This week at the New York Journal of Books, I review Tales of Two Cities: Paris, London, and the Birth of the Modern City, by Jonathan Conlin, which is “. . . an entertaining account that strings together fascinating factoids into a tapestry of urban history and cultural anthropology.” Continue reading Tales of Two Cities: Paris, London, and the Birth of the Modern City, by Jonathan Conlin @ NYRB
I recently reviewed Bitter Orange, by Marshall Moore at CCLaP. In this interview with the author, we discuss the superhero genre, the concept of self-loathing, and scheduling creative writing projects around a busy work life. Continue reading The Marshall Moore Interview
At NYJB, I review Happy Mutant Baby Pills, by Jerry Stahl, “. . . a comical descent into the carefully choreographed madness of contemporary American culture.” Continue reading Happy Mutant Baby Pills, by Jerry Stahl @ NYJB
My Crazy Century, by Ivan Klima, is a memoir about the famous author’s Czech childhood and adulthood under Nazi and Communist occupations, shot through with wit and rage. Continue reading My Crazy Century: a memoir, by Ivan Klima @ NYJB
This week at CCLaP, I review Red Fortress: History and Illusion in the Kremlin, by Catherine Merridale, about the history of Moscow’s most iconic structure. Continue reading CCLaP Fridays: Red Fortress: History and Illusion in the Kremlin, by Catherine Merridale
Over at the New York Journal of Books, I review Jonathan Franzen’s new translation of Karl Kraus essays called The Kraus Project. Continue reading The Kraus Project, by Jonathan Franzen @ NYRB
This week Karl Wolff reviews “Bitter Orange,” by Marshall Moore, about a gay man coming to terms with his superpower to turn invisible. Does that make him a hero or a villain? Continue reading CCLaP Fridays: Bitter Orange, by Marshall Moore
The Megapolitan Flâneur is a series of short travel essays. These essays will focus on my trip to Chicago – September 4 – 6, 2013 – and what I experienced. Neither chronology or inventory, the essays will be reflective, free associative, and impressionistic. Full Disclosure: I am a staff member and assistant editor for the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography (CCLaP). While I did wander and amble throughout Chicago, this was a “working vacation” for me. “A commodity appears at first sight an extremely obvious, trivial thing. But its analysis brings out that it is a very strange thing, … Continue reading The Megapolitan Flaneur: Part 3: Objects and Meaning
Stanley Weintraub’s brisk, short, and informative book covers FDR’s years as Undersecretary of the Navy under President Woodrow Wilson, where FDR has to contend with the shadow of his wife’s uncle, former President Teddy Roosevelt. Continue reading Young Mr. Roosevelt, by Stanley Weintraub@NYJB
This week Karl Wolff reviews “Fighting for an American Countryside” by Jennifer Vogel, an in-depth look at the economic, political, and cultural challenges facing rural Minnesota in a world ravaged by the Great Recession. Continue reading CCLaP Fridays: Fighting for an American Countryside, by Jennifer Vogel
The Driftless Area Review 