What We’re Reading

FLIPPO

The Jerusalem Syndrome by Marc Maron
“More than being about any real religion, The Jerusalem Syndrome is about the religions Marc Maron has built for himself- beginning with his obsession with the Beat Poets and later brand worship (everything from Coca-Cola to Marlboro). If you are a fan of Maron, this book is spot on. It’s ranty and hilarious and surprisingly touching at moments. Near the end of the book Maron goes back to the private Jewish school he attended as a child to give a talk. He was the kind of kid that teachers quit because of and now he’s return to inspire children. It was really an amazing read.”

CHRISTY

The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards by Kristopher Jansma
“This is such an original method of writing so unlike what I’ve been reading lately. The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards is about a writer and his friends trying to find some truth. The book asks whether it is in fiction that we find truth or if it is in truth we find fiction. It depicts coming of age as a lifelong endeavor and reads like a fierce game of checkers. I loved it. From the very first page of the author’s note I was hooked, and as I read on truly blown away!”

TA’NECIA

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
“When Eleanor and Park meet they don’t immediately hit it off. They are both misfits from dysfunctional families, but what they find in each other is love. They’re realistic and know that young love never lasts, but they are crazy enough to give it a try. This book is funny and heart breaking, like a 1986 Romeo and Juliet. I can’t express how much I loved this book, it’s already one of my favorite books of 2013.”

STEPHANYA

White Noise by Don DeLillo
“I’m ashamed to say that this is the first DeLillo book I’ve read. I’m delighted to find that his style is right up my alley. His rich and expressive language plumbs the depth of the American experience, much like the songs of Tom Waits. This novel about a family experiencing an “airborne toxic event” has an element of creeping dread that I’m enjoying immensely.”

JOE

The Red Tree by Caitlin R. Kiernan
“Caitlin R. Kiernan’s The Red Tree is the first novel I’ve read by her but I’ve been a huge fan of her short stories for over a decade. The book, inspired by Danielewski’s House of Leaves and the works of Arthur Machen and H.P. Lovecraft (amongst others) tells the tale of a heartbroken writer who flees to a house in rural Rhode Island only to  be caught up by a manuscript by the former tenant who was obsessed with a certain red tree on the property. I’m only about 75 pages into the book so I haven’t gotten to the meat of the story yet but I’m already drawn into the narrative. This is weird fiction at its finest. We’re reading this book for the May meeting of The Nightmare Factory book club, and like our April author Laird Barron, Caitlin R. Kiernan is an author you should be reading. I highly recommend it!