The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories Of The Dirty Computer

April 18, 2022 7:09 PM

Let's get intersectional with the reviews of Janelle Monáe's new book of afrofuturist queer short stories, The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories Of The Dirty Computer. NPR is pretty down the middle (as expected) [article with listen link]. But a work like this, we also have the lens of Ebony, which looks at race and afrofuturism and hope. D.C.'s Metro Weekly has a rainbow prism that brings forward LGBTQ+ themes. And WaPo headlines a half-hour interview with the author herself leading with Race, but there's more going on there.. Also, an article with highlights and transcripts of that interview. If you hurry, you might see her book tour.

Oh, what's that, you don't know Dirty Computer [WikiPedia]? Well, here's the album [YT playlist] (worth a listen, worth a refresh if it's been a while...), and here's the film [46m, may require age sign-in for YT (not if you use the inline player)].

Also, if you're new to Dirty Computer! Hello!

posted by hippybear (12 comments total)

I'm looking forward to checking out the book and new content, but hoo boy, if you've never watched the Dirty Computer film, tonight's the night.
posted by vverse23 at 7:48 PM on April 18, 2022 [1 favorite]

I love Janelle so much and I'm so excited about this. I pre-ordered it a couple months ago.
posted by potrzebie at 7:53 PM on April 18, 2022

Having not yet read the book, I really just want more music and more weird music videos, but I also know that she's so good at stuff that the book is also going to be amazing.
posted by aubilenon at 9:21 PM on April 18, 2022 [2 favorites]

Ah, I am so happy that you posted this. I have been increasingly attracted to afrofuturist literature, because I think optimistic narrative is a necessary and powerful counter to the despair caused by the reality of the present. I don't read much literature lately, but this is the kind that I think is worth reading.
posted by gorillawarfare at 9:47 PM on April 18, 2022

Will have to check this out, thank you!
posted by mochapickle at 9:49 PM on April 18, 2022

Is it amazing and sometimes incredibly hot? I bet it's amazing and sometimes incredibly hot.
posted by howfar at 3:23 AM on April 19, 2022 [4 favorites]

This post is fantastic, thank you for coming at this work from so many angles.
posted by Nelson at 7:32 AM on April 19, 2022 [2 favorites]

Just saw the audiobook version is now on audible - it's narrated by Janelle Monáe and Bahni Turpin
posted by piyushnz at 10:25 AM on April 19, 2022

The video is brilliant. I'm slightly skeptical that it'll make a great book, given how much of it is driven by visual images, but I hope to discover that I'm wrong about that. Nice post!
posted by eotvos at 1:07 PM on April 19, 2022

The San Francisco stop of the book tour, which will be Sunday, February 24, will be recorded for radio broadcast and podcast for the City Arts and Lectures series, airing May 8.
posted by larrybob at 1:55 PM on April 19, 2022 [2 favorites]

You have no idea how pleased I am to hear that!

I didn't know about this book until a couple of days ago, and I'm quite curious about it, but I haven't gotten it yet.
posted by hippybear at 9:15 PM on April 19, 2022

April 24th for those in SF!
posted by Space Kitty at 7:09 PM on April 20, 2022