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The Longest Chapter

The Longest Chapter

Literary fiction, poetry, first editions, classics…

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Tag: literature

The 2022 Booker Prize winner plus a surprise bestseller

October 18, 2022 ~ The Longest Chapter ~ 2 Comments

Sri Lankan author Shehan Karunatilaka won this year's Booker Prize for his second novel about his country's decades-long civil war. Also, and totally unrelated, the MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant announcements last week connected me to a wildly popular book that has "germinated" into a bestseller. Here's more.

“Lean Fall Stand,” a new novel by Jon McGregor

September 3, 2021 ~ The Longest Chapter

Jon McGregor is an award-winning British novelist and short story writer. His newest novel to be released this month tells the story of an Antarctic research expedition gone wrong and the far-reaching consequences. Gripping and insightful. Here's a review.

My 2021 summer reading list: five novels by essential authors

June 17, 2021June 17, 2021 ~ The Longest Chapter ~ 3 Comments

What are you reading this summer? I’ve assigned myself carefully selected books as a nostalgic nod to those long-ago summer reading requirements for school. These novels, however, are much more exciting, no slogging through “Advise and Consent” and “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.” Here’s the list, including plot summaries.

The enduring significance of ordinary life

February 2, 2021 ~ The Longest Chapter

“Zorrie” follows the magnetic spirit of an Indiana woman in the mid-20th century. This exceptional, lyric novel captures her resilience and profound sense of belonging to the land and the people. A character hard to forget and literary talent at its best.

A discerning novel of ethnic identity

June 5, 2020 ~ The Longest Chapter

In "Days of Distraction," Alexandra Chang skillfully evokes the world of her Chinese American narrator, exploring themes of discrimination, self-perception and inter-racial relationships to poignant effect.

My year of reading

December 26, 2019December 26, 2019 ~ The Longest Chapter

Here at The Longest Chapter, instead of calling out best books of 2019, I've gathered a more personal list.

Shannon Pufahl’s “On Swift Horses”

December 3, 2019 ~ The Longest Chapter

This fiction debut features gambling lost souls in the American West during the 1950s. It's written with gorgeous prose. Here's what the story is about.

Books I’m recommending

November 14, 2019 ~ The Longest Chapter ~ 2 Comments

I've captured here the novels I mentioned on NPR member station WOSU All Sides Weekend Books that aired November 8, 2019.

A new novel inspired by CIA documents

September 6, 2019September 6, 2019 ~ The Longest Chapter ~ 2 Comments

In “The Secrets We Kept,” Lara Prescott unfolds a little-known, Cold War story about Boris Pasternak’s “Doctor Zhivago.” It’s historical fiction that’s entertaining, with a colorful cast of characters.

A symphony for besieged Leningrad

December 14, 2018 ~ The Longest Chapter

Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich immortalized the WWII siege of Leningrad with his 7th symphony. These books tell the story.

A selection of new books

November 7, 2018November 28, 2018 ~ The Longest Chapter ~ 2 Comments

Here are a few titles I’ve gathered from my ongoing hunt for good books, including novels to anticipate in 2019, more Lucia Berlin stories, and the 2017 Prix Goncourt winner.

The art of restitution and deception

March 29, 2018March 29, 2018 ~ The Longest Chapter

Mark Sarvas’s novel "Memento Park" tells the story of a Hungarian painting that was traded to the Nazis during World War II in exchange for freedom, and of its return to the rightful owner.

An old good book for the beach

June 15, 2017June 15, 2017 ~ The Longest Chapter ~ 4 Comments

"Birdsong" by Stephen Faulks is a powerful epic not to be overlooked and a stunning portrayal of courage and redemption.

This unhappy Greek family

April 30, 2017July 31, 2017 ~ The Longest Chapter ~ 4 Comments

In Colm Tóibín’s new novel, the Greek tragedy of Agamemnon’s murder by wife Clytemnestra is told with great power and vivid imagining. Here’s what you can expect.

Great books go a step further

March 29, 2017 ~ The Longest Chapter ~ 7 Comments

What's the difference between a good book and a great one? Jonathan Safran Foer answers in an introduction to "The Fixer" by Bernard Malamud.

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Book Recommendations

Tune in to All Sides Weekend Books, aired on NPR member station WOSU 89.7 FM where I recommend great books to read. This includes many that don’t get enough media attention, the good stories readers struggle to find. You can stream the live show online, sign up for the podcast, or listen from the archives at  WOSU 89.7 FM. All Sides Weekend Books airs the third Friday every month with occasional exceptions.

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