Anton Chekhov’s Short Stories and the Limitations of Norton Critical Editions
Ah, that special weight and tactile feedback of a Norton Critical Edition. It takes me back -although not to any readings of Chekhov in particular. This book was my…
Denis Johnson’s “Train Dreams” and keeping/catching up
This novella got a lot of acclaim and critical attention when it came out, but I was just starting my undergrad work at that point and wasn’t really doing…
Chandler’s “The Big Sleep”: Noir and Homophobia and Slapping Hysterical Women, Oh My…
Ah, the other major detective noir. After reading “The Maltese Falcon,” I rather quickly set my sights on reading Chandler’s pulpy-not-pulp Magnum Opus. I had fun. It’s not my normal…
Powell’s City of Books
As part of my recent wanderings, I made the pilgrimage that every book nerd seems to do at least once: I went to the Deschutes taproom and drank a bunch…
Hesse’s “Siddharta”
This one wasn’t for me. Hesse’s popularity as a countercultural icon in America seemed to have led to this book becoming the subject of Zeitgeist-fixation, but in spite of very…
Kurt Vonnegut’s “Breakfast of Champions”
I’m becoming a big Vonnegut fan, although I came to him a bit later in life than most. This is the fourth one of his novels I’ve read -it’s…