Motion Sickness
Like the narrator, the novel wanders between past and present and often between locations themselves.
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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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.
Neighbors and Other Stories
Though the book is new, the stories are classics. Oliver’s prose is crisp and stark as she takes the reader into the realities of Black life under Jim Crow.
The Harlem Book of the Dead
It’s a beautiful testament to the love and care that went into caring for the dead, as well as the images that survivors carried with them after the funeral was done.