Written Reviews

Alan Garner: Red Shift

March 5, 2021

Here are some of my thoughts on Alan Garner’s strange 1973 novel Red Shift.

Joyce Chopra: Smooth Talk

March 2, 2021

This week The Criterion Collection released Joyce Chopra’s 1985 film Smooth Talk, an adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been.”

Jonathan Lethem: “The Crooked House”

March 1, 2021

This week’s New Yorker story is Jonathan Lethem’s “The Crooked House.”

Ramin Bahrani: Man Push Cart and Chop Shop

February 23, 2021

The Criterion Collection is releasing two films by Ramin Bahrani today: Man Push Cart and Chop Shop. They are each very much worth your attention.

Souvankham Thammavongsa: “Good-Looking”

February 22, 2021

This week’s New Yorker story is Souvankham Thammavongsa’s “Good-Looking.”

Previous Next

Listen In

Episodes of The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast: discussions of books and authors, shaped by curiosity, rereading, and the pleasures of talking things through.

Browse all episodes

The Reading Life

The Mookse and the Gripes Instagram features a more immediate space with posts and videos about current reads, recent finds, including a steady dose of Criterion films.