My usual complaint about perzines is that they are typically filled with the autobiographical details of someone I don’t know, and are almost always a catalogue of incidents that don’t need to be re-lived. Somnambulist, true to form, is story after story of the author’s embarrassment, discomfort or impotent anger. The one article by Grover that is not about her ends without resolution–perhaps resolution isn’t arty enough? Or maybe someone who isn’t Martha Grover does-n’t merit a properly-formatted story. What I want to know is, how is this pleasurable? How is this art? There is no purpose served here except the promotion of the author herself, and even then it’s not a very flattering portrait. Perhaps Grover’s self-admitted pre-apocalyptic apathy has something to do with that. How very trendy of her. (J. Blackmore)
perzine, Martha Grover, issue 9, $1.50, PO Box 14871,Portland, OR, 97293, [email protected]