We think you're near Los Angeles

Colorado Springs Thinking allowed

One Book Reviewer's 95 Theses; Or, Things to Nail on the Door of Random House (or wherever)

Out of love and concern for the Publishing Industry, and with the object of eliciting it (particularly since, by my optimistic calculations, the...
Read more

Confession time, Part 2: 10 books I should hate...but, for some reason, I love

Several months ago, I laid my bookish soul bare to you in Confession Time: 10 books I should love...but, for some reason, I hate.I contended that...
Read more

Book reviewing as a blood sport

When book reviewers aren't talking about books, they're talking about the death of books. And when they aren't talking about the death of books,...
Read more

Anti-Sensitive Inspector tomes (and why those Sensitive Inspectors are so popular anyway)

Last time, we explored the scourge that is sweeping the classic British mystery genre -- the Sensitive Inspector Syndrome. (Take a look at the...
Read more

Book avoidance: overcoming the fear & loathing of a book you don't want to read but know you should

After successfully avoiding Jonathan Franzen's book, The Corrections, for, lo, these 8 long years, I've finally broken down and decided to just...
Read more

Good-bye to Fifth Avenue; Or, duck, folks! Here comes literary diversity -- finally

I was absurdly honored this week by the National Book Critics Circle who featured myinflammatory and somewhat ranty guest post on their Board of...
Read more

Crime fiction is sexist? Absolutely -- against MEN, not women

According to the Telegraph and the Guardian, Britishauthor and LiteraryReview book criticJessica Mannhasannounced her intention tostop reviewing...
Read more

Men are from Dune, women are from Pemberley? Part 2: 75 books every woman should read

You love and adore Charlotte Bronte; he won't touch your copy of Jane Eyre regardless of your pleas.You think Blood Meridian was the best thing you...
Read more

Men are from Dune, women are from Pemberley? Leaping recklessly into the literary gender gap

Clichés about what men like to read versus what women like to read are outdated, tiresome, and sopassé -- that is, until you take a...
Read more

Confession time: 10 books I should love...but for some reason, I hate

Every book fiend has one, although they will strenuously deny it, except quietly, in utter confidence, with the doors locked, the blinds drawn, and...
Read more