I just discovered one of my favorite short stories, "The Usual Human Disabilities" by Nicholas Montemarano, is available to read online.
I've been meaning to blog about Montemarano for a while. His collection "If the Sky Falls" placed last in my April "which books should I read next" poll (I've finished reading all but the Oates, which I'm halfway through) yet ended up being one of my all-time favorite short story collections (along with the Kyle Minor collection that placed second to last, which I've already given love here ...I won't mention which book was my least favorite except to say I think dead fish are smelly).
Montemarano is emotionally honest, empathetic, ethical, inventive with language and at times takes risks with form -- a wonderful combinations of characteristics. I've noticed many reviews of his work focus on his more metafictional pieces, where narrative erodes and gives way to something more akin to nonfiction confessions, as in "Story," which originally appeared in Doubletake (I tried finding it online, but... well you try finding a story called "Story" from a defunct publication)... in my college dramaturgy course, we were taught to think about devices that take you ouside the story as an attempt by the writer to deliberately emotionally alienate you so that you may experience the material with intellectual distance (Brechtian theater), but this is the exact opposite of Montemarano's intentions... when he disrupts his narratives, he does so in the pursuit of greater emotional honesty. Another thing I love about Montemarano's writing is how he uses long but precise sentences. In multiple stories, actions placed in extended comma series (I think that's what you call them) evoke the strenuousness of labor (see: prize-winning story The Worst Degree of Unforgivable, which actually now that I look at it again uses semicolons, not comma series, but whatever.... you get the idea) while also possessing an incredibly beautiful sound and rhythm -- a great tension. ....highly recommend reading.
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I feel like nobody talks about this guy, or that people don't talk about him enough. Way back when, I heard him read this story at the University of Cincinnati. He was part of the Emerging Fiction Writers Festival that happens there every other year. That year the writers were Aimee Bender, Judy Budnitz, Sam Lipsyte, and him. It was so long ago, but I want to say he told a story before reading this, something about actually having had this kind of job. I think. Must be getting old; I can't remember. Anyway, good online find. Thanks for this post.
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