Local lesbian author Peggy Shinner's new book, You Feel So Mortal ( University of Chicago Press ) is a daring collection of 12 thoughtfully crafted and executed essays pertaining to body image and introspective interpretations of one's multifaceted beauty in relation to its original form.
The compilation of personal triumphs and hardships in You Feel So Mortal is dynamically inclinedfrom reveling in one's own inner beauty, to bra sizes, shapes, colors, hair configurations, and more. The witty and provocative anthology is poised to turn this passionate project into one unforgettable journey spanning oceans, continents and heritages.
The book is described by the publisher as "…a collection of searing and witty essays about the body: her own body, female and Jewish; those of her parents, the bodies she came from; and the collective body, with all its historical, social, and political implications." The inception of You Feel So Mortal was a unique undertaking. "I studied martial arts for a very long time and we were learning how to use a knifenot a sharp knife, a dull knife and I found that it set something off in me … so I started writing about knives," Shinner said.
That exploration led to another tricky subject entirely: autopsies. "It didn't take very long for me to see that there was a connection between knives and autopsies," Shinner added. "I knew I had to write a book about the bodyin some strange way." The ideas showered on Shinner from there some modestly, others in a blatant fashion, but all were asking to be noticed. "The essays came one-by-one and then some in clumps," Shinner said.
Published in The Southern Review, Colorado Review, The Gettysburg Review, Daedalus, Tri- Quarterly, Another Chicago Magazine, Alaska Quarterly Review, Fourth Genre and Bloom, Shinner's work is, admittedly, digressive. "I wandered my way through [You Feel So Mortal]," Shinner relayed. "My working style is digressive."
The book winds its way through life and death to the annoying act of exhibiting bad
posture. "I'm a sloucher," Shinner revealed.
With such touchy docket items, one might imagine a backlash could occur…but Shinner is none too afraid of any of that. "I don't feel exposed," said Shinner. "The personal details that are parts of these essays are points of departure for me. It's a way to raise other issues as well. There is a lot of energy and excitement involved."
Shinner has received two Illinois Arts Council Fellowship awards, residencies at the Ucross and Ragdale Foundations, and a fellowship at Ausable Press. Currently, she teaches in the MFA program at Northwestern University. She has taught Seido karate for over 17 years. Her partner is designer and book artist Ann Tyler.
They have long resided in Chicago.
In support of You Feel So Mortal, Shinner will be at a book-release party at Women and Children First, 5233 N. Clark St., on March 30 at 4:30 p.m. On April 12, Shinner will present her book at Thousand Waves Martial Arts & Self-Defense Center, 1220 W. Belmont Ave., at 4 p.m.
People can purchase their own copies of You Feel So Mortal by visiting Women and Children First online or in the fleshso to speak.
The book is also available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, IndieBound, Powell's, and other independent retailers. For more information about Peggy Shinner, visit www.peggyshinner.com .