In our afternoon reading: checking in with Chloe Caldwell, Laird Barron on Peter Straub’s “Koko,” and much more.
Afternoon Bites: Adrian Van Young and Peter Straub, Brit Bennett Interviewed, Julia Elliott, Ramones Exhibit, and More
In our afternoon reading: Adrian Van Young conversed with Peter Straub, a visit to the Ramones exhibit at the Queens Museum, an interview with Brit Bennett, and more.
Morning Bites: Joanna Walsh, Peter Straub Recommends Books, Dana Spiotta’s Latest, and More
In our morning reading: reviews of books by Dana Spiotta and Joanna Walsh, book recommendations from Peter Straub, and much more.
“The Whole Thing Was Built on Nuance”: Peter Straub on Fiction, Jazz, and the Making of “Interior Darkness”
One of the most significant moments in my reading life to date came when was in high school and Peter Straub‘s novel The Throat. The metafictional elements found in that novel were my first really immersive experience in that as a storytelling technique, and the effect was groundbreaking, an expansion of what I was aware that fiction was capable of doing. I’ve continued to read Straub’s work over the years, and on the occasion of the publication of Interior Darkness, […]
Afternoon Bites: Álvaro Enrigue’s Latest, Daniel Clowes, Peter Straub Interviewed, Han Kang, and More
In our afternoon reading: reviews of books by Álvaro Enrigue and Han Kang, an interview with Peter Straub, and more.
Vol.1 Brooklyn’s February 2016 Books Preview
February is upon us, bringing with a host of intriguing books, from expansive historical epics to disquieting novels of suspense and horror to biographies of literary and political heroes. For whatever reason, many of the books that have caught our eye for February are due out on the 9th of the month. Perhaps it’s a pre-Valentine’s Day maneuver, because nothing says romance like narratives that bend space and time or those that run paranoia and existential dread to unsettling extremes. […]
#tobyreads: Short Works, Plus the End of the World
Writing this column poses something of a conundrum, as nearly all of the reading I’ve done this week has been for upcoming freelance assignments. So expect to see more of a focus on shorter works this time out: stories and essays I’ve encountered in publications in print and online. Plus one novel about attraction, a declining Iowa town, and giant bugs.
Afternoon Bites: National Lampoon Revisited, Farewell Best Show, Laird Barron & Peter Straub, William Basinski Live, and More
Checking in with jazz musicians affected by Sandy; Laird Barron and Peter Straub hanging out; how we deal with bad reviews of art we like; and more.