I haven’t posted anything in a long time. At least April. Maybe May. Anyway. I could have written about a lot of things such as my acceptance of “Toy Story 4″‘s existence, why I think “Aesop’s Fables” is chock full of bad advice or my surprising adoration of Billie Eillish’s debut album “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?”, but instead I decided … Continue reading Dr. Pepper Dark Berry Flavor; or Liquid Masochism
“The Collected Schizophrenias: Essays” by Esmé Weijun Wang 202p. Graywolf Press. $16.00 I hate you. “I hate you” was what a shower told Esmé Weijun Wang during her first year of college. As she got older “shadowy demons” would pursue her. She would always narrowly dodge them. She also died. Or at least thought she was dead for a few months. Esmé Weijun Wang’s “The … Continue reading “The Collected Schizophrenias: Essays” Review
The reason I am writing this blog post is because I imagine a lot of people of the last few years have been confronted with a similar dilemma: Don’t I have to engage with the other side to have healthy political opinions? Don’t I have to go down the hard jagged road that is of the challenging my ideas about the world? Isn’t that what being openminded is?
Continue reading Why I Didn't Read the Manifesto: Some Thoughts on How to Learn and Talk About Evil
“The Storm” By Tomás González Translated from the Spanish by Andrea Rosenberg 174 pp. Archipelago Books. $16. “The Storm” is a short, dry but occasionally gripping novel about what happens when a storm tests the already strained ties of familial and economic relationships during 24 hours in a Columbian vacation destination. Twin brothers Mario and Javier and their father are going fishing to catch food … Continue reading No, Not that Stormy: Review of "The Storm"
“The Hole” By José Revueltas Translated by Amanda Hopkinson and Sophie Hughes 77p. New Directions Books. $12.95. Most of us have at least glanced at one of the “inside look” into prison TV shows. Whether it’s “Orange is the New Black”, “Prison Break”, or “Scared Straight” we think that these TV shows give a somewhat honest portrayal of prison life. But as is the case … Continue reading Are We Free?: A Review of "The Hole" by José Revueltas
“Horsemen of the Sands” By Leonid Yuzefovich Translated from the Russian by Marian Schwartz 232p. Archipelago Books. $16 Sometimes it’s better to just stick with appetizers instead of gorging an entree. The appetizers’ size allows (forces) you to manage how much you are eating. Plus the flavor doesn’t grow bland by the fourth bite since there are only two or three bites max. Also the … Continue reading "Horsemen of the Sands" Review
If you haven’t read Part 1, I recommend reading it first because, you know, continuity, support of your friend, etc. etc. While I’m very proud that I’ve rid myself of the “CLASSICS ARE THE BEST” mindset, I still read a lot of older books. I realized recently that my love of history (which I thought had died when I gave up on getting a Political … Continue reading My 10 Favorite Books of 2018: Part 2: Oldies but Goodies
