Tag: Fiction

Book Review: Panic in a Suitcase, by Yelena Akhtiorskaya

August 30, 2014

Not Your Typical Immigration Saga This is not your typical immigration saga. Stories of families relocating to another country, dealing with cultural displacement, and (hopefully) making a go of it have become increasingly commonplace. Yelena Akhtiorskaya would like to turn those conventions on their head. To be fair, she succeeds at that goal quite well–and … More Book Review: Panic in a Suitcase, by Yelena Akhtiorskaya

Book Review: Arts & Entertainments, by Christopher Beha

August 24, 2014

#WhiteBoyProblems As I said in my most recent review (of Fourth of July Creek), I’ve developed a serious impatience for novels that essentially come down to white boys who can’t get their act together. As such, Arts & Entertainments was another big struggle for me. You see, it centers on “Handsome” Eddie Hartley, a high … More Book Review: Arts & Entertainments, by Christopher Beha

Book Review: Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage

July 20, 2014

“You can’t erase history, or change it. It would be like destroying yourself.” At 36, Tsukuru Tazaki has settled into a determined rut. He has no close friends, no long-term relationships, and no pets. There is nothing tying him to anyone or anything else. His job is ostensibly what he has always been most passionate … More Book Review: Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage

Book Review: The Good Lord Bird, by James McBride

May 23, 2014

“A body can’t prosper if a person don’t know who they are.” The Good Lord Bird is devilish entertainment. It’s a heady ride through a tumultuous time in American history that somehow manages the mean trick of making you laugh even as it deals with heavyweight subject matter. Its unique perspective is largely thanks to … More Book Review: The Good Lord Bird, by James McBride

Great LGBT Book Recommendations: Full Circle, by Michael Thomas Ford

December 11, 2013

Two years ago, my husband and I were browsing the book section of a card store called Rainbows and Triangles in Chelsea. They used to have an amazing selection. We loved to go there to discover LGBT books you wouldn’t necessarily find on the shelves of more commercial stores like Barnes & Noble. They still … More Great LGBT Book Recommendations: Full Circle, by Michael Thomas Ford

Great LGBT Book Recommendations: Reflections in a Golden Eye, by Carson McCullers

December 11, 2013

Compelling drama, but oddly cold “There is a fort in the South where a few years ago a murder was committed. The participants of this tragedy were: two officers, a soldier, two women, a Filipino, and a horse.” With its short page count, Reflections in a Golden Eye is more of a novella than a … More Great LGBT Book Recommendations: Reflections in a Golden Eye, by Carson McCullers

Great LGBT Book Recommendations: Maurice, by E.M. Forster

December 6, 2013

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