Subject: TALES OF NATURAL AND UNNATURAL CATASTROPHES by Patricia Highsmith

From: [email-masked]
Date: 27 Jul 91 01:23:00 GMT

TALES OF NATURAL AND UNNATURAL CATASTROPHES by Patricia Highsmith
                     A book review by Evelyn C. Leeper
		      Copyright (c) 1991 Evelyn C. Leeper

     Patricia Highsmith is primarily known as a mystery writer, yet in this
collection she is well withing the bounds of "speculative fiction."  I
suspect it is her unfamiliarity with the genre that leads her occasionally
to re-use well-worn plots, yet her style helps rescue them from mediocrity.

     The first two stories place more emphasis on style than on the actual
events involved.  "The Mysterious Cemetery" has an eerie quality that seems
to be a cross between Poe and Lovecraft.  "Moby Dick II; or The Missile
Whale," on the other hand, while evoking Melville in the title, bears little
stylistic similarity.  Rather, parts of it reminded me of Richard Adams's
"animal's-eye" view of things.

     From these two atmospheric stories, we go on to more plot-oriented
ones.  "Operation Balsam; or Touch-Me-Not" is a tale of what might be
happening to the country's radioactive waste--not unlike other cautionary
tales perhaps, but far more realistic in plotting and characterization than
most (and far less optimistic than anything ANALOG would print).  "Naubuti:
Warm Welcome to a UN Committee" may not be politically correct these days,
but it probably reflects the reality of life in the newly independent states
in Africa.  ("Newly" here means in the last thirty years.)  If Tor is
looking for a thematic pairing of stories for their "Tor Doubles" series, I
would suggest this and Mike Resnick's "Bully!" as excellent stories on the
theme "Is Africa Ready for Independence?"  (Boy, if that doesn't stir up
discussion, nothing will!)  (After writing this, I noted that "Bully!" has
been paired with Resnick's "Bwana" so I suppose that puts an end to that.
But there could still be a theme anthology....)

     Just what a "kinder, gentler" America could lead to is examined in
"Sweet Freedom! And a Picnic on the White House Lawn."  Or as a friend of
mine is fond of quoting, "Be careful what you ask for, because you might get
it."  If you want a classic horror story a la the old E. C. Comics, try
"Trouble at the Jade Towers."  (It also reminded me of the episode "Beetles"
>from TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE.)

     In "Rent-a-Womb vs. the Mighty Right" Highsmith points out the illogic
in many of the positions of the "New Right."  (Of course, that's just MY
opinion.  Your mileage may vary, as they say, in this case depending on your
philosophy.)

     As "Rent-a-Womb vs. the Mighty Right" is about birth, so "No End in
Sight" is about death, making a neat diptych in the center of this book.
The yellowish-green glow of Naomi predates Stephen King's GOLDEN YEARS by
four years, by the way, so I wouldn't rush to assume any influence here.
Just because Naomi is over 200 years old and glows green could be a
coincidence.  (Then again, "No End in Sight" is right about the same time as
TOMMYKNOCKERS, the original green glow story.)

     The politics of religion resurfaces in "Sixtus VI, Pope of the Red
Slipper," as well as some older ideas as well.  Does the Lord work in
mysterious ways, his wonders to perform?  Or is it all accident and
happenstance?  In any case, this extrapolation of liberation theology
certainly stimulates thought.

     Unfortunately, the collection ends on a weak note with "President Buck
Jones Rallies and Waves the Flag," heavily inspired (so far as I can tell)
by Stanley Kubrick's DR.=STRANGELOVE.  What isn't Kubrick seems pure Ron and
Nancy, and it's a pity that an otherwise good collection finishes up on such
a lame story.

     I haven't read other Highsmith books, and so can't comment on her work
in general.  But these speculative fiction stories are recommended as a way
of seeing things from a different perspective.

%T      Tales of Natural and Unnatural Catastrophes
%A      Patricia Highsmith
%C      New York
%D      1987
%I      Atlantic Monthly
%G      ISBN 0-87113-341-5
%O      trade paperback, US$8.95
%P      189pp

Evelyn C. Leeper   |   +1 908 957 2070   |   att!mtgzy!ecl or [email-masked]