James Wood has savaged some of my favorite authors - and I love him for it! Then, when he finally gets a novel he loves, he falls for it heart and soul. Such is the case with Marilynne Robinson's new novel, Gilead, which he reviews for the NYT Book Review, here (the site also includes a wonderful illustration by Ed Lam). Gilead now joins my ever-growing list of novels I dearly hope to read in the not-too-distant future, which includes Wood's own The Book Against God.
If I may add one more book to your list. Sort of in the mode of "The Book Against God" and, at least by Woods' review of "Gilead", a touch more funny than Marilynne Robinson's newest novel. The late (and great) Peter de Vries' first novel, "Blood of the Lamb". He wrote for The New Yorker and was the editor of "poetry" magazine. "Blood of the Lamb" is funny, heart-breaking, and challenging. How do you cope with your daughter's painful death and God and justice? Mr. De Vries has a go at that. The book is somewhat autobiographical; the pain is palpable.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the worthy recommendation - I'll be sure to keep my eyes peeled for it when I do my next troll through used bookstores.
ReplyDeleteGulp! Ms. Toews writes about the town of my childhood - I shall have to read and comment on this novel of hers before too much longer...
ReplyDeleteComments always welcome, blueskybrightsun!
Sorry: "son"
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