Great essay, Joel. My wife and I don't have kids and we almost have too many passions, hard to lean into only one or two. One of them though is reading, and I love a good short story. If you want a recommendation or two I really enjoyed 'The Point' by Charles D'Ambrosio (you can listen to this for free on the New Yorker podcast) and 'Train Dreams' by Denis Johnson, more of a novella, but still worth recommending here.
I'd recommend Ted Chiang's 'Exhaltation', for some well-written, mind-bending sci-fi shorts. Also reading Ryūnosuke Akutagawa's short stories, which I think are brilliant. The collection includes Rashamon, yes, the Kurasawa one (although that's really based on a different short called 'in a Grove', I guess Rashamon was a punchier title). I tried reading one of these Akutagawa shorts to my 14 year old on holiday, although he didn't seem very impressed. They have the feel of parables which make them quite timeless but maybe he thought I was trying to preach to him.
In my experience at least, the mode shift to being a parent is almost Copernican. You think you are the sun and then you realise you're just a less significant (albeit important) planet in a child-centred solar system. It's a difficult, sometimes painful, but very healthy shift away from self interest, which I personally could not have realised without them.
These are very interesting suggestions, thank you: I've read a collection of Akutagawa before, including In A Grove (Yam Gruel is the other one I remember). I think you might need to read the whole series to really 'get' it, but there's a really parable-like chapter of Lone Wolf & Cub called "Half Mat, One Mat, A Fistful of Rice" which is just fantastic (and I didn't really 'get' until I read an essay about it).
Also really loved Chiang's Stories Of Your Life and others - Understand is fantastic. Will have a look at the other one.
And the Copernican simile is spot on! Did you come up with that yourself, I absolutely love it.
Ha! yes, at least I think so. Originality is a slippery beast.
I will try to get hold of 'Lone Wolf and Cub" and the essay. I wonder if there is one on his short "the Nose"? He seems curiously interested in monks with preposterously large noses. Not sure what the essayists will say about that one.
Great essay, Joel. My wife and I don't have kids and we almost have too many passions, hard to lean into only one or two. One of them though is reading, and I love a good short story. If you want a recommendation or two I really enjoyed 'The Point' by Charles D'Ambrosio (you can listen to this for free on the New Yorker podcast) and 'Train Dreams' by Denis Johnson, more of a novella, but still worth recommending here.
Thanks, Greg, I appreciate this comment. I'll put these on the list (and share the list when it's bigger).
I'd recommend Ted Chiang's 'Exhaltation', for some well-written, mind-bending sci-fi shorts. Also reading Ryūnosuke Akutagawa's short stories, which I think are brilliant. The collection includes Rashamon, yes, the Kurasawa one (although that's really based on a different short called 'in a Grove', I guess Rashamon was a punchier title). I tried reading one of these Akutagawa shorts to my 14 year old on holiday, although he didn't seem very impressed. They have the feel of parables which make them quite timeless but maybe he thought I was trying to preach to him.
In my experience at least, the mode shift to being a parent is almost Copernican. You think you are the sun and then you realise you're just a less significant (albeit important) planet in a child-centred solar system. It's a difficult, sometimes painful, but very healthy shift away from self interest, which I personally could not have realised without them.
These are very interesting suggestions, thank you: I've read a collection of Akutagawa before, including In A Grove (Yam Gruel is the other one I remember). I think you might need to read the whole series to really 'get' it, but there's a really parable-like chapter of Lone Wolf & Cub called "Half Mat, One Mat, A Fistful of Rice" which is just fantastic (and I didn't really 'get' until I read an essay about it).
Also really loved Chiang's Stories Of Your Life and others - Understand is fantastic. Will have a look at the other one.
And the Copernican simile is spot on! Did you come up with that yourself, I absolutely love it.
Ha! yes, at least I think so. Originality is a slippery beast.
I will try to get hold of 'Lone Wolf and Cub" and the essay. I wonder if there is one on his short "the Nose"? He seems curiously interested in monks with preposterously large noses. Not sure what the essayists will say about that one.
Glad you got round to Butch Minds The Baby. I love Runyon’s language.