As the editor of the magazine, I take home a big stack of manuscripts, newspapers and other magazines every day, which sometimes causes me to forget what an incredible privilege it is to read for a living. Mostly, when choosing non-work related stuff to read, I look for pure high-momentum diversions, like thrillers and crime novels, though occasionally the serious stuff intrudes.
Book I'm reading now:
"The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking," by Oliver Burkeman. The first writer I discovered on Twitter. He writes for The Guardian and lives in New York. It's a self-help book for people who have never visited that part of the bookstore. The major theme is that obsessing about our personal happiness ends up having the opposite effect. Funny and clearheaded and meaningful. Enjoying it very much.
Last book I loved:
"The Bayou Trilogy," by Daniel Woodrell. Which, come to think of it, I discovered on Twitter too, from a Flavorwire roundup called "10 Underrated Books Everyone Should Read." I knew Woodrell's name, but never read anything by him. These are three short novels, each of them crackling with attitude and wit, not to mention blood and guts. Every title on the Flavorwire list is appealing; I might have to read them all. Just ordered "Adverbs," by Daniel Handler, who happens to be interviewed in the magazine this Sunday.
Unread book that gnaws at my conscience:
"Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity" by Katherine Boo. I read the first chapter right when it came out, and was blown away. But for one reason or another, I got distracted and haven't gotten back to it. Now that it has won the National Book Award, I have fresh incentive.
A great book that has had the unfortunate effect of turning me into a bore at social gatherings:
"Empire of the Summer Moon," by S.C. Gwynne. Most people, I have learned the hard way, would rather not have a long, one-sided conversation about the Comanche Indians. Oh, well, sorry. This history of the tribe and its vicious fight to hold on to its territory in the mid-19th century is powerful and disquieting. Gory details stick in your mind and pop up in your nightmares, but there's real depth and meaning, too. The pathological stubbornness of the early white settlers helped me understand the culture of Texas in a new way. Ruthless, enterprising Comanche warriors battling against a technologically superior foe made me think of current-day Afghanistan. How tough were the Comanches? I'll spare you the ample tales of their cruelty and give this one terse description of their archery prowess: "From fifty yards a warrior could reliably hit an object the size of a doorknob four out of five times." Think about that. Not until the revolver came along did those crazy Texans stand a chance of holding on to their scalps.
Single favorite piece of writing:
First chapter of "Libra," by Don DeLillo. Lee Harvey Oswald riding the subway, screeching through New York City, wondering, "How do we know the motorman's not insane?" Prose as visceral and direct as a Ramones song.
Three books that make my own personal underrated list:
"Popular Music From Vittula," by Mikael Niemi. A title so uninteresting that you may have skipped over this item completely. That would be a loss. This coming-of-age tale set in the hillbilly hinterlands of Sweden radiates the wonder and restlessness of youth. One of the best-selling books ever in Sweden, it failed to cause quite the international sensation that "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" did, though it is a vastly superior reading experience.
"Old Filth," by Jane Gardam. My mom recommended this one to me, and now Gardam is a shared secret of ours. We're working our way through her whole catalog. Filth stands for "failed in London, try Hong Kong." The main character is a hilarious codger who has just outlived his wife and must contend with various unresolved elements of his past, including his old bitter rival who moves in next door. It has all the pleasure of one of those tonally perfect English television shows.
"The Burnt Orange Heresy," By Charles Willeford. Willeford is my all-time favorite crime novelist, and this one, about the art world, is his best. The man wrote a ton, so if you get hooked, there's a steady supply. Your next move is the four-part Hoke Moseley series, including "Miami Blues," which they made into a pretty good movie starring Alec Baldwin and Jennifer Jason Leigh.
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