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June 1, 2020
Timothy S. Miller's Playlist for His Novel "City of Hate"
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 Jesmyn Ward, Lauren Groff, Bret Easton Ellis, Celeste Ng, T.C. Boyle, Dana Spiotta, Amy Bloom, Aimee Bender, Roxane Gay, and many others.
Timothy S. Miller's debut novel City of Hate is a smart and engaging work of literary noir.
Foreword Reviews wrote of the book:
"City of Hate is a bizarre and beautiful crime novel about conspiracies and political malevolence."
In his own words, here is Timothy S. Miller's Book Notes music playlist for his debut novel City of Hate:
The assassination of John F. Kennedy looms over the City of Hate, much like this gloomy soundtrack that shaped the story with its anxious melodies and dark refrains.
The Velvet Underground - “Heroin”
Running from addiction while trying to repair the wreckage of their past, and being caught up in a blackmail scheme that threatens the gubernatorial campaign of a sleazy “family values” politician, Hal and Lemon definitely don’t know where they’re going.
Wo Fat - “There’s Something Sinister in the Wind”
The age of a digital anti-Christ may not ring true in the nineties—the setting of the “City of Hate”—but the dark and foreboding theme of Armageddon meshes quite nicely with the feeling of impending doom coursing through the veins of a city beset by the memories of the JFK assassination in its mean streets.
Aerosmith - “Dream on”
Hal and Lemon desperately want to fit in, but don’t. We want badly for their travels—both inward and through the back alleys of Dallas—to result in some kind of awakening, but chances are that they will only continue to dream on….
Nirvana - “The Man Who Sold the World”
Nirvana’s version of Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World” fits right in to Hal and Lemon’s quest to find themselves in a dangerous world that barely recognizes their very existence. Here’s to hoping they make it out alive.
Ramones - “I Wanna Be Sedated”
While “I Wanna Be Sedated” is a road song pining about the rigors of being a band on the road for 360 days a year, Hal and Lemon’s journey through the angry passages of Dallas—while running from a myriad of secrets and addictions—searching for answers to conspiracies that may or may not be related, have them wishing for the same relief.
Nervous Curtains - “Mass Amnesia”
It’s hard to find an anthem to “City of Hate” that is more appropriate than “Mass Amnesia” which brilliantly illustrates the absolute futility of doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result.
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Book Notes (2018 - ) (authors create music playlists for their book)
Book Notes (2015 - 2017) (authors create music playlists for their book)
Book Notes (2012 - 2014) (authors create music playlists for their book)
Book Notes (2005 - 2011) (authors create music playlists for their book)
my 11 favorite Book Notes playlist essays
Antiheroines (interviews with up and coming female comics artists)
Atomic Books Comics Preview (weekly comics highlights)
Flash Dancers (authors pair original flash fiction with a song
guest book reviews
Librairie Drawn & Quarterly Books of the Week (recommended new books, magazines, and comics)
musician/author interviews
Note Books (musicians discuss literature)
Short Cuts (writers pair a song with their short story or essay)
Shorties (daily music, literature, and pop culture links)
Soundtracked (composers and directors discuss their film's soundtracks)
weekly music release lists
