Nov 24“Rootless” by Krystle Zara AppiahTrauma runs deep. Inter- and trans-generational trauma carves wide canyons. Resiliency is of the essence. You can try to cover up some of the physical and psychological wounds: nice clothes, good degrees, high-paying, high status jobs, the right clothes, friends and parties, the “perfect” partner(s). …2 min read2 min read
Nov 23“Chain Gang All Stars” by Nan Kwame Adjei-BrenyahNana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s wrenching debut, “Chain Gang All Stars” is meant to be a science-fictional tale. Unfortunately, it was all that and more for me. I live in a place where the Sheriff has a chain gang, replete with prisoners dressed in bold black & white horizontal striped uniforms, foot…2 min read2 min read
Nov 14“Retrospective” by Juan Gabriel VasquezThe 20th Century was a time of existential, ideological, and political struggle that continues to this day. Juan Gabriel Vasquez’ wonderful “Retrospective” gives us a ringside seat to viscerally experience street life and combat. …2 min read2 min read
Oct 31“Lone Women” by Victor LaVelleAdelaide reads about homesteading opportunities in Montana. She knows that it is time to leave it all behind in California. So she wraps up loose ends and sets out alone, at 31, to start a new life with only a bit of money and a heavy trunk to her name. …2 min read2 min read
Oct 17“The New Earth” by Jess RowJess Row sets his sights high in his striking new effort, “The New Earth”. Themes are many: racism, passing, sexism, revolution, class, immigration, homophobia, Israeli apartheid, authenticity, religion, and so much more. An overriding concern is the challenge of finding and maintaining identity and intimacy in a chronically broken world…1 min read1 min read
Oct 13“We Meant Well” by Erum Shazia HasaEmaciated mothers surrounded by starving children, all with empty eyes staring into a lens. Terrifying videos showing the results of ethnic cleansing. Crowded refugee camps “guarded” by untrained teen-aged boys carrying automatic weapons with hair triggers. Isn’t there something I can do? Isn’t there something I should do? Erum Shazia…2 min read2 min read
Oct 2“Our Share of Night” by Mariana EnriquezPeople often say that life can be a nightmare. But for some that’s not a simple figure of speech. For those who lived through the terror in Argentina during the second half of the 20th Century, nightmares were a part of daily life. Families never knew whether those that they…2 min read2 min read
Aug 11“Night Wherever We Go” by Tracey Rose PeytonThere is currently widespread despair over labor shortages throughout 21st Century economies. However, the problem is nothing new. Tracey Rose Peyton tackles the issues in a stunning and horrifying way in her amazing debut “Night Wherever We Go”. Here the setting is pre-Civil War rural Texas. The problem: too few…2 min read2 min read
Jul 26“Lungfish” by Meghan GillisResiliency and courage in the face of abandonment and betrayal form the heart of Meghan Gillis’ powerful debut novel, “Lungfish”. A new mom faces a dire reality when she realizes that, though she is not alone, she would probably be better off if she were. The precarious situation takes her…1 min read1 min read
Jul 20“The Rabbit Hutch” by Tess GuntyIt’s a special treat when the right book comes at just the right time. Tess Gunty’s debut novel “The Rabbit Hutch” is just that for me. Gunty is most comfortable operating in the thin zone that separates The American Dream from The American Nightmare. …2 min read2 min read
