Well, it’s December. We’ll level with you: December can be a weird time to write about new releases. That makes it a little more of a challenge, though, and there’s a certain joy that comes from assembling a “hey! new books!” list at the same time as you might see year-end lists popping up elsewhere. Here are ten books we’re keeping an eye out for this month, from surreal literary fiction to detailed explorations of literary movements.
In our afternoon reading: Aminder Dhaliwal’s new graphic novel, writers talk comics, and more.
Early in John Brandon’s fourth novel, Ivory Shoals—a spirited remaking of the prodigal-son parable set in the American South during the final days of the Civil War—twelve-year-old Gussie Dwyer has come to collect the savings his recently deceased mother, Lavina, entrusted with her long-time employer, Rye. Rye delays this encounter, leaving the boy to wait awkwardly in the barroom, a foreign space reserved for hardened men and the working women looking to entertain them. Out of economic desperation, Lavina had turned to prostitution to support her family.
In our morning reading: interviews with Lydia Lunch and Paul Tremblay, thoughts on Lou Barlow’s new album, and more.
June’s here and it’s suddenly turned humid in our corner of the world. This isn’t all that surprising, but — for those who saver milder temperatures — it’s not exactly the best thing ever. And so, perhaps, it’s time to dub our June reads as ideal for reading in an air-conditioned room somewhere, or perhaps situated by a breezy outdoor spot. These books cover a lot of ground, from haunting memoirs to phantasmagorical fiction, as befits a time of constant change.
Revisiting a thirty-year-old Swans album; talking with Vanessa Veselka; writers exploring the idea of class in America; an interview with M. Geddes Gengras, and more.
Checking in with Washington, DC’s Priests, science fictional looks at reading, talking with the folks behind Obvious Child, a John Brandon playlist, and more.
The Novels of Hans Keilson discussed at the Book Review podcast. Letters from Vonnegut. Marmaduke, by Franz Kafka John Brandon interviewed at GQ. Overrated writers list is pretty much dead on. I like every essay at Dangerous Minds that discusses forgotten 60’s bands. Today, it’s Eddy Grant’s pre”Electric Avenue” band The Equals.