How the dead read

Lydia Millet’s new novel, “How the Dead Dream” (Counterpoint: 244 pp., $24), has been racking up its share of coverage, including here and here. But what’s gone largely unremarked is its membership in what we might call the Book of the Dead club — a small subcategory of volumes that seem to suggest the dead may not be so ... well ... dead.

In May, Serpent’s Tail will reissue Derek Raymond’s “How the Dead Live” (256 pp., $14.95 paper), a virulent bit of British noir with an introduction by Will Self. That’s only fitting because in 2001 Self stole the same title for a novel of his own, although at the time, he admits, he had not yet read Raymond’s book.

That’s not all: There’s also William Greenway’s “How the Dead Bury the Dead” (University of Akron Press: 94 pp., $25.95) and Katherine Bates’ “How the Dead Depart” (Kessinger: 48 pp., $15.95), as well as what may be the earliest of all these books, Judith Johnson Sherwin’s 1978 poetry collection “How the Dead Count” (Norton: 132 pp., $26.95).

Who knew the dead could be so active? Perhaps there’s more to dying — and to living — than we might at first suspect.

David L. Ulin

Comments

[Stephanie Riseley]

Hi David,

re: How do the dead read? Actually, how do the dead communicate is a better question. Just start asking anyone who's lost a wife, husband or chiid... Did they come back to you? If you ask honestly -- without judgement, you'll be surprised how often the answer is, Yes!!

I have a book coming out in May (Findhorn Press) called, Love From Both Sides -- A True Story of Soul Suvival and Sacred Sexuality, and it tells the story of my own journey down this particular alternate path. But it's one everyone will travel eventually... Maybe the reason there's such a plethora of this type of material right now is the shifting of belief systems. And that's a good thing, since the old "agreed upon" belief systems no longer seem to work.

So, go ahead. Just start asking -- even your cynical, smartest friends. You'll be surprised.

Best wishes,
Stephanie Riseley