Here’s some new info. on Anthology Philly. Look out.
http://wragsthinks.wordpress.com/anthology-philly/
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Just finished reading this book on the corruption and commodification of AAU youth basketball. This is a good read for those who care about such things. It’s a true and often sad American narrative.
Here’s some more about the book:
More Than Just Ball. Buy.
Fiction and Poetry Publisher Wrags Ink is putting out an anthology of Philadelphia Fiction Writers in January 2012. A story of mine, “Lamar’s Inheritance,” will be inside. It will be available for purchase soon and I’ll let you know where. There may even be a reading or two. That is all.
The third book for the Five Word Review is Jonathan Franzen’s ‘Freedom.’ By way of introduction, I like Franzen. He’s a good writer. ‘The Corrections’ was a great accomplishment. And I used to enjoy his whole anti-Oprah, anti-establishment persona. But, now he is the establishment. ‘Freedom’ is a well-written novel that at times is compelling and at times is provocative in its social commentary. That said, it’s 562 pages and I found every character downright loathsome for about 530 of those pages. That they half-way redeem themselves at the end was little solace. Now I don’t normally subscribe to the whole “characters have to be likable” thing, but this was a stretch even for me. This was a difficult book to get through because it was entirely comprised of whiny, oblivious, privileged characters who couldn’t understand how good they had it and how free they actually were. If you’re a Franzen fan, ‘Freedom’ is worth reading. If not, see the five words below.
Read. The. Corrections. Instead. Library.
Book Number 2 for the Five Word Review is James Baldwin’s “If Beale Street Could Talk.” I’d forgotten what a master Baldwin was. This is the best novel I’ve read in a while. Written and set in 1970s Harlem, it is a tragic, timeless, universal story. The prose is nuanced yet simple and beautiful. Here’s another review:
http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/03/29/specials/baldwin-beale.html
Beautiful. Struggle. Love. Triumph. Buy.
Here’s something in a very cool audio journal called Bound Off. It’s me reading my story entitled Exposure. It’s about not hating life.
I’m honored to be published anywhere, but I’m especially grateful to be here with some fairly well known folks. Check it: http://www.boundoff.com/
I engage in some pontification here: http://carissaaurora.blogspot.com/
In an effort to bulk up content here, I’m gonna start reviewing books. Every review will be five words and will include a recommendation to “Buy,” “Library” (as in, get it from the library) or “Skip.” We’ll call it “Eric’s Book Club.” Gotta fill that void somehow. The first book is Lost in the City by Edward P. Jones: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Lost-City-Edward-P-Jones/?isbn=9780060795283.
DC. Gripping. Characters. Authentic. Buy.
Amen, even though I always liked Ginuwine.
http://runwiththecreeps.tumblr.com/post/6073204099/an-open-letter-to-jay-z-nas
This is a super-short-hopeful-love-story.
