name came onto my radar was about a year ago, when she did that clever PR thing for her forthcoming book. (I had read her short story "Something That Needs Nothing" in the New Yorker in September 2006, but it didn't make a huge impression on me, so I didn't take note of her name.) Then, last summer, she had another story in the New Yorker that knocked my socks off: "Roy Spivey." It was about a woman who sits next to a movie star on a plane; his name is "almost an anagram of Roy Spivey." They flirt and chat during the whole flight, and he gives her his phone number when they land. I won't give away any more, because I hope you'll get a chance to read it someday (it's not available online). Anyhow, I so loved that story that I added her short-story collection No One Belongs Here More Than You to my Wish List.

Last November, when life was kind of stressful and sad around here (to begin with, Grandma had had her stroke, all three kids were throwing up, and Andy had pneumonia), Janeen thought—quite rightly—that perhaps a new book might be just what the doctor ordered. On a day when I wasn't expecting anything from Amazon, there was a box on my doorstep containing Miranda July's book. (Thanks again, my friend!)

The reason it's taken me so long to review this book is that I discovered pretty quickly that it's better to read July's stories in small doses rather than all at one go. For one thing, they're really quirky, and too much of that can get tiresome; moreover, despite her sense of humor, may of the stories are pretty dark and sad. Initially I read about half of the stories, but I soon found I had to put the book down and take a break. Next time I picked it up and read just one story, waited a few days or weeks, read another story, etc. I think I got much more out of her that way. None of the stories stuck with me as long as "Roy Spivey" (which is not in this collection), but nearly all of them left something with me. July is a talented writer and manages to use the same voice throughout to convey all kinds of emotions felt by all kinds of characters. Most of the characters are seeking love and acceptance, most are misfits of one sort or another, and yet most are refreshingly hopeful. The book didn't leave me feeling depressed despite many of the bleak plots, and I think that's a tribute to July's style and tone.

In the middle of this intermittent reading, I also watched July's movie, "Me and You and Everyone We Know." That was surely a first—to watch a movie written by, directed by, and starring the author of the book I'm currently reading! Not surprisingly, July's movie is every bit as off-beat and "bleak yet hopeful" as her stories. The awkwardness of the main character comes across even better on the screen than in her stories, though. July has this trusting, deer-in-the-headlights look about her that makes you root for her. There's one scene that just blew me away; she and John Hawkes (Sol Star from "Deadwood") are walking down the street and pretending that the street represents their life together. It was one of the sweetest and most beautiful scenes I can recall—ever. The other characters are similarly on the fringes, and she manages to tie it all together pretty well.

I'll end by saying that Miranda July isn't for everyone. If you've read some of her short stories and liked them, you'll probably enjoy the movie, but I'm not sure the inverse is true.

Comments

I had forgetten that I sent that to you! Now I am even more interested in reading that book. I, too, remember the "Roy Spivey" story, but somehow didn't remember that it was hers.

Posted by: Janeen | March 10, 2008 at 10:47 AM

I'm going to suggest you watch the movie first. You'll feel like you "know" her better, and then you might feel more comfortable with her stories' main characters (who all seem to be her in different guises).

Posted by: Karen | March 10, 2008 at 10:51 AM