I read an essay in "The New York Review of Books" about author James Baldwin in which Darryl Pinckney wrote, "I fell under the spell of Baldwin's voice." Pinckney's story about reading Baldwin connected me to "Giovanni's Room," Baldwin's bold second novel, a classic I'd skipped in my reading journey. Now I can say it's one of the most moving books I've ever read.
Tag: books
What if there are no more books like these?
Looking for a summer reading list? It's right here in James Patterson's call-to-action advertisement about saving books, bookstores and libraries.
Good reading: faith, passion & madness
Frances and Bernard meet at a writers' colony and thereafter begin a friendship that becomes a romance in this first novel by Carlene Bauer. It's the 1950's, and Bauer creates a small narrative gem that draws from the lives of novelist Flannery O'Connor and poet Robert Lowell.
Sleuthing for mysteries in Tribeca
There's nothing like the browse-and-discover experience inside an independent bookshop, especially when it's filled with crime novels and mysteries. Here's a peek inside NYC's terrific The Mysterious Bookshop, plus the books I purchased.
Tales from this antiquarian book shopper
Here's some insight into what can happen to a book lover in a giant room filled with exhibitors of used and rare books.
Reading Tessa Hadley
What happens when you read a book by an author whose work is consistently, highly praised, and yet you're unimpressed? I discovered the first take doesn't always ring true. Here's what I experienced when I read "Married Love," a collection of short stories by Tessa Hadley.
Caught in the sweet flypaper of life
20th century African-American photographer Roy DeCarava and poet Langston Hughes collaborated on a small book of black-and-white photos depicting everyday life in 1950's Harlem. Published in 1955, "The Sweet Flypaper of Life" reveals this time and place with a poignancy that eludes history books.
Collecting William Faulkner (surprise!)
Sometimes the best part about collecting an author's work is the ephemera associated with it -- such as this magazine that includes a story by William Faulkner; however, when it arrived in the mail, the classic author's words were not what I read immediately. Not with Jennifer Billingsley on the cover.
Bookstore love
A short post showcasing a favorite image that speaks volumes about what we miss when we shop for our books online.
The books I gave on Christmas Eve
Dinner at my house on December 24, 2012, included giving a book to each of my six guests. Here you'll find the titles of the books -- three novels, one short-story collection, one historical crime story, one allegory -- and how the selections were made.
Where’s the agreement? 2012 best books
How many lists of best books of 2012 can a reader take? They're spewing from media outlets like water from a broken hydrant. In a desperate measure to find some sanity in the mania, I cross-referenced four fiction lists to see which books they listed in common. The results are these five.
The discussion that followed the selection
Several weeks ago, I shared the story about how a book club decided, from a stack of possibilities, on a book to read with me. They finished the novel they chose, and we got together to talk about it. Here are highlights of the discussion.
The Best They’ve Ever Read
If you're looking for great crime novels to absorb you during reading time, here's a gold mine of suggestions. It's a list compiled and maintained by the owners of Partners & Crime Mystery Booksellers, a store in New York City that's sadly closing September 20, 2012. I've printed the list for future reference, and here describe my first three picks.
J. D. Salinger’s noble opposition
The paperback edition of Kenneth Slawenski's biography of America's iconic literary recluse was released the beginning of this year. I read it, curious about the many things I probably didn't know about the man who wrote "The Catcher in the Rye." One of my biggest surprises was learning Salinger fought in some of World War II's most difficult battles. I also came to know Salinger as less of a bizarre eccentric and more of a person whose experiences influenced his behavior.
The Longest Chapter 