Capital, by John Lanchester @ NYJB
“Capital” by John Lanchester is “. . . a meaty slab of literary realism in the tradition of Charles Dickens, Honoré de Balzac, and Émile Zola . . .” Continue reading Capital, by John Lanchester @ NYJB
Category: book reviews
Man from Mars by Fred Nadis @ NYJB & The After-Life Story of Pork Knuckles Malone by MP Johnson @ CCLaP
An eccentric publisher from Wisconsin and a bizarro lit novel about a rampaging pig in Green Bay, Wisconsin are showcased in these two book reviews. Continue reading Man from Mars by Fred Nadis @ NYJB & The After-Life Story of Pork Knuckles Malone by MP Johnson @ CCLaP
CCLaP Fridays: Wheatyard, by Peter Anderson
This week at CCLaP, I review Wheatyard by Peter Anderson, a wonderful character study and a finely wrought coming-of-age novel, that one can also see it as a piece of pop culture archeology. Continue reading CCLaP Fridays: Wheatyard, by Peter Anderson
CCLaP Fridays: Nebula Awards Showcase 2013, edited by Catherine Asaro
Today at CCLaP, Karl Wolff reviews the “Nebula Awards Showcase 2013,” edited by Catherine Asaro, a solid anthology of mainstream science fiction and fantasy writing from Nebula winners and nominees; also “Sauerkraut Station” totally rocks and there’s some bathypunk. Continue reading CCLaP Fridays: Nebula Awards Showcase 2013, edited by Catherine Asaro
The NSFW Files: Our Lady of the Flowers, by Jean Genet
This week at the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography, I review Our Lady of the Flowers, by Jean Genet, about a drag queen hanging around with criminals and murderers in pre-World War 2 Paris, along with being a classic of the Western Canon. Continue reading The NSFW Files: Our Lady of the Flowers, by Jean Genet
CCLaP Mini-review: The Creative Fire, by Brenda Cooper
My mini-review of The Creative Fire, by Brenda Cooper, a book with grand ideas and bland writing. Continue reading CCLaP Mini-review: The Creative Fire, by Brenda Cooper
Debtors’ Prison, by Robert Kuttner @ NYJB
Over at NYJB, I review Robert Kuttner’s “Debtors’ Prison”, a book that explains why a multinational bank will get a bail-out but young people with students loan debt and homeowners with mortgages get the shaft. Continue reading Debtors’ Prison, by Robert Kuttner @ NYJB
Driftless Area Review Metapost
A general update on the business of the Driftless Area Review blog. Continue reading Driftless Area Review Metapost
CCLaP Fridays: The Conduct of Saints, by Christopher Davis
This week at CCLaP, I review the Conduct of Saints, by Christopher Davis, a historical novel set in the immediate aftermath of postwar Italy involving a self-tortured hero reminiscent of Graham Greene’s novels. Continue reading CCLaP Fridays: The Conduct of Saints, by Christopher Davis
CCLaP Fridays: Boston Noir 2: the Classics, edited by Dennis Lehane, Mary Cotton, and Jaime Clarke
Today’s book review: Dennis Lehane and others edit “Boston Noir 2: the Classics,” bringing together a collection of Boston’s dark side, ranging from hard-boiled whodunits, out of print classics, and an excerpt from “Infinite Jest.” Says reviewer Karl Wolff: “For those unfamiliar with Greater Boston and its literary heritage, [this book] is a great place to start.” Continue reading CCLaP Fridays: Boston Noir 2: the Classics, edited by Dennis Lehane, Mary Cotton, and Jaime Clarke
The Driftless Area Review 