An Early Snapshot of Great Summer Reading!

 

With summer springing upon us quicker than we realize, most avid readers begin to ponder which books will be placed on their summer reading list. Here are a few powerhouses that certainly deserve high consideration:

Arts and Letters  by Edmund White

Cleis Press, September 19th, 2006, 376 pages, paper trade, ISBN 978-1-57344-248-0, $15.95

About four years ago, Cleis Press published Edmund White’s essential look at important writers from various time periods and various genres. From Oscar Wilde to Jean Genet to Marcel Proust to Vladimir Nabokov to Allen Ginsberg, White offers a rather intriguing discussion on their lives, their time periods and their work. But he doesn’t only discuss writers. White also covers a fair number of artists from diverse fields who’ve each rocked the world with their creative brilliance: Andy Warhol, Rebecca Horn, Elton John, and many, many more.

 

Who’s to Say What’s Obscene?  by Paul Krassner

City Lights, July 1st, 2009, 240 pages, paper trade, ISBN 978-0-87286-501-3, $16.95

Bad boy Paul Krassner has managed — again — to lead the march against hypocrisy and social bigotry with his powerful (and often directly harsh) piece Who’s To Say What’s Obscene?  The title of his book alone provides a fierce opening jab at people who point fingers and place unjust labels on those who see things differently. Krassner is a master at composing satire and hard-line investigative journalism. And with this book, no one is safe — not even President Barack Obama.

 

The Incredible Double  by Owen Hill

PM Press, September 1st, 2009, 128 pages, paper trade, ISBN 978-1-60486-083-2, $13.95

In The Incredible Double, Clay Blackburn is a transsexual Berkeley book hound with a penchant for unlicensed detective work. And despite his lack of credentials, people still seek his help in solving their perplexed conundrums. According to famed Beat writer Michael McClure, The Incredible Double is “a mystery of contingencies centering in the reeking Chandler Arms and the quicksand of Moe’s Books.” Any EastBay, pro-Berkeley reader should pick up this novel and feast.

Year of the Horse  by Justin Allen

Overlook Books, October 15, 2009, 352 pages, hard cover, ISBN 978-1-59020-273-9, $18.95

Set in the old days of America’s Wild West, Chinese-American Tzu-lu embarks on an adventurous journey across the country. He finds himself getting into danger, seeking the unknown and coming across a chance at wealth. This is a coming-of-age novel for young readers who appreciate American history.

Three Clover Press, December 8th, 2009, 328 pages, paper trade, ISBN 978-0-9819553-3-3, $15.95

If you enjoyed the classic comedy film Animal House, you’ll appreciate reading Dodie Katague’s wild and crazy memoir

Copyright © 2010, Tony R. Rodriguez, Examiner.com