It seems like today is a good day to post a few thoughts about a little limited edition chapbook I picked up recently (and got a bit excited about) – “Doe Lea” by M. John Harrison, from Nightjar Press. I’ve rambled on about MJH on the blog before; I’ve been reading his books for decades, and I love his writing. Very distinctive, very individual, often unsettling and defying categorisation – the sort of thing I love, really!
Anyway, I follow his website, and when he mentioned “Doe Lea” would be coming out in a signed, limited edition of 200 copies I was standing by to do that internet shopping magic as soon as it appeared on the Nightjar site. Which I duly did, and my copy arrived a couple of days later to much excitement at the Ramblings (and slight puzzlement from Mr. Kaggsy who, despite being supportive of my bookishness, doesn’t quite get why I get so worked up about literature….) However – back to “Doe Lea”.
I reviewed MJH’s collection “You Should Come With Me Now” back in 2017; a collection of shorter works of varying length, it really proved that the author is a master of whatever form of writing he takes on. “Doe Lea” would actually have fitted into the collection very well; 15 pages long, it’s a haunting and somewhat disconcerting story, taking a snapshot from the life of one man. As the tale begins, the narrator is leaving the hospital where his father has just died; he takes the train south from London towards the coast on his journey home, musing on memories of his father and how the latter had been affected by his final illness. The train develops some kind of fault and stops at a small place called “Doe Lea”, which oddly enough the narrator doesn’t seem to have noticed before.
As there’s like to be a delay before the train is fixed, the man wanders around Doe Lea; the place is small, oddly quiet, and there is a weird geographical feature. The people he encounters are unsettling; an air of stasis seems to hover over the town, having an almost hypnotic effect. The train will no doubt be fixed and will leave, but there are real doubts about whether man will get on it, who he actually is, and the slippery nature of the reality we are apparently reading about…
I shan’t say much more about “Doe Lea”, except to say that it was a really fascinating, beautifully written and disturbing piece of writing. Although nothing directly *scary* happens, there is an underlying sense of unease running through the whole story; MJH is quite brilliant about conveying that kind of thing in his work. Much is left unexplained and to the imagination, which is always a much more effective way of unsettling the reader. and there’s a blurring of identity which is quite unnerving. I have to say that if my train ever stopped at Doe Lea I don’t think I’d want to get out – and I’m glad I read this in the daytime, because I’m still wondering about the strange geographical feature…
So “Doe Lea” was a fitting read for Halloween; although I’m sad to say that I can’t encourage you madly to go off and buy a copy because it seems (unsurprisingly) to be sold out. MJH has a new book out next year (exciting!) and maybe “Doe Lea” will turn up in another collection some time – I certainly hope so, because it deserves a really wide audience! 😀
Oct 31, 2019 @ 07:50:32
Yum, sounds like my kind of thing too. Hope it gets a wider release.
Oct 31, 2019 @ 11:06:20
Me too – it really is good! 😀
Oct 31, 2019 @ 09:28:35
Sounds intriguing. I’ll have to keep a look out for one of those rare copies.
Oct 31, 2019 @ 11:06:08
It is – his writing is so often unsettling and very unique. Hopefully this will come out elsewhere at some point!
Oct 31, 2019 @ 10:03:07
This sounds like something I would love to read, I hope it gets reissued. Thank you for drawing my attention to it, Karen!
Oct 31, 2019 @ 11:04:54
I hope so too, because I love MJH’s writing and would love to see this reach a wider audience!
Oct 31, 2019 @ 11:25:51
This sounds very good. I love atmospheric stories that have an underlying sense of dread or unease. I have never read Harrison but maybe I will give him a try.
Oct 31, 2019 @ 14:28:06
It certainly is *very* atmospheric, and it’s the kind of thing Harrison does so well. Hope you get a chance to read him! 😀
Oct 31, 2019 @ 16:55:11
How lovely to have such a limited book. Perfect for Halloween too.
Oct 31, 2019 @ 18:13:13
It was! Just right! 😀
Oct 31, 2019 @ 16:57:16
Ooh, that sounds scary! Is it a Bottomless Hole? The Handsome Family have a song about a Bottomless Hole and it scared me so much I had to give their album away!
Oct 31, 2019 @ 18:13:03
Ha ha! Not telling. But it’s much less obvious and much more unsettling than a Hole of any type!
Oct 31, 2019 @ 19:16:53
This sounds super fascinating and super scary! I had never read M John Harrison before but now I am Curiouser and curiouser!
Oct 31, 2019 @ 20:09:01
It really does get under your skin – and in a subtle, not obvious way which I like. If you’re interested, his last collection (which I mention in my post) might be a good way to explore his work! 😀
Nov 01, 2019 @ 06:02:31
Thanks so much! I will!
Nov 01, 2019 @ 11:03:26
:DDDD
Nov 01, 2019 @ 18:23:13
Sold out – many authors would love to have that happen with their work.
So glad to know that I’m not the only one whose partner doesn’t get the literature passion – I’ve got used to the rolling eyes when another book arrives in the house
Nov 01, 2019 @ 18:58:40
Yeah, it’s a testament to what a faithful following he has; he really is a very special writer.
And yes – I know the rolling eyes well…;D
Nov 02, 2019 @ 10:56:17
Kaggsy: you DO read the most interesting stuff (downside: my TBR list has expanded quite a bit since I’ve started following your blog!). I really love Nightjar press (have a few of their chapbooks from several years back) — its rather dark and disturbing offerings are right up my alley. For some reason I can no longer remember (time? mental energy? my growing pile of unread books?) I had stopped checking out its publications. This neglect of mine must stop immediately! Doe Lea sounds wonderful (and just the right length for a nice afternoon read).
Nov 02, 2019 @ 14:45:02
Ahem. Sorry to mess with your TBR, but then mine has been so influenced by other blogs. Alas, this one has sold out, but I hope will turn up somewhere else. And the Nightjar list *does* look amazing!
Nov 02, 2019 @ 13:35:29
This does sound creepy, and its a train journey I make fairly regularly too, which is very appealing. Fingers crossed for wider publication!
Nov 02, 2019 @ 14:44:03
Yeah, it *is* extremely unsettling, especially as the identities are a bit slippery. Hope it comes out somewhere else eventually!
Oct 14, 2020 @ 07:09:43