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.
Tag: book review
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.
They couldn’t find Mick
This is a moving first novel, "The Given World," by Marian Palaia. It takes place during the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's in the life of a woman whose brother goes missing in the Vietnam War. Palaia perfectly captures how the war changed the lives of the loved ones back home.
A woman who never compromised
Florence Gordon is this novel's unforgettable female protagonist, a 75-year-old New Yorker whose family arrives in the city and brings with it some messy issues. Her name is the book's title, and she's an inspiration -- not only for the novel's characters, but also for readers.
Reading the second novel before the first
This is a review of Bruce Holbert's new, second novel, "The Hour of Lead," and why I wish I'd read his debut, "Lonesome Animals," first.
Ordinary Germans and World War II
Audrey Magee's novel "The Undertaking" is about newlyweds caught up in Berlin society and the Eastern Front during World War II. Stark, moving and intelligent, this is Magee’s fictional debut.
My picks from The Edgars® “Bests”
"Ordinary Grace" is one of the most enjoyable books I've read this year. Of note, it just won the the Edgar Award for best novel, announced last week. Two other winners appear here, as well as a link to the full list of nominees and winners in all the categories for the Mystery Writers of America 2014 Edgar Allan Poe Awards.
The morally bruising battlefield
"Redeployment" is a collection of 12 fictional stories written by a former U.S. Marine who served in the Iraq War. They are piercing in emotional honesty and unforgettable.
The hypnotic allure of Area X
Jeff VanderMeer's "Annihilation," his first book in the new Southern Reach Trilogy, became my obsession for a few days. I could've read it in one day -- it's just south of 200 pages -- but I didn't want this riveting, bizarre story to end.
The completely disguised Albanian kid
Derek B. Miller's "Norwegian by Night" is as intense as it is entertaining -- a crime story taking place in Oslo and the hinterlands of Norway, featuring an octogenarian Korean War vet who deserves a place in the Colorful Characters Hall of Fame,
You run the race you run
Mark Slouka's new novel takes place in the late Sixties, in a small town. Here two teenagers form a bond that becomes their salvation. Seductive, nostalgic prose, vivid, likable characters and a masterful story. It's all here.
Justice for the disappeared
Europa Editions publishes some of the best world literature, and that includes Caryl Férey’s "Mapuche." It's absorbing crime fiction that draws from Argentina's dark time of "the disappeared." Intense and gratifying.
A world of crime on Martha’s Vineyard
A. X. Ahmad has created an intriguing protagonist in his first novel, “The Caretaker.” Add to that India’s nuclear capability, an American hostage in North Korea, a nervous U.S. Senator and a bunch of thugs, and you've got an exciting literary thriller.
When there were monsters
Neil Gaiman is the author of more than twenty books and the recipient of numerous literary honors. His newest novel is "The Ocean at the End of the Lane."
The Longest Chapter 