I'll get back to the Christmas movie soon, as I'm working out plot-points in my head. And rethinking narration. In regards to the latter; I was talking about Nick Offerman and wondering if he sold his wood online--errr--his woodworking wares, that is! And not only does he do that...he has an entire website with all the MERCH and all the feels. Those FEELS really leaning into the whole Daddy-Bear-Woof-A-licious thing that is wholly summed up by Beef Tobin on The Great North. Everybody seems to want a slice of Beef. And Nick. I know I wouldn't kick him out of bed for getting sawdust in the sheets!
Here's his woodworking logo on wood:
Methinks Nick is reaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllyyyyy leaning into it with a corncob in his logo. A corncob still in its' natural wrapper(!). If you didn't know about the, some might say, aphrodisiacal qualities of the corncob, I might direct you to, well, just look up "Triple X corncob." Proceed with caution. Do not say you weren't warned! And hey, I didn't start this. Beef Tobin did!
But seriously folks:
I took wood shop in seventh grade and I loved it! I still have a couple of the things I made. I'll post pix in an addendum. Also, I've been wanting to explore woodworking more, as I do have a serious interest in it. But I've got a lot of irons in the fire and I don't want to spread myself too thin. And if Nick gave woodworking classes at his shop I would sign up! If I still lived in SoCal, that is. Anyways, speaking of spreading oneself thin: let's get back to books and the very svelte Mr. Yukio Mishima
But seriously folks:
I took wood shop in seventh grade and I loved it! I still have a couple of the things I made. I'll post pix in an addendum. Also, I've been wanting to explore woodworking more, as I do have a serious interest in it. But I've got a lot of irons in the fire and I don't want to spread myself too thin. And if Nick gave woodworking classes at his shop I would sign up! If I still lived in SoCal, that is. Anyways, speaking of spreading oneself thin: let's get back to books and the very svelte Mr. Yukio Mishima
You may recall in the last booksaloon I was talking about Jean Genet and Mishima. My interest in Genet deepened when I discovered we shared the same birthday (as you know, I'm into "stuff" like that). I read Genet's first novel Our Lady of the Flowers and it was pretty much what I was expecting. Kind of a queer fever dream in a homoerotic prison. Mishima, who was never officially "out"; I think, couldn't have been more gay. I mean, come on: bodybuilding, literature and cats? What else do you need? And a healthy dose of autoeroticism (or autosexuality, which is a thing I just learned about). There are tons of pictures of Mishima out there, in all manner of attitudes. Someone should put them all in a book and call it: The Many Moods of Mishima. I'd buy it!
So, I wanted to read something by Mishima and the only thing I could find in the Roanoke/Shenandoha Valley area was a short story in a collection called The World of the Short Story from 1986 put together by a gentleman named Clifton Fadiman. What do we know about him? Let's ask HAL: Hal, who is Clifton Fadiman?
So, I wanted to read something by Mishima and the only thing I could find in the Roanoke/Shenandoha Valley area was a short story in a collection called The World of the Short Story from 1986 put together by a gentleman named Clifton Fadiman. What do we know about him? Let's ask HAL: Hal, who is Clifton Fadiman?
See, you really can learn something new every day! Mr. Fadiman writes introductions to each story in the collection; and based on his unassailable snobbery; I assumed he was British. Nope. Brooklyn boy. Also a TV personality. Let's take a look:
God, remember when people actually had "class"? And when you actually got 25(!) minutes of show out of a half-hour slot? Good times. And Mr. Fadiman? Not what I was expecting. We live in a really strange world.
In any event; the Mishima story in Fadiman's collection is entitled: "Three Million Yen." Here is Fadiman's introduction to that story:
In any event; the Mishima story in Fadiman's collection is entitled: "Three Million Yen." Here is Fadiman's introduction to that story:
Kind of begs several questions, Mr. Fadiman. If Mishima's story is so "unpleasant" and "shocking" why did you include it in your collection?
Actually I think the story is more than pleasant; and again, not what I was expecting. It's about a young married Japanese couple in the late 50's or thereabouts. I imagined a couple like the following, only in more lightweight summer clothes of that era (which is what they are described as wearing, in the story):
Actually I think the story is more than pleasant; and again, not what I was expecting. It's about a young married Japanese couple in the late 50's or thereabouts. I imagined a couple like the following, only in more lightweight summer clothes of that era (which is what they are described as wearing, in the story):
The story is not really "shocking." Maybe when it was first published; but I don't think in 1986 and certainly not now was it shocking. Surprising, perhaps. (Spoilers ahead) The married couple in the story are apparently sex workers of some kind. Nothing is spelled out. The implication is that perhaps they get paid to have sex while someone watches? It's never clear. But that a married hetero couple in late 50's Japan would be doing this for a living (or side hustle) was a bit of a surprise for me, even in 2025. The male in the story is clearly based on the author, who describes him(self) in great detail. And when you realize that Mishima was probably a thinly closeted kinkster; it makes sense. And we don't find out about these goings-on until the very end of the story.
The set-up is that this young couple, on a hot summer night, are killing time in a department store/mall in Tokyo before a meeting with a mysterious woman who is more than likely their "Madam." They buy oversized cookies in the store that are in the shape of 1 Million Yen bars and as they wander about, they chat quietly about plans and argue about money as they nibble the cookies. They go to an arcade on an upper floor which is a kind of mini-amusement park and go on several fun-house type rides, which are described in detail. It's a very quiet and somber story; but also poetic and delicate, like so much Japanese art. It's almost as though it is taking place inside a snow-globe that might be for sale in the store. And by the end, they go to meet the woman and that's the end. It takes place in a then contemporary setting and it is quite modern in every way. I was expecting geishas and samurai and in a way, it's kind of what you get; but in a very modern and lighthearted rendering. His work had a lightness and immediacy I really liked. And Mishima was a samurai in a very real way; going so far as to take his own life in an extremely medieval way. I need to find a collection of his short stories. Also a good biography, as I really can't understand why someone who can bring such beauty and intelligence into the world could be so misguided as to give in to jingoistic impulse. Maybe he lost his mind? I don't know. It's a shame. He might very well still be alive today if he hadn't taken himself out. 100 years-old, which is fairly common nowadays; and I think Japanese people have some of the longest life spans. *SIGH*
Oh, Yukio, Yukio; we hardly knew ye. :(
Moving on, I want to talk about a book I recently read that really kind of blew me away. I'd never heard of this book before my husband recommeded it to me; but I had heard of the author. He was kind of a famous screenwriter. His name is Calder Willingham.
The set-up is that this young couple, on a hot summer night, are killing time in a department store/mall in Tokyo before a meeting with a mysterious woman who is more than likely their "Madam." They buy oversized cookies in the store that are in the shape of 1 Million Yen bars and as they wander about, they chat quietly about plans and argue about money as they nibble the cookies. They go to an arcade on an upper floor which is a kind of mini-amusement park and go on several fun-house type rides, which are described in detail. It's a very quiet and somber story; but also poetic and delicate, like so much Japanese art. It's almost as though it is taking place inside a snow-globe that might be for sale in the store. And by the end, they go to meet the woman and that's the end. It takes place in a then contemporary setting and it is quite modern in every way. I was expecting geishas and samurai and in a way, it's kind of what you get; but in a very modern and lighthearted rendering. His work had a lightness and immediacy I really liked. And Mishima was a samurai in a very real way; going so far as to take his own life in an extremely medieval way. I need to find a collection of his short stories. Also a good biography, as I really can't understand why someone who can bring such beauty and intelligence into the world could be so misguided as to give in to jingoistic impulse. Maybe he lost his mind? I don't know. It's a shame. He might very well still be alive today if he hadn't taken himself out. 100 years-old, which is fairly common nowadays; and I think Japanese people have some of the longest life spans. *SIGH*
Oh, Yukio, Yukio; we hardly knew ye. :(
Moving on, I want to talk about a book I recently read that really kind of blew me away. I'd never heard of this book before my husband recommeded it to me; but I had heard of the author. He was kind of a famous screenwriter. His name is Calder Willingham.
He was an American southerner, from Atlanta GA. Pretty sure he was gay.* You can just tell sometimes. It's a sensibility. Did you ever read A Confederacy of Dunces? When I read it, I knew nothing about it's author John Kennedy Toole. But I sensed he was more than likely gay. It's like a vibe that comes through. An innate ability to tune into life's more absurd wavelengths; and find the humor there. Even when things are serious. As I was reading Eternal Fire to my husband (yes, out loud); I would stop at certain moments: a turn of phrase or a subtlety and think and/or say: "This guy is gay." There are no gay characters in Eternal Fire; but there is one reference to "fairies." It's a throwaway line but it says a lot. Here is the cover of the first edition:
Now, looking at that cover (which you're not supposed to "judge" but I think should give one some kind of inkling about the contents); a person would have ZERO idea what it's about. My first thought would be something religious. Or maybe a western, based on the bullseye and the type-font. Perhaps, satanic. And there is a character in the book who is absolutely a devil from Hell. In fact, it has two utterly amazing villains. Here's the softcover that came out shortly thereafter:
Okay; so, now we've got some cover art, hinting at what the story is about. A Southern (big houses with columns generally imply the American south) bodice-ripper of some kind and we're getting closer. Oh yes, bodices get ripped; but not in the way you would think. The woman depicted looks nothing like the leading lady of the book. The book is set in 1936 and that dame's hair is striclty from the first half of the 1960's. The dress too. The image doesn't catch the comedy of the book. It's presenting "serious" passion. And the book definitely has that, too. Only not in the way you would think. I'll explain.
*So, the computer tells me Mr. Willingham was married twice (to women) and had six kids. This does not necessarily mean he was not gay; although it definitely drops the gaydar needle into the "more than likely straight" zone. Perhaps, like my dad, Mr. Willingham was a gay man trapped in a straight man's body).
This book is startlingly honest about sex. Its' honesty is what I think is the shocking part. It's violent, nasty, taboo ignoring and perhaps racist. It uses the "N" word way too much for my comfort levels; but racism is an element of the book. It's embeddedness in Southern culture. It questions it, yes; but the answers are ambiguous. You have to ask yourself if the author himself is a racist. Or, racist to some degree. The answer is probably yes. But I think the book deals with it honestly. There is a Faulkner story in Mr. Fadiman's collection that I felt was unapologetically racist; but it's Faulkner, right? So I guess he gets a pass. But don't pass on Eternal Fire. It's publishing history is fuzzy, from what I've read. It didn't do well when it was released. Willingham blamed that on a newspaper strike at the time. But apparently enough people read it to object to it and the powers that be went after it as "obscene." I can't seem to find any info about exactly how much of a "nation-wide sensation" it actually was. The interweb tells me it was made into a movie; but the synopsis I read has nothing to do with it. It's a puzzle. Why it's not considered an American classic is astounding. It could make an incredible movie or mini-series: the Cohen brothers come to mind; or Tarantino. Or Lynch when he was in a The Straight Story kind of mode. It was last published in 1986, with an even more confounding cover:
*So, the computer tells me Mr. Willingham was married twice (to women) and had six kids. This does not necessarily mean he was not gay; although it definitely drops the gaydar needle into the "more than likely straight" zone. Perhaps, like my dad, Mr. Willingham was a gay man trapped in a straight man's body).
This book is startlingly honest about sex. Its' honesty is what I think is the shocking part. It's violent, nasty, taboo ignoring and perhaps racist. It uses the "N" word way too much for my comfort levels; but racism is an element of the book. It's embeddedness in Southern culture. It questions it, yes; but the answers are ambiguous. You have to ask yourself if the author himself is a racist. Or, racist to some degree. The answer is probably yes. But I think the book deals with it honestly. There is a Faulkner story in Mr. Fadiman's collection that I felt was unapologetically racist; but it's Faulkner, right? So I guess he gets a pass. But don't pass on Eternal Fire. It's publishing history is fuzzy, from what I've read. It didn't do well when it was released. Willingham blamed that on a newspaper strike at the time. But apparently enough people read it to object to it and the powers that be went after it as "obscene." I can't seem to find any info about exactly how much of a "nation-wide sensation" it actually was. The interweb tells me it was made into a movie; but the synopsis I read has nothing to do with it. It's a puzzle. Why it's not considered an American classic is astounding. It could make an incredible movie or mini-series: the Cohen brothers come to mind; or Tarantino. Or Lynch when he was in a The Straight Story kind of mode. It was last published in 1986, with an even more confounding cover:
This one makes it seem like some kind of sand and camels epic; or another Dune entry. Not to give too much away; but I'll give you the thumbnail skinny:
Eternal Fire is a "wrong side of the tracks lovers" story about a wealthy young man named Randolph ("Randy") and his "sweet-heart" Laurie Mae, who is a struggling school teacher. Randy's surrogate father "The Judge" is a classic shady southern lawyer who is in charge of his "ward"s fortune; but he's been dipping into the till. If Randy marries Laurie Mae, all of The Judge's misdeeds will come to light; so he does everything in his power to break them up by sending all kinds of sleazy characters their way. This includes her cousin Harry, a young man with a penchant for seduction and absolutely no scruples (he has to be modern literature's first "Sex Addict" character; before that was a term!). The twists and turns and reversals of fortune come fast and furious. It's a big book but if flies by: the reason, I think not least of which (due to Mr. Willingham's cinematic eye) is that it plays like a really great movie in your head. By the end of it, I had to keep stopping. I nearly started sobbing several times, something which almost never happens to me when I read (but does seem to happen more often when I read out loud). If I had a movie company, I'd be dedicating my time to trying to procure the film rights. Generally, Southern fried-hot-and-sticky is one of my least favorite genres. But Eternal Fire is so...finger lickin' good...I can't sing it's praises enough. It truly is unforgettable. And a roller-coaster ride and all those other quote-pull cliches.
So, getting back to Mr. Mishima. When I was looking up his work and bios about him, I found tons of stuff online. There is a lot out there. So much, that I'm surprised he's not better known. And I'm sad to say that I think homophobia has a lot to do with it. I mean, this dude was full on gay! Like, the Harvey Milk of Honshu. But he was married. And during his heyday, the lofty circles he floated in tried to hide his rice-paper-screen-bursting queerness. His wife (natch) denied it. I read that to this day, the movie Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters--which apparently shows Mishima in a gay bar--when broadcast in Japan, cuts that scene. Clearly Japan is not comfortable with Mishima being a sword-swallower. But I guess all other sword play is fine. And he seems to have been obsessed with them:
Eternal Fire is a "wrong side of the tracks lovers" story about a wealthy young man named Randolph ("Randy") and his "sweet-heart" Laurie Mae, who is a struggling school teacher. Randy's surrogate father "The Judge" is a classic shady southern lawyer who is in charge of his "ward"s fortune; but he's been dipping into the till. If Randy marries Laurie Mae, all of The Judge's misdeeds will come to light; so he does everything in his power to break them up by sending all kinds of sleazy characters their way. This includes her cousin Harry, a young man with a penchant for seduction and absolutely no scruples (he has to be modern literature's first "Sex Addict" character; before that was a term!). The twists and turns and reversals of fortune come fast and furious. It's a big book but if flies by: the reason, I think not least of which (due to Mr. Willingham's cinematic eye) is that it plays like a really great movie in your head. By the end of it, I had to keep stopping. I nearly started sobbing several times, something which almost never happens to me when I read (but does seem to happen more often when I read out loud). If I had a movie company, I'd be dedicating my time to trying to procure the film rights. Generally, Southern fried-hot-and-sticky is one of my least favorite genres. But Eternal Fire is so...finger lickin' good...I can't sing it's praises enough. It truly is unforgettable. And a roller-coaster ride and all those other quote-pull cliches.
So, getting back to Mr. Mishima. When I was looking up his work and bios about him, I found tons of stuff online. There is a lot out there. So much, that I'm surprised he's not better known. And I'm sad to say that I think homophobia has a lot to do with it. I mean, this dude was full on gay! Like, the Harvey Milk of Honshu. But he was married. And during his heyday, the lofty circles he floated in tried to hide his rice-paper-screen-bursting queerness. His wife (natch) denied it. I read that to this day, the movie Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters--which apparently shows Mishima in a gay bar--when broadcast in Japan, cuts that scene. Clearly Japan is not comfortable with Mishima being a sword-swallower. But I guess all other sword play is fine. And he seems to have been obsessed with them:
Also, cigarettes. Every other picture of him has him smoking. Of course...he died by the sword. So I guess in his case...his pen wasn't mightier? See what I did there!
My thought is that any obsession, particularly with a weapon, is going to be your downfall. But so often we have little to no control over our obsessions. Perhaps he had OCD. The obsessions inherent with OCD can often include violent thoughts and death. Maybe, like me, he didn't know what OCD was. Maybe it was his only way out of his torment. Maybe he didn't want help for his mental health; thinking that it might interfere with his artistic creativity (many artists have this attitude). I hope wherever he is, it's a better place.
I know! Here's a great place I bet he never imagined he would've ended up: in a manly beef-cake-photo-grid with Nick Offerman. Nick was born the same year Mishima passed away. Maybe there was some kind of soul transference. Could happen!
My thought is that any obsession, particularly with a weapon, is going to be your downfall. But so often we have little to no control over our obsessions. Perhaps he had OCD. The obsessions inherent with OCD can often include violent thoughts and death. Maybe, like me, he didn't know what OCD was. Maybe it was his only way out of his torment. Maybe he didn't want help for his mental health; thinking that it might interfere with his artistic creativity (many artists have this attitude). I hope wherever he is, it's a better place.
I know! Here's a great place I bet he never imagined he would've ended up: in a manly beef-cake-photo-grid with Nick Offerman. Nick was born the same year Mishima passed away. Maybe there was some kind of soul transference. Could happen!
That wraps up this PRIDE edition of Chrisbooksaloon. Hope you enjoyed. And here's a link to get your hands on Mr. Offerman's wood. Ah, oh, I mean: woodworking. Yeah, that's it. Woodworking.
offermanwoodshop.com
offermanwoodshop.com
CFR 6/29/25