I have been remiss lately with my Library of America reading. Busy-ness has taken its toll, but it just so happened that this week I was (briefly) between books and the LOA offering looked right up my alley, so I decided to read it over breakfast. "Finishing school for pickets" was published in 1960, making … Continue reading Howard Zinn, Finishing school for pickets
American writers
Jeffrey Eugenides, Extreme solitude
I've only read one work by Jeffrey Eugenides, and that was his grand saga of an immigrant family in America, Middlesex. I enjoyed its sweep and the insight it provided into the social history of twentieth century America from an immigrant point of view, and I liked the way he mixed light and dark in … Continue reading Jeffrey Eugenides, Extreme solitude
Shirley Jackson, Charles
Before I start this review, I have a technical question. Does anyone know why advice to bloggers about maximising your site always say not to use something like "here" for a hyperlink but, rather, to add the link to the actual name of what is being linked to? In other words, to make the link … Continue reading Shirley Jackson, Charles
Nathanael West, Business deal
This week's Library of America offering was (or "is" since it's still this week, but "was" cos I've read it - all this tense stuff can be so bothering!) Nathanael West's Business deal. It's short, and I'd just finished my novel for bookgroup, so I decided to read it. I don't know much about Nathanael … Continue reading Nathanael West, Business deal
Stephen Crane, When man falls, a crowd gathers
This week's Library of America offering is a sketch/article by Stephen Crane. Now, while I suppose most Americans have read what I believe to be Crane's most famous work, The red badge of courage, I'm afraid I haven't - and so, when this opportunity to read something by him arose, I was more than happy … Continue reading Stephen Crane, When man falls, a crowd gathers
James Thurber, The lady on the bookcase
If you like to think of yourself as a critic, read this. It is last week's offering from the Library of America, and is an essay by James Thurber titled "The lady on the bookcase"; it was first published in The New York Times Magazine in 1945 under the title "Thurber as seen by Thurber". … Continue reading James Thurber, The lady on the bookcase
P.T. Barnum, In France
When I saw that this week's Library of America story was by P.T. Barnum, I knew I had to read it. Like most people I've heard of Barnum and his travelling shows, but had never read anything by him. "In France" is not a short story, as most of the Library of America offerings are, but … Continue reading P.T. Barnum, In France
George Jean Nathan, Baiting the umpire
I haven't posted on the last few Library of America stories, mainly due to lack of time and the fact that they've been by well-known writers anyhow. However, the one that lobbed in this week, "Baiting the umpire" by George Jean Nathan, looked rather intriguing and so I read it. It is really an essay, but … Continue reading George Jean Nathan, Baiting the umpire
Saïd Sayrafiezadeh, Appetite
"Appetite" is a short story by Saïd Sayrafiezadeh, an American-born author of Iranian descent. It was recently published in The New Yorker, and you can read it here. It is, I have to say, a strange little story. The 25 year-old first-person narrator is a cook in a restaurant where he has been working since leaving school. … Continue reading Saïd Sayrafiezadeh, Appetite
Kate Chopin, A respectable woman
Besides Jane Austen's works, there are only a few novels that I have read more than once. One of these is Kate Chopin's The awakening. I was trying to think of an adjective to describe it or my feelings upon reading it, but couldn't think of anything that wasn't clichéd. The best way to convey … Continue reading Kate Chopin, A respectable woman
Whispering Gums 