Critical Notes

Roundup, Labor Day Edition: Rick Bass, more Hothouse reviews, and a Salinger Bonanza!

By Eric Liebetrau

Joe Peschel reviews Rick Bass's novel, All the Land to Hold Us, in the Boston Globe.

For Bookforum, John Domini reviews Joseph McElroy's latest novel Cannonball. He also reviews Peter Dimock's novel George Anderson.

Rayyan Al-Shawaf reviews both Karima Bennoune's Your Fatwa Does Not Apply Here and Amir Ahmad Nasr's My Isl@m for the Boston Globe.

“This is a mystery novel worth staying home for: Cancel those weekend plans, crank up the air conditioner and mute all electronic devices.” Maureen Corrigan reviews Louise Penny's latest, How the Lights Get In.

Marion Winik reviews Amy Grace Loyd's The Affairs of Others in Newsday.

A J.D. Salinger bonanza! NBCC board member Carolyn Kellogg on the Salinger bio, movie, and 5 unpublished books. She also looks at the success of the megarich author of the Fifty Shades series, E.L. James. And why did Harlan Ellison, a “happily 20th century guy,” launch a YouTube channel? Kellogg investigates.

NBCC board member David Ulin reviews the new Salinger bio, by David Shields and Shane Salerno.

The Guardian: “Valerie Trueblood's memorable and textured stories don't take long to read – but they linger long after you've finished them.”

John Freeman reviews NoViolet Bulawayo's We Need New Names in the Seattle Times.

Julia M. Klein reviews Boris Kachka's Hothouse for the Jewish Daily ForwardAnd Jeff Guinn's Manson for the Boston Globe. For the New Jersey Monthly, Klein profiles novelist Dara Horn.

Heller McAlpin reviews Hothouse for the Los Angeles Times.

Jewish Daily Forward: “How [former NBCC board member] Lizzie Skurnick Went From Young Adult Authority to Publisher.”

Sandrof winner and frequent NBCC finalist Joyce Carol Oates reviews J.M. Coetzee's new novel.

Stephen Burt celebrates the life of the recently deceased poet Seamus Heaney. Craig Morgan Teicher also remembers the late poet.

Marisha Pessl's new best-seller, Night Film, reviewed by Craig Seligman.

NBCC board member Jane Ciabattari reviews Bob Shacochis' The Woman Who Lost Her Soul.

Claire of the Sea Light a moving story of love, death. NBCC board member Colette Bancroft on Edwidge Danticat's latest novel.

Eileen Weiner reviews Nikita Lalwani's The Village.

 

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Your reviews seed this roundup, please send items to NBCCCritics@gmail.com.