Clifford Garstang
This is an enjoyable collection of mostly dark stories, some of which are rather surreal. My favorite, I think, is “Cake,” in which a woman who works at an insurance agency is trying to break up with her boyfriend, but life is complicated and she can't do it. In fact, many of the women in this collection are in relationships that aren't good for them, but they don't seem to be able to break away. At a conference I heard the author read from “Pedagogy,” which is a terrific, but odd, story about a teacher who doesn't think his students take their education seriously enough. So he boils the meat off his head. That got their attention!
This book is available for pre-order from Press53. I've read it and it's a terrific collection. Women, especially, will love it, but men will, too, because it's about people who find themselves in places they never expected to be. We can all relate! Mary Akers is a wonderful writer, and I recommend this book to everyone.
I enjoyed this 460-page, 400-year family saga quite a lot, but in the end its point escapes me. The device of the Book of Fathers was, I think, wasted, even though the last generation in effect digitizes his contributions to the book. An interesting way to learn a little something about Hungary . . .
Don't look for a fast-paced story here because you won't find it. And that seems at least partly the point. These people–Vivette and Margaret, mostly, but also the men in their lives–are searching and constantly refining what it means to be happy. That's something that develops over time, and through scenes in a fractured timeline the reader gets the sense of that evolution. I love that these are not perfect people with great lives. They're pretty ordinary, and they're flawed, and that's what makes this book a really fascinating read. That and the beautiful language.
This collection of three novellas is terrific. They're all set in Southwestern Virginia and explore that landscape and the people (which seemed familiar, since I had just read Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer, which is set nearby). Of the three, the most impressive is “Sarverville Remains,” which is told from the point of view of a mildly retarded man who struggles to fit into society–one of my favorite subjects. Highly recommended.
This is definitely an enjoyable read most of the way through. The four main characters are fascinating, both repulsive and attractive in their ways, and their relationships with the women in the book (not strong women, I have to say, and I wonder what female readers of this book make of that) are tortured to say the least. Given the lack of focus, I wonder whose story this is meant to be. Is it the lost male generation? If so, it's a bleak portrait.
What a terrific book this is! For anyone interested in Buddhism or India, the story Allen tells fills in a lot of gaps not only about the rediscovery of Buddhist sites and texts in India but also about the growth of interest in the religion. Very detailed but also plenty of conflict and suspense to keep it interesting.
This book didn't change my mind because I was already firmly opposed to the death penalty, but I did appreciate the close examination of the issues by a lawyer who has examined them closely and thoughtfully.
Some of the stories are okay, but I'm definitely not a fan of the transgressive school.
I'm biased because I'm the editor of Prime Number Magazine and was the lead editor for this anthology of some of our favorite stories, essays, and poems from our second year of publication. The book features work by Kevin McIlvoy, Sybil Baker, Arthur Powers, Michael Milburn, Jon Tribble, and many others.
Slow going novel in which not much happens, except for one incident that rushes by fast, changing everything. More like a novel in stories, I think. Unique.
Always lots to think about when Baxter writes about craft. Some of this he's written about before–I'm thinking particularly about the “making a scene” essay–but the emphasis is somewhat different here. Highly recommended for writers.
This is a moving, lyrical novel about a difficult time. I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand America.
A few good insights and thought-provoking questions to ask yourself. But I think a more serious and thorough approach to the subject would be more helpful, and it seemed to me the author was primarily addressing women; something more balanced would have been appreciated.
While not as logically compelling as I had hoped it would be, this thin volume does present a program for living and demonstrates how to make choices. The author's choices won't convince everyone, however. He approaches seven subjects: Animals, Abortion, Violence, Sex, Drugs, Censorship, and Virtue. Still, it is fascinating and important to read a discussion of ethics that doesn't derive from religion. For that it is certainly worthwhile.
I'm the editor of this 3rd volume in the Editors' Selection series for Prime Number Magazine, and I happen to think it's wonderful, just like the first 2 volumes!
Eddie's War is a wonderful book. Set before and during WW II in a small town in Illinois, it follows young Eddie as he confronts a host of problems in his family and the community. The writing is crisp, the dialog authentic, and vignettes that make up the many short chapters are frequently funny. The book is geared toward young readers, but is rewarding for adults. I highly recommend it.
The book is scheduled to be released August 1, 2011.
Memoirs of a warrior poet, indeed; it makes me think about my own discipline, and also about my relationships with family. Interested in Poetry? Mixed Martial Arts? Strained Father-Son dynamics? This could be the book for you.
From my full review:
Cameron Conaway is a poet (a book and a chapbook forthcoming in 2012 from Salmon Poetry and Finishing Line Press) and was, for a time, a cage-fighting mixed-martial artist. He is also the sensitive son of an abusive father. And that triple-threat combination has resulted in this suspenseful, inspiring memoir that is partly a guide to health and nutrition and partly encouragement for all who might find solace in literature for the challenges that life presents.
For the full review on my blog: Caged: Memoirs of a Cage-Fighting Poet
Essential Maugham, complete with “ugly” men, women with delicate skin, and the arrogance of the colonists.
These are terrific stories. We'll be hearing more from Madeline McDonnell.
Here's a link to my full review: http://perpetualfolly.blogspot.com/2011/05/short-story-month-2011-there-is.html
What a terrific collection of stories this is! From the first story (“The Clearing”) to the novella that brings the collection to an end (“The Outside World”), these linked fictions are as engaging as any you will read. Linked by their setting–Ambler County, a slow-moving rural spot in North Carolina–and by the occasional recurring character, the stories explore what it means to be an outsider. The language is fluid and beautiful, and each story is filled with surprises.
This isn't going to be of interest to the general reader, that's certain, but if you are interested in the details of Singapore history, then it's not bad. (I'm doing some research on Singapore during WW I, so this was a valuable resource for me.)
