It's been widely known for a long time that editor Gordon Lish reworked Raymond Carver's short stories. A new biography about Carver as well as one of Carver's original manuscripts pulls back the curtain on what went on between the writer and Lish. But how does that influence the way we read Carver going foward?
Category: New Books
The book I missed: “Tears in the Darkness”
Here's the book I knew last summer I should read. "Tears in the Darkness" is described as history written as story. The husband-and-wife authors created it from thousands of sources and hundreds of interviews. They have received nothing but praise.
Content & design: “Too Much Happiness”
Alice Munro's recently released collection of short stories is predictably winning praise. But it's the design of her new book that's initially caught my attention.
Read me! A collection of American book ads
Dwight Garner's new book "Read Me: A Century of Classic American book Advertisements" gathers 300 vintage ads published during the 20th Century -- the century when "The Great Gatsby," "Ulysses," "On the Road," "Lolita," "Silent Spring," "The Joy of Sex," "Gone With the Wind," "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Helter Skelter" and so many other classics hit our bookshelves.
In “A Meaningful Life” everything is all wrong
L. J. Davis's 1971 novel “A Meaningful Life” was reissued this year. It's a funny story about a protagonist who gets a wake-up call to do something about his dull life.
The surprise of “American Salvage”
Here's a collection of short stories that's risen to the literary forefront, thanks to its National Book Award nomination. The author of "American Salvage," Bonnie Jo Campbell, writes with unsettling grace.
“The Humbling” is Roth at his best
"The Humbling" is Philip Roth's 30th book. Here's a review and links to Roth's own thoughts about the book.
A lingering wild in America’s Great Plains
A photography book by Michael Forsberg published this month celebrates America's middle region. Forsberg says he strives "to photograph and build appreciation for what is left of the wild Great Plains."
Milo & Tock’s creators team up again
Norton Juster and Jules Feiffer, who collaborated on "The Phantom Tollbooth" in 1961, are working together again on a new book.
The horror of it
Two new books for those worried about zombies and werewolves. (Count me out.)
Dark, gritty books too loud to ignore
Two Dollar Radio is an independent publisher in Granville, Ohio. Their literary novels are getting national attention. Here's what I learned, plus their books.
“So You Think You Can Spell?”
A book that challenges spelling expertise with 200 tests and quizzes. And here I thought I was a good speller.
Michael Greenberg’s happy intensity
"Beg, Borrow, Steal: A Writer's Life" is a compilation of Michael Greenberg's columns from the "Times Literary Supplement." They are funny, wise and a great joy to read.
How much would you spend on a new book?
Abbeville Press releases this month "The History of Paris in Painting." A gorgeous, expensive book.
There will be elephants
Sam Savage's second novel, "The Cry of the Sloth," is as entertaining as his first. Here's what to expect.
The Longest Chapter 