William Maxwell: The Folded Leaf
In my quest to read all of William Maxwell’s novels, I hit a bit of a stumbling block with his 1945 novel The Folded Leaf.
Book Reviews
André Gide: Marshlands
André Gide’s 1895 Marshlands has just been published by NYRB Classics in a new translation from Damion Searls. It’s a fun burst of energy to start the new year!
Don DeLillo: The Silence
Don DeLillo’s latest novella The Silence is brilliant but dull . . . not that I think DeLillo cares. It’s worth a look for sure.
Marilynne Robinson: Jack
Marilynne Robinson continues to expand the universe of Gilead, Iowa, with her fourth book in the series, Jack. I find these books to be healing and beautiful, and Jack is one of the best among them.
Alice Munro: “Chance”
Trevor and Betsy looks at Alice Munro’s “Chance,” from Runaway. “Chance” is the first of three stories dealing with Juliet.
Maggie O’Farrell: Hamnet
Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet is an exceptional book that draws our attention away from Shakespeare to tell a story of the grief and disillusionment suffered by his wife while the poet was away building his legacy.
Alice Munro: “Runaway”
Trevor and Betsy look at Alice Munro’s “Runaway,” the title story of her 2004 collection.
Alfred Hayes: The End of Me
Trevor looks at Alfred Hayes’s 1968 novel The End of Me, recently released by NYRB Classics.
Graciliano Ramos: São Bernardo
NYRB Classics recently published a new translation of Graciliano Ramos’s second novel, São Bernardo, a captivating look at an insecure man trying to hold onto his power.
Pamela Frankau: A Wreath for the Enemy
Pamela Frankau’s 1954 novel, A Wreath for the Enemy, is a wonderfully circular act of atonement through literature.