Largehearted Boy: Book Notes - Michael J Seidlinger "The Face of Any Other"

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December 18, 2014

Book Notes - Michael J Seidlinger "The Face of Any Other"

In the Book Notes series, authors create and discuss a music playlist that relates in some way to their recently published book.

Previous contributors include Bret Easton Ellis, Kate Christensen, Kevin Brockmeier, George Pelecanos, Dana Spiotta, Amy Bloom, Aimee Bender, Jesmyn Ward, Heidi Julavits, Hari Kunzru, and many others.

Michael J Seidlinger's novel The Face of Any Other is an innovatively told and disquieting novel, one of the year's most thought-provoking books.

Gary Lutz wrote of the book:

"The Face of Any Other bravely explores the tenuous personhood of the young and the urban, whose lives grow more ghostly the more they are particularized. Michael J Seidlinger has graced us with a quietly but unsettlingly original novel of the day-by-day slippages from alienation to asphyxiating despair."

Stream a playlist of these songs at Spotify.

In his own words, here is Michael J Seidlinger's Book Notes music playlist for his novel The Face of Any Other:

When you have the face of any other, you see the cracks peeling apart a person's face, revealing the true identity hidden behind their false social façade. You are able to ascertain the difference between honesty and fabrication. You get to see their guilty pleasures. You get to find out if they actually like Stryper, One Direction, Bring Me the Horizon, Insane Clown Posse, Quiet Riot, or Taylor Swift. You get to see what they listen to when nobody is around. When you have the face of any other, you use this Book Notes opportunity to snitch on a number of characters from your book. This is what they listen to when alone. These are songs that they'd never ever be caught dancing, singing, or crying to, for fear of complete humiliation. For some, they wear their current favorites on their sleeve, hoping that their age hasn't caught up to them. Yet.

Richard Tell (office assistant)

Kenny G – The "Moment"

Listens to it on the trainride home.

Laura Davis (consultant)

Whitechapel – "This Is Exile"

Listens while driving to/from meetings with clients. Often records herself singing along.

Bill Kalish (musician)

Insane Clown Posse – "Miracles"

Believes in miracles. Paints his face on Sundays and drinks Faygo.

Isabelle Blumstein (fitness trainer)

Disney's Frozen (soundtrack) – "Let it Go"

Wants to let it go. Wants the world to freeze over. Watches Frozen every night.

Bryan Beauregard (venture capitalist)

Disturbed – "Down with the Sickness"

P90x's to the track on repeat. Believes he is "down for anything."

Patricia Pond (artist / unemployed)

Wheatus – "Teenage Dirtbag"

Reminds her of her childhood. Doesn't care if it's uncool. Still sings along to it once a day, usually right after work, even if it's in public.

Tristan Brunhoff (content producer)

Wilson – "My Life, My Grave"

Isn't ashamed. Likes the band but doesn't want anyone to know about the band. Likes that the band is obscure.

Andrew Place (graduate student, finance)

Darude – "Sandstorm"

Is working on a remix of the song on his Casio. You interested?

Stacy Hsu (web designer)

Issues – "King of Amarillo"

Thinks she's still hip. Talks electronic metalcore with teenagers. Lives in the past. Unnecessarily proud that she spends 10 hrs a week researching and keeping track of all the new bands/artists.