Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates
Still haven't seen Sam Mendes' recent film adaptation, but amid all the hoopla I read this distinguished, powerful, very bleak novel of 1950s suburban alienation. One of my perverse pleasures is movie tie-in editions, so I picked up Vintage Contemporary's new mass-market paperback with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet canoodling on the cover. This means that no matter what desperate situation Yates' unhappy couple of Frank and April Wheeler are in (boozing, arguing, boozing some more), in my mind's eye it's a desperate Leo and Kate I see. I should note that the cover illustration notwithstanding, in the book this pair doesn't do a lot of canoodling. (Kenneth Burns, arts and entertainment editor)
Interzone by William S. Burroughs
Abject intravenous drug use, semi-consensual exploitative man-boy relationships, grotesque mutations and unmanageable, vile, indecent prose spliced together at random. An absolute delight to read! (Craig Cady, sales representative)
American Woman, by Susan Choi
Into the Woods, by Tana French
Decided to check out a couple of recommendations from Salon's Book Awards 2008. Both of these looked interesting: A Person of Interest, by Susan Choi, and The Likeness, by Tana French. I was surprised when they weren't available at the new Barnes & Noble at Oakbrook Center. Rats. Oh, and then I found out they're only available in hardcover. Double rats. So I decided to grab what else was available (in paperback) by Choi and French. Was not disappointed. Choi's American Woman was a good read. All about war and peace, race and class. But I loved French's Into the Woods. If you can still remember what it was like as a child to know every inch of your backyard, do not skip the prologue. A couple of the most beautiful pages ever written. Highly recommend this mystery. Btw, The Likeness comes out in paperback in May. (Carolyn Fath, art director)
Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid by Denis Leary
Denis Leary is known for caustic humor as well as being an award-winning actor and writer on television shows such as Rescue Me. If you appreciate his style, he can be very funny, indeed. If you don't, he is just an asshole (self-professed, but still).
I have always liked Denis, but his new book, Why We Suck, might just be a bit over the top. I find I have to read this book as if listening to him talk. It is full of the sharp patter, angry diatribes and wordplay that have made his comedic routines hilarious. Without that internal placement, however, the book comes across as arrogant, sarcastic, condescending and almost libel-suit-worthy, which, judging by the title, should have been exactly what to expect. (Thom Jones, systems manager)
Seven Days in the Art World by Sarah Thornton
