Susan Daitch Boeken

contributors include: Prize-winning Argentine Luisa Valenzuela, an early exponent of magical realism, who writes about mothers and knives; Argentine poet Carlos Barabrito, who writes about John Cage. New Yorker Liz Swados cartoons. Susan Daitch, who dissects a nightguard's sympathy with robots, Croatian artist Miroslav Nemeth, who describes his childhood in Zagreb in black & white linocuts, Croatian short story writer Gordon Nuhanovic, who becomes a spectacle at the hairdresser's. Also, Croatian poet Tomislav Marijan Bilosnic returns. Among Pacific Northwest writers, David Hapgood travels to Morocco, Jenny Forrester stands up to Colorado bullies, Coleman Stevenson has breakfast, Kassten Alonso goes to a punitive school on a punitive school bus, but learns to type. And there are feuilletons, typewriter collages, poetry from Lithuania, an Australian comic report on a trip to New York... A compendium of the global contemporary. Pan-lingual Gobshite Quarterly, where Paul Krassner meets Vénus Khoury-Ghata, is my favorite source for Hungarian fiction that reads like a song ("Hogy jaj. jaj. jaj. semirol semmi fogalma nines..."). Here English language poems, short stories, and "reasoned rants" nervously traverse a dark alley, past hipster Arabs, dangerous Czechs, Spanish cantoras... - Chris Dodge, Utne Magazine

A gripping narrative unfolds through three interconnected stories, beginning with a forensic sculptor whose life is threatened while reconstructing victims' faces. This leads her to Vienna, where she collaborates with forensic archeologists. The second tale follows an accent coach uncovering dark secrets tied to a censor from WWII as bodies surface near propaganda offices. The final arc introduces a businesswoman who shelters displaced Ottoman women post-battle. Blending political thriller and comic noir, the book explores themes of identity, cultural assimilation, and the refugee crisis.

Blending historical fiction with feminist and revolutionary politics, Susan Daitch's first novel is a complex and unique look at the controversial nature of historical representations. This story within a story within a story opens in 1968, with a preface to Dr. Willa Rehnfield's translation of Lucienne Crozier's diary. Although the authenticity of Lucienne's account is uncertain, her diary attests to her involvement in the 1848 revolution in Paris, an illicit love affair, and her eventual exile from France. Midway through Rehnfield's translation, a distinctly modern voice emerges from the footnotes. These notes belong to Dr. Rehnfield's literary executor, Jane Amme - a Berkeley radical on the run for her actions during the student riots of the 1960s - who uncovered the translated diary and became intrigued with the parallels between Lucienne's depictions of revolution and her own experiences. Dissatisfied with Dr. Rehnfield's translation, Jane defiantly rewrites the final outcome of Lucienne's story, reclaiming this forgotten Frenchwoman as a prototype of the modern feminist.

A historic trap's keys are uncovered amidst a collection of forgeries and deteriorating film stock, hinting at a deeper mystery. This discovery intertwines the past with the present, suggesting a thrilling exploration of hidden secrets and the significance of forgotten artifacts. As the narrative unfolds, it delves into themes of deception, history, and the quest for truth, inviting readers to unravel the connections between the artifacts and their implications.

Combining elements of adventure and social satire, this story weaves a narrative that echoes the escapades of Indiana Jones while embracing the whimsical style of Italo Calvino. It features a rich tapestry of invented history and mythology, creating an absurdist landscape where humor and critique intersect. The protagonist embarks on a thrilling journey filled with unexpected twists, challenging societal norms and exploring deeper themes through an engaging and imaginative lens.