Well, it’s December. We’ll level with you: December can be a weird time to write about new releases. That makes it a little more of a challenge, though, and there’s a certain joy that comes from assembling a “hey! new books!” list at the same time as you might see year-end lists popping up elsewhere. Here are ten books we’re keeping an eye out for this month, from surreal literary fiction to detailed explorations of literary movements.
In our afternoon reading: looking back on a Philip K. Dick novel, the state of SFF, and more.
In our afternoon reading: thoughts on “Gogmagog,” an interview with Sam Sax, and more.
There’s a lot going on in The Rachel Condition, writer and filmmaker Nicholas Rombes‘s followup to his excellent debut, The Absolution of Roberto Acestes Laing. In its broadest terms, it’s about a man sent to Detroit to infiltrate a countercultural group in search of a literary artifact. And if that was the full breadth of this novel, it would be compelling enough — but Rombes goes further. Slowly, it becomes clear that the version of Detroit (and of the United States as a whole) are not quite the same ones we’re familiar with. And it’s these small moments of dissonance which turn out to have huge implications on the story being told. I spoke with Rombes about the genesis of this book, his fondness for nestled narratives, and his own relationship to Detroit’s musical history.
In our afternoon reading: thoughts on novels by Rita Bullwinkel and Nicholas Rombes, a playlist by Charlie Huston, and more.
Today, we’re pleased to present an excerpt from Nicholas Rombes’s new novel The Rachel Condition, out this month from CLASH Books. We’re longtime readers and viewers of Rombes’s work, especially his previous novel The Absolution of Roberto Acestes Laing. Elizabeth Hand called The Rachel Condition “an unsettling foray into places and people we glimpse from the corners of our eyes, sometimes to our peril” — read on for a glimpse into this surreal journey into the heart of a city.
Was this edition of our monthly book preview column delayed by the earthquake? It wasn’t not delayed by the earthquake, if you know what we mean. We’re pretty excited about what this month has in store when it comes to books, including several new works by writers we’ve published in these very (virtual) pages. Read on for some suggestions for your spring reading.
In our morning reading: an interview with Eric LaRocca, thoughts on SAVAK’s new album, and more.