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
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
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
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
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
In this week’s installment of CCLaP’s “The NSFW Files,” Karl Wolff investigates the 1928 Georges Bataille shocker, “Story of the Eye,” a very early precursor to bizarro fiction. Continue reading The NSFW Files: The Story of the Eye, by Georges Bataille
Drugs are bad. Over at CCLaP, I review The Heroin Chronicles, edited by Jerry Stahl. Continue reading CCLaP Fridays: The Heroin Chronicles, edited by Jerry Stahl
Today’s book review: “The Blue Kind,” a dystopian drug novel by Chicago-area author Kathryn Born, and put out by academic imprint Switchgrass. Says reviewer Karl Wolff, “More novelists writing in science fiction should take these kinds of chances.” Continue reading CCLaP Fridays: The Blue Kind, by Kathryn Born
Today at CCLaP, Karl Wolff reviews “Keeping Bedlam at Bay in the Prague Cafe,” by M. Henderson Ellis, a comedic ride through post-communist Prague with John Shirting in his quest to set up a coffee franchise. Says Karl, “Like some madcap mashup of ‘Confederacy of Dunces’ and ‘The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret.'” Continue reading CCLaP Fridays: Keeping Bedlam at Bay in the Prague Cafe, by M. Henderson Ellis
This week at CCLaP, I investigate Gynecocracy, by Viscount Ladywood for the NSFW Files. In the novel, a wayward aristocratic man gets a stern lesson in forced feminization and the proper wearing of a corset. Who knew the Victorian era was so naughty? Continue reading NSFW Files: Gynecocracy, by Viscount Ladywood
The Driftless Area Review 