At least two of Vol.1 Brooklyn’s editors are now liable to corner you at a reading and talk at lengths about the genius of Aleksander Hemon’s essay “If God Existed, He’d Be a Solid Midfielder.” As both a description of the play of soccer and of a particular point in Hemon’s life — after leaving Bosnia for Chicago — it’s a fantastic piece of writing. Not surprisingly, the editors of the terrific soccer magazine Howler have gotten Hemon to do some […]
Books of conflict, of war, of nations uprooted and the aftermath of that uprooting. That’s what was on my mind with this week’s three selections: two novels with decidedly contemporary settings, and one collection of essays wherein the memory of war, and of geographic displacement, is never far below the surface. It’s a weighty selection of subjects, but one to which all three of these do justice.
“By now it should be obvious that Jackie Shane wasn’t bringing his act to Toronto so it could be better understood. Instead he was taking it out of context, to someplace where it seemed more alien and strange. Maybe he liked it better that way.” Carl Wilson explores the life of Jackie Shane. Margaret Atwood was interviewed at the Los Angeles Festival of Books. Ron Hogan looked at the first few episodes of Hemlock Grove. (Our review of the novel on which […]
Tracey Thorn — of Marine Girls and Everything But the Girl and a lauded solo career — has a memoir out in the UK. Douglas Wolk used the occasion to discuss highlights from her discography. Edward Champion, Roxane Gay, and more reveal their literary crushes. Blake Butler interviewing Tim Hecker? Yes, we’ll read that. Joyland lets you, for lack of a better word, choose your own adventure. The indubitable Aaron Gilbreath reviewed Nick Flynn’s The Reenactments for The Portland Mercury. If you’d like […]