John Porcellino

This is an old post that I never got around to publishing...from 2019, I think. But I'm re-reading King-Cat Classics right now, so I thought what the hell. Here's what I thought about John Porcellino then.

I love John Porcellino.

A lot.

I don't know where or when I first bumped into him. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned him in a previous post or two or three, but the shit search function can't come up with it, and I don't know where to start looking without its help. But I know that I was really excited when I found King-Cat Classix: The Best of King-Cat Comics and Stories at U of L and got to read 320 pages' worth of his work. And the LFPL had Perfect Example, so I got another 144 pages there. And I think I might have another book...maybe more than one?...around here somewhere, but I don't know where. Another reason to keep on keepin' on with the clean-up project. But I just picked Perfect Example for another read, and once again I found it a really moving experience. 

Oh, actually I got things backwards there. I actually read Perfect Example first (Book 34 in 2017) and then found King-Cat Classix at U of L (Book 42 in 2017). Turns out that search box on the "outside" of the blog works a lot better than the one on the "inside." Go figure.

ANYway...I just re-read Perfect Example. It is such an eloquent expression of living with depression, and it really captures the weight of it. And, ironically, it makes me feel better to know that somebody else understands how this feels. Which is, I think, at least a large part of what literature is for: to show us that we're not alone in all of this. Because it's hard not to give up hope when you're alone. 

Which is why, I think, some people...and I've been one of those people a number of times...cling so desperately to relationships that don't really work. To relationships that suck the life out of you. To relationships that force you to endure abuse and disparagement and humiliation, even.

Because no matter how bad a relationship is, it's better than being alone. I totally understand that.

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April 14, 2017
ORDER # 113-5363983-3741046
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Map of My Heart