Earlier this week I wrote a review of The Dinner, a book that I found brilliant in its execution and one I would highly recommend to anyone in a book club as it demands discussion. Author Herman Koch challenges the reader by turning their perceptions and beliefs inside out. Where you began the book is not where you will end it. To whet your appetite here is an interview with ... Read More...
Powell’s Event: Maryka Biaggio
On Wednesday I posted my review of Parlor Games, the debut novel from Maryka Biaggio. Biaggio currently lives in Portland and appeared at Powell’s Tuesday night so I had the pleasure of meeting her and getting to learn more about both the novel and the author. First things first, though. I have to maintain a certain level of detachment when I write a review but meeting an ... Read More...
B.A. Shapiro Interview
On Monday I published my review of Shapiro’s newest book The Art Forger, a book I thoroughly enjoyed, largely for its ability to engross the reader andteach them something. I’ve always liked art but knew very little about what goes into creating a painting.It was somewhat startling, then, to read the news last week and see that in Rotterdam art thieves hit the Kunsthal museum ... Read More...
Wordstock
Wordstock is a weekend long literary festival that brings authors, publishers, readers, and would-be writers together in the book friendly mecca of Portland. I went last year and recorded my thoughts here but this year was special as now that I legitimately review books and am learning more about them, their authors and the publishing industry itself it potentially felt the way ... Read More...
Banned Books Week: Authors
It’s Banned Books week in America so I hope you’re all reading away. While I don’t know that it was ever banned I’d like to credit my mother for telling an overeager school official that she was aware I was reading Go Ask Alice and that she and my father would be discussing it with me. She never once told me I was not allowed to read something (but she did balk at paying for ... Read More...
Powell’s Event: Adam Braver
Last night Adam Braver was at Powell’s to read from his newest novel Misfit (which I reviewed here- shameless plug but people, readers aren’t that easy to come by). While it was not the mad crush of the Jenny Lawson event the week before it was, for me, better because it was an author thoughtfully discussing his work. Don’t get me wrong, Lawson is wildly ... Read More...
