Mathilda recounts a series of “Escapes” motivated by historical “transfixions.” For Mathilda, these processes serve as essential survival tools. Comically enough, the result of this seems to read as a never-ending cycle of repeatedly setting fire to a life’s work. Von Reinhold’s interrogation of historical fiction moves fluidly between real-life historical figures and fictional theorist John Garreaux, the father of a genre of performance art von Reinhold dubs “Thought Art” – a movement principled by the negation of the self, with the intent of negating capitalism. And, of course, why not? When one’s identity has been so historically obfuscated (the word “erasure” is sprinkled throughout the text), what could feel more Utopian than the confirmation of celebrated minority identities (queer/POC)? When it comes to identity politics, contemporary generations like to use the term “feeling seen.” LOTE vibrates with this sentiment. I imagine that LOTE shares a similar appeal. Metonymy Press $21.95 paper 456pp 9781777485245As a bookseller at Librairie Saint-Henri Books, I’ve noticed an affinity for this genre among our clientele.
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