pickA strange and obscure little book written in the 1920s, about a rural Ohio woman torn between her husband and a lover. As Dawn Powell‘s biographer puts it well, this novel reads as romance fiction but with all the dark and bleak stylization of a Theodore Dreiser story.
pickI'm probably more interested in this book as an artifact than for its contents, which were, nonetheless, interesting.
I picked up this 1901 edition in Durham, and the beautiful inscription shows that it was held by the St. Cuthbert's Society at the university. I can't quite make out the signature, but it looks like J. D. Hall, perhaps.
It was published jointly in Dublin & London, the little bookbinder's sticker suggesting this one was printed ⬇️
pickI broke a personal, albeit cardinal rule of mine: read the book first. When I saw the movie American Fiction I wasn't aware that it was based on a book at all. I am so glad I broke this rule of mine because Erasure is one of the best books I have read in years. It's a meta-literary delight. A book for writers, even.
My annual reading theme is sociopolitical. I haven't had a chance to post my full #Roll100 list yet. However, these are the 3 for January's roll. Getting 2025 off to a fighting start.
@PuddleJumper HNY x
Read in December 2024...
17 Books
Five 5-Star reads this month:
• The Life Impossible
• James
• Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen
• One
• The Echo Chamber
pick“Dead Famous“ is a sharp, funny, and ultimately disturbing look at the dark side of reality television and the lengths people will go to for fame. It‘s a thought-provoking commentary on a culture where entertainment often trumps human decency, and where the line between reality and fiction becomes increasingly blurred.
Next serial read . . . Picked at random. Hopefully won't be a bad decision.
pick5 Stars • The Echo Chamber by John Boyne satirically follows the Cleverley family. It delves into miscommunication via social media, public image vs. reality, cancel culture, and identity. George, a has-been novelist; Beverley, a TV star; Elizabeth, an influencer; and Nelson, transgender, navigate fame and personal life, often clashing due to their echo chambers. ⬇️
