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The Wilding by Benjamin Percy
Reviewed by Joshua Willey When you begin reading Benjamin Percy’s debut novel, The Wilding, you might imagine you are in for a riff on the classic theme of nature versus culture, modernity as alienation, primitivism
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Between Parentheses by Roberto Bolaño, reviewed by Joshua Willey
The latest release in the saga of Roberto Bolaño translations from New Directions is an expansive, remarkable
The Voting Booth After Dark: Despicable, Embarrassing, Repulsive by Vanessa Libertad Garcia
Reviewed by Laura Roberts Indie publishing is a tricky thing. As an indie publisher myself, I feel a sense of camaraderie with those who self-publish and create their own platforms from which they can spring. Vanessa Libertad Garcia does this with her first book, The
The Pale King by David Foster Wallace
One of the central theses of The Pale King—an unfinished novel whose author need not even be named, so great is the extent of his immortality in contemporary American letters—is that society is poisoned by an emphasis on quantity over quality. Of course this is an age-old criticism of advanced capitalism,
Coiled and Swallowed by Sara Crawford
I wish I had been able to read Sara Crawford’s Coiled and Swallowed ten years ago when I was still in college. The book navigates the challenges of growing up: the darkness of one-night stands, nights spent doing shots in seedy bars, the heartbreak and elation of first loves, and the general confusion
Rad Dad (18) by Tomas Moniz
Reviewed by Amanda Kimmerly Upon first glance at the zine Rad Dad 18, I imagined a collection dedicated to fathers across America trying to stay hip and in-tune with their children, along with the misfires that come when attempting to translate young generational slang (i.e. the famous scene in 10 Things
Only Milo by Barry Smith
If Barry Smith’s novel, Only Milo, snagged a movie deal, its tagline would undoubtedly read, “In a world where ex-janitors store more than brooms in their closets…” and then would cut to a scene with the main character, 62-year-old Milo, cleaning up the blood and guts
Salty as a Lip by Jason Mashak
Rarely does poetry turn me on, but Jason Mashak‘s collection, Salty as a Lip, practically unbuttoned my cardigan. These poems are just plain sexy. While
Let Me Entertain You by Jill Pangallo
Jill Pangallo says she’s never been able to keep a journal or a blog. So, she made one in book form, instead. Commissioned by the City of Austin. Not a bad trade-off. The
Mentor by Tom Grimes
Reviewed by Laura Roberts Failure is a topic often discussed in hushed tones, something to be feared and avoided, and certainly not to be dwelt upon too deeply, lest it infect the rest of one’s life or work. Mentor,
