1. An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination by Elizabeth McCracken:This was the best book I read all year. No hemming, no hawing, no second guessing — the best. McCracken’s memoir about giving birth to a stillborn child and all that follows is heartbreaking, darkly funny, and something everyone on the planet should read. Bold claims, I know. [...]

2008 was a pivotal year in my life because of significant advancements I made in several areas of my life, especially in intellectual and spiritual matters. I attribute these advancements to the words and ideas found in these ten books. Of the fifty books I completed this year, these ten had the most influence. Open Mind Open Heart: The Contemplative [...]

The Soul Thief by Charles Baxter: Despite the fact that Charles Baxter induces a plot amnesia that always makes me forget what his books are about within a week of reading them, I am always keenly aware while I’m reading them that this man is a word genius. In this one, Nathanial Mason’s life story is stolen by the creepy [...]

Girl Detective reviews My Name is Will: A Novel of Sex, Drugs, and Shakespeare and Fables v. 11: War and Pieces. From Largehearted Boy, The Washington Post’s Michale Dirda lists the 10 commandments of book giving. I think you need to be wary of commandment 4 — share the books you love. There needs to be a caveat, share the [...]

Before I get started, I just wanted to remind you all that Amy Bloom’s gonna be reading from her latest novel Away at Magers & Quinn on Tuesday, November 11th. You should check it out of if you can. In other local readings, The Loft’s got a full slate on Saturday, November 8th (that’d be tomorrow), featuring Pete Hautman (who [...]