Wed Apr 27
Tags: David Foster Wallace, The Pale King
8.5/10 dropps There is a palpably frustrating quality inherent in unfinished novels. But it would be fallacious to suggest that unfinished works of fiction are without merit; on the contrary: high school students have been suffering through Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales
…READ MORE
Wed Apr 20
7.3/10 dropps Tom Rachman’s debut novel is a decent first effort. The Imperfectionists focuses on the lives of eleven individuals connected with an ailing newspaper based in Rome. The reader infers that the paper is dying early on: it has
…READ MORE
Wed Apr 20
8/10 Dropps Hardcover, 292 pages Published November 23rd 2010 by Grand Central Publishing (first published November 2010) It seems like some people are just blessed with artistic and creative abilities, flowing fourth in all forms, whether that be music, film, or
…READ MORE
Thu Mar 31
Tags: David Grann, The Lost City of Z
8.5/10 dropps In 1925, Percy Fawcett remained determined to find the fabled ancient civilization buried deep within the Amazon. Its existence was far from confirmed, but Fawcett had been convinced that their existed such a city, which he dubbed “Z.”
…READ MORE
Tue Mar 29
Tags: Dan Dion, Paul Provensa, ¡Satiristas!
9.3/10 Dropps How does one define satire? You might read the dictionary if you want a droll, emotionless response. However, should you read any book that attempts to answer that question, make it ¡Satiristas!. ¡Satiristas! comes courtesy of Paul Provensa,
…READ MORE
Tue Mar 29
Tags: George Saunders, The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil
7.5/10 dropps Clocking it at just 130 short pages, George Saunders’ novella The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil is a dark, comedic, cautionary tale executed in the spirit of past great “moralists” like Vonnegut and Twain. The book follows the
…READ MORE
Thu Mar 24
Tags: Bobby Fischer, Chess, Crown Publishing, End Game, Frank Brady
8.1/ 10 Dropps Hardcover- 304 pages Published – February 1st 2011 by Crown Chess has long been a game (or sport, depending on who you ask) of a certain distinction. It’s a game that’s been played for centuries among the
…READ MORE
Wed Mar 23
Tags: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Susanna Clarke
Susanna Clarke’s debut novel begins in Yorkshire, England circa 1806. Napoleon is master of Europe, Lord Nelson is dead, King George has lost his mind, and serious practical magic has been absent within England for almost two hundred years. Out
…READ MORE
Sun Mar 20
6.9/10 It’s hard to talk about Jonathan Ames now without mentioning his new HBO series, “Bored to Death.” The series is growing in popularity, nearing the start of its third season, and Jason Schwartzman plays the main character—aptly named after
…READ MORE
Wed Mar 9
Tags: A Discovery of Witches, Deborah Harkness
8.0/10 dropps In her debut novel, Deborah Harkness has created a fantasy world that is both very familiar and very strange. Combining numerous elements of fantasy and history we follow Diana Bishop, the sole remaining witch in the Bishop line
…READ MORE