Why did I pick up Charlie Jane Anders' new sci-fi fantasy "All the Birds in the Sky"? I'm as much into science fiction, let alone fantasy, as I am into jumping off a cliff into a shark pool. Here's what I think is going on.
Category: Literature
Existentialists, crushes and a queen
Here are three books with vastly different topics and characters. Philosophy, romance and 16th century British monarchy. A great mix for the reading table.
Images of the sea and life itself
John Craske was a Norfolk fisherman who became incapacitated by a strange illness no one could diagnose. He spent his invalid days painting and then embroidering, creating scenes of the sea and boats on the sea up to when he died in 1943. Julia Blackburn has written an enchanting and beautifully illustrated biography.
My love for old, tattered books
Here's a recommendation to read (if you haven't already) John le Carré's classic espionage novel "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold" -- and why I read an old, beat-up 1964 copy.
Yes, Thomas Hardy was my friend
Christopher Nicholson's new novel explores a winter season in the life of British author Thomas Hardy, who penned the classics "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" and "Jude the Obscure." The story focuses on desires of the heart that come too late in life. A quietly powerful, beautifully written book.
What would you say?
French author Jean-Philippe Blondel creates an engaging fictional story out of an ordinary incident that takes place on a train from Troyes, in northeastern France, to Paris. A best-seller in France and Germany, here's what it's all about.
The books I gave on Christmas Eve
Five books for five friends, specially selected, this holiday season.
Best fiction 2015: where the critics agree
Everyone's making their lists of 2015 best books from a year of reading. I wanted to see if there's agreement on one book of fiction, so I cross-referenced the fiction lists from five publications. Turns out, there are two.
“The Mysteries of Paris”
Ernest Hemingway's "A Moveable Feast" is flying out of Paris bookstores. A bit here about that, and also about a new-old book set in the City of Light that first appeared in serial installments in a 19th century Paris newspaper. It captivated readers and saved the failing newspaper from bankruptcy. Here's the scoop.
Bookfair loot
One day every year in November, I fill a shopping cart with used books at a book fair in Dayton, Ohio. Here are a few of this year's treasures.
A return of iconic crime novels
Pushkin Press is bringing back 20th century, tour-de-force mysteries and thrillers, including "Vertigo", the book Alfred Hitchcock turned into a classic film. Here's a look at what Pushkin's new imprint is up to, and the first books now available.
Portrait of an unsuspecting woman
The best part of this blog post is Jonathan Evison's acknowledgement to the women in his life, those who inspired him to create his protagonist in this darkly humorous novel, "This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance!" What a great tribute. Also, a look at the story.
The sound of youth loving youth
Here's an entertaining novel that's about friendship, art school and the harsh reality of the working world that lies in wait after graduation. Author Rachel B. Glaser writes with wit and smart one-liners that make this a funny story; however, this isn't what you might expect in a story about friendship.
It’s the economy, stupid
Karen E. Bender's story collection focuses on the burden of money in everyday life. Her upbeat tone brings a colorful quality to a theme that otherwise would be overbearing. A good collection, now a finalist for the National Book Award in fiction.
A compulsively readable debut
Bill Clegg's new novel is getting a lot of attention, and it should. Here's what it's about, from a review recorded for broadcast on WOSU 89.7 fm.
The Longest Chapter 