Narrative Non-Fiction | Raging Biblio-holism

How Should A Person Be?

February 11, 2013 by Drew

The Short Version: Sheila Heti, a playwright in Toronto, is struggling with authenticity and what it means to be. It’s all very late-twentysomething angst, as she learns, well, how to be a person through various trials and tribulations. The Review: I’m not sure if I hated this book or if I just felt meh about it. I guess I ought to get that off my chest right away – feels better now! I made a comment in my review of Ivyland that Miles […]

Categories: Fiction, Literature, Non-Fiction • Tags: Art, Fiction, How Should A Person Be?, Literature, Narrative Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Philosophy, Sheila Heti, The Tournament of Books 2013, Theater

HHhH

January 22, 2013 by Drew

The Short Version: “Himmler’s hirn heißt Heydrich” – Himmler’s brain is called Heydrich. In 1942, Reinhard Heydrich was nearly assassinated in Prague. He died several days later of an infection resulting from said attempt – but what of his assassins? Also, what does it mean to write a novel about people who actually lived? The Review: This is one of those books that seems like a good idea and, for the most part, comes out okay… but the fact that it comes […]

Categories: Fiction • Tags: Fiction, Heydrich, HHhH, Laurent Binet, Narrative Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Sam Taylor, The Tournament of Books 2013, World War II

Another Bullshit Night in Suck City

November 4, 2012 by Drew

The Short Version: Nick Flynn never really knew his father Jonathan – had only met him once or twice – until he showed up at the Boston homeless shelter where Nick was working. This is a biography of both men and the circumstances, somewhat, that led them to that shelter together. The Review: Zoinks – that’s two stinkers in a row. Sorry, I know I shouldn’t be saying anything too outright before my BookClub meets to discuss this book… but it […]

Categories: Non-Fiction • Tags: Another Bullshit Night in Suck City, Autobiography, Biography, Memoir, Narrative Non-Fiction, Nick Flynn, Non-Fiction

Tropic of Cancer

August 22, 2012 by Drew

The Short Version: Henry Miller details, in what was then quite shocking language, the life of a young ex-pat in Paris in the 30s. There’s a lot of sex, a lot of cursing, a lot of drinking, a lot of rambling thought, and a lot of hurry-up-and-wait. NOTE: I’m hiding the rest of the review below a break as a courtesy to my bookclub. Will remove the break once they’ve all read it. Also, bound to be some foul language […]

Categories: Fiction, Literature, Non-Fiction • Tags: Autobiography, Fiction, Henry Miller, Literature, Narrative Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Tropic of Cancer

Raging Biblio-holism

The overwhelming urge to collect, consume, and consider books

Tag: Narrative Non-Fiction

How Should A Person Be?

HHhH

Another Bullshit Night in Suck City

Tropic of Cancer