1) The Devil All the Time: A Novel, by Donald Ray Pollock. For realism — and for straight-up kicking ass.
2) Beautiful Unbroken: A Memoir, by Mary Jane Nealon. For emotional truth.
3) The Barbarian Nurseries: A Novel, by Hector Tobar. For A devastating portrayal of class and cultural divisions in LA.
4) The Visible Man: A Novel, by Chuck Klosterman. For sustained narrative tension and for having — that rare thing — a perfect ending.
5) Lightning Rods: A Novel, by Helen Dewitt. For brilliant satire.
6) The Art of Fielding: A Novel, by Chad Harbach. For being a damned satisfying long novel.
7) The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making: A Novel, by Catherynne M. Valente. For A high level of originality and stylistic excellence.
8) American Gangbang: A Memoir, by Sam Benjamin. For honesty (and hilarity).
9) The Buddha in the Attic: A Novel, by Julie Otsuka. For economy.
10) Broken Irish: A Novel, by Edward J. DeLaney. For a broad range of convincing characters and for being very nearly unputdownable.
11) Widow: Stories, by Michelle Latiolais. For intelligence.
12) With Liberty and Justice for Some: How the Law Is Used to Destroy Equality and Protect the Powerful, by Glenn Greenwald. For clarity.
Our Top 12 of 2011
Posted in News on 3 January, 2012 by S&Co.Hours for Monday, Dec 26th.
Posted in News on 26 December, 2011 by S&Co.We will be open today from noon to four.
T-shirts are available now — $15
Posted in News on 8 December, 2011 by S&Co.
Shirts are 100% cotton, navy blue.
Artwork by Courtney Blazon!
Our local reviewers …
Posted in Books, Opinion with tags David Gates, Katie Kane on 5 December, 2011 by S&Co.UM professor Katie Kane reviews Peter Orner’s Love and Shame and Love.
UM professor David Gates reviews Will Hermes’s Love Goes to Buildings on Fire.
Kids’ Book Group meets next on Dec. 15th
Posted in Books, Events, Reading on 4 December, 2011 by S&Co.
The Kids’ Book Group will meet Dec. 15th at 6 pm. to discuss Lois Lowry’s The Willoughbys. The group meets monthly and is open to 4th through 7th graders (no exceptions). Please contact us about joining now!
The Holiday Mood
Posted in News with tags Brenda Lee on 3 December, 2011 by S&Co.Brenda Lee, Christmas trees, and, for god’s sake, puppies:
What I’m Reading Right Now
Posted in Books, Excerpts with tags Scott Raab, The Whore of Akron on 3 December, 2011 by S&Co.
The Whore of Akron, by Scott Raab (Harper; $25.99)
In the end, what truly matters is this: Cleveland fans love the city, cherish the teams more deeply, and pull for them with far more passion than fans anywhere else. Other Rust Belt cities have been stripped of a middle class over the past fifty years by the same socioeconomic Katrina, but only Cleveland became the armpit of a nation. Detroit is a sinkhole of permanent despair, Pittsburgh’s a human sewer, but fans in those cities know at least what victory looks, sounds, and feels like, and they limp a little taller and stink slightly less for that knowledge.
Extended hours for Friday, Dec 2nd
Posted in News on 2 December, 2011 by S&Co.We will be open until 9 pm tonight. Wine is complimentary, gift wrap free.
Independent Bookstores
Posted in Books, News, Opinion on 1 December, 2011 by S&Co.Salon is running a nice series on independent bookstores.
