July is a master of mining uncomfortable moments, both for laughs and for poignant revelations of character. Well, poor Cheryl Glickman’s life is one long, uncomfortable moment. So, when her bosses coerce shy, awkward middle-aged Cheryl into housing their obnoxious Amazonian twenty-something daughter, Miranda July revels in the opportunity to explore all the weird, murky, turbulent depths off this female “Odd Couple.” Venturing way beyond petty jealousies and cat fights, this is no-holds-barred storytelling. Brutal, funny, unsettling, sweet. The First Bad Man is a novel unlike any other.
–Michael, Annie Bloom’s, Portland, OR
As a filmmaker, July feels a little more Sundance than Oscar, so it feels appropriate to buy her novel indie, too. Pick up a copy at Annie Bloom’s or a local bookstore near you.