Kaleidoscope

Biblioscope

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Published: Oct 13, 2010

Is there some thriving fairy tale scene I don't know about? Maybe. First of all there's My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me (Penguin, Sept. 28), a new collection of fairy tales by Francine Prose, Neil Gaiman, Aimee Bender, Michael Martone, etc. Secondly there's the book's editor, Kate Bernheimer, who also runs the Fairy Tale Review litmag. Which exists whether you believe in it or not.

Philly's secret comics superstar Charles Burns is back with X'ed Out (Pantheon, Oct. 19), the befuddling and captivating story of, uh, a pill-popping performance artist, some lizardy-looking people, alien eggs, maybe, and ... well, this is only chapter one of nobody-knows, so presumably, it'll all make sense one day. Always entertaining, Burns will speak at the Free Library Tuesday (Oct. 19, freelibrary.org).

I've been a happier reader since I stumbled upon Flavorwire's weekly email mag, Boldtype (boldtype.com). Each week, my inbox dings with a sharply designed newsletter that covers everything from new releases to Q&As with up-and-coming writers. My favorite part is the roundup, a themed top-10 list like "10 Modern Spanish-Language Writers You Should Know" and "Fictional Detectives Who Won't Bore You to Death" (pictured).

Ministry of Secret Jokes-ter Doogie Horner's Everything Explained Through Flowcharts (Harper, Oct. 26) tells you how to do it all, from selecting a major to picking a good gangster name. As promised it's all in flowchart form, and Horner's signature goofy, doofy style shines through as he predicts your greatest fears and the end of the world. So far I've learned: It's demeaning to ask a dog if he can shake hands; my mafia nickname should probably be Joey Bagels; and I am not my own evil twin.

Depth of Field
Body Mind and Hair
March of the Humannequins
The Forest for the Trees
Where's the Beef?
True Fiction
The Word
Light Drift
Many Entendres
HOMIESAPIENS/Atypical
The Big Sea