Books

"Journey to Long Nose offers the chance to examine one’s relationship with labels – how we categorize others and others categorize us -- and decide to undergo a journey of one’s own." (full review) "In her memoir Journey to Long Nose, R.R. Pollock humorously navigates the channels that divide genealogical evidence, cultural belonging, and personal identity. “[Children] mirror the undercurrent of everything adults mean never to say.” The titular journey begins with a simple statement from an elementary school child: “You’ve got a big nose.” R.R. Pollock’s style is defined by her narrative voice, both sharp and flippant, while still being charming. The child’s interrogation reflects onto Pollock, provoking an interrogation of the self that demands the answer to the question, “Where am I from?” and more importantly “Does it matter?” “We yearn to hear myths that explain how and why we came to be who and where we are.” Pollock begins to navigate through the shifting terrain of finding herself. Weaving through the empty spaces that divide inherited stories, cultural practices, and genetic evidence, Pollock leads us through her search for answers; grandparents insinuating (untrue) Cherokee ancestry, strangers drawing familial ties through a perceived shared silhouette, and a faculty member assuming Jewish identity from an incidental remark and extending a Hanukkah invitation. Pollock tactfully traverses the differences between cultural appropriation and appreciation, reflecting scrutiny inwards, examining her own perpetration of both. This careful self-reflection retains its wry wit, carrying the book forward even when its metaphors threaten to become heavy-handed. “People change. Lives change. Identities change.” Journey to Long Nose began (as an art piece) in 2019 at the DC Capital Fringe Festival. This is important in understanding the book’s structure, a series of vignettes that establish how a person’s understanding shifts over time. As it so happens, I was at the premiere in 2019 as a theater critic and have myself evolved alongside this work. Journey to Long Nose offers the chance to examine one’s relationship with labels – how we categorize others and others categorize us -- and decide to undergo a journey of one’s own."