The Bottoms

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Lansdale crafts an enticing tale about two kids coming of age in 1930's East Texas. In addition to the usual angsty teen and tween crises like burgeoning sexuality and a yearning for independence, Harry and his little sister Tom must deal with racial tensions, the Klan, and a freakin' serial killer. (And, the kids of today think they have it bad if the internet goes down . . . )

Militano, Hannah (April 14, 2022). "Kaia Gerber Lands Next Acting Role in Upcoming Film 'Bottoms' ". Grazia.I probably need to file Joe R. Lansdale in the "Southern Authors I need to keep an eye on" file (if I may be so bold as to lump someone from East Texas into the "South"). I was consistently delighted by my first encounter with his work, the creepy cool 1930's-era Texas Gothic thriller The Bottoms. Much as I found Wiley Cash (another Southern author I've discovered recently) a straightforward, no-nonsense storyteller, Lansdale's style doesn't make room for ornate prose. It's all about establishing setting, creating characters the reader wants to know better, engaging with uncertainties. No flowery gewgaws or cheap devices to be had here: just smart storytelling. My Daddy used to say there were skeeters over there big enough to carry off a man and eat him and wear his shoes.

At the pep rally for the upcoming football game against longtime rival Huntington High School, Tim, a Vikings player, calls on Hazel to represent the club by fighting a boxer in combat. Hazel is severely injured and Tim reveals the lies behind PJ and Josie's "fight club" and time in juvie, publicly humiliating them in retaliation for opposing the football team. PJ and Josie argue over who was responsible for the club and fall out, and the two are ostracized at school.Peng, Elizabeth (March 31, 2023). "Bottoms Asks the Question: 'What Do You Wear to a Queer Fight Club?' ". Vogue . Retrieved April 2, 2023. Keep open lines of communication. Don’t be afraid to tell your partner what isn’t working (and also what is working). Sex should feel great and if it’s not bringing you pleasure, or if there’s any discomfort–or worse, any pain–stop, take a moment to reassess the situation, and then decide if you want to continue or call it a night. There’s no shame in taking a break or stopping entirely. But there were still mighty trees and lost places in the woods and along the cool shaded riverbanks that no one had touched but animals.