Follow Me

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.

Archived Picks

...And Cabana Girls, Too

Stats


« This book sounds awesome | Main | Ellroy Takes the Rap »

October 16, 2006

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451af9169e200d834f2013369e2

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference The importance of being Ettlingered:

Comments

These are two very beautiful women who have been made to appear sort of hulking in these pics. And photographing from the side makes them seemed unapproachable/stand
offish.

Hey Patti, thanks for the beautiful part. (wink)

I love that photo. Fact is, I'm a broad-shouldered gal, so I think the photo flatters my frame.

I understand that Marion's work has its critics, but I doubt you'll find any among the writers she has photographed. In fact, I think we all fall in love with her. She is a delightful person, warm and kind. And she even reads the book!

I think these are great pictures, and her gallery is impressive too - if you look carefully she manages to give some very ordinary people a mythic quality, but when she's working with more obviously attractive subjects (yes, you two fall into the latter category) she strips it down and makes it simple. Good stuff.

i love both photos, but then i much prefer artistic poses. it took me two years to get my publisher to use my latest photo because it makes me look unapproachable. for me it's all about art and artistic expression, even the author photo.

Completely agree with Kevin, there. Especially about the mythic quality. That one of Cormac Macarthy looks like he was chiselled out of flint while he sat there. But then he probably was.

I think they're both so beautiful and lush. At the same time, they convey a real strength and gravitas, which seems to me, anecdotally, to be a bit rare among author pix of women...?

I've always liked that picture of Laura. Hope they replace it with another good one!

The pics of Tayari Jones and Laura Lippman are terrific. OTOH, the Ettlinger of Anita Diamant makes the author look like Ellen Degeneres's evil twin.

I think they're both great photos, and I think it's just a coincidence that they're similarly positioned. Tayari and Laura's writing certainly couldn't be more different, though they're both outstanding.

Stacey

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment