Well, it’s April. Nominally it’s springtime–but the presence of snowy weather and temperatures friendly to hot cocoa and roaring fires suggests otherwise. Metaphorically speaking, though, that range of moods and modes lines up pretty neatly with the books that are on our radar for this month–everything from works in translation to bold collections of nonfiction to eagerly-anticipated literary debuts. Here’s a look at several of the books that we’re most excited to explore this month.
Afternoon Bites: Eugene Lim’s Latest, Rebecca Entel, Literary Horror, Michael Cisco Fiction, and More
In our afternoon reading: discussing Eugene Lim’s new book, interviews with Paul Auster and Sherman Alexie, and more.
Afternoon Bites: Kathleen Hanna Interviewed, Jeff Jackson’s Recommendations, Nalo Hopkinson, Michael Cisco Fiction, and More
In our afternoon reading: interviews with Kathleen Hanna and Joe Hill, new fiction from Michael Cisco, and much more.
Economic Mysticism Strikes Back: A Review of Michael Cisco’s “Animal Money”
There aren’t many writers for whom you could plausibly argue that their longest, most sprawling work also serves as the best introduction to their work–but then, Michael Cisco is not (as the saying goes) most writers. Animal Money is the third of Cisco’s novels that I’ve read. Previously, I’d taken in Celebrant and The Narrator, both of which blended elements that wouldn’t be out of place in more traditional fantasy stories with unsettling narrative elements–hints that the setting might be […]
Weekend Bites: Roxane Gay, Karen Dalton Songs, Wendy C. Ortiz’s Latest, Jeff VanderMeer on Michael Cisco, and More
In our weekend reading: new writing from Roxane Gay, Amanda Petrusich on a new Karen Dalton compilation, Jeff VanderMeer makes the case for Michael Cisco’s fiction, and more.
Vol.1 Brooklyn’s May 2015 Books Preview
The fact that this month’s list is larger than usual is but one indication that May looks to be an especially strong month for books. The works we’re most excited about span a variety of styles and genres, from essential writing about books and music to reissues of underrated works of fiction and nonfiction. Whether your tastes run towards the classical or the experimental, there’s a lot to enjoy; that the onset of spring means that you can do so […]
Translating Cortázar, Summoning Disorientation
Whether considering the ways in which his fragmented novel Hopscotch, which offers multiple narratives for the reader to consider, has influenced contemporary literature, or simply savoring the levels of description offered by his more grounded work, it’s hard to dispute Julio Cortázar’s importance to twentieth-century literature.