AltWeeklies Wire
Throwing Bombsnew

Spiotta's second novel describes the radical culture of Northwest political activism from the inside.
Seattle Weekly |
Ross Simonini |
02-22-2006 |
Fiction
Tags: Dana Spiotta, Eat the Document
Sliding Moresnew

The historical novelist's new book deftly evokes the '60s and '70s.
The Village Voice |
Joy Press |
01-13-2006 |
Fiction
Tags: Sigrid Nunez, The Last of Her Kind
Sean Hannity, Cyborg Hero of the People

A new comic book series posits a futuristic, liberal dystopia where the only thing between mollycoddled terrorists and the total annihilation of the American people are action heroes G. Gordon Liddy and Sean Hannity.
Columbus Alive |
J. Caleb Mozzocco |
11-10-2005 |
Fiction
She's Gotta Have Hitsnew

Pop-music interludes intrude on the story of a female music exec.
Baltimore City Paper |
Makkada B. Selah |
10-06-2005 |
Fiction
Tags: Bliss, Danyel Smith
Comically Disinclinednew

Here's a selection of comic books for those who don't care for comics.
Baltimore City Paper |
Tim Kreider |
09-28-2005 |
Fiction
G. I. Jihadi

A new comic book series Black Heart Irregulars attacks the Iraq War head on.
Columbus Alive |
J. Caleb Mozzocco |
09-02-2005 |
Fiction
Scratching Chicago's Underbellynew

A travelogue with a twisted sense of humor makes the case that today's real Chicago is less interesting than it was just a decade ago.
Illinois Times |
Corrine Frisch |
08-17-2005 |
Fiction
Tags: Chicago Noir, Neal Pollack, editor
An Ice Place to Visit

Cartoonist Daniel Clowes presents the first -- and only -- great American comic-strip novel.
Columbus Alive |
J. Caleb Mozzocco |
07-21-2005 |
Fiction
A Heavy Pournew

Unlike many of today’s crime writers, wedded to their research and well-documented auras of realism, James Crumley understands that a lot of exaggeration goes a long way when you want to capture the essence of a place.
Missoula Independent |
John Freeman |
05-13-2005 |
Fiction
Tags: James Crumley, The Right Madness
Deflower Power: Mining the Depths of Reality TVnew

Erik Barmack nails the intricacies of reality dating show conventions in his debut novel. It's about a TV series called The Virgin, in which contestants have a chance to deflower an enigmatic woman named Madison.
The Village Voice |
Joy Press |
01-13-2005 |
Fiction
Ready to Ware: Comics from McSweeney'snew

For issue #13 of Dave Eggers's McSweeney's Quarterly, Chris Ware dons the guest editor's hat, turning the volume into an anthology of his favorite contemporary comics artists. Also reviewed is Canadian cartoonist Seth's Clyde Fans Book 1.
Boston Phoenix |
Douglas Wolk |
12-01-2004 |
Fiction
His Velocity: Keeping Up With Dave Eggersnew

While Heartbreaking Work fried Eggers' grief over his parents' death in a vat of irony -- a necessary tic, no doubt, in de-sanctifying the memoir -- these stories do not have their guards up. They are raw, unfiltered and have the quivering texture of lived experience.
Missoula Independent |
John Freeman |
10-29-2004 |
Fiction