{"id":36941,"date":"2020-03-24T22:38:41","date_gmt":"2020-03-25T02:38:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=36941"},"modified":"2020-03-24T22:38:41","modified_gmt":"2020-03-25T02:38:41","slug":"review-of-strange-planet-by-nathan-w-pyle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=36941","title":{"rendered":"Review of Strange Planet, by Nathan W. Pyle"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Strange Planet<\/em><\/p>\n

by Nathan W. Pyle<\/p>\n

William Morrow Gift Books, 2019. 144 pages.
\nStarred Review
\nReview written December 26, 2019, from my own copy, signed by the author and purchased via premierecollectibles.com<\/a><\/p>\n

I\u2019m a big fan of Nathan Pyle\u2019s comics posted on Facebook with smooth-bodied aliens living the lives of humans but describing what they are doing in very basic terms that highlight the absurdity or simplicity.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve decided that the alien way of speaking reminds me of nice logical German word construction when the aliens called an umbrella a \u201csky shield,\u201d because the actual German word for umbrella is Regenschirm<\/em>, which broken down translates as \u201crain shield.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many of the words make you look at the things in a different way, such as the aliens calling a vacuum cleaner a \u201crollsuck\u201d which has \u201cthe filth window.\u201d Or honey, which is called \u201cplant liquid partially digested by insects and then stolen.\u201d Or balloons, which are \u201celastic breath traps.\u201d Coffee is \u201cjitter liquid,\u201d and a vase is a \u201cdeath cylinder\u201d for holding \u201cdying plants.\u201d<\/p>\n

Names for things are fun, but the interaction between people and between people and animals can be wonderfully touching. I think my favorite is the one that begins with one of the aliens crying. Their friend says, \u201cWhy does your face malfunction? Request mutual limb enclosure.\u201d
\n\u201cPermission granted.\u201d
\nAs they hug, the crying friend says, \u201cYou are absorbing my face fluids.\u201d
\n\u201cLet me absorb.
\nLet me absorb.\u201d<\/p>\n

I also love the one where one alien is on the phone, saying:<\/p>\n

\u201cHello we do not want to make sustenance.
\nWe will literally pay a being to come here with sustenance.
\nPlease pile edible items onto a vast dough circle.
\nOK Gratitude. We will stay here and do nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are certainly days I would pay a being to come to my home with sustenance.<\/p>\n

I find myself Sharing Nathan Pyle\u2019s comics often, so when he was promoting a special on autographed copies of his new book, I thought it would be a great way to support an author and pick up some Christmas gifts. I\u2019m happy to say that the unsigned one I\u2019d previously preordered for myself (had to hit the dollar limit) was a maximum-traded item at the staff Christmas party this year!<\/p>\n

If you haven\u2019t seen Nathan Pyle\u2019s work, try this out. If you have: There\u2019s a book out!<\/p>\n

hc.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Nonfiction\/strange_planet.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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