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A14 PEOPLE / ARTS
Tuesday 29 augusT 2023

‘Holler, Child’ is a profound short story collection about Black lives

in America

By DONNA EDWARDS male perspective, like the first year it was officially
Associated Press “Dog Person.” The narrator recognized as a federal
LaToya Watkins has sur- convinces his girlfriend to holiday despite over a cen-
passed the high bar set by accept his dog as a part of tury of celebrations helps to
her beautifully crushing de- himself in a story that turns frame the motif of gender
but novel, “Perish,” with a out to be absolutely heart- roles and divisions between
collection of short stories ti- wrenching. Layers of be- men and women through-
tled “Holler, Child.” Heavily trayal and hurt and blame out “Holler, Child.” It’s a
rooted in west Texas where and sadness have no- messy, fluid thing that she
the author grew up, the 11 where to go, so they fester. explores in various forms:
fictional pieces focus on What does the dog have to a wife completely fed up
Black lives and the huge do with it? It’s impossible to with her husband after de-
range of people and rela- say, exactly, even though cades of marriage; a hus-
tionships within to form a the dog is the keystone of band who feels his wife has
profound collection. the story. peeled away pieces of him
In the namesake short story, Generations of trauma, over the years; two sisters in
which includes some of the sacrifice and striving make search of the brother who
most brutal scenes in the the characters complex was disowned because of
book, the bloodied face of and Watkins fits loads of in- his identity.
the narrator’s son reminds formation into just a hand- Those male-female rela-
her of the day she was ful of pages by skipping un- tionships go on to influence
raped and beaten “Hol- necessary context. Instead, others, like the daughter
ler, Child” being what she she draws on societal truths who confronts her mother
commanded her 17-year- and the reader’s empathy for her cold-heartedness;
old self to do way back to form the solid foundation the mother who decides
then, but couldn’t. Now, beneath each story. to love her kids out of spite
confronted with the possi- Each voice brings some- for her husband; and the
bility that her son may have thing special, every narra- young woman who sees
raped someone, she has a tive hard-hitting yet tender. her parents in a new light
chance to handle things Then, in the final short “Time after her baby’s father re-
differently. After,” it all comes home. fuses to help.
Its ending is completely un- And, really, all the stories The stories lay bare the
expected a battlefield of are about coming home death of a child, a partner,
conflicting logic and emo- wherever or whomever a sibling, a pet topics that,
tion that’s hard to fathom, home may be, and re- This cover image released by Tiny Reparations shows “Holler, in less careful hands, might
but also strangely sensical. gardless how the charac- Child” by LaToya Watkins Associated Press be beyond ethical ap-
While many of the pages ters feel about it. In many proach in a mere 20 pag-
are about mothers and cases, home is west Texas. esq
wives, some are from a In some, it’s a mother, or oneself. An article by Wat- kins for Juneteenth this year

Trans-Siberian Orchestra will return with a heavy metal holiday

tour, ‘The Ghosts of Christmas Eve’

By MARIA SHERMAN heavy metal, classical mu- winter. half the attendees have found in the story.
AP Music Writer sic, theater production, py- “The Ghosts of Christmas been “coming to us since “Everybody misses some-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Trans- rotechnics and laser light- Eve the Best of TSO & the jump.” body, especially on Christ-
Siberian Orchestra the show hybrid will return this More,” will hit 62 cities and Fans can expect a memo- mas,” he says. The show
deliver 104 performances rable performance that provides an arena for
in both matinee and eve- references the band’s 1999 people to feel less alone,
ning sets. It kicks off on Nov. “The Ghosts of Christmas “wrapped up in the world’s
15 at the Resch Center in Eve” television film and al- biggest rock and roll pro-
Green Bay, Wisconsin, and bum. The story follows a duction,” he adds.
runs through Dec. 30, con- young girl who runs away The numbers don’t lie: As of
cluding at the Xcel Energy from home on Christmas July 2022, Pollstar put Trans-
Center in Saint Paul, Minne- Eve; she’s alone, visions Siberian Orchestra’s box of-
sota. come to her, and eventual- fice gross at $769 million.
Al Pitrelli, TSO’s guitarist and ly she makes her way back Tickets for the 2023 holi-
music director, says that to her family at midnight, day tour will go on sale on
since the band started 28 just in time for the Christmas Friday, Sept. 15, at 10 a.m.
years ago, their winter tours holiday. Singers represent local time. Limited $39 tick-
have become a tradition different characters, wo- ets will be available for pur-
for loyal fans and their fami- ven into a narrative by the chase within the first week,
lies. late founder Paul O’Neill. or while supplies last. A dol-
Members of Trans-Siberian Orchestra perform on Nov. 11, 2022
during a rehearsal for their 2022 Winter Tour at Mid-America “I call them repeat offend- Pitrelli believes the reason lar from each ticket sold will
Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. ers,” he jokes. TSO performances con- be donated to charity.q
Associated Press Pitrelli estimates that nearly tinue to draw people in is