E. E. Cummings
Submitted by apalmer@northsh... on Mon, 03/31/2014 - 1:35pm
In this novella, an unnamed narrator returns for a visit to his native Lagos, Nigeria, where corruption and graft are widespread - yahoo yahoo boys in the internet cafes scam the unsuspecting, and everyone has a hand out for a bribe. There is violence in the market, home invaders, power outages, a sadly neglected National Museum, religion as panacea, ancient tribal beliefs, but also spots of sunlight: a lovely woman reading Ondaatje on a bus, a bookshop, music, unexpected beauty glimpsed down a random alley. This is an unusual and thoughtful read by the author of Open City. ~ Reviewed by Amy Palmer
Jess Metcalf and her evangelist family take a wayward, one-way road trip towards California to the rapture, driving through America's wasteland, eating at fast food places and staying in fleabag motels. Along the route, Jess questions her faith and her actions, while drawing ever closer to her quirky family. ~ Reviewed by Amy Palmer
A blind date with a warlord, author John Grisham's startling discovery that his new book is erroneously titled "The Something," the hare challenging the tortoise to a rematch, a roller coaster designed by the artist Christo - these are a few of the topics considered in this very funny debut collection of stories. ~ Reviewed by Amy Palmer
