Best and Worst Reads of 2010
As the year comes to a close, here’s a list of my favorites and least-loveds. FAVORITE BOOKS Ovid’s Metamorphoses. How can a long poem about Roman gods, written around the time of the New Testament, be interesting today? Because the language bowls you over time after time. Each myth is small enough to enjoy in … Continue reading
New Book! The Talented Mr. Ripley
We’re back from a holiday break with a new book in sight: Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley. Here are some stats. We start reading on Monday. Get a copy if you want to join in! 1955 novel by American writer Patricia Highsmith. This was Highsmith’s fourth novel and the first in the so-called Ripliad, … Continue reading
Closing Thoughts on Witches
New book will be announced in tomorrow, but today I’m offering some quick and final thoughts on the third book of the Big Read, The Witches of Eastwick. What the book does well is the small things. The way Updike describes magic and how his characters speak in sulky, middle class, bored tones, all of … Continue reading
What Book Should We Read Next
We are nearing the end of Updike’s Witches of Eastwick. What should we read next? Either vote for one of the options below or take a look at what is left to read on the master list. Please share and let me know!
Reviewing a Scene 2: The Gabriels at Home
The other day, I wrote about a scene in The Witches of Eastwick where our three wicked ladies are seduced by a devilish new man in town. Read that here. Today, is a follow-up with what is the best scene in the novel so far. And it doesn’t include the leads. The scene that closes … Continue reading
Letters Republic 