Reviews

Letters to Emma Bowlcut by Bill Callahan

goomz's review against another edition

4.0

I liked reading this slowly, taking it in, reading a few letters every day. Some of the anecdotes and non-sequiturs are silly, but they're so earnest and sincere, and give the book its subdued power. Some lines are tattoo-worthy, not that I'd go that far or anything. It even has a satisfying climax! Callahan builds his characters so subtly (even the eponymous one you never get to read any words from), and so quickly—the book's barely novella-length, after all. I feel like when I describe it my words could just as easily apply to Bill Callahan's recent music: calm, but restless. Relaxed, but passionate. Easy to return to. It's hard to run down the streets screaming recommendations for it when it's so brief and relatively low-key, but I know I'll find my ways to sneak it into conversations. I'm confident that people who have no idea who the author is and what he's known for would like this book as much as I do if they read it, although I can't think of any situation where someone could get into that situation. It's much more than a curious side-project of a musician. I legitimately want Bill Callahan to write more books, maybe even at the expense of his album releasing rate (did I go too far?).

I can feel the way your hips would fit into my hands perfectly, like a lifetime rifle or an overweight but well-groomed cat. Or a large-breed dog who rarely gets lifted but loves it sheepishly when it does. A foot finding a solid hold in a rock face where before there was none. And then for it to be covered in skin, what could be better. Child, take care of that hip.

It could almost be creepy, writing that way to a near stranger, but there's a poetic innocence to it too. I'm not the romantic type, I don't even read poetry, but I love it. I'm strongly considering keeping the book tucked between my bed and nightstand so it will be there for me in its neat little binding whenever I can't sleep.

zoemorris's review

emotional funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

tymelgren's review against another edition

2.0

There were some good lines in here but also lots of annoying ones, and I felt like the good ones should have been saved for songs instead of being used in these dumb fake letters. The whole thing just seems kind of lazy, like, if you want to have a book, why wouldn't you just write some stories or poems.

Books By Drag City Recording Artists And Whether They Are Dumb Or Not:

David Berman - The Portable February DUMB
Bill Callahan - Letters to Emma Bowl Cut MOSTLY DUMB
David Berman - Actual Air NOT DUMB

lizsteelman's review

emotional funny mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes