Month: June 2011
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A Single Man: Christopher Isherwood
This is the tale of a day in the life of George. A British man teaching English and living inCaliforniawhose life has changed through the complex emotions grief bestows since losing his partner Jim. It’s a small book filled with subtlety. Isherwood’s prose is spare, mesmerizing: his words well chosen, succinct and meaningful. It is…
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The Planet of the Apes: Pierre Boulle
A book that spawned an industry of tie-ins and spin-offs and gave Charlton Heston a legitimate excuse to run dementedly about a beach in a loin cloth and emote for all he was worth. But despite its many (mostly) lame connotations, the original novel (this book you’re about to buy) is really rather remarkably good. …
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This is Not the End of the Book: Umberto Eco & Jean-Claude Carriere
This gloriously unusual and dazzlingly smart new book is a conversation between notorious bibliophile cleverclogs Jean-Claude Carrière and Umberto Eco, all about the rich history of the book, and its grim prospects in our digital age. It’s a truly idiosyncratic and gleefully digressive dialogue, educational and engaging on literally every page, and it even features a…