Death in Venice
What I did enjoy about Death in Venice was how oppressive Mann manages to make the atmosphere of the plague-ridden city.
S. Hargrave
S. Hargrave is a Canadian writer and the book reviewer at Old Paper & Cats. Hargrave has a love of rare, antiquarian, and classic literature, works in translation, and cats.
Motion Sickness
Like the narrator, the novel wanders between past and present and often between locations themselves.
Motel Chronicles
I was drawn to playwright Sam Shepard’s Motel Chronicles because I have a love of photos and descriptions of old motels.
Suzanne and Louise
Guibert’s aunts were a major part of his life and offer him comfort that his parents cannot when he gets sick. In them, he can see his own end of life.
Forbidden Notebook
Forbidden Notebook is a testament to repeating patterns that keep women down and prevent them from being who they truly want to be or even seeing themselves as people at all.
The Fate of Mary Rose
I first encountered her writing in McNally’s re-issue of The Stepdaughter, and I loved how Blackwood could pack so many layers into such a short novel. So I was excited to try another of her books..
Walking Through Clear Water in a Pool Painted Black
One of the best parts of the collected editions like this (especially when they’re arranged chronologically) is that you can follow Mueller through her life and watch her evolve as a writer.
Seduction and Betrayal
Literary criticism is a bit off of the beaten path of what I normally review, but when I find a volume that really complements my reading, then I make an exception.
At the Bottom of the River
It’s important that one does not expect completely linear stories when one picks up a Kincaid work.
The Weary Blues & The Ways of White Folks
It’s hard to express just how incredible his verse is. Often, it is the perfect union of opposites. Harsh and beautiful. Joyful and full of grief.