Reviews

Bookshots: 'The Suicide of Claire Bishop' by Carmiel Banasky

September 14th, 2015

Bookshots: Pumping new life into the corpse of the book review Title: The Suicide of Claire Bishop Who wrote it: Designed to provoke questions and not guaranteed to give answers, but an interesting ride all the same. Accomplished writer and teacher Carmiel Banasky, who hails from Oregon.

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Bookshots: 'The Castaway Lounge' by Jon Boilard

September 3rd, 2015

Bookshots: Pumping new life into the corpse of the book review Title: The Castaway Lounge Who wrote it? I savoured every page of this book, right up to the dark and deadpan finale. Jon Boilard. The Castaway Lounge is his second book. His first, A River Closely Watched was a finalist for the Northern California Book Award. More info at his website.

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Bookshots: 'Purity' by Jonathan Franzen

September 2nd, 2015

Bookshots: Pumping new life into the corpse of the book review Title: Purity Who wrote it? The Great American Novelist, Jonathan Franzen, who is known for The Corrections, Freedom, and, more recently, making a flippant comment about wanting to adopt an Iraqi War orphan to understand young people.

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Bookshots: '$2.00 A Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America' by Kathryn Edin & H. Luke Schaefer

September 2nd, 2015

Bookshots: Pumping new life into the corpse of the book review Title: $2.00 A Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America

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Bookshots: 'You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine' by Alexandra Kleeman

August 25th, 2015

Bookshots: Pumping new life into the corpse of the book review Title: You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine

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Bookshots: 'The Incarnations: A Novel' by Susan Barker

August 18th, 2015

Bookshots: Pumping new life into the corpse of the book review Title: The Incarnations: A Novel Who wrote it:  Barker's tale of reincarnated souls is both brilliant and addictive. Susan Barker, author of The Orientalist and The Ghost and Sayonora Bar.  Plot in a Box:  Someone (or something) is watching taxi driver Wang very closely and writing him letters about his past lives.

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Bookshots: 'Andersonville' by Edward M. Erdelac

August 17th, 2015

Bookshots: Pumping new life into the corpse of the book review Title: Andersonville Who Wrote It? Stands out among its trade paperback brethren, with its nuanced language, complicated characters, engrossing narrative, and subtle commentary on the past and the present. Edward M. Erdelac, author of the weird western series Merkabah River and several other novels. More info at his blog.

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Bookshots: '52 Men' by Louise Wareham Leonard

August 17th, 2015

Bookshots: Pumping new life into the corpse of the book review Title: 52 Men Who wrote it? Like the author inevitably must have said to dozens of men in her life, it's not you, '52 Men', it's me. Louise Wareham Leonard, author of Since You Ask and Miss Me A Lot Of.

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Bookshots: 'Not Funny Ha-Ha' by Leah Hayes

August 11th, 2015

Bookshots: Pumping new life into the corpse of the book review Title: Not Funny Ha-Ha Who wrote it? There are many reasons why someone may make the decision to have an abortion...[this] is a book brave enough to address what happens next. Leah Hayes, "an illustrator, musician, songwriter, and producer."

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Bookshots: 'After the Saucers Landed' by Douglas Lain

August 6th, 2015

Bookshots: Pumping new life into the corpse of the book review Title: After the Saucers Landed Who wrote it? I can say without exaggeration that After the Saucers Landed is the most tediously dull novel I have read all year. Douglas Lain Plot in a Box: When the saucers landed and the aliens turned out to not only be friendly, but downright banal, a bunch of ufologists suddenly find their life’s work meaningless.

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