No, it’s not just you, Tayari. For your consideration: Colson Whitehead’s John Henry Days or Ernest J. Gaines’ A Lesson Before Dying.
Elizabeth Crane on A History of Violence: “Like, if I suddenly found out Ben had a previous life in the Philadelphia mob (I didn’t think so, but I double checked, and he denied it), I think I would be angry about being deceived but I would not express my anger by having sex with him on the stairs after he tried to strangle me.”
“For the part of her book that is set on a ranch, Cowart’s research involved visiting a Tifton rodeo where she complied the phone numbers of all the cowboys.” But is this research or a disingenuous way to hook up with men in chaps?
The Courier Mailreviews The History of Love, but half of the review involves talking about JSF and Krauss. While there’s always room for a little salacious tidbits, I have to ask whether the Courier Mail is running a book review section or a gossip column.
The New Yorkerblows more imagery on Phil Collins than the man deserves: “His head is small and round, like a globe, and closely shaved, so that the dark patterns of hair suggest land and the bald parts suggest water.” WTF? Is Alec Wilkinson a new Conde Nast hire or is it still New Yorker policy to find ridiculous profundity in bland and soulless performers?
