http://metropulse.com/news/ae-reviews/books/?partner=RSSMetroPulse Stories: Booksen-usae-reviews/books/news/ae-reviews/books/?partner=RSShttp://metropulse.com/feeds/headlines/ae-reviews/books/2008-11-21T15:27:12.243157Copyright MetroPulse, 2008http://metropulse.com/news/2008/oct/22/pulp-victor-gischler/?partner=RSSGo-Go Girls of the Apocalypse is half-adventure novel, half-social satire about an insurance salesman named Mortimer Tate who sees the writing on the wall and disappears into the Tennessee mountain wilderness to wait out whatever’s coming down the road. Nine years later he gets restless and emerges to see what’s left of the crippled vestiges of humanity. ]]>Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/oct/22/pulp-victor-gischler/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books138672008-10-22T17:00:002008-10-22T17:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008<em>Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse</em> is half-adventure novel, half-social satire about an insurance salesman named Mortimer Tate who sees the writing on the wall and disappears into the Tennessee mountain wilderness to wait out whatever’s coming down the road. Nine years later he gets restless and emerges to see what’s left of the crippled vestiges of humanity. Knoxville, TNPulp: Victor GischlerMetroPulsepulp-victor-gischlerhttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/oct/22/pulp-karin-slaughter/?partner=RSSTriptych, and the Atlanta-based character is back in Fractured. ]]>Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/oct/22/pulp-karin-slaughter/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books138682008-10-22T17:00:002008-10-22T17:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008No matter how good or how successful any series of books is, living in the same headspace with the same characters book after book can weary even the most devoted author. Such is the case with Karin Slaughter’s excellent Grant County series about a fictional small town in Georgia; needing a break, Slaughter introduced Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Will Trent in 2006’s <em>Triptych</em>, and the Atlanta-based character is back in <em>Fractured</em>.Knoxville, TNPulp: Karin SlaughterMetroPulsepulp-karin-slaughterhttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/oct/01/pulp-erin-hogan/?partner=RSSSpiral Jetta is one those unpretentious travel volumes that largely go unnoticed. It’s only 180 pages. It doesn’t tell of perilous journeys or of discovering exotic cultures. Nor is its author, the director of public affairs at the Art Institute of Chicago, particularly celebrated. Hogan’s unassuming volume merely illuminates a few rarely viewed late-20th-century American artworks. Thankfully, that modest purpose does not conceal the intimacy and insight of its prose. ]]>Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/oct/01/pulp-erin-hogan/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books137952008-10-01T17:00:002008-10-01T17:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008Erin Hogan’s <em>Spiral Jetta</em> is one those unpretentious travel volumes that largely go unnoticed. It’s only 180 pages. It doesn’t tell of perilous journeys or of discovering exotic cultures. Nor is its author, the director of public affairs at the Art Institute of Chicago, particularly celebrated. Hogan’s unassuming volume merely illuminates a few rarely viewed late-20th-century American artworks. Thankfully, that modest purpose does not conceal the intimacy and insight of its prose.Knoxville, TNPulp: Erin HoganMetroPulsepulp-erin-hoganhttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/sep/03/neverending-story/?partner=RSS ]]>maldonadoc@metropulse.com (Charles Maldonado)Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/sep/03/neverending-story/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books136792008-09-03T17:00:002008-09-03T17:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008Bestselling author Terry Brooks has forged a long career writing giant books about epic fantasy worlds, and Charles Maldonado pops in for a visit.Knoxville, TNCharles MaldonadoThe Neverending StoryMetroPulseneverending-storyhttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/sep/03/pulp-haruki-murakami/?partner=RSSWhat I Talk about When I Talk about Running, suggests that Murakami’s worldwide success has been enabled by his affinity for American iconography. ]]>Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/sep/03/pulp-haruki-murakami/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books136872008-09-03T17:00:002008-09-03T17:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008Does Haruki Murakami’s popularity derive from the ubiquity of American culture? Perhaps no other Japanese author has attained such a global following, with translations in over 40 languages, from Arabic to Vietnamese. The author’s new memoir, <em>What I Talk about When I Talk about Running</em>, suggests that Murakami’s worldwide success has been enabled by his affinity for American iconography.Knoxville, TNPulp: Haruki MurakamiMetroPulsepulp-haruki-murakamihttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/aug/13/sound-unbound-sampling-digital-music-and-culture-m/?partner=RSSPulp: Historian Jacques Barzun once observed “that a good deal of [20th-century] art has been instructional, the artist-pedagogue flogging the dead philistine.” That remark could serve as epigram to the essays and music Paul D. Miller has collected in Sound Unbound: Sampling Digital Music and Culture. ]]>Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/aug/13/sound-unbound-sampling-digital-music-and-culture-m/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books136172008-08-13T17:00:002008-08-13T17:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008<strong>Pulp:</strong> Historian Jacques Barzun once observed “that a good deal of [20th-century] art has been instructional, the artist-pedagogue flogging the dead philistine.” That remark could serve as epigram to the essays and music Paul D. Miller has collected in <em>Sound Unbound: Sampling Digital Music and Culture</em>. Knoxville, TNSound Unbound: Sampling Digital Music and Culture (MIT Press)MetroPulsesound-unbound-sampling-digital-music-and-culture-mhttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/aug/13/chasing-darkness-simon-schuster/?partner=RSSPulp: After producing a subset of novels exploring the origins of his Los Angeles detective characters Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, and taking a break from those characters with a stand-alone novel (2006’s The Two Minute Rule), Robert Crais returns to the Cole/Pike franchise with a renewed sense of purpose. ]]>Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/aug/13/chasing-darkness-simon-schuster/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books136182008-08-13T17:00:002008-08-13T17:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008<strong>Pulp:</strong> After producing a subset of novels exploring the origins of his Los Angeles detective characters Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, and taking a break from those characters with a stand-alone novel (2006’s <em>The Two Minute Rule</em>), Robert Crais returns to the Cole/Pike franchise with a renewed sense of purpose. Knoxville, TNChasing Darkness (Simon & Schuster)MetroPulsechasing-darkness-simon-schusterhttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/jul/30/swan-peak-james-lee-burke/?partner=RSSWed, 30 Jul 2008 21:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/jul/30/swan-peak-james-lee-burke/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books135592008-07-30T17:00:002008-07-30T17:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008Sometimes we have a writer who is so good and so reliable that we forget exactly how amazing his prose can be. Perhaps he makes the bestseller lists, but rarely peaks at number one; or she never goes out of print, but the bookstore doesn’t carry those crucial first novels because they’re 20 years old. Then that writer crests with a new book that’s so clearly in his wheelhouse that you physically crave breaking out his old titles and letting his words wash over your brain. One such writer is James Lee Burke.Knoxville, TNSwan Peak by James Lee Burke MetroPulseswan-peak-james-lee-burkehttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/jul/30/age-bronze-eric-shanower/?partner=RSSAge of Bronze. ]]>everettm@metropulse.com (Matthew Everett)Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/jul/30/age-bronze-eric-shanower/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books135602008-07-30T17:00:002008-07-30T17:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008For all its cultural familiarity, there’s never been a full, high literary telling of the story of the Trojan War. Some people may not think an ongoing comics series is an appropriate form for such an epic undertaking, but those are people who haven’t read Eric Shanower’s <em>Age of Bronze</em>.Knoxville, TNMatthew EverettThe Age of Bronze by Eric ShanowerMetroPulseage-bronze-eric-shanowerhttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/jul/16/reapers-john-connolly/?partner=RSSThe Reapers, and though Parker makes an appearance, actual ghosts do not. ]]>Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/jul/16/reapers-john-connolly/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books135102008-07-16T17:00:002008-07-16T17:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008John Connolly is easily one of the finest practitioners of the supernatural-tinged mystery story, with a series of books featuring the literally and metaphorically haunted P.I. Charlie Parker. Two of the supporting characters in that series now have a book of their own, <em>The Reapers</em>, and though Parker makes an appearance, actual ghosts do not. Knoxville, TNThe Reapers by John ConnollyMetroPulsereapers-john-connollyhttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/jul/16/lazarus-project-aleksander-hemon/?partner=RSSThe Lazarus Project appears to contain three times that. Launched from a historical moment in 1908, the novel provokes a dozen voices spanning a century and two continents. Additionally, The Lazarus Project is not confined to text alone, but incorporates historical and contemporary photographs in its chronicle of resurrection. ]]>Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/jul/16/lazarus-project-aleksander-hemon/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books135092008-07-16T17:00:002008-07-16T17:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008Despite its mere 294 pages, Aleksandar Hemon’s <em>The Lazarus Project</em> appears to contain three times that. Launched from a historical moment in 1908, the novel provokes a dozen voices spanning a century and two continents. Additionally, <em>The Lazarus Project</em> is not confined to text alone, but incorporates historical and contemporary photographs in its chronicle of resurrection.Knoxville, TNThe Lazarus Project by Aleksander HemonMetroPulselazarus-project-aleksander-hemonhttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/jul/02/so-my-life/?partner=RSSmaldonadoc@metropulse.com (Charles Maldonado)Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/jul/02/so-my-life/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books134702008-07-02T17:00:002008-07-02T17:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008Charles Maldonado goes where even angels fear to tread (angels over 17, at any rate)—the Young Adult section of a local bookstore. There, Charles considers some current examples of the genre, with input from his... younger self? We're starting to worry about that boy...Knoxville, TNCharles MaldonadoSo, This is My Life...MetroPulseso-my-lifehttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/jul/02/local-exerts-opinions-summer-reading/?partner=RSSWed, 02 Jul 2008 20:11:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/jul/02/local-exerts-opinions-summer-reading/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books134692008-07-02T16:11:002008-07-02T16:11:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008A few locals take the time to give us their insiders' short-lists on the topics they know best.Knoxville, TNLocal Exerts' Opinions for Summer ReadingMetroPulselocal-exerts-opinions-summer-readinghttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/jul/02/hot-books/?partner=RSSWed, 02 Jul 2008 16:18:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/jul/02/hot-books/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books134552008-07-02T12:18:002008-07-02T12:18:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008It's our annual summer reading issue: We've surveyed the hippest of Knoxville's (elusive) hiperati, and asked them what books are on their must-read list this year at the beach or on the lake or in the lawn chair. Be sure to take notes; there'll be a test next week.Knoxville, TNHot BooksMetroPulsehot-bookshttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/jun/18/all-things-must-fight/?partner=RSSAll Things Must Fight to Live: Stories of War and Deliverance in Congo, author and journalist Bryan Mealer describes breakfast in a train’s dining carriage as “one of my happiest moments. Because it was the first time out on the road where, for a brief moment, I felt I could’ve been anywhere in the world.” It’s a curious observation, one that unintentionally exposes the divide between travel writing and journalism. Travel writing seeks to describe the experience of engaging a unique “somewhere,” whereas journalism’s aim is simply to report it. All Things Fight to Live meanders between these two frames of reference, meanwhile recounting Mealer’s harrowing experiences as a reporter in the Democratic Republic of Congo. ]]>Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/jun/18/all-things-must-fight/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books134142008-06-18T17:00:002008-06-18T17:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008Near the end of <em>All Things Must Fight to Live: Stories of War and Deliverance in Congo</em>, author and journalist Bryan Mealer describes breakfast in a train’s dining carriage as “one of my happiest moments. Because it was the first time out on the road where, for a brief moment, I felt I could’ve been anywhere in the world.” It’s a curious observation, one that unintentionally exposes the divide between travel writing and journalism. Travel writing seeks to describe the experience of engaging a unique “somewhere,” whereas journalism’s aim is simply to report it. <em>All Things Fight to Live</em> meanders between these two frames of reference, meanwhile recounting Mealer’s harrowing experiences as a reporter in the Democratic Republic of Congo.Knoxville, TNAll Things Must Fight to Live: Stories of War and Deliverance in CongoMetroPulseall-things-must-fighthttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/jun/04/chronicle-plague-revisited-da-capo-press/?partner=RSSChristopher Street. His subject, at first, was gay New York. By 1982, when the AIDS crisis hit the city, that became his subject—the disease, the fear, the sudden deflation and dissipation of an entire community. ]]>everettm@metropulse.com (Matthew Everett)Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/jun/04/chronicle-plague-revisited-da-capo-press/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books133792008-06-04T17:00:002008-06-04T17:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008In the early 1980s, Andrew Holleran wrote a column called New York Notebook for the magazine <em>Christopher Street</em>. His subject, at first, was gay New York. By 1982, when the AIDS crisis hit the city, that became his subject—the disease, the fear, the sudden deflation and dissipation of an entire community.Knoxville, TNMatthew EverettChronicle of a Plague, Revisited (Da Capo Press)MetroPulsechronicle-plague-revisited-da-capo-presshttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/jun/04/price-blood-declan-hughes/?partner=RSSWed, 04 Jun 2008 21:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/jun/04/price-blood-declan-hughes/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books135112008-06-04T17:00:002008-06-04T17:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008Crime novels can be travel guides to a sense of place, a way to experience both the familiar and the unfamiliar through a grimy lens that just happens to rack its focus from the gutter. A city like Dublin, Ireland, trapped forever by its storied past yet thriving in its “Celtic Tiger” present of urban renewal and technology, is an ideal matte painting upon which to splatter a little blood.Knoxville, TNThe Price of Blood by Declan Hughes MetroPulseprice-blood-declan-hugheshttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/may/21/journey-round-my-skull-new-york-review-books/?partner=RSSA Journey Round My Skull. TV’s medical mysteries have become our classical drama, their sequence of gore, gadgetry, and unconcealed patient disregard recalling Aristotelian unities. In Round My Skull, that aesthetic is turned on its head, the story unfolding entirely from the patient’s perspective and fully absent of present-day medical technology. ]]>Wed, 21 May 2008 22:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/may/21/journey-round-my-skull-new-york-review-books/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books133102008-05-21T18:00:002008-05-21T18:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008There’s a timely relevance to Hungarian writer Frigyes Karinthy’s 1939 memoir <em>A Journey Round My Skull</em>. TV’s medical mysteries have become our classical drama, their sequence of gore, gadgetry, and unconcealed patient disregard recalling Aristotelian unities. In <em>Round My Skull</em>, that aesthetic is turned on its head, the story unfolding entirely from the patient’s perspective and fully absent of present-day medical technology.Knoxville, TNA Journey Round My Skull (New York Review Books)MetroPulsejourney-round-my-skull-new-york-review-bookshttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/may/21/small-favor-novel-dresden-files/?partner=RSSSmall Favor, are easily among the better books in the burgeoning genre. ]]>Wed, 21 May 2008 22:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/may/21/small-favor-novel-dresden-files/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books133112008-05-21T18:00:002008-05-21T18:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008What might have been considered a horror book a few years ago is now often considered “urban fantasy.” Urban fantasy novels tend to weave horror, romance, fantasy, and mystery into a gumbo of spicy provenance, but there’s so much of it flooding the shelves that the good stuff can get lost. Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files novels, the 10th of which is <em>Small Favor</em>, are easily among the better books in the burgeoning genre. Knoxville, TNSmall Favor: A Novel of the Dresden FilesMetroPulsesmall-favor-novel-dresden-fileshttp://metropulse.com/news/2008/may/07/her-majestys-secret-service/?partner=RSSQueen & Country series of espionage comics, has been shot, targeted by assassins, used by her bosses as bait for those same assassins, kidnapped and assaulted by Georgian terrorists, lost a former lover, watched one of her colleagues from the British intelligence special operations unit die in action, and had her office hit by a rocket. And all that’s just in the first two volumes of the collected 32-issue series ]]>everettm@metropulse.com (Matthew Everett)Wed, 07 May 2008 22:00:00 -0000http://metropulse.com/news/2008/may/07/her-majestys-secret-service/?partner=RSSae-reviews/books132662008-05-07T18:00:002008-05-07T18:00:00Copyright MetroPulse, 2008Tara Chace, the protagonist of Greg Rucka’s <em>Queen & Country</em> series of espionage comics, has been shot, targeted by assassins, used by her bosses as bait for those same assassins, kidnapped and assaulted by Georgian terrorists, lost a former lover, watched one of her colleagues from the British intelligence special operations unit die in action, and had her office hit by a rocket. And all that’s just in the first two volumes of the collected 32-issue seriesKnoxville, TNMatthew EverettOn Her Majesty's Secret ServiceMetroPulseher-majestys-secret-service