The Bells of Nagasaki
His account of the bomb is written from the view of the survivors, focusing primarily on those that worked or were studying at the hospital.
Contemporary
The 20th century contains a lot of small movements, categorized by modern history. Some are more prominent than others, and some are very difficult to define. That’s where the contemporary label comes in.
Post-modernism, structuralism, post-structuralism, post-post-modernism, deconstructionism, post-colonialism, hypertexts, and modern genre fiction can all be found here. Books that don’t fall into a broader movement can also be found here, including many topics of interest that are still current for readers.
Contemporary works were written mostly in the last 100 years. These books are usually a bit easier to find on shelf (though not always) in a bookstore.
You are viewing Contemporary reviews.
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Soul of Wood
Jakov Lind’s Soul of Wood is technically an example of post-war German literature but I decided to include it anyway because all of these stories revolve around the second world war and its aftermath.
The Village of Ben Suc
Of all of the accounts I have read from reporters during the Vietnam War, Schell’s is not the most myopic.
A Dark Corner and A Helping Hand
Both A Helping Hand and A Dark Corner are well under two hundred pages, but each of them packs a disturbing punch and were well ahead of their time.
Thus Were Their Faces
This book is a selection of work spanning multiple decades, and particularly has a focus on showcasing Ocampo’s tendency to be both insightful and at the same time grotesque, haunting, and fantastic.
Compulsory Games
It’s not the usual gothic fare, but instead is a bit more subtle in its spookiness. However, there is a spooky graveyard and a few scary desolate locations.
A Moveable Feast
Hemingway is writing about a time before he achieved any kind of legendary status, when he lived in a derelict flat and struggled to feed himself and his family while still writing in cafés and remaining connected with his peers.
The Adversary, The Class Trip, and The Mustache
I still do not find myself drawn to Carrère’s memoir or autobiographical work. But I am glad that I gave his fiction and true crime a chance.
The White Album and Notes to John
I appreciate that her work seems to be suddenly available and back in print. I often find it on shelves and see it arriving at my local independent bookstore.
Killing Stella
Domestic horror is a sub-genre that allows for so many subtleties and so many facets of the disturbing.