Announcing the 2023 Tournament of Books
Here are the books, judges, and Zombie poll for the 2023 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.
Books
A collection of 305 issues
The 2023 Tournament of Books Long List
Looking ahead to the 2023 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes, with 68 works of fiction we admired this year.
Announcing the 2022 Tournament of Books
Here are the shortlist, judges, and Zombie poll for the 2022 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.
The 2022 Tournament of Books Long List
Anticipating the 2022 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes, here are the 68 most Rooster-worthy books of 2021.
Week 12: Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch
This week, we discuss the conclusion of Rivka Galchen's Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch—and it's time for you to vote on which of our August novels advances to our end-of-summer finale!
Week 11: Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch
Five books down, one to go. This week, we start our final book of the season: Rivka Galchen's Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch.
Week 10: Peaces
This week, we discuss the second half of Helen Oyeyemi's Peaces, and are left with even more questions than we had after the first half.
Week Nine: Peaces
It's a new month and a new book matchup at Camp ToB 2021! This week, we embark on the mystery train of Helen Oyeyemi's Peaces.
Week Eight: Whereabouts
This week we'll discuss the second half of Jhumpa Lahiri's Whereabouts. What will the change in seasons bring? More loneliness and misery? Plus, it's time to vote on which of our July novels will head to the summer finale.
Week Seven: Whereabouts
Moving as briskly along as the summer heat allows, this week we're in Italy to discuss the first half of Jhumpa Lahiri's Whereabouts.
Week Six: Klara and the Sun
This week we discuss the back half of Kazuo Ishiguro's Klara and the Sun. If you thought the first half was fraught with ethical dilemmas, well, get ready to get thorny.
Week Five: Klara and the Sun
As we leave June behind for hot, sunny July, this week we discuss the first half of Kazuo Ishiguro's Klara and the Sun.
Week Four: Detransition, Baby
We wrap up the discussion on our second book of June—and it's time to vote for which of this month's books you want to send to our end-of-summer finale!
Everything Now, the Skateboard Edition
To celebrate the release of Everything Now by TMN co-founder Rosecrans Baldwin, we're partnering with his publisher to give away a skateboard.
Week Three: Detransition, Baby
This week we begin discussing our second book of the summer, Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters.
Week Two: No One Is Talking About This
In which we discuss the conclusion of Patricia Lockwood's No One Is Talking About This, in which we became very invested.
Week One: No One Is Talking About This
Camp ToB 2021 is officially in session! This week, we're discussing the first half of Patricia Lockwood's No One Is Talking About This.
Announcing Camp ToB 2021
If you also sometimes think of books as vaccines, you're in the right place. Vote now for the books you want to see at Camp ToB '21!
Announcing the 2021 Tournament of Books
The shortlist, judges, and Zombie poll for the 2021 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.
The 2021 Tournament of Books Long List
In preparation for the 2021 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes, here are 77 of the most Rooster-worthy books of 2020.
Announcing the Super Rooster
Coming this October to a lockdown near you, all the winners from the Tournament of Books compete for a prize 16 years in the making: the Super Rooster, presented by Bookshop.
Week 12: Weather
We've reached our final discussion of the summer—and it's time for you to vote on our August matchup.
Week 11: Weather
This week at Camp ToB we begin discussing our final book of the summer—wait, really, already?—Weather by Jenny Offill.
Week 10: Writers & Lovers
This week, we're discussing the second half of Lily King's Writers & Lovers. (Beware: Every possible spoiler is ahead!)
Week Nine: Writers & Lovers
Two months down, one to go. Welcome to August at Camp ToB 2020, where we're discussing the first half of Writers & Lovers by Lily King.
Week Eight: Such a Fun Age
We're wrapping up our July reading with the conclusion of Such a Fun Age. Then it's your turn to decide which of this month's book heads to our end-of-summer finale.
Week Seven: Such a Fun Age
Three books down, three to go. We're on to the back half of Camp ToB 2020, as we begin our second July read: Kiley Reid's debut novel, Such a Fun Age.
Week Six: The Night Watchman
This week we're discussing the second half of Louise Erdrich's The Night Watchman—shockers, spoilers, and all.
Week Five: The Night Watchman
It's a new month and a new book matchup at Camp ToB. This week we're discussing the first half of Louise Erdrich's The Night Watchman.
Week Four: Sharks in the Time of Saviors
This week we finish discussing the second half of Sharks in the Time of Saviors—and then it's time for you to decide which of our June reads heads to the end-of-summer finale.
Week Three: Sharks in the Time of Saviors
This week we move over to our second book for June: Kawai Strong Washburn’s debut novel, Sharks in the Time of Saviors.
Week Two: The City We Became
It's DNFs versus TBRs this week at Camp ToB, as we wrap up N.K. Jemisin's The City We Became.
Week One: The City We Became
Camp ToB 2020 is officially in session! This week, we're discussing the first half of N.K. Jemisin's The City We Became.
Announcing Camp ToB 2020
Here's one summer camp that definitely won't be canceled. Vote now for the books you want to see at Camp ToB 2020.
Announcing the 2020 Tournament of Books
Our shortlist, judges, and Zombie poll for the 2020 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.
The 2020 Tournament of Books Long List
The most excellent, Rooster-worthy books of 2019. Look for our shortlist of competitors next month for the 2020 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.
The Final
It's the last day of camp—and time to announce which book you voted to send to the 2020 Tournament of Books.
Week 12: Black Leopard, Red Wolf
It's the final day of discussion at Camp ToB, as we finish up the second half of Black Leopard, Red Wolf—and you decide which of our August reads is triumphant.
Week 11: Black Leopard, Red Wolf
Five books down, one big, gory, complicated, shock-inducing book to go. This week, we discuss the first half of Marlon James's Black Leopard, Red Wolf.
Week 10: American Spy
This week, we wrap up our discussion of the first book in our August matchup: Lauren Wilkinson's American Spy.
Week Nine: American Spy
Four books down, and two to go until our end-of-summer finale, where you'll decide which of our Camp ToB reads goes to the 2020 Tournament of Books. This week, we begin our final matchup of the summer with the first half of American Spy.
Week Eight: Trust Exercise
This week, we take a very unexpected turn as we enter the second half of Susan Choi's Trust Exercise. And it's time for you to tell us which of our two July books you want to see in our end-of-summer finale.
Week Seven: Trust Exercise
We head into the latter half of Camp ToB with the second book in our July matchup, Susan Choi's Trust Exercise.
Week Six: Lost Children Archive
This week, we wrap up Valeria Luiselli's Lost Children Archive, and we have so much to talk about.
Week Five: Lost Children Archive
It's a new month and a new matchup. This week, we're discussing the first half of Valeria Luiselli's Lost Children Archive.
Week Four: Daisy Jones & the Six
This week we wrap up our June reading—and it's time for you to decide which of the two books we read this month heads to our end-of-summer finale.
Week Three: Daisy Jones & the Six
This week, we kick off our second book of the summer: a dive into the sex, drugs, and rock and roll of the late '60s LA music scene.
Week Two: Bowlaway
Welcome back for the second week of Camp ToB 2019! Gather round for the conclusion of Elizabeth McCracken's Bowlaway.
Week One: Bowlaway
Start swapping those friendship bracelets—it's the first week of Camp ToB 2019! This time around, we're discussing the first half of Elizabeth McCracken's new novel.
Announcing Camp ToB 2019
Three months of conversation, two novels a month, and one final champion that advances to the 2020 Tournament of Books. Vote for the novels you want us to read and discuss this summer.
Announcing the 2019 Tournament of Books
Here it is: the shortlist, judges, commentators, and Zombie poll for the 2019 edition of the Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.
The 2019 Tournament of Books Long List
Here are our favorite, Rooster-approved novels from 2018. In the coming weeks, we'll cull this list down to our final set of competitors for the 2019 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.
The 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: The Final
It's the end of the summer, the readers have spoken, and we have a winner.
The 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week 12
It's the second-to-last week of the 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge, which means two big things: Novelist Emma Straub decides between August's two books and the commentariat votes for the book of the summer.
The 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week 11
We're in the home stretch of the 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge, as we begin our final book of the season: The Friend by Sigrid Nunez. We’re again joined by our August judge, Emma Straub, in conversation with Nozlee Samadzadeh.
The 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week 10
It's the final month in the 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge. Novelist Emma Straub and our own Nozlee Samadzadeh wrap up their discussion of Kudos by Rachel Cusk.
The 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week Nine
It's a new month in the 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge. This week we welcome a new judge, Emma Straub, who will be in conversation all month long with Nozlee Samadzadeh. First up: Kudos by Rachel Cusk.
The 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week Eight
We wrap up our July reading with the conclusion of Census—plus, this month's judges, Kelly McEvers and Nathan Deuel, make the call on which book heads to our end-of-summer finale.
The 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week Seven
It's the second book in our July matchup, Census by Jesse Ball, and we're back in conversation with our July judges, Kelly McEvers and Nathan Deuel.
The 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week Six
This week, we finish off the first book in our July matchup, Circe by Madeline Miller, welcoming back this month's judges, Kelly McEvers and Nathan Deuel.
The 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week Five
It's a new month in the 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge. We welcome our July judges, Kelly McEvers and Nathan Deuel, and discuss the first half of Madeline Miller's Circe.
The 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week Four
We finished our second book of the summer, An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, which means it's time for novelist Laura van den Berg to choose our first victor.
The 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week Three
We start our second book of the summer, An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, in conversation with novelists Laura van den Berg and Rosecrans Baldwin.
The 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week Two
We wrap up our first book of the summer, Tomb Song by Julián Herbert, in conversation with novelists Laura van den Berg and Rosecrans Baldwin.
The 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week One
We kick off our first book of the summer, Tomb Song by Julián Herbert, in conversation with Laura van den Berg and Rosecrans Baldwin.
Welcome to the 2018 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge
Meet your judges and hosts, check out the summer book list, and get reading.
The Rooster Nonfiction Pop-up: Educated, First Half
Our first-ever Tournament of Books nonfiction event continues. Today we talk with memoirist Sarah Hepola about the first half of Tara Westover's astonishing Educated.
The Rooster Nonfiction Pop-up: Hunger, Second Half
Our first-ever Tournament of Books nonfiction event continues. Today we talk with author Sarah Hepola about the conclusion of Roxane Gay's astonishing memoir.
The Rooster Nonfiction Pop-up: Hunger, First Half
Our first-ever Tournament of Books nonfiction event begins with a conversation with author Sarah Hepola about Roxane Gay's powerful 2017 memoir, through chapter 42.
Welcome to the Rooster Nonfiction Pop-up
Real facts, real events, real people—oh my! It's time for our first ever Tournament of Books nonfiction event.
Announcing the 2018 Tournament of Books
A new year, a new Rooster. Introducing the shortlist, judges, commentators, and Zombie poll for the 14th edition of The Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.
The 2018 Tournament of Books Long List
Here they are: our favorite, Rooster-worthy novels from 2017. A few weeks from now we'll narrow these down to our final list for the 2018 Tournament of Books presented by Field Notes.
The Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: The Final
It's time to announce which our of summer reads heads to the 2018 Tournament of Books.
The Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week 12
This week, we finish up our sixth and final book of the summer, Fever Dream, and it's your turn to tell us which of our summer reads wins a slot in the 2018 Tournament of Books.
The Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week 11
We enter the home stretch of the 2017 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge with the brief, surreal Fever Dream, our final book of the season.
The Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week 10
This week we're again joined by Rachel Khong as we discuss Temporary People's second half, which took this already unusual set of stories to some unexpected places.
The Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week Nine
The final month of the 2017 Rooster Summer Reading Challenge kicks off with the first book in our August matchup, Temporary People. All month long we'll be joined by Rachel Khong, in conversation with Nozlee Samadzadeh.
The Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week Eight
This week we discuss the conclusion of Marlena—and make the call on whether it or Ill Will makes it to our summer final on Aug. 30.
The Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week Seven
This week we continue our disturbing, foreboding summer reading with a discussion the first half of the disturbing, foreboding Marlena.
The Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week Six
We're now at the halfway point in our July matchup—and the Rooster Summer Reading Challenge. This week we're joined by novelist Amelia Gray as we finish off Ill Will.
The Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week Five
Novelist Amelia Gray joins us as we launch into our second month of the Rooster Summer Reading Challenge. With one competitor now slotted in for our end-of-summer final, we begin our July matchup: Ill Will v. Marlena.
The Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week Four
We're at the end of our first month in the Rooster Summer Reading Challenge. Victor LaValle joins us to discuss the second half of The Night Ocean, and we decide which of our two novels from June heads to the end-of-summer final.
The Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week Three
We've wrapped up our first book in the Rooster Summer Reading Challenge, and now we're waist-deep into The Night Ocean. Joining us to discuss is this month's judge, Victor LaValle, who, lucky for us, knows his Lovecraft.
The Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week Two
We're back for another discussion in the Rooster Summer Reading Challenge presented by Field Notes, with this month's judge, Victor LaValle. Get ready for major spoilers—we're all the way through A Separation, and we need to talk.
The Rooster Summer Reading Challenge: Week One
Gather round for our inaugural discussion in the Rooster Summer Reading Challenge, presented by Field Notes. We're halfway through the first book, A Separation, with this month's judge, Victor LaValle.
Welcome to the Rooster Summer Reading Challenge
Grab a beach towel, favorite cold beverage, and, most importantly, your books. Our Summer Reading Challenge begins now.
A Brief History of the Tournament of Books
You can’t kill the Rooster.
The Long Tail of the Attica Prison Riot
The Attica prison uprising lasted five days. It took 45 years to get a more or less complete public account of what transpired—and only thanks to the efforts of a few heroically stubborn people.
Announcing the 2017 Tournament of Books
It’s been a long, turbulent sleep, but now the Rooster wakes. Introducing the shortlist, judges, commentators, and Zombie poll for the 13th edition of The Morning News Tournament of Books.
The 2017 Tournament of Books Long List
This year we read a lot of new fiction. We liked a lot of what we read, and here are our combined favorites. In March we'll narrow them to a final set of 16 novels to compete in the 2017 Tournament of Books presented by Field Notes.
Bracketology for the 2016 Tournament of Books
Announcing the brackets for the 2016 edition of The Morning News Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.
Announcing the 2016 Tournament of Books
The Rooster is hungry. Very hungry. Introducing the judges, shortlist, and Zombie poll for the 2016 edition of The Morning News Tournament of Books.
The 2016 Tournament of Books Long List
The long list for the 2016 Tournament of Books, with 86 titles culled from the year's finest fiction.
War Plan Red
The quirky history behind the secret, full-scale invasion that the United States once planned for Canada, and vice versa.
All the Bikes We Cannot See
A record number of injuries and disqualifications in this year’s Tour de France is being blamed on addictions to contemporary fiction.
The Art and Science of Forgetting Everything
A conversation with Sarah Hepola, author of the bestselling Blackout, about investigating the worst kind of memories—those you never had.
Symbolism for Beginners
For tens of thousands of years, wild horses have inspired humans—to nurture, to create, to slaughter—culminating in the past century of America’s legal and psychological battles over the horses we can’t own.
Binge Reading Disorder
The typical American consumes more than 100,000 words a day and remembers none of them.
The Books
A couple’s decision to combine bookshelves supplies a series of revelations.
The End Isn't the End
When insomnia and technological convenience collide, a lifetime of binge reading reaches its full potential.
Announcing the 2015 Tournament of Books
The Rooster begins to stir from his hibernation, and he is hungry. Introducing the judges, shortlist, and Zombie poll for the 2015 edition of the Tournament of Books.
Like Pushing an Elephant Into a Volkswagen
Writers who haven’t quit their day jobs, who cram in the writing hours around full-time work, discuss juggling office life, family, and creativity.
Harry Potter and the Shades of Twilight
A generation of women read the “Harry Potter” series as teens, “Twilight” in college, and “Fifty Shades of Grey” in their twenties. What is the cumulative effect?
We Are Not Beasts, We Are Gurus
Stranded on a desert island, a panel of self-help authors must rely on their wits and catchphrases to survive.
Our Better Shelves
After visiting more than 2,000 independent bookstores—at least virtually—the Amazon annihilation, Orwell misquotes and all, doesn't seem quite so inescapable.
Main Street, USA
Sinclair Lewis despised his hometown in Minnesota. It disliked him, too, especially after being lampooned in a bestselling novel that mocked the citizens for their small-town ways. These days, though, he's all they've got.
The Bill of the Century
The Civil Rights Act, which marks its 50th anniversary this year, changed the shape of American society. The story of how it finally passed is just as remarkable.
Chrissy Smoked
Twice a year, a group of friends gathered in a coal-mining pocket of Pennsylvania—friends in their twenties with fragile identities, who didn’t know yet what would happen.
Read It Again, Dad
Good books are frequently credited with being worth reading twice. But when was the last time anyone had time for that?
Announcing The Morning News Tournament of Books X
The rooster is back, and the rooster is famished. Introducing the finalists and judges for The Morning News 10th Annual Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.
The Works and Days of Elena Shvarts
A literary gumshoe visits St. Petersburg to track down the so-called "ninja of Russian verse," Elena Shvarts, who died in 2010 leaving almost nothing behind.
Go Your Own Way
The recent ho-hum reaction to the purchase and ensuing buyback of Frommer’s obscures one key fact: Guidebooks are creators of social change. A defense of their place in the canon.
South by Midwest
Flash fiction—prairie-style—from novelists Jonathan Lethem and Aimee Bender, plus an interview with Jeff Martin, editor of the new collection Imaginary Oklahoma.
Eat, Pray, Murder
Good book clubs rely on commitment, Sauvignon Blanc, and the pruning of members with annoying habits. Unfortunately, sometimes those members are homicidal maniacs.
Tony Horwitz
Our man in Boston sits down for a frank accounting with Tony Horwitz, author of beloved works like Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches From the Unfinished Civil War. Here they chat about his new book on John Brown—still a divisive figure in America, particularly in these days of terrorism—and the
When Writers Sing
Sometimes covers of songs can feel more genuine than the original recorded versions. At a time when “Glee” is under fire for stealing covers and Justin Bieber is covering himself, one author tries his hand at covering a fictional musician from his new novel.
Game Over
The NFL is an emperor with no clothes, no morals, and vaults of gold. As we prepare for Super Bowl XLVII, author Dave Zirin explains how greed and corruption have ruined the game, endangered players, and fleeced the public.
Joan Wickersham
Our man in Boston sits down for an extended chat with author Joan Wickersham about her new story collection, lurking near architects, the wisdom of good editors, how to profit from artist colonies, and the benefits of avoiding the MFA trap.
Ben Fountain
Our man in Boston sits down for an extended chat with the author of Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, covering Kissinger's travel woes, the beauty of track meets, and the very best place to be a fiction writer in America: Dallas.
Announcing the 2013 Tournament of Books
The ides of March may be four months away, but a certain rooster is sick of waiting. Introducing the finalists and judges for TMN's ninth annual Tournament of Books, presented by NOOK® by Barnes & Noble.
Habitat for Humanity
Manhattan is rife with lumberjacks, Los Angeles is hot for Appalachia, and the latest trend in pornography is cabins. Yes, cabins. But when a woman leaves New York for a log structure of her own, a metamorphosis occurs.
Attica Locke
Our man in Boston talks to screenwriter and novelist Attica Locke about writing in Hollywood, the origins of her second novel, and where exactly British prisoners locate the moral heart of The Wire.
Charles Yu
Our man in Boston puts the mighty Charles Yu in the ragtop and interrogates him over his background, dystopian fiction, lawyering for a day job, his lack of a creative writing graduate degree, Apple thingies, and why economists operate under pen names.
MarketStrong
After resigning in disgrace from the charity he helped found and losing his sponsorship with Nike, Lance Armstrong now must cope with the leak of his new memoir—excerpted here.
Reading Is in the Air
From 2:00 to 2:30 p.m. ET today, tell the Biblioracle the last five books you've read, and he'll recommend your next favorite novel.
Igor Sakhnovsky
We continue our series of publishing contemporary Russian literature in translation—stories you won't find anywhere else, unfortunately—with a novelist who turns Mr. and Mrs. Nabokov into objects of captivation. Don't miss out on your chance to win a gift card from Powells.com.
Martin Amis, Redux
Our man in Boston sits down with Martin Amis for their sixth chat to discuss Nabokov, dictionaries, spiteful reviews, the death of Christopher Hitchens, and the freedom of writing fiction.
Ninety-Nine Bottles of Pee on the Wall
Everyone says they’ve got a book inside, but hundreds of people actually write them—and are preyed upon by scam artists. The greatest story of literary vigilantism ever told.
Tiny Castles of Doom
Read between the lines of a to-do list, and you'll find an artfully constructed maze of excuses. A challenge to complete five things before the end of summer, or before you die—whichever comes first.
Ron Rash, Redux
Our man in Boston talks with writer Ron Rash about his latest book, America's great regional voices, the high percentage of readers in New Zealand and Australia, and the misery that accompanies putting a novel together, where it's rather more fun to stick pencils in your eyes.
Down and Out in a Repurposed Troop Carrier
Stunt memoirs are ubiquitous: writers who eat, pray, and love straight into their bank accounts. But what happens when the material for your book—for which you took a dozen amusement park jobs to acquire—isn’t all hijinks and zany locals? What if it’s rather nice?
Nikolai Klimontovich
Our series of contemporary Russian literature continues—six months, six stories from some of Russia's best working writers, plus interviews with their authors, all of it sponsored by Powells.com. This month we feature one of Moscow's finest chroniclers.
Jess Walter
Our man in Boston sits down with the author of The Financial Lives of the Poets to talk about his latest novel, how to survive in Hollywood, the ins and outs of contemporary publishing, and that unheralded Paris of the Northwest, Spokane.
Fifty States of Grey
A trilogy of erotic novels are sweeping America, scheduled to sell 20 million copies this week. Here, a state-by-state guide on how the books are being adapted for local markets.
Kathryn Harrison
Our man in Boston and the author discuss her latest novel, Enchantments, the writing process, how book reviewing works at the New York Times, what it's like to be nastied, and the life and times of two writers raising children without a television in the house.
Oscar Hijuelos
Our man in Boston talks to the Pulitzer-winning novelist about his new memoir, Thoughts Without Cigarettes, as well as nights in New York, parks in Berlin, how publishing currently compares to Indian restaurants, what life would be like if Mambo Kings hadn't hit it big, and the difficulties of writ
Where've You Been, Biblioracle?
From 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. ET today, tell the Biblioracle the last five books you've read, and he'll recommend your next favorite novel.
A Coalition of Dunces
Last week, the Pulitzer Prize board refused to give its prestigious award to any novel published in 2011. Something is clearly broken. We roused our commentators from the Tournament of Books, Kevin Guilfoile and John Warner, for their remarks.
Thomas Mallon Redux
The rise and fall of Richard Nixon has been the subject of many histories, but perhaps none so insightful as Thomas Mallon's latest novel Watergate. A conversation about crime, ambition, booze, and Christopher Hitchens.
The 2012 Pre-Game Primer
Booth commentators Kevin Guilfoile and John Warner introduce the eighth annual Tournament of Books, sponsored by Field Notes.
Ben Katchor
Our man in Boston talks to author and artist Ben Katchor about the history of picture-stories—from the days when literature included drawings to our current world of (sadly) more purified genres.
Call and Response
Sometimes a book appears in your life and starts to pester you. The characters act like your friends. Events occur in the plot that reappear inside your home. It’s enough to drive a man to wonder which world is more real, until danger appears.
The Devil’s Trumpet
History is an imperfect science—the truth often weaves within nuance and mystery. For those playing the role of historian, the trick is knowing what you’re looking for.
Russell Banks
Our man in Boston sits down for the sixth time with Russell Banks to discuss his latest novel, the movie business, Mitt Romney, the emigration of investigative journalists, and why it's wise to wait until your 70's before writing about obsessive love.
Here Comes the Rooster
It is time to announce the contestants, judges, and brackets for the original, one-and-only, full-combat, oddly-predictive-of-the-Pulitzer-Prize, eighth annual TMN Tournament of Books, coming March 2012, presented by Field Notes.
The Scripture of the Golden Eternity
When you’re 16 and searching, Jack Kerouac’s urge to hit the road can seem inspired, or at least inspiring. Later, you wonder if his literature was actually early-onset LiveJournal. Later still, On the Road deserves one more look.
Sven Birkerts
Our Man in Boston sits down for this third conversation with author, critic, and book-world majordomo Sven Birkerts to talk about the current reviewing situation, the best books of 2000, and Amy Winehouse.
Now That Books Mean Nothing
When you’ve long been identified as a “literary type,” how can it be that receiving books as get-well gifts leaves you feeling empty, angry, and determined to chug YouTube straight?
Nicole Krauss
A chat between our man in Boston and the writer Nicole Krauss about her latest book, in which her latest book is barely discussed.
This Is Not a George Plimpton Interview
Every artist deals with critics differently—Richard Ford spitting on Colson Whitehead, for example. But the rule is to avoid direct contact. Not for John Warner, debut novelist, who decided to seek out the man behind his worst review.
America, You Are the Biblioracle
Today, from 2-3:00 p.m., the Biblioracle will use his magical powers to recommend the next book you'll love. Prior to that, a call-to-arms to save the plight of reading and an announcement about the 2012 Tournament of Books reader-judge contest.
Sex Lives of the Saints
Once you begin imagining yourself as the romantic lead in a novel—and convince others of it as well—you won’t want to stop.
Geraldine Brooks
Our man in Boston sits down with the Pulitzer-winning novelist to discuss Australian literature, Harvard's (neglected) charter to educate American Indians, and those residents of Martha's Vineyard who say no to Chardonnay.
The Funny Man
When asked, focus groups describe the funny man as "untalented, successful, bad husband and father." He had been at the top, but is now heading toward the bottom. An excerpt from John Warner's forthcoming novel, The Funny Man, published by Soho Press.
Back to School With the Biblioracle
Class is back in session at campuses across the nation. But for the rest of us who yearn for an assigned reading list, the Biblioracle will recommend your next favorite novel today from 2-3:00 p.m. ET.
Special Topics in Mindboggling Physics
Popular science books are all well and good until they ask you to picture a hundred cats playing volleyball in the fourteenth dimension. Writing lessons for astrophysicists.
John Banville
Booker Prize-winner John Banville discusses writing crime novels under a pseudonym, hanging around with authors who own multiple homes, and why literature takes longer to produce than pulp.
The Day Borders Got the Wobblies
As Borders liquidates its merchandise, a former employee of store #21 looks back at a glorious workplace—of quirky managers, Borders gypsies, the odyssey to stack more than Hobby/Collectibles—and the moment when salvation seemed at hand to save the chain.
Nuts to You
From 2011, an ode to the pleasures of vulgarity, in which a bookseller tries to give every customer one unsafe moment. And, yes—that’s what she said.
Summer Reading With the Biblioracle
Summer is reading's high season. But all good books must come to an end, and then what do you do? Have no fear—the Biblioracle is here. Discover your next favorite novel today, from 2-3:00 p.m. ET.
Much Ado About Whatever
Tao Lin and his band of followers at Muumuu House are some of the most vehemently disliked—and discussed—writers on the internet. Critics call them hip. Haters call them frauds. But their fiction may be just what our digital lives deserve.
Jim Shepard
Our man in Boston and Jim Shepard, the author most recently of You Think That's Bad, discuss whacko projects, researching short stories by jet, and how much gold it takes for a writer to dump Knopf's Gary Fisketjon.
The Man Behind the Window
Allan Seager was a student at Oxford when he contracted tuberculosis. What happened next made him one of America's greatest writers—declared the heir to Anderson and Hemingway—ever to be forgotten. Yet one of Seager's short stories endures in ways that none of Hemingway's can match.
Caught Telling Fiction
The gap between literary and historical fiction is mostly a marketing ploy--at least until a novelist meets a survivor of her story's plot.
From the Mixed-Up Files of the New York Public Library
As some Christians prepared for the Apocalypse, 500 questers spent Friday night locked inside the New York Public Library with game designer Jane McGonigal.
Travels With Nathan
To our knowledge, Ezra Pound never saw a donkey show. Here's updated cantos for drunk backpackers in Madrid and jerks on the Dead Sea.
The Biblioracle Strikes Again
While the Tournament of Books hangs on a thread until Monday, the Biblioracle steps in to ease the pain. At 3 p.m. Eastern, list the last five books you read, and he'll tell you what to read next.
The Greatest Book Review Ever
Not everyone can be a judge in the Tournament of Books. Not every novel deserves a rave. But what if the world’s best books were reviewed all at once? The ultimate Frankenstein of reviews.
Scribble
People’s bookcases say a lot about the tastes and beliefs—at least in interior decorating. Meeting a home library that isn’t up for loan.
The 2011 Tournament of Books
Announcing the contenders, judges, and Zombie Round for the bloodiest award in publishing: the Seventh Annual Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.
Modern Hospitality
Faced with a stranger at the door seeking shelter for the night, what do you do?
The 2011 Tournament of Books Long List
In the spirit of yuletide blood sport, we present the 2011 Tournament of Books Long List.
I, Reader
You are what you read. For some, that means 22 boxes of books. Facing a storage crisis of bibliolatry proportions, our writer surveys e-readers and a life spent reading.
No Stone Unturned
The most colorful parts of Keith Richards’s long-awaited memoir have made headlines. But the guitarist’s deepest insights were left on his editor’s desk.
Oh, How I've Missed You
The Biblioracle will be open today from 1 to 3 p.m. Back from a late-summer hiatus, the Biblioracle takes the last five books you read and tells you what to read next.
The High Is Always the Pain and the Pain Is Always the High
Gambling addiction is a simple disease. Living the addiction is a bit more complicated. A chronicle of dependency in seven parts—about poker, “Lolita,” and how to lose $18,000 in less than 36 hours.
Bret Easton Ellis, Author Célèbre
Four digressions about obsession, venom, and life in a famous author’s orbit.
Why I Don’t Run
Runners run, readers read, and some even do both at the same time. A bookish guide to outpacing your insecurities.
It's Only Pretend
Labor Day is coming soon, and along with it the start of school. But the TMN writers' children still have a little August reading to do, in this final installment of their book reports.
Why Do You Do It the Way You Do It?
The Biblioracle will be open today from 1 to 3 p.m. After explaining the secret behind oracling, the Biblioracle takes the last five books you read and tells you what to read next.
Let's Make It Better
Summer yawns ahead, hot and school-free. What better way to spend the afternoon than with a book? The TMN writers' children fill us in on their latest reads and rethink the endings.
In Tennis, Love Means Nothing
A pro author challenges a pro tennis player to a tournament. A story of dueling, drumming, and one extraordinary victory.
The Seven-Cent Advance
For most of us, assigned summer reading is a distant memory. For the TMN writers' children, however, it's time to crack the books--and inform us about scary bits, cover designs, and authors' advances.
The Return of the Biblioracle
The Biblioracle will be open today from noon to 2 p.m. Still recovering from an outpouring of requests during his last appearance, the Biblioracle will take the last five books you read and tell you what to read next.
David Remnick
Our man in Boston goes the distance with author and New Yorker editor David Remnick in a conversation about President Obama, magazine publishing, and American Idol.
Justice With a Tagline
When your publisher won't pay you for translating a popular German guide to anal sex, don't take the law into your own hands--take 'em to court. But which one?
Greetings From the Biblioracle
Today we welcome back the Biblioracle, who takes the last five books you read and recommends what to read next.
A Conversation With Philip Graham
As lightbulbs are to the moon, first stories are to finished books. John Warmer chats with the writer Philip Graham, his former professor, about finding topics, developing mentors, and reaching readers.
Melancholy Whores’ Memories of Gabriel García Márquez
All the magical realism in the world won't make you good in bed, or so recall the Nobel Prize winner's escorts.
Introduction to Nerdhalla
The Tournament of Books is less than two weeks away. As an appetizer, our official ToB Statistician runs six years of numbers on Round 1. Time to download your brackets and place bets.
A Pledge to My Readers
As a reader, you have a choice of which books, magazines, and newspapers to consume. I’m committed to bringing you the finest in the written word.
The 2010 Tournament of Books
Six years and growing, this year's Tournament of Books will debut in March. Until then, we've got judges, the shortlist, and your shot at picking Zombies.
Michael Ondaatje
Our man in Boston talks to Michael Ondaatje about why he writes novels, how he measures satisfaction, and when fiction can succeed by operating like poetry.
The 2010 Tournament of Books Long List
Now is not the time to look backward over a decade. Now is the moment to look forward: to the 2010 Tournament of Books.
Beer and Loathing
For agents and publishers, the Frankfurt Book Fair is publishing's biggest event: part conclave, mostly marathon, and all business. It is absolutely no place for an aspiring author, as we discover.
Annie Dillard and the Writing Life
Writers aren’t born, they’re made—from practice, reading, and a lot of caffeine. And sometimes tutelage.
Beloved Children's Books
With the imminent release of the Where the Wild Things Are movie, we're swept up in childhood literary nostalgia. Our staff and readers tell us what filled their tiny bookshelves.
Queens of the Scatological Age
Next month, one book will be crowned America’s funniest. Reviewing this year’s candidates for the Thurber Prize for American Humor, and tiptoeing through the doo-doo.
The Author and the Wonderful, Horrible, No Fun, Very Good Day
Nothing is finer than getting your book published. Nothing is worse than the day it comes out. Our food writer documents the misadventures, highs, and woes of publishing (recipe included).
Reading With Scissors
If not for a tragic car accident in 2001, W.G. Sebald would be celebrating his senior citizenship next week. Recalling an obsessive introduction to the author's unclassifiable genre.
Gogol's Portraits
Though his hair frequently resembled mid-'70s Rob Reiner, his gaze was more erratic. On the occasion of Gogol's 200th birthday, tracking the evolution of his visage.
How to Survive a Crush
Two decades after high school days spent yearning to be a part of the “in” crowd, our writer confronts her former dream date, now a best-selling author, and her former self.
Rooster Shirts, Judges, and Brackets, Oh My!
The Fifth Annual Tournament of Books is preparing to launch in a few weeks. Here are this year's brackets for your office-gambling pleasure, as well as information about the 2009 judges and our brand new Rooster tees.
The 2009 Tournament of Books
We interrupt our regular publishing schedule to bring you news of one feisty Rooster. Enjoying its fifth year, the 2009 Tournament of Books is coming soon, and we've got the nominees to prove it.
Guilty Reading
Whether it's political nonfiction, extraterrestrial erotica, or some combination thereof, we hold our genres dear. The TMN readers and writers reveal their favorite works from the back of the shelf.
Pilgrimage
Many people hope to be authors, even some in the publishing business. Going back to a monastery to see both sides of the story.
I Will Sing When You’re All Dead
Professional opera singer, mountain climber, race car driver, and Vladimir Nabokov’s best translator and collaborator, Dmitri Nabokov has led an impassioned life.
***Spoilers*** ***Spoilers*** ***Spoilers***
Spoilers online and IRL are plentiful, rendering those who wish to remain unaware on high alert at all times. A look at the many ways spoilers spoil everything (spoilers ahead).
Boats We Missed
From acclaimed television series to all-over-your-radar bands to the website even your grandmother knows about, here are the phenomena that the readers and writers, until recently, missed out on.
My Life in Jest
When floating through post-collegiate limbo, you can use an anchor. Recalling when a very large book played a very large role in life.
Man Bites Dog
As bookstores swell with narratives, instruction manuals, and other paeans to man’s best friend, publishers turn to even the most inexperienced owners for new pulp.
Someone's in the Kitchen With Ignatius J. Reilly
Ever since she left Little House on the Prairie behind and was forced, when she grew too old for books with pictures, to conjure up storybook settings, our writer has been placing the fiction she reads in the homes she knows.
Judges for the 2008 Tournament of Books
We interrupt our normal publishing schedule to bring you further news of the following sponsored event: The 2008 Tournament of Books is just one week away, and we've got some judges we'd like you to meet.
The 2008 Tournament of Books
We interrupt our normal publishing schedule to bring you news of the following sponsored event: Now in its fourth installation, the 2008 Tournament of Books is coming soon, and we've got the nominee list to prove it.
William Weaver at Annandale-on-Hudson
After a life spent telling stories in two different tongues, the American translator of Umberto Eco and Italo Calvino is struggling with his own.
Nonfiction Books
You've stocked up on bookmarks, ordered the bookplates, and now you're ready to fill the shelves. Next time you're shopping, pass over the fiction and pick up something with an index. The writers offer a selection.
Room to Read: A Modest Proposal
What better way to relax after a kid-filled day than with a nice book--and what less likely scenario can many parents imagine? For page-turners everywhere, a novel idea.
The 2007 ToB Brackets and Book Bloggers' Office Pool Contest
The 2007 Tournament of Books will begin this Thursday, but before then we have the brackets, the judges, and a contest for a lucky reader to win every book involved in this year's bloodshed, courtesy of Powells.com.
Announcing TMN's 2007 Tournament of Books
Ladies and gentlemen, book nerds and illiterates, here are this year's candidates for the Rooster Award in the 2007 Tournament of Books, sponsored by Powells.com--and we need your help in setting up the brackets.
Consuming Obama
Barack Obama is riding a wave of enthusiasm, and though we sense his sincerity, there's little else we know about him. Considering the man everyone seems to think should be our next president.
Not an Open Letter
The self-made jury has handed down its decision: For his previous life in the Waffen SS, Günter Grass--and his work--should receive the maximum penalty.
Reviews of Books Written by My Ex-Girlfriends
Whether I acted as catalyst or played the well-meaning muse, one thing’s for sure: My writerly exes are a prolific bunch. But are they any good?
Stephen Wright's Literary Landscape
UFO freaks, plant-loving vets, and science-minded slave owners people Stephen Wright's novels. Maybe a little off the wall? Maybe not. We talk with the writer about his books and their reflections of the human condition.
The Word You Dare Not Spell
Whatever Kaavya Viswanathan’s legacy, she has inspired us to take pleasure in others’ misfortune. And as there happens to be a word that means just that—schadenfreude—many writers have been more than happy to remind us of it.
BetweenTheLines.com
Tired of having your work rejected by editors left and right? The Frustrated Amateur Writers Network may be just what you need to jump-start your writing career. They won't be able to get you published--but they can help you feel better about it.
Some of This Is Made Up
Sharing your name with a celebrity can be frustrating, especially when the two of you pursue the same occupation.
The Seven Veils of Self-Importance
The bets are in, the brackets are filled out, and the judges have sharpened their knives. Welcome to the 2006 Tournament of Books, sponsored by Powells.com.
The Beginning of Spring
In 1998 Penelope Fitzgerald won the NBCC Award for The Blue Flower. Since then, many of my friends have read that book as their introduction to her and been confused, or worse, underwhelmed. I always recommend starting with The Beginning of Spring, the story of Englishman Frank Reid, proprietor of
Literature Is Freedom
In 2003 when Susan Sontag won the Friedenspreis des Deutschen Buchhandels, the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, her acceptance speech--delivered in Frankfurt at a ceremony boycotted by the U.S. ambassador--was entitled "Literature is Freedom." Almost no American media noted her award or cited any portions
Arthur and George
Arthur and George by Julian Barnes is a potboiler, a thoughtful thriller, a shirttails-grabbing day-ruining page-turner, a piece of very good fiction, a careful portrait of two men's very different lives entwined, a magnifying glass applied to faith and justice, another happy pill for Sherlockians in this age
Me Write Book
It's not easy being the world's favorite frigid hominid, especially when your existential problems are worse than most college sophomores'. Me Write Book, It Bigfoot Memoir, by TMN favorite Graham Roumieu, is a very funny and wonderfully illustrated little book, reminiscent of The Very Persistent
American Journey
French intellectual superstar (the French have such things) Bernard-Henri Levy, known there as BHL, was introduced to these shores with Melville House's publication of Who Killed Daniel Pearl? Proving everything new is old, BHL has now reprised a 19th-century classic with his 21st-century American Vertigo: Traveling America in
A Time of Gifts
Patrick Leigh Fermor's A Time of Gifts puts you in an 18-year-old's hobnailed boots as he hikes across Europe in 1933 and takes scrupulous, even luscious, notes of his trip. I'm hard-pressed to pick better travel writing than this: Well documented, personal and enthusiastic,
Alito: A Love Story
When a forbidden love is requited, its consequences will touch us all. A shocking, tender tale of romance, obsession... and murder.
Time to Floss
He told everyone what it stood for before, but this week nobody's buying a single detail about James Frey's life--or his tattoo. The true story behind contemporary literature's most in-your-face symbol.
A Message From the Executive Officer of Artistic License
When two literary giants fall in one week, would-be writers may be concerned that their own publishing fortunes may be in danger. Though they may have lots to hide, they'll have little to fear with these ever-popular products and services at their disposal.
The Elements of Style
"A writer is a gunner, sometimes waiting in the blind for something to come in, sometimes roaming the countryside hoping to scare something up." Strunk and White's Elements of Style is back, now published for the first time with artistic style as well, featuring dozens of
The Best of Everything
Rona Jaffe's novel The Best of Everything may have been written in 1958, but its astute portrayal of the joy and grit of New York life rings true even 50 years later. The five very realistic main characters, all young women seeking success in the worlds of publishing
Hard Case Crime
Judging a book by its cover is usually a recipe for mistaken impressions, but one glance at a Hard Case Crime novel and you know exactly what you're getting: guns, grifters, gumshoes, and gams. The publisher trades exclusively in hardboiled crime, and its titles include reprints of classic
Ginger Man and Old Peculier
Winter is the season for great books and drink. A nearly unbeatable combination is J.P. Donleavy's picaresque masterpiece The Ginger Man accompanied by a few bottles of Old Peculier. The paired influence of the heady brown ale and protagonist Sebastian Dangerfield's tragicomic misadventures will have
Uncivil Seasons
When people ask me for a book recommendation, wanting a good page-turner, I love to push Michael Malone's Uncivil Seasons. It's the opening segment in his Justin and Cuddy trilogy about two oddly matched detectives in North Carolina, and Malone produces a very rich reality to
Pure Drivel
Podcast, schmodcast. I'm not sure what the hubbub is about--it's just a bunch of audio files. While you're waiting for the next installment of Johnny Dollar, Insurance Investigator, I'm already listening to all of Steve Martin's Pure Drivel. I can
Thinking of You
Friend of TMN Sam Brown has been making weird, witty, touching drawings for the last five years at Exploding Dog--each drawing inspired by a sentence submitted by a reader--and just in time for the holidays, he's released a book, Thinking of You, with more than 140 drawings picked
The Southwestern Canon
Harold Bloom is perhaps our finest Shakespeare critic and certainly one of literature's most passionate lovers. Who knew he's a big chili fan too?
Goodnight, Nobody
Faulkner died 40-some years ago, and whether southern literature passed with him has been a hot topic ever since. Regardless of the genre's health, the region has lately produced a bevy of talented writers. One to watch is Michael Knight, the head of the creative writing program at
Masters of American Comics
The eponymously named tome that serves as the catalog for the Masters of American Comics exhibition at U.C.L.A.'s Hammer Museum and Los Angeles's MoCA contains work by familiar names such as R. Crumb, Art Spiegelman, Gary Panter, and Chris Ware, as well as
Why New Orleans Matters
Writer and musicologist Tom Piazza weighs in on his adopted city with the poignant Why New Orleans Matters. This book is a bittersweet paean to what is, arguably, the most joyous metropolis in North America and, ironically, the product of the kind of racial and cultural mongrelizing that America has
Love Trouble
Students of Ian Frazier, fetch your Visas! How many young writers, humor lovers, Tina Brown haters have heard of Veronica Geng? If only for her piece "Love Trouble Is My Business"--a detective story made of sentences containing the phrases "Mr. Reagan" and "read Proust&
Diane...
In 1990, Twin Peaks followers wanted to know who killed Laura Palmer. The producers of the show, on the other hand, may have wanted to know how to make a killing on Twin Peaks. Enter Diane.... Read by Kyle MacLachlan, this audiobook is a fascinating chronology of Agent Cooper'
The Heart Is Also a Furnace
I imagine Magdalen Powers living by herself in a tiny cottage in the middle of a deep forest. Birds and wolves prepare breakfast while she sleeps. During the day she goes skinny-dipping with Kelly Link. In the evening, James Tate stops by for tea and complaining about the human condition.
Lorrie Moore
It doesn't really matter which book by Lorrie Moore you pick up first, because they’ll all floor you. Not one of her stories is cozy or cliched. She takes the piss out of everything; life and language are far from sacrosanct. Her characters are all ordinary people—
Melville House's Novella Collection
Traveling soon? Melville House Press has released a bunch of classic novellas--everything from Kipling to Edith Wharton to Tolstoy's The Devil (sexy and tormented), to Stevenson's The Beach at Falsea (worth reading just for the narrator's idioms). The novella remains an art form not
Chip Kidd: Book One: Work: 1986-2006
Comic book collector, superhero aficionado, and novelist Chip Kidd, who pays his rent designing book covers, mostly for the House of Knopf, is the subject of the new mid-career retrospective Chip Kidd: Book One: Work: 1986-2006. In addition to a remarkable assemblage of book covers of bestsellers and literary masterpieces
My Trade: A Short History of British Journalism
Insights into the British media don't come more highly praised than Andrew Marr's My Trade, freshly issued in paperback. Marr, formerly the BBC's chief political correspondent, bares the secrets of the industry in the highly self-deprecating story of his journey from hack to commentator,
Lone Star Statements
The praise of professional critics hardly matters to the book-reviewing readers at Amazon.com. A compilation of the best of the worst... about the best.
Wolves Eat Dogs
Anyone who missed Wolves Eat Dogs should put Martin Cruz Smith's 2005 thriller at the top of their holiday list. Melancholic detective Arkady Renko is forced to investigate murder in Chernobyl's desolated "Zone of Exclusion." Understated yet lyrical, Wolves Eat Dogs mirrors the Zone&
Lectures on Shakespeare
Erudition you can't pray to match can be highly invigorating. Auden's Lectures on Shakespeare is a master class by one master on another--cobbled together from students' notes of his 1946 New School lectures, Auden works through the canon with wit, insight fueled by wide interests
An Unfinished Life
I don't remember Mark Spragg's 2004 bittersweet novel An Unfinished Life garnering much review attention, but the new film based on it is sure to have a paperback edition with Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, and Morgan Freeman on its cover. That's probably worth more
If on a Winter's Night, Dave Coulier
For those who knew the wacky shirts were actually a comedian's armor. For those with an answering machine message that said "Hi dee ho!" For those who've ever been lost out there and all alone. Excerpts from the forthcoming Dave Coulier fan fiction anthology.
The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake
The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake is a collection of works by one of the best American short story writers you've probably never heard of. He was a young man, middle-class born, whose adopted mountain-man persona informed his dark, emotional tales of Appalachian life. Having published
Hunger
The siege of Leningrad lasted 900 days and hardly any food went in or out. In two months alone, January and February 1942, over 200,000 people died. Elise Blackwell's slender, lovely novelette Hunger conveys the experiences of botanists refusing to consume their rare collection of seeds as
The New Confederacy
Whether or not the new head of FEMA knows what’s best for New Orleans is a matter of concern—at least for the one person who knows he knows what’s best for the city. Presenting a manifesto, a proposal, a parvum opus from one Mr. Ignatius J. Reilly.
The Furies
Most of today's bestsellers will be forgotten in 60 years, and some of the least-known books will be hailed as classics. For the latter category, I nominate The Furies, Janet Hobhouse's extraordinary novel-cum-memoir. Very moving and double-fudge rich, it's a slow burn about love
Forty Signs of Rain
Kim Stanley Robinson writes good, didactic, socially conscious hard science fiction. He's best known for his Mars trilogy and The Years of Rice and Salt, which imagined what would have happened if Europe hadn't come out of the plague. Forty Signs of Rain, just out in
Turning the Tables
Being a restaurant junkie when it's affordable, I read Steven Shaw's Turning the Tables: Restaurants From the Inside Out in one sitting, with two beers. It's a delicious guide on how to get the most from restaurants; I loved its sections on how to
The Power of the Dog
Don Winslow's third novel, The Power of the Dog, is a white-hot, high-velocity narrative through the narco-trafficking of the '70s, '80s and '90s, credibly implicating the various drug- and law-enforcement agencies in Mexico and the U.S., the mob (Irish and Italian), and the Vatican
Tender Hooks
If there were a way I could bankroll Beth Ann Fennelly, I would. Tender Hooks, a series of strange and brutal poems about motherhood, is one of the best books I’ve ever picked up. Fennelly is deeply sensitive of what she sees, yet refuses to look away, meeting every
The Last Samurai
I've probably bought more copies of Helen DeWitt's The Last Samurai than any other novel, because I give them away constantly and need to replenish my stock. What a book! Crammed with smarts and adventure and a very full heart--and nothing to do with that Tom
The New New Journalism
The New New Journalism (freshly out in paperback) is 19 interviews with nonfiction writers. In each, we learn in a new way how insane and creative people are. These folks keep 1940s typewriters around for when they get blocked; they cover the walls with text and peer across the room
Little, Big
For fans of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell or Mark Helprin's Winter's Tale--big-boned, richly imagined fantasies set in familiar places--there is John Crowley's overlooked masterpiece Little, Big, a juicy account of magic, frightening mansions, and love affairs gone odd. Perfect summer reading for those
Kafka in the Green Zone
It’s difficult to make friends in the middle of warfare, but the least you can do is try. Join the existentialist as he rapidly descends through his tour of duty.
Sincerely Yours LOL!
The recent publication of Robert Lowell's letters makes us wonder, will someday collections of today's scribblers' correspondence include emoticons? A look at the last gasps of letter writing.
Housekeeping
Marilynne Robinson's recent book Gilead wears its acclaim and awards like a hairshirt, but it's her earlier novel Housekeeping that mesmerized me. The story of two girls and a nearby lake that seems to swallow everyone they love is a rich show-stopper of style and insight.
Chronicles
While I don't think I'll ever succumb to listening to books instead of reading them, I am regularly inclined to revisit something I have read by having a go at the audio version. I was amused and fascinated by Bob Dylan's memoir Chronicles but
Chuck Dugan Is AWOL
You've seen his endearing drawings in brother Wes's The Royal Tenenbaums; catch more of Eric Chase Anderson's work in his new "novel with maps," Chuck Dugan Is AWOL. A couple steps up from Lemony Snicket, the novel takes its reader-viewers along for
The Portrait
A slender novel that does Robert Browning's dramatic monologues proud, The Portrait by Iain Pears is an unforgettable vengeance scenario. When retired painter Henry MacAlpine lures famed critic (and former patron) William Nasmyth to a lonely isle off the Brittany coast for a final portrait, both men'
The Italian Secretary
Love Sherlock Holmes? Love The Alienest series? Caleb Carr was commissioned by the Conan Doyle estate to write a new Holmes mystery, and so bore The Italian Secretary, a faithful period romp where Holmes and Watson go traipsing off to Scotland to help the queen, with all their antiquated phrasing
The Golden Compass
The first of Philip Pullman's excellent His Dark Materials fantasy trilogy, The Golden Compass is loads of fun. The story centers on young Lyra Silvertongue as she becomes enmeshed in a war between her father, the brooding Lord Asriel, and the sinister legions of the churchly Authority. Filled
The Tour, Chapter Three
A national book tour means many cars, planes, handlers and book-signings. It also means a table of elderly Southern women with specific questions about fertility clinics.
The Tour, Chapter Two
If you make an ass of yourself on the Dennis Miller show, will anyone notice? If you don't acknowledge that Beyoncé is Beyoncé, will she care?
The Tour, Chapter One
Ever imagine reading to a cheering stadium of millions? How about a single, disinterested Barnes & Noble customer? It's one thing to write a book; it's another to publicize it.
For Spring 2005
The stuff we're into right now--including what we're reading, hearing, watching, finding, eating, using, installing, applying, and, yes, even scratching this season.
The First Annual TMN Tournament of Books: Final Round!
Humiliating upsets, stunning defeats, the ever-surprising longevity of Tom Wolfe--it has all come down to this: the last match of the First Annual TMN Tournament of Books, sponsored by Powells.com.
Memento Mori
Who was Hunter S. Thompson? To everyone who followed him, he was somebody different. Our writer remembers his reading life with the Good Doctor.
Announcing the First Annual TMN Tournament of Books
Place your bets! Thumb your books! It's time for literature to quit its prissy posturing and get pummeled! Introducing The First Annual TMN Tournament of Books, sponsored by Powells.com.
Your Books and Neighbors
A used-book store stocks its customers' tastes and perversions, and then sells them to their neighbors. A Brooklyn shop find life after New York's Book Row heyday by providing a service computers can't beat.
The First Annual TMN Tournament of Books
Too often are literary awards arbitrary, dull, or meaningless. Too rarely are they determined by an NCAA-style Battle Royale of bloodthirsty competition. It's time for a change. Announcing the First Annual TMN Tournament of Books--complete with downloadable brackets poster!--sponsored by Powells.com
For Fall 2004
Books, movies, shows, albums, artists, clothing, writing instruments, online "services," ways to cook, things to eat, and more things to digest.
The LiveJournal of Zachary Marsh
An awfully different young man graduates from high school and quickly learns more than he bargained about snack foods, ducks, and a secret family history.
For Summer 2004
Of interest lately are special books, catchy songs, lovely clothes, and a slew of other wonderful items we've collectively enjoyed the last few weeks, and now wish to pass along for your very own summer pleasure.
Take the Downtown Train
If more men know what’s under the hood of a car than the hood of a clitoris, surely a revolution is needed. Enthusiast Paul Ford interviews Ian Kerner, sex therapist and author of She Comes First: The Thinking Man’s Guide to Pleasuring a Woman.
Hobbledehoydom
Being shy or bad at dancing is common for teenage boys, but some men carry on long into adulthood—men who are also called hobbledehoys. Our writer, a self-confessed hobbledehoy, finds company in Trollope while updating the profile for contemporary times.
Is Illiteracy So Bad?
When people can’t explain global warming or mad cow disease, perhaps they should look at a less than obvious scourge: the dreaded literacy plague.
Charles Baxter
The author covers topics such as his new book, Saul and Patsy, Chekhov's medical career, politics, Minnesota, and what it's like to have your work made into film.
The Pop-Off King
Though dancers occasionally kick one another, writers are alone among artists in using their craft to attack each other. A report on Stephen King's new decision to join the vipers.
Branded for Life
Teenagers: They've got cell phones, credit cards, and brand identities. A review of Alissa Quart's Branded: The Buying and Selling of Teenagers finds a shared past not too dissimilar, and a terrifying prospect that may lie ahead of us all.
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary
Psychoanalysis in literature is old hat, but there were days when it was new. Returning to Mary McCarthy to see which neuroses still ring true.
Joe Mitchell's Secret
Considered the best profile writer New York's ever seen, Joseph Mitchell's influence is unfortunately on the wane. Why today's prose-makers have lost their way.
Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis,” Revisited
In the first installment of a new series of re-readings, we dust off our dog-eared copy of Metamorphosis and see it in a decidedly different light.
The Harry Potter Nimbus 2000
The hottest new toy is the Harry Potter Nimbus 2000, a vibrating broom proving popular with lots of little girls. An inside look at its insidious development.
Surrey With the Syringe on Top
In the cutthroat world of playwriting, where a good line means the difference between fame and famine, many authors fall victim to the lure of performance-enhancing drugs.
Looking for LeRoy
New York's fashionably-lit are always looking for the next hot thing in plastic glasses. With the days of Dave Eggers now frozen, and Franzen quickly fading, could writer J.T. LeRoy be it?
Oprah Cancels Book Club
The fate of literature has always been uncertain. In recent times the path seemed secure, guarded by Updike and Barnes & Noble totes. Then, disaster struck. Publishers crashed their Mercedes, agents sold their leather blazers. Inside the tragedy from within Oprah's private chambers.
The First Rule of Book Club
Chicago versus New York: sure, we know whose pizza is better, but what about their city-wide book reading programs? A stern lecture about our relative civic hopes, fears, and lazy habits.
Michael Chabon
Writer Michael Chabon answers the five questions, mentioning real estate, Mr. Terrific, and Ashtabula.