Sleeping in My Jeans by Connie King Leonard. Ooligan Press, $16.
Portland-based Ooligan Press is a sure thing when it comes to books that capture the Pacific Northwest, and Sleeping in My Jeans is no different — though it captures Eugene so specifically and perfectly I’m curious to see how readers from other areas respond to it.
The plight of 16-year-old Mattie is terribly familiar here in Eugene, and it shouldn’t be. She’s homeless. And to add to her struggles, her mom has disappeared with the car they’ve been living in, leaving Mattie together with her little sister, alone and scared.
Mattie, a biracial teen, is very real in Leonard’s writing, and that’s no surprise given her bio lists her as a former teacher whose book is inspired by her students’ true stories. The book will no doubt strongly appeal to young teens — who may not be as thrown by the dramatic plot twist as I was — and teens should read it to understand the struggles fellow unhoused students face and dangers out there in the community. And the fact there’s a cute love interest for Mattie involved doesn’t hurt either. — Camilla Mortensen
The Barrow Will Send What It May (Danielle Cain Volume 2) by Margaret Killjoy. Tor.com, $11.99.
When I asked Tor.com to send me a copy of Sarah Gailey’s American Hippo for review, I casually suggested the publisher toss in anything else Eugene Weekly readers might like. And thanks to Tor I now know there is a whole genre of fantasy fiction that features anarchist teens. Why was this not around when I was a teenager who badly needed to read about anarcho-punks kicking the asses of demons?
Well, I have it now. I normally hate jumping in on a series anywhere but book one, but The Barrow Will Send What It May is a slim volume, so I gave it a shot, despite it being Volume 2. No regrets. Did I mention these are anarchist demon-fighters? Killjoy breathes life into Danielle Crain and her band of anarchists on the lam who run into a small town featuring a couple residents who have come back from the dead. In Killjoy’s fantastic world, fellow anarchists have taken over the library in this small town in Montana to keep it open and free, and who need some help with the whole back from the dead thing and a necromancer who might be about to start the apocalypse. The book works not just on the level of its fantasy but also in the relationships and friendships among the anarchists and their strong sense of social justice. On an Oregon note, Killjoy tells me she was involved in the forest defense community in Oregon on and off for a number of years, supporting the Cascadia Forest Defenders on campaigns such as the one that appears to have been ultimately successful, saving the Elliott State Forest. That’s another reason to pick up her books. — Camilla Mortensen
Winter Reading 2018
Larger than Life – A roundup of the year’s best photography books
Alt Histories – If hippos took over the South
Winter Reading – Short Stories
This story has been updated to reflect the author’s correct name.
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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