I’ve long been on record as an admirer of Kirsten Bakis’s first novel, the haunting Lives of the Monster Dogs. I’ve also long wondered what Bakis would do for an encore, and this year brings an answer with the release of her second novel King Nyx. In this tale, set a century ago, Bakis draws on the lives of Anna and Charles Fort, as Anna recounts a time when the couple was summoned to a mysterious estate in upstate New York. What does this have to do with the bespoke deity of Anna’s youth? Well, you’ll have to read that to find out — but rest assured that the resulting novel is a fascinating story abounding with mysteries, class conflict, and more than a little literary history. I caught up with Bakis to learn more about the book’s genesis
Afternoon Bites: Kirsten Bakis’s Latest, Thomas Kendall’s Fiction, Fanfic Controversies, and More
In our afternoon reading: thoughts on Kirsten Bakis’s new novel, a discussion of Kim Gordon’s latest album, and more.
Books of the Month: February 2024
We’re not going to lie: we’re pretty excited for what February has in store for us, books-wise. (We’d even think this if one of our editors didn’t have a novel due out in the second month of 2024.) This month has it all: new books by longtime favorites, a terrific example of punk lit, and a thoughtful work on the state of labor to cap it all off. Here’s a glimpse of what we’re excited about circa now.
Morning Bites: Ocean Vuong Interviewed, Jessie Chaffee, Constance Ann Fitzgerald Nonfiction, Kirsten Bakis, and More
In our morning reading: interviews with Ocean Vuong and Jessie Chaffee, new writing from Constance Ann Fitzgerald, and more.
Morning Bites: Lidia Yuknavitch, Jeff VanderMeer on “Monster Dogs,” Literary Misfits, Rafe Bartholomew, and More
In our morning reading: thoughts on books by Lidia Yuknavitch and Kirsten Bakis, talking books and history with China Miéville, and more.
Vol.1 Brooklyn’s May 2017 Book Preview
And here we are, on the first of May in the year 2017. What books does May bring with it? Well, let’s see. There are incisive essay collections by the likes of Scaachi Koul and Samantha Irby; there are challenging works in translation by João Gilberto Noll and Rodrigo Fresán, and there’s a new edition of a genre-defying novel by Kirsten Bakis, for starters. Here’s a look at some of the May books that have piqued our interest.
#tobyreads: Sentient Dogs and A Very Literary Apocalpyse
A novel with the title Lives of the Monster Dogs isn’t something one soon forgets. I’m not sure when the first time I saw Kirsten Bakis’s novel on bookstore shelves was: I’m guessing it was a while ago, before I’d developed the compulsion to buy books that pique my interest at a moment’s notice. Something held me back, and I don’t quite know what that was: a fear that, for that I was intrigued by the novel’s premise, I’d be let […]