Critical Notes

Books for runners, books for readers, books for summer

By Laurie Hertzel

NBCC vice president/ online Jane Ciabattari's Lit Hub column features It Girl Eve Babitz's first novel, redux; 2000 literary It Guy Matthew Klam's first novel, Nina Rigg's radiant cancer memoir and Diksha Basu's first novel, set in her hometown, Delhi.  

NBCC board member and autobiography chair Laurie Hertzel reviewed “The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen Age 83 ¼,” by an anonymous Dutch writer, for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. She also wrote her weekly Bookmark column for the Strib on “ten tips to pack more reading into your day.”

Joan Frank reviewed “The Use of Fame” by Cornelia Nixon, for the San Francisco Chronicle and Sylvia Brownrigg's “Pages for Her,”  also for the Chronicle.

Parul Kapur Hinzen interviewed Geeta Kothari, author of “I Brake for Moose and Other Stories,” for The Rumpus.

Mike Lindgren wrote about “The Card Catalog” for the Washington Post. (Many people commented.)

Lanie Tankard reviewed Lisa Ko's “The Leavers” for The Woven Tale Press.

Scott F. Parker wrote about four summer reads about running for Runner's World. (Can one read and run at the same time?)

Balakian award winning critic Parul Sehgal praises Daphne du Maurier for the New York Times.

Joseph Peschel reviews “Why: What Makes Us Curious,” by Mario Livio, for Science Magazine.

Your reviews seed this roundup. Please send items, including news about your new publications and recent honors, to NBCCCritics@gmail.com. Make sure to send links that do not require a subscription or username and password. Please include your name, the publication, a description of your article, and a URL. We love URLs. We do not love hyperlinks.

Laurie Hertzel is the senior editor for books at the Minneapolis Star Tribune and a member of the NBCC board.