Ishiguro's 'Buried Giant' Gets Lost In Its Own Fog
Kazuo Ishiguro's latest novel is set in a mythical Arthurian England. Though the premise was promising, the book is too vague to make much of an impact.
Books
It's World Book Day: Time For Reading Lists And Dress-Up
Put down that screen: Today's the day to celebrate holding a bound book in your hands. For World Book Day, we bring you a roundup of stories and reading lists.
In 'The Buried Giant,' Exhausted Medieval Travelers 'Can't Go On,' But So 'Go On'
Kazuo Ishiguro's latest recalls the plays and novels of Samuel Beckett. It's a masterful blend of fantasy, Arthurian romance, myth, legend and postmodern absurdity — and it's unforgettable.
Montana's Almost Crowded Now, Thanks To The Colorful Characters Of 'Crow Fair'
Thomas McGuane's new story collection gives us a large cast of Big Sky dreamers, schemers and down-and-outs. Reviewer Alan Cheuse says it's a fascinating portrait of the state — with bonus bears.
A 'Girl In A Band': Kim Gordon On Life After Sonic Youth
Gordon co-founded Sonic Youth with Thurston Moore. When their marriage broke up in 2011, so did the band. Gordon talks about rebuilding her life, writing her memoir and her new band Body/Head.
Black Bodies In White Words, Or: Why We Need Claudia Rankine
Writer and photographer Syreeta McFadden says that when she's challenged to prove the existence of everyday racism, she directs friends, allies and enemies to Claudia Rankine's powerful Citizen.
A Vivid Portrait Of Tudor Turmoil In 'Lamentation'
The sixth volume of C.J. Sansom's Shardlake mysteries is set during the last days of England's King Henry VIII, as a potentially explosive religious manuscript written by his queen has gone missing.
From Laundering To Profiteering, A Multitude Of Sins At The Vatican Bank
In God's Bankers Gerald Posner explores the history of money, power and the church. During World War II, he says, the Vatican made money off of the life insurance policies of Jews sent to death camps.
A Life Examined — And Examined And Examined In 'Ongoingness'
Writer Sarah Manguso has been a compulsive diarist since childhood; her new memoir documents the ways motherhood has changed her writing. Critic Heller McAlpin says it's full of lovely observations.
'The Devil's Detective' Is A Grim Tour Through A Noirish Hell
Hell is actually a bureaucracy in Simon Kurt Unsworth's debut novel. Reviewer Jason Heller says the tale of a demonic murder investigation starts strong but gets mired in the details of infernal life.