by Jay Lake (Introduction by), Bruce Taylor (Author)
Another excellent exploration of What It's All About, by Mr. Magical Realism. With footnotes.*So, what's it all about, this book that's about What It's All About? It's about Edward, and Infinity, and well, as noted in footnote 66, The term "growing up" seems to have the connotation of some sort of existence that has the sense of a final arrival point. God, how many times is that question asked in school: "What are you going to be when you grow up?" As though somehow what you are right then isn't valid. To answer such a question with a statement like, "I'm going to be what I am now: a human being," would bring from people very curious, if not frightened looks. Only when one's identity is linked to a role does one have "validity" or self-worth. Edward was constantly either baffled or amused by this question of what one was going to be when one grew up. It's like wondering what a crow, or dog, or willow tree is going to be when they "grow up." It's as though we are asked to be anything else other than what we are--as if what we are already, simply is not good enough. So that, "growing up" occurs at the point when you have finally become something other than what you really are. Strange, strange indeed. __________*Lots of footnotes.****I mean, lots of footnotes.******Even footnotes to footnotes. And hyperlinks.
Author Biography
Bruce Taylor, known as Mr. Magic Realism, was born in 1947 in Seattle, Washington, where he currently lives. He was a student at the Clarion West Science Fiction/Fantasy writing program at the University of Washington, where he studied under such writers as Avram Davidson, Robert Silverberg, Ursula K. LeGuin, and Frank Herbert. Bruce has been involved in the advancement of the genre of magic realism, founding the Magic Realism Writers International Network, and collaborating with Tamara Sellman on MARGIN. His works have been published in such places as The Twilight Zone, Talebones, The Seattle P.I., Darke Phantastique and New Dimensions. His first collection, The Final Trick of Funnyman and Other Stories (available from Fairwood Press) recently received high praise from William F. Nolan, who said that some of his stores were "as rich and poetic as Bradbury at his best." In 2007, borrowing and giving credit to author Karel Capek (War with the Newts), Bruce published EDWARD: Dancing on the Edge of Infinity, a tale told largely through footnotes about a young man discovering his purpose in life through his dreams. With Brian Herbert, son of Frank Herbert of Dune fame, he wrote Stormworld, a short novel about global warming. Bruce was writer in residence at Shakespeare & Company, Paris. If not writing, Bruce is either hiking or can be found in the loft of his vast condo, awestruck at the smashing view of Mt. Rainier with his partner, artist and writer Roberta Gregory and their "mews," Roo-Prrt. More books from Bruce Taylor are available at: http: //ReAnimus.com/store/?author=Bruce Taylor