The Weird (2012) – [Amazon.com] [FR] [DE] [UK]
I’m into weird stuff and anthologies. So I’m happy with the new book The Weird, dedicated to 20th century literature in the category weird fiction, a book I discovered while researching Dino Buzzati (check out this [1] and this [2]). It was put together by Jeff VanderMeer and his wife Ann.
But…
Yes, there is a but.
The cover of this anthology is ugly beyond belief.
Beyond belief is perhaps putting it too strongly and I don’t like negative criticism without at least providing an alternative.
So why not have put an axolotl on the cover? A good choice since there is also a short story by my favourite author Julio Cortázar in the anthology titled “Axolotl” and the axolotl is a creature like the star-nosed mole and the baby armadillo by Dora Maar which belongs in the category ‘fantastique naturel‘ and the fantastique is the natural precursor of weird fiction.
“Weird” also bears an uncanny resemblance to “insolite”, doesn’t it?
Glad to see you back, too.