Rants, Raves and Reviews

Jesse Minkert’s Shortness of Breath & Other Symptoms

ISBN: 978-1-890654-45-0 trade paperback

ISBN: 978-1-890654-46-7 signed hardbound

2008, thread-stitched, 32 pages, $10 softbound

Reviewed by Thomas Hubbard

The conversation touches on literature. Somebody you hope to meet mentions a liking for flash fiction. In the chair beside the fireplace sits a collegiate-appearing person who has been, more or less, holding court here at the party, and who asks in a desultory voice, "Flash fiction? What ever in the world are you talking about?"

"Well," you interject, "Writers at the cutting edge have been into flash fiction for some time now. It just hasn't gotten to the supermarkets and drugstores yet. Maybe never will." You smile a too-sweet smile and continue, "It's curious to find a literate person who still hasn't discovered it." Reaching inside your tweed jacket, you nonchalantly fondle Jesse Minkert's new collection of absolutely amazing flash fiction, and you thank your lucky stars for having read this review, which moved you to immediately purchase your copy.

You could go on to mention individual pieces from the collection, such as the first one, "My Favorite Breakfast." You recall having read it while awaiting your change when you purchased your copy. And you read it again on the bus home. And again that evening. And now you want to read it again. Or you could mention any of the unforgettable characters Minkert has dredged from his 3-D imagination.

On the other hand, you could just haul it out and hand it around, so your friends might feel the luxurious binding or admire the two-color woodblock print on the cover, or scan the ultra-sharp letterpress text. But you would likely never again see that copy. Better to just save it for now and bring it out later, upon finally meeting that somebody who mentioned a liking for flash fiction. Have fun.

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Thomas Hubbard,a retired writing instructor, won Seattle’s Grand Slam in 1995. He authored Nail and other hardworking poems, Year of the Dragon Press, 1994. He published Children Remember Their Fathers, an anthology of performance poets; Junkyard Dogz, a chapbook also available on audio CD; and Injunz, a chapbook. His book reviews have appeared in Square Lake and Raven Chronicles. Recent publication credits include poems in Arabesques Review: International Poetry and Literature Journal, and ToTopos Poetry International, Fall 2006, Albani: Indigenous Poetry and a short story in Red Ink. He presented instruction at Whidbey Island Writers Conference in March, 2007 and has featured for several Pacific Northwest venues, including Tacoma’s Distinguished Writers Series and Whatcom Poetry Series: The Poet as Art. Hubbard formerly served on the Washington Poets Association’s board of directors.