November online reads
Posted on: November 1, 2007
The Short Review is a new site that was launched today by Tania Hershman, a short story writer, to provide reviews of short stories by other writers. Hopefully it will prove a handy resource for those readers interested in exploring the genre, particularly since few get major reviews. The commentaries themselves are not long and work more as extended book descriptions or brief reader reactions. The site’s blog is at wordpress, which is how I found out about it.
Estella’s Revenge is back with a new issue and the return of a hyperlinked table of contents (thank you!). Readers of Dorothy W. who were intrigued by her post on Georgette Heyer’s Lady of Quality will be pleased to see A Case for Georgette Heyer made by Elaine. One gets a nice overview of Heyer’s backlist and tips on the best books with which to start. Readers may know Elaine from Random Jottings of a Book and Opera Lover. For interviews one may want to check out Dewey‘s thoughts on the 24 hour Read-a-thon that took place recently, and Audrey Niffenegger’s musings on art and literature.
Go to Open Letters if you appreciate critics given the space to investigate and ruminate on books at length. I’m set on getting Quinnehtuqkut by Joshua Harmon, a book which appears to be a bit scarce on my side of the border: Amazon.ca only has third-party sellers for it, and it isn’t even listed in Chapters’ database. John Cotter writes on how impressed he was by the author’s mixing of various narrative styles in Voices in the Woods. Sam Sacks assesses the critics’ takes on Roth’s Exit Ghost in this month’s Peer Review. There’s new poetry from Tupelo Press and another quiz to beat your head against. And how about that header image? I could look at it all day. Jeffrey Eaton, the photographer, also did another amazing one for the April issue.
Not much of it is completely available online (except some of the poetry) but my Paris Review Fall 2007 issue has arrived. I’m excited about the Richard Price fiction simply because it’s the opener, and the opener stories tend to be good. Better yet will be the August Kleinzahler poetry! (Imagine me waving my hands about excitedly, grinning at nothing in particular.) I first read bits of his work in the LRB, and the more they printed, the more I liked. He’s also the interviewee so I now happily own a book mark with a quote from his interview on it, never mind the tired hotel ad on the back of the damn thing. (PR never used to do that. I guess they need the money.)
4 Responses to "November online reads"
November 1, 2007 at 7:12 pm
I love Audrey Niffenegger so much. I wanted to leave a huge, gushing comment there about so many things she said, but I restrained myself.
November 2, 2007 at 8:53 am
Thanks for the link to the Heyer article — it’s kind of sad to think of authors who don’t recognize what their strengths are and keep trying to do something else — something more “serious.” And also sad that people would look down on Heyer for writing “romances.”
November 2, 2007 at 6:02 pm
Andi awww, you’re the best Andi. I did not realise how much effort it required but I certainly do appreciate it!
Dew ha! You should have left it.
Dorothy I thought that was a sad thing to read too — especially since she seemed to do so well (and acquired so many readers) when she played to her strengths.
The Books of My Numberless Dreams 
November 1, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Ha! Good to know the hyperlinked table of contents is making a splash with its return. It’s amazing how much WORK that one piece is. I always save it for last because I dread it, but I’ll keep it up for you, Imani. 😀