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Picks of the Week

  • Harry Dolan: Bad Things Happen

    Harry Dolan: Bad Things Happen
    BAD THINGS HAPPEN is a nifty debut, cleverly told and unfurled from the very first line: "The shovel has to meet certain requirements" on through meeting "the man who calls himself David Loogan." There are reasons for concealment, just as there are reasons the editor of a mystery magazine bearing little resemblance to EQMM or AHMM might bring him into the fold, thus catalyzing a series of murderous events. The twists come quickly and the dialogue is sharp and if it falls apart slightly at the end, no matter - I want to read much more from Dolan from now on.

  • Ian MacKenzie: City of Strangers: A Novel

    Ian MacKenzie: City of Strangers: A Novel
    MacKenzie's debut novel reminded me a lot of Paul Auster's NEW YORK TRILOGY, whether it was intended or not, in terms of his choice of words, the thrust of the narrative and the existential nature of the main character (whose first name, incidentally, is Paul) caught up in a snowballing sequence of strange and violent events in and around New York City. MacKenzie straddles the line between thriller and internal examination of a man's failings, and his ability to do so establishes him as a young writer of serious talent and future.

  • Megan Abbott: Bury Me Deep

    Megan Abbott: Bury Me Deep
    In a word: amazing. In more words: Megan Abbott, who has never delivered anything less than an excellent novel, exceeds expectations and takes a very bold and very necessary step forward both in the quality of the prose, the development of her characters and especially in portraying how obsession seeps into the very soul of people, transforming them into their worst nightmares all too easily. Just read this book. And then tell many others to do so as well.

  • Ninni Holmqvist: The Unit

    Ninni Holmqvist: The Unit
    Understandably, echoes of THE HANDMAID'S TALE are hard to ignore in this dystopic examination of a society where fertility is so high a priority that older, single, marginal women are shut away in secret locales to live out the rest of their lives in seemingly perfect harmony - at least, until the "donations" begin. But Holmqvist's marvelous book doesn't browbeat her thesis into the reader and smartly expands her ideas to look at the plight of all marginalized folk, women and men alike, and how the promise of comforts can be the most horrifying of all. Prepare to be disturbed, but prepare further to think about the ramifications.

  • Paula Froelich: Mercury in Retrograde

    Paula Froelich: Mercury in Retrograde
    This is possibly the most perfect novel for today's economically challenged times. Why? Because it has plenty of glitz and glamor and blind items, as befitting a narrative by the deputy editor of Page Six, but Froelich isn't arch or snarky or acid-tongued in the slightest. Her trio of protagonists land in all manner of embarrassing situations but they aren't played for mean-spirited laughs. The New York here is something of a fantasy-land, but not so far off the mark that it's completely unbelievable. Most of all it's clear Froelich remains sincere and optimistic about her chosen city, and has retained her sense of fun. So no need to check your brain at the door, but sometimes it just needs to chill out and relax.

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« Dateline LBF: Then again, maybe serial killers still have some life in them | Main | BruenFest begins »

March 14, 2005

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Comments

I told Gischler this a few days ago, after trading an e-mail or two with Mr. Twelve. Might as well share it here, too, by way of congrats to Mr. Wesselman. . .

. . .who, as Otis Twelve, has been a regular media celebrity in Lincoln and Omaha as far back as I can remember. Most prominently as the Otis of Otis and Diver in the morning on Z-92, as a movie reviewer on the local television news, mucho etcetera.

I wrote the guy after seeing him post here and asked him: So are you THE Otis Twelve?

He wrote back and said: "The one, the only, THE Otis Twelve."

Indeed. Congrats from the Heartland Metro!

SD

I hope when Otis finishes the book I find a copy winging it's way to me...

My parents knew Otis 12 back in the days of Ogden Edsl and the Wallhallia Blues Orchestra Mondo Bizzario Band.

I grew up thinking the song "Dead Puppies" was a tune everybody knew, like "Happy Birthday" or "God Bless America".

Apparently, this was not true.

Suckers.

I knew Otis in his Ogden Edsl days, before radio, back when only the cool people hung out in the Old Market. He taught me how to tip cocktail waitresses. Congrats on the award! Can't wait to read the book.

I grew up with Otis Twelve as his younger somewhat uncool cousin. While I was in the Army and for several years after I would constantly hear from friends about the zany exploites of a guy in Omaha. I knew from early on that he was very talented and this new accomplishment does not surprise me. Congradulations Doug.

otis twelve,and diver dan were great. i would skip school to be able to hear them on kezo-fm (Z-92)weekdays..probably why i ,now work in radio making a lot less money than everyone else... but anyways.they were cool, because they had great morning banter, and they appreciated their listeners..the phone lines were never tied up..so someone could actually reach them...funny, i miss them so...omaha mornings were great on z-92 fm.thank you otis 12 for the many great mornings of your show..my teenage years were made much better by you guys,by showing to us kids, that a person doesnt have to be rich or sucessful-to enjoy life and have a great time..have a-great life -wherever you are otis12- one lifetime fan of yours, brian furlong..of the later generation of radio jocks!

.And still i wonder what happened to diver dan, otis12's great sidekick who were some of the great legends of omaha radio!the duo were quite addictive indeed..with great features like space commander wack,which were well produced...like most of their material.thjey were a great inspiration!i sure miss em'

I woke up this morning in Boston remembering clearly getting up at 6 AM on a brutally cold Omaha morning to go to high school and being awakened every day by Z-92, with Otis n' Diver. I Googled them to find out where they are now, and I found this! I'll buy the book--congrats to Otis!

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