Upcoming

There's a couple things in the works for later in May.

On May 20th I'll be seeing Chuch Palahniuk in person at Cody's Books promote his new novel told in 23 stories, Haunted. I'm not sure I'm that enamored of Palahniuk's fiction (although I did really enjoy Fight Club as a movie), but Palahniuk's reputation as a reader is legion, and Ed has informed me that his fans are also a treat in and of themselves. Ed and I will parse the craziness afterward.

Regarding Haunted, the reception has been mixed. Janet Maslin acknowledged the book's "incisive brutality" but found it "shockingly told but ploddingly conceived." Likewise, Publishers Weekly says that while the best of Palahniuk's fiction can "find humanity in deeply grotesque characters," Haunted does not. If you're interested in trying out an excerpt for yourself, go here.

Two days later on May 22 I will be in attendance to see Tayari Jones discuss The Untelling at A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books. I haven't heard what kind of a speaker Jones is, but I do know that her book has received a very enthusiastic review in The Believer. You can read an excerpt here. According to Jones's webpage, her previous novel, Leaving Atlanta, received much praise, including the following:

It was named “Novel of the Year” by Atlanta Magazine, “Best Southern Novel of the Year,” by Creative Loafing Atlanta. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The Washington Post both listed it as one of the best of 2002.

Comments

[Brian]

How do you pronounce Palahniuk?

PAUL-AH-NIK (Paula Nick).

[Scott]

The hell if I know (I can't even spell it from memory). I'll ask one of the rabid fans.

[Brian]

Scott,

Look down and you will see that I answered my own question. Now get back to work!

[SisterRye]

Get off your sassy, Brian.
~Terri

[Ed]

Look see here: Scott and I are going to confirm the details for sure. The manager of Cody's will be sure to pronounce it correctly, lest Chuck P throw himself into a hissy fit for yet another "mirespresentation by the press" (see last year's EW imbroglio). That and many more details, I'm sure.