Published in Untoward·PinnedMember-onlyJust Like That, Fascism ArrivesI make an earnest point of analyzing situations as honestly and openly as I can, even when the reality of those situations is unpleasant. Reality has a way of being unpleasant, which might explain the rise of more palatable (for some) conspiracy theories that have rapidly grown in popularity and…Fascism5 min readFascism5 min read
Published in Untoward·Nov 7, 2022“In Three to Five Paragraphs” Untoward Book Review Series: Harrow by Joy WilliamsOne thing I tell students (or really anyone who seems interested — maybe even you, too, dear reader) is you can use fragments of dreams to weave together fictional narratives. Just find ways to string their senselessness together with some plot point that’s logical enough, so that a reader might…Joy Williams5 min readJoy Williams5 min read
Published in Untoward·Sep 2, 2022“In Three to Five Paragraphs” Untoward Book Review Series — HERE IS A LITTLE BOOK TO COMFORT YOU…“In Three to Five Paragraphs” Untoward Book Review Series — HERE IS A LITTLE BOOK TO COMFORT YOU DURING THESE UNUSUALLY DARK TIMES by Matthew Burnside First things first if you’re wondering what’s going on here take a look at my first post, in which I explain this new book…Book Review3 min readBook Review3 min read
Published in Untoward·Feb 4, 2022Member-onlyJust Like That, Fascism Digs InLearning the right lessons from the 2020 presidential election will be of the utmost importance to either the preservation or dissolution of liberal democracy in America over the next two to four (perhaps eight) years. It’s too early to tell which direction we’re leaning in, but considering Trump remains his…Donald Trump13 min readDonald Trump13 min read
Published in Untoward·Jan 24, 2022Member-only“In Three to Five Paragraphs” Untoward Book Review Series — Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch by Rivka GalchenA brief explanation of what exactly it is I think I’m doing here. This is a new project for me, Matt Rowan, on Untoward and intended to get me to 1.) update the website more often and 2.) be a better literary citizen and say something about the books I…Book Review Series4 min readBook Review Series4 min read
Published in Untoward·Dec 20, 2020Member-onlyA Very Special Not Everyone is Special Interview w/ Josh DenslowI’ve had the opportunity to interview more than a couple of authors over the years, and I’ve relished each and every one of those opportunities. …Josh Denslow18 min readJosh Denslow18 min read
Published in Untoward·Nov 2, 2020Member-onlyJust Like That, Fascism Takes RootIn the early 2000s Laurence W. Britt wrote a helpful breakdown of precisely what constitutes a fascist government. I think people have been trained to think of it as “any government that oppresses people” and called it a day. It’s a bit more nuanced than that, however, and even Britt’s…Donald Trump9 min readDonald Trump9 min read
Published in Untoward·Apr 12, 2020Member-onlyThe Snow Collectors: Tina May Hall Shows Us the Wonders of Gothic Storytelling in Frozen ClimatesMaybe it’s just me but Gothic storytelling is something I invariably associate with heat. New Orleans is always a fitting setting for a gritty Gothic horror tale. Of course Southern Gothic is a subgenre of a genre and maybe I’m just being a little bit too beholden to the stories…Tina May Hall5 min readTina May Hall5 min read
Published in Untoward·Jan 17, 2020Member-onlyOn Those Texts That Have Been Over-Analyzed: The MetamorphosisGregor Samsa has occupied space in the popular imagination for ages. Book lovers the world over have read and become enraptured by his peculiar malady and the ensuing tragedy of it all. The crisis he awakens to find himself literally unrecognizable in (i.e. he is now a gigantic bug of…Franz Kafka10 min readFranz Kafka10 min read
Published in Untoward·Nov 11, 2019Member-onlyRelief by Execution: A Visit to Mauthausen by Gint Aras and the Horrors of Dehumanization to One and AllDehumanization, as a term, might be in danger of losing its meaning, so fast and loose are we with the severity of probably the most wicked of human enterprises. Bertrand Russell, the great 20th century British philosopher, recently went viral for a letter he wrote to a prominent British Fascist…Politics7 min readPolitics7 min read
