In my early twenties, when I was beginning to think about coming out myself, I developed something of a fascination with gay literature. Things like that are typical for me. First of all, as long as I’m interested in the subject matter I think research can be tons of fun (Nerd alert, I know. I … More Great LGBT Book Recommendations: Maurice, by E.M. Forster
“The problem with my life was that it was someone else’s idea.” Thank goodness for librarians. For a lot of reasons, really. I’m very lucky to have a lot of friends who work in libraries, mostly in the Young Adult area. I guess that’s one of those things that happens when you love books: you … More Book Review: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by Benjamin Alire Saenz
“This was the forever show in Dexterland, and tickets were nonrefundable and one-way only.” By the time Jeff Lindsay got to this, the seventh book in his Dexter series (not to be confused with the TV show, which, as we have discussed, is very different), the books were beginning to fall into a bit of … More Book Review: Dexter’s Final Cut, by Jeff Lindsay
“You can’t know what’s in another person’s heart.” This is Perrotta’s first venture back into the world of short stories since his debut, the superlative Bad Haircut: Stories of the Seventies. It’s amazing how easily he slips back into the form after a long absence, not to mention how well he utilizes every page–whether it’s … More Book Review: Nine Inches, by Tom Perrotta
“We always underestimated our own participation in magic.” I read this book back in August, just as we began our big move, and I’m so excited to finally get the chance to talk it up to you guys. But first, a story to illustrate just why this book is so spot-on and so important. I … More Book Review: Two Boys Kissing, by David Levithan
“They themselves mocked Africa, trading stories of absurdity, of stupidity, and they felt safe to mock, because it was a mockery born of longing, and of the heartbroken desire to see a place made whole again.” An assertion is made in Americanah that it is impossible to write an honest novel about race in this … More Book Review: Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
“For every man there exists bait he cannot resist swallowing.” I started this book on the subway en route to work one morning. I almost missed my stop. That is something that hasn’t happened to me in far too long. It’s an exhilarating sensation, to get so caught up in a book that everything around … More Book Review: Night Film, by Marisha Pessl
“You can build a whole world around the tiniest of touches.” I’m just going to say it straight out: this book kinda creeped me out. And not in a good way. The year is 1987. June Elbus is one of those quirky, misunderstood teens in the Royal Tenenbaums, Harold and Maude mold. None of her … More Book Review: Tell the Wolves I’m Home, by Carol Rifka Brunt
Food, Family, and Heart And now for something completely different. I have never reviewed a cookbook before. Sure, I’ve reviewed books about cooking, but never, ever an actual honest-to-God cookbook. Mostly, this is because I’m traditionally not a chef. Just so we understand each other, I’ll give you some background, then we’ll talk about my … More Book Review: Old-School Comfort Food, by Alex Guarnaschelli
“I suspect that the truth is that we are waiting, all of us, against insurmountable odds, for something extraordinary to happen to us.” Hype can be a cruel demon. For an author, it sets an expectation that can be extremely difficult to live up to. For a reader, more often than not it only leads … More Book Review: And the Mountains Echoed, by Khaled Hosseini
Supposedly Fun 