AltWeeklies Wire
The Terkel Rules: Translating from Speech to Prosenew
Terkel's books consist of tape-recorded conversations with mostly common people; after a brief introduction from Terkel, each text unspools almost seamlessly, with only an occasional nudge from the questioner. But here's the thing: most people don't talk that way.
Chicago Reader |
Michael Lenehan |
11-03-2008 |
Books
Graywolf Press is a Lone Wolf in Book Publishingnew
The publisher is a thousand miles from NYC but remains one of the best.
City Pages (Twin Cities) |
Ben Westhoff |
10-29-2008 |
Books
The Shelf Life of the Presidential Mindnew
Come January, whoever occupies the West Wing needs to read, and widely so, for there is no better way to come to grips with the forces transforming the Western landscape, natural and human.
The Texas Observer |
Char Miller |
10-22-2008 |
Books
People's Historian Howard Zinn Has Hope for America's Futurenew
At the age of 86, Zinn's commentary remains as imperative as ever in understanding up-and-coming social movements through a historical lens.
Boulder Weekly |
Erica Grossman |
10-06-2008 |
Books
Infinite Loss: David Foster Wallace and the Troublesome, Inescapable 'I'new
"Was he a good writer?" asked the young sales clerk at Borders.
L.A. Weekly |
Gendy Alimurung |
09-19-2008 |
Books
Tags: David Foster Wallace, obituaries
A Companion Guide/Shameless Propaganda for 'Orange County: A Personal History'new
Orange County lacks two things: footnotes and pictures. Following are some of the missing pieces, along with chapter descriptions to entice ustedes into buying the book.
Brian Azzarello's '100 Bullets' Comic Coming to an Endnew
The awe-inspiring creation will end its decade-long run after just seven more issues. Since its inception, the stars have aligned to enable Azzarello's labyrinthine revenge/noir series to evolve into one of the most memorable comics in recent years.
Chicago Newcity |
Michael Moreci |
08-27-2008 |
Books
Rock Critic Byron Coley on the No More Bush Tournew
As George W. Bush's departure looms, Coley has concocted a sequel to "More Hair Less Bush" with another cavalcade of artists who "honk the horn of freedom with both hands." Said honkers include guitar wizard Jack Rose, noise magician Karl Bauer (aka Axolotl), and avant-folk duo MV/EE, along with poets such as Valerie Webber and Charles Plymell.
Baltimore City Paper |
Marc Masters |
08-12-2008 |
Books
Dog Days Reading Listnew
Niagara Falls this summer? Rome, Paris, Florence? Don't get stranded at O'Hare with the proper reading material. Includes review of Our Dumb World: Atlas of the Planet Earth, Inventing Niagara: Beauty, Power, and Lies, Dear American Airlines, and more.
The Memphis Flyer |
Staff |
08-01-2008 |
Books
The God Who Capped Himself: Thomas M. Disch, 1940-2008new
In a literary culture that supposedly cherishes irony, the passing of such a master ironist has been remarkably little noted. That Disch likely took his life on July 4th (his body was discovered July 5) probably wasn't meant as tribute to our subtle wits either.
Los Angeles CityBeat |
Ron Garmon |
08-01-2008 |
Books
Road Fatigue: The Beat Generation in the Rearview Mirrornew
Along with all the writers who come after them, I am indebted to the Beats for their invigoration of the arts, for shattering the molds and enlarging the realm of what can be printed, sung, painted, and said. There has been a progression since then, however. "Transgression," sometimes billed as the obligation of a true artist in the contemporary world, has become so widespread and predictable that it seems almost tame -- trendy transgressive, if you will.
The Texas Observer |
A.G. Mojtabai |
07-24-2008 |
Books
Why It's Worth Reading and Re-Reading the Great Toni Morrisonnew
Long before Barack Obama forced us to re-think race, Toni morrison said it matters when it matters, it doesn't when it doesn't.
Charleston City Paper |
Consuela Francis |
07-23-2008 |
Books
Flipping Through Mass-market Titles for Summer Readsnew
Teen novels ... celebrity biographies ... murder mysteries sold by the pound ... what goes on inside those lurid covers? We were by turns bemused, appalled, and sometimes even touched, by what we found. Includes reviews of Elton: The Biography, Beautiful Boy, Bratfest at Tiffany's, The Dark Tide, and more.
Pittsburgh City Paper |
Staff |
07-21-2008 |
Books
Matt Taibbi and Jim Webb Come Out Fighting in New Booksnew
In A Time to Fight, Webb marshals his impressive grasp of history in the service of forceful positions on current challenges, while in The Great Derangement, Taibbi delves mostly into post-9/11 fringe groups on the right and left.
Style Weekly |
Brent Baldwin and Dan Dueholm |
06-25-2008 |
Books
Portland: Comic Meccanew
So by now everyone in Portland knows that, to quote one of the most cliched newspaper headlines ever, "comics aren't just for kids anymore."
The Portland Mercury |
Alison Hallett |
04-24-2008 |
Books
