For me the book recommendations come from trusted friends or booksellers. I've said before that the Powell's recommendations are top notch, even out at the airport locations. Tyler Cowen, economist and leading critic of DC restaurants, just posted some books he has been reading. I and, I think most of you, will be most interested in the Book of Lost Books, which is a series of essays on books that were lost or never finished. Check out this quote from a review to get a sense of the sort of things in the book.
In the case of Herman Melville, Kelly has unearthed a gem: a novel called Agatha that remained unwritten by two great novelists — Melville himself, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, who passed the project back and forth, each encouraging the other. Melville was in possession when the music stopped, but although among his papers at his death they found Billy Budd, of Agatha there was no trace.
Talk about fascinating. Last night reader CG chastised me for too much sci-fi of late, I hope this puts me back on the good list.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Lost and found
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Tripper, you're back in the game - I was missing the literary fiction angle. I'll have to ask my friend Mo who is an American Lit professor and Melville expert about "Agatha" - very interesting...
By the way, I'm reading some non-fiction at the moment - "Under the Banner of Heaven" about Momon fundamentalists. It's excellent and helps the reader understand the background, culture and relgion that could drive a sane man to kill his sister-in-law and her infant child (and still be unrepetent for it!) because he was "told to do it by God in a revelation." Very disturbing stuff.
Glad I am back on track.
Under the Banner of Heaven is great. Have you gotten to the wierd polygamist communities out in the wilds? It's like a horror novel.
Yes, just got through some of that polygamist community stuff last night and resolved not to read it before bed anymore. Gives me the creeps.
Post a Comment