J. T. Leroy, Paul Auster, Dana Gioia, and more...

INTERVIEWS

J. T. Leroy
Interviewed by Kevin Sampsell
Despite having a reputation for being painfully shy and never being seen at his readings, J.T. Leroy has been described as a typical 21st-century kid, gladly answering e-mails all day long but without social skills in public.

REVIEWS: FICTION

My Name is Red
Orhan Pamuk
Art and the Islamic culture of 16th-century Istanbul flavor this unique novel, a sort of murder mystery told in a variety of voices. Reviewed by Eric J. Iannelli

Argall
William T. Vollman
Through the voice of William the Blind, Vollman gives an imaginative account of the relationship between Jahn Smith and Pocahantas in this new addition to his Seven Dreams series. Reviewed by Jason Picone

Scorch
A. D. Nauman
A "reductio ad absurdum critique of free-for-all capitalism," Scorch scorches both utopian ideals of capitalism and its counter-mate, Marxism. Reviewed by Justin Maxwell

The Woman Chaser
& The Machine in Ward Eleven
Charles Willeford
Noir or not, these beefy testosterone-filled tales will have you tipping back shots and railing against the status quo in no time. Reviewed by Kris Lawson

REVIEWS: POETRY

The Mercy Seat: Collected & New Poems 1967-2001
Norman Dubie
Offering more than thirty years of poetry, The Mercy Seat revels in surreal allegory and archetypes. Reviewed by Joel Weishaus

Plot
Claudia Rankine
Beyond the ur-plot of this book-length poem of man and woman having baby lies a deft language of exploration. Reviewed by Bonnie Blader

Interrogations at Noon
Dana Gioia
Will formalism save poetry? Take a gander, dear reader. Reviewed by Michael McIrvin

With the First Dream of Fire They Hunt the Cold
Trevor Joyce
This too-little-known Irish poet explores language as a "broken bird on stunned wings." Reviewed by Harriet Zinnes

The Angelus Bell
Ed Foster
Poems of intimate communion and sound resonate beyond their telling. Reviewed by John Olson

REVIEWS: NONFICTION

I Thought My Father Was God
edited by Paul Auster
The National Story Project sees print in this engaging and magical collection of unbelievably true stories by average Americans. Reviewed by Sarah Fox

Free Flight
James Fallows
& Air Rage
Anonymous and Andrew R. Thomas
To fly or not to fly? Two books explore the possible best and definite worst of airline travel. Reviewed by Peter Ritter

Canaries in the Mineshaft: Essays on Politics and Media
Renata Adler
Adler doesn't hold back in theis work that takes on journalistic integrity and political prejudice. Reviewed by Rumaan Alam

Courting Justice: Gay Men and Lesbians v. the Supreme Court
Joyce Murdoch and Deb Price
The authors explore numerous Supreme Court cases that have defined how homosexuals are treated in an often hostile justice system. Reviewed by Jane S. Van Ingen

Strange Good Fortune: Essays on Contemporary Poetry
David Wojahn
Drawn to writers afflicted by mental illness, scandal, and bad luck, Wojahn unflinchingly delves into poets' lives in this new collection of essays. Reviewed by Susan Smith Nash

The Body and the Book: Writing from a Mennonite Life
Julia Kasdorf
A poet juggles her Mennonite heritage with her writing life. Reviewed by Sarah Fox

REVIEWS: ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

One Hundred Paintings
Federico Zeri
The late art historian and critic gives voice to a selection of dazzling paintings in this new series of art books. Reviewed by Kelly Eveding

Havana
Robert Polidori
Reviewed by David Taylor