The subject of narrative truthfulness has come up frequently in my recent reading, and last week I was surprised to find it again as a central theme in Tim O’Brien’s novel about the Vietnam War, The Things They Carried. The traumatic experiences endured by the members of Alpha Company defy resolution, as they replay themselves again [...]
Posts Tagged as ‘Fiction’
May 7, 2010
Plot is Dead? Fiction and Reality Hunger
Manifestos are meant to provoke, and David Shields doesn’t disappoint. I wrote about Reality Hunger in an earlier post that focused on his views of reality-bending “non-fiction” and the collage-inspired appropriation of work by other writers. I have to say, I’m not ready to abide deliberate fabrications in what are purported to be factual accounts. And though [...]
April 20, 2010
Gone to the Dogs
Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read. –Groucho Marx * A popular stereotype about librarians is that we’re all cat people. Books like Dewey: the Small Town Library Cat that Touched the World do little to disabuse people of this notion. I’ve [...]
April 16, 2010
Magical Realism
Magical realism is one of my favorite reading genres. If you’re not familiar with this style of writing, it is not fantasy, science fiction, or escapist fiction. Rather, magical realist stories typically portray the world in ways beyond the objective – life described richly with delight, passion, and wonder. Nancy Pearl describes magical realism as “a [...]
April 12, 2010
And the Winner Is…
The Pulitzer Prizes are awarded annually for achievement in newspaper journalism, literature, and musical competition in the United States. The 2010 awards were announced earlier today in a variety of categories. Fiction: Tinkers by Paul Harding History: The Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World by Liaquat Ahamed Biography: The First Tycoon: The Epic [...]
March 24, 2010
Meet Brad at the Evergreen Branch
The Evergreen Branch recently welcomed a new manager, Brad Allen. Brad comes to us from Kansas, where he worked at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. We’re happy to introduce him to you here. Be sure to say hello next time you’re at the Evergreen Branch. Welcome to Everett! You drove here from Topeka. [...]
January 27, 2010
Oh, you lovely book
Do you know the feeling of picking up a book and within just a few pages feeling like the book was written precisely for you? The way the words form, the characters who feel like best friends, the descriptions of how the dinner table was set, and the way she fell in love last year? [...]
January 6, 2010
You Need to Read “Need”
Believe it or not, we library folk don’t get to read books at work. Some days it can be torturous, but it’s true. If we want to read a book, we have to check it out and take it home just like you. I’m a cataloger for children’s books and music. Most of these books [...]
December 23, 2009
Stories of the Year
If you’re looking for last minute gift ideas, or holiday reading suggestions for yourself, look no further than the Everett Public Library. Our Gift Guide points you to book and music buying ideas for all ages and interests. Our Best Books list includes our favorites from 2009. Here are a few other year-end lists that I will use to [...]
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