A powerful and moving history, Sarah Schulman’s new book Let the Record Show follows the course of Act Up New York, an AIDS activist and advocacy group, from the late 1980s through the mid 1990s,…
Book Review: "Detransition, Baby" by Torrey Peters
April 12, 2021
A novel treading a line between messy and sanitized, Detrantition, Baby is an interesting read and a remarkable debut novel, but one that feels like it’s a bit of a step back for Torrey Peters….
A haunting new novel by Patricia Lockwood, No One Is Talking About This goes deep into themes about the internet, real life, where they bleed into each other and what really matters. It’s a powerful…
Book Review: "Lockdown In Hell World" by Luke O'Neil
March 6, 2021
It’s March and the snow is starting to melt and the Covid-19 death total has crossed a half-million; sitting on my bedside table is a new collection of reportage and essays that’s chronicled this pandemic…
Deconstruction, Deconstructed - An Event, Perhaps: A Biography of Jacques Derrida by Peter Salmon
December 19, 2020
A concise look at a complex legacy, An Event, Perhaps traces Jacques Derrida’s life and career, providing a clear and fascinating look at the French philosopher and his theories of Deconstruction. Born and raised in…
Voices on the wire: JR – William Gaddis (NYRB Classics, 2020)
November 25, 2020
A wild ride through financial markets, big business and middle school, JR remains Gaddis’ most experimental novel, and perhaps his best. Told almost entirely through dialogue, most of it one-sided telephone conversations, JR follows a…
Album Review: "Shaking Studies" by Judith Hamann
October 24, 2020
A album of slow drones, tension and release, Judith Hamann’s Shaking Studies is an interesting listen, a LP of four slow-moving, almost microtonal pieces that to open-eared listeners, are captivating. Shaking Studies is a solo…
A Towering look at A Complex Legacy: "Wagnerism" – Alex Ross
October 20, 2020
A towering work of cultural history and criticism, Alex Ross’ new book Wagnerism takes a deep look at the always-controversial composer and his many legacies. Born in 1813, Wagner had his first operas appear before…
The Sound of Reinvention: David Bowie - I’m Only Dancing
September 14, 2020
David Bowie – I’m Only Dancing (The Soul Tour 1974) (Parlophone, 2020) When David Bowie hit the road in 1974, it was with elaborate sets and a setlist heavy on Diamond Dogs, a tour captured…