Last month’s edition, which focused on books up for review and on hold at the library, panned out so well I should almost do it again. I’ve read four of the five books for review and the fifth doesn’t hit the street until the beginning of May. I’m still on the hold list for one of the four library books but got two read and took a third back because it was evident I wasn’t going to get to it before it was due.
In part because of all the reading, this month’s list is a bit shorter but looking at it indicates I may be going through a bit of SF withdrawal. It includes:
The City & The City, China Miéville — While this book doesn’t come out for nearly two months, I’ve been enthralled with Miéville’s work since I read Perdido Street StationPerdido Street Station in 2002. I can’t wait for this one.
Columbine, Dave Cullen — Some media hype and rave reviews about this exploration of the high school shootings 10 years later prompts this addition to the list. That plus the fact I will be able to get it from the local library.
Ghosts — Still hooked on world lit, some favorable reviews of this novella by Argentine author César Aira caught my interest.
Level 7, Mordecai Roshwald — Despite the number of post-apocalyptic novels I’ve read, this one, first published in 1959, somehow escaped my attention. I plan to remedy that error with this re-release.
Other Earths — Another of my favorite SF sub-genres — alternate history — caused this collection of stories to pique my interest.
Rag and Bone: A Journey Among the World’s Holy Dead, Peter Manseau — I don’t know why but I’m attracted by these sorts of books — Manseau travels the world in search of religious relics. A fairly favorable review pushed it on to the list.
In a word, literature is my Utopia.
Helen Keller, The Story of My Life
