Castillo, Ana. The Mixquiahuala Letters. Tempe: Bilingual, 1986. This is Castillo’s first novel, and wow have I missed out waiting this long to acquire and read it! I began reading the book this afternoon as soon as I unwrapped it from its shipping envelope (as C.S. Lewis writes in Surprised by Joy, there is really nothing likeContinue reading “Books Acquired Recently”
Monthly Archives: August 2012
Ana Castillo’s Loverboys
Ana Castillo’s short story collection Loverboys is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. It’s so smooth, it feels like someone is talking to me and in doing so enchanting me instead of me actively reading. I feel like I’m in a dream while reading it to the point that I sometimes lose senseContinue reading “Ana Castillo’s Loverboys”
An Odd Typewriter
Yesterday I was at one of my favorite non-bookstore stores in Salt Lake City, the vintage shop Unhinged, when I came across a nifty green typewriter. Upon taking a closer look, I discovered that, though it was completely intact, it didn’t have a 1. I have never seen a qwerty keyboard without all ten numeralsContinue reading “An Odd Typewriter”
Books Acquired Recently
Castillo, Ana. Loverboys. New York: Norton, 1996. —. My Father Was a Toltec and Selected Poems 1973-1988. 1995. New York: Anchor, 2004. Ana Castillo is an author that I really enjoy, especially her novel The Guardians, which I’ve taught several times. She is the writer-in-residence this semester at my college, so I thought I wouldContinue reading “Books Acquired Recently”
The U.S. Wins a Thriller Against Canada
If you weren’t watching the Olympic Women’s Soccer semifinal between the U.S. and Canada this afternoon, you suck. It was one of the most thrilling, well-played soccer matches I have seen in my twenty-plus years as a fan. Both teams played their guts out, with the U.S. scoring the winning goal in the 123rd minuteContinue reading “The U.S. Wins a Thriller Against Canada”
Chuck Palahniuk’s Invisible Monsters Remix
Chuck Palahniuk’s Invisible Monsters Remix is a fantastic printed object that deserves space in the canon of American postmodern fiction. It is the 1999 version of Invisible Monsters in its original intended form, which asks the reader to jump back and forth throughout the volume, kind of like a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book from the 1980s. ForContinue reading “Chuck Palahniuk’s Invisible Monsters Remix”
Book Acquired Recently: Fifty Shades of Grey
James, E L. Fifty Shades of Grey. 2011. New York: Vintage, 2012. I bought this book because a student of mine wants to write an essay about it and its popularity. I have heard that it is written horribly and would not read it on my own, but will do so for professional reasons. I feel aContinue reading “Book Acquired Recently: Fifty Shades of Grey”
Books Acquired Recently
Delany, Samuel R. The Einstein Intersection. New York: Ace, 1967. I bought this and Anne Sexton’s book for $1.00 each at Savers Thrift Store in Salt Lake City, whose book section was recommended to me by a student. I already have the current Wesleyan University Press edition of this novel, but I collect different printingsContinue reading “Books Acquired Recently”
Daniel Shank Cruz 