Summer reading.
The Washington Post’s summer reading section made me wonder what everyone is reading this year. Then, I was pleasantly surprised to see a local paper review Wells Tower’s “Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned,” a new short story collection. I read the title story a few years ago in The Anchor Book of New American Short Stories…if the other stories are anything like ER, EB then I’m sure the collection will be a good read.
I would pick up that Anchor anthology if you’re a short story fan.
Also check out a blog called Recommended Reading.
My summer reading is heavy on stories, light on novels. Currently reading, or next up in the queue (I have a few going right now):
The ECCO Anthology of Contemporary American Short Fiction
Making Shapely Fiction, Jerome Stern
Willful Creatures, Aimee Bender
Tunneling to the Center of the Earth, Kevin Wilson
That’s it for me. Any interesting books in your grubby little hands, or is it all Twitters and Facebookery now?
Posted: June 14th, 2009 under Books, MFA.
Comments: 8
Comments
Comment from Robin
Time: June 14, 2009, 9:34 pm
I’m going to read Infinite Jest, or die trying!
http://infinitesummer.org/
I’m just finishing up Vanilla Bright Like Eminem, some really engrossing and deeply disturbing short stories (Michael Faber). I should check out those short stories you recommend; I love short stories.
Comment from Sarah
Time: June 15, 2009, 7:47 am
Oooh — funtimes. When i got sick a few weeks ago, little sister brought over a couple of Steve Berry (I don’t know the titles, but one was about the Library of Alexandra and the other was about the Amber Room) books. I finished those — definitely entertaining for beach reading, being home sick, or needing something that will keep you engaged without a lot of thought. He includes all the detail, so you don’t need to remember anything from one session to the next.
In honor of a dear friend, picked up Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which I look forward to reading in a “hmmm” kind of way. And, since it’s summer, I’m also reading benefit plans, summary plan descriptions, and handbooks.
Comment from Alex
Time: June 15, 2009, 8:41 am
I’m also enjoying the Post’s “Date Lab” archives:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2006/07/07/LI2006070700949.html
…which is like an abbreviated, print version of Love Connection (minus Chuck Woolery, sadly).
I should read more by David Foster Wallace. I don’t know why I haven’t. I’ve only read his stories Brief Interviews with Hideous Men (in that Anchor anthology) and Incarnations of Burnt Children (in the Ecco anthology).
I think zombies should be added to lots of books. Madame Bovary, and zombies.
Comment from erica
Time: June 15, 2009, 11:54 am
i’ve been trying to start my next book, ‘the (something) life of oscar wao’ but the discovery of torrent and netflix watch instantly have thwarted my plans…did you know you can download recent episodes of all showtime shows from torrent and that some are even available for free on netflix to watch on your computer?!? i did all 4 seasons of weeds and the latest season of dexter. now i’m starting californication. some time soon i hope to lose interest and go back to picking up my book…
Comment from Alex
Time: June 15, 2009, 12:04 pm
Oscar Wao is supposed to be really good…but I understand the temptation of computer-based TV watching. I just caught up on Weeds via Netflix and get derailed frequently by sites like Hulu…or torrents. It’s terrible!
I like Californication a lot, which is saying something because before that I hated David Duchovny like I hate coriander. And I really hate coriander.
Comment from Deonne Kahler
Time: June 15, 2009, 12:06 pm
I love love loved Everything Ravaged – highly recommended. (He’s a terrific reader, too – saw him at the KGB Bar on the Lower East Side.) I’m about a third of the way through Mailer’s The Executioner’s Song, which is saying a lot since it’s 1000 pages long. But it’s brilliant nonfiction and reportage with a clear, strong voice, and a surprisingly fast read.
Comment from Alex
Time: June 15, 2009, 12:27 pm
I forgot nonfiction! I’m trying to find a place for Werner Herzog’s “Conquest of the Useless” that I got free from Ecco through a Facebook thing. I’m an Ecco shill, I guess. I recommend finding them on Facebook…they give out free proof copies and stuff via status updates. Anyway, that’s in my nonfiction pile along with Peter Guralnick’s “Sweet Soul Music.”
Comment from dana
Time: June 15, 2009, 2:00 pm
just finished “whore” (nelly arcan)…and now in the midst of “mosquito coast” (paul theroux) & “the other wind” (ursula le guin)–switching back and forth between the two depending on my mood.
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