Jason Pettus's Blog, page 12

Book Review: "Anomaly Flats" by Clayton Smith

(CCLaP is dedicated to reviewing as many contemporary books as possible, including self-published volumes; click here to learn how to submit your own book for possible review, although be warned that it needs to have been published within the last 18 months to be considered. For the complete list of all books reviewed here, as well as the next books scheduled to be read, click here.) Anomaly Flats By Clayton Smith Self-published Reviewed by Jason Pettus Although I don't want to give the impr...

First Time Around: "Purple Hibiscus," by Chimamanda Ngoze Adiche

Purple Hibiscus By Chimamanda Ngoze Adiche Anchor Books, 2003 Reviewed by Chris Schahfer I'm woefully ill-versed when it comes to African literature. I haven't even read the entirety of Achebe's Africa trilogy, although of course I've read Things Fall Apart. But if Adiche's recent rise to prominence is any indication, it looks like African authors could see a huge upswing in prominence in the next few years. This is something I'd appreciate, not just because I'm in favor of a literary landsc...

Book Review: "Hotels of North America" by Rick Moody

(CCLaP is dedicated to reviewing as many contemporary books as possible, including self-published volumes; click here to learn how to submit your own book for possible review, although be warned that it needs to have been published within the last 18 months to be considered. For the complete list of all books reviewed here, as well as the next books scheduled to be read, click here.) Hotels of North America By Rick Moody Little, Brown and Company / Hachette Reviewed by Jason Pettus So before...

Book Review: "Nuns with Guns," by Seth Kaufman

(CCLaP is dedicated to reviewing as many contemporary books as possible, including self-published volumes; click here to learn how to submit your own book for possible review, although be warned that it needs to have been published within the last 18 months to be considered. For the complete list of all books reviewed here, as well as the next books scheduled to be read, click here.) Nuns with Guns By Seth Kaufman Sukuma Books Reviewed by Karl Wolff The foul-mouthed reality show producer Ric...

Tales from the Completist: "Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom" (2004), by Catherine Clinton

(Just like anyone else who is a lover of great books, I find myself sometimes with a desire to become a "completist" of certain authors; that is, to have read every book that author has ever written. This series of essays chronicles that attempt. Don't forget, a list of all the other books reviewed as part of this series can be found on CCLaP's main book review page.) Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom (2004) By Catherine Clinton Little, Brown and Company / Time Warner (UPDATE: Since writin...

Book Review: "Ohio Portraits, Vol. 1: A Midwestern Micromemoir," by Erika D. Price

(CCLaP is dedicated to reviewing as many contemporary books as possible, including self-published volumes; click here to learn how to submit your own book for possible review, although be warned that it needs to have been published within the last 12 months to be considered. For the complete list of all books reviewed here, as well as the next books scheduled to be read, click here.) Ohio Portraits, Vol. 1: A Midwestern Micromemoir By Erika D. Price English Prime Press Reviewed by Chris Scha...

Book Review: "The Lost Journals of Sylvia Plath" by Kimberly Knutsen

(CCLaP is dedicated to reviewing as many contemporary books as possible, including self-published volumes; click here to learn how to submit your own book for possible review, although be warned that it needs to have been published within the last 18 months to be considered. For the complete list of all books reviewed here, as well as the next books scheduled to be read, click here.) The Lost Journals of Sylvia Plath By Kimberly Knutsen Switchgrass Books Reviewed by Jason Pettus To be clear,...

Book Review: "Mr. Suicide," by Nicole Cushing

(CCLaP is dedicated to reviewing as many contemporary books as possible, including self-published volumes; click here to learn how to submit your own book for possible review, although be warned that it needs to have been published within the last 18 months to be considered. For the complete list of all books reviewed here, as well as the next books scheduled to be read, click here.) Mr. Suicide By Nicole Cushing Word Horde Reviewed by Karl Wolff This book is messed up. I say that with the h...

Book Review: "The Bohemian Guide to Monogamy" by Andrew Armacost

(CCLaP is dedicated to reviewing as many contemporary books as possible, including self-published volumes; click here to learn how to submit your own book for possible review, although be warned that it needs to have been published within the last 18 months to be considered. For the complete list of all books reviewed here, as well as the next books scheduled to be read, click here.) The Bohemian Guide to Monogamy By Andrew Armacost Bizarro Pulp Press / JournalStone Publishing Reviewed by Ja...

Book Review: "The Mystics of Mile End" by Sigal Samuel

(CCLaP is dedicated to reviewing as many contemporary books as possible, including self-published volumes; click here to learn how to submit your own book for possible review, although be warned that it needs to have been published within the last 18 months to be considered. For the complete list of all books reviewed here, as well as the next books scheduled to be read, click here.) The Mystics of Mile End By Sigal Samuel William Morrow / HarperCollins Reviewed by Jason Pettus Say what you...