This is a lyrical explosion of a book, a challenge to literature, and particularly to narrative non-fiction, as we know it.
Our books no longer reflect the way we understand our lives, Shields argues. They are not fractured enough, not various and stolen, too hemmed in. We are all of us increasingly hungry for the "real", and have created monuments of commodified irreality in a desperate attempt to find it.
This book is indeed a manifesto in the best sense, a call to action for readers and writers. Shields is demanding reader interaction, greater risk, more serendipity and - as difficult, possibly, to acheive as it is easy to say - more reality in our use of the written word. It's a stirring book full of more questions than answers, and one I'm very excited to have as the topic of a conversation here at the store..
Ongoing Events
•THE SPANISH LANGUAGE DISCUSSION GROUP• Led by Javier Molea, this group meets Saturdays at noon in the Spanish literature section downstairs. It's open to all who wish to practice their Spanish while discussing literature.
•OUR FICTION BOOK CLUB•Led by Sarah McNally and Chris Jackson, this discussion group meets the first Monday of every month, at 7pm downstairs. They'll be discussing The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake on March 1st.
•OUR ART & BEAUTY BOOK CLUB•Led by Adjua Greaves, this discussion group meets the second Wednesday of every month, at 7pm downstairs. For the next meetings on February 10th and March 10th, the book club will be discussing The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich.
•OUR GRAPHIC NOVEL BOOK CLUB•Led by Angela Williams and Evan Narcisse, this discussion group meets the first Thursday of every month, at 7pm downstairs. At our next meeting on March 4th, the book club will be discussing The Winter Men by Brett Lewis and John Paul Leon.
•KIDS STORYTIME• Resident storyteller Yvonne Brooks leads a storytime with with arts and crafts for kids ages 3 - 7, every Saturday at noon in the children’s section. Baby Storytime with storyteller Stewart Dawes takes place on Friday at 4:00 PM for ages 0 - 2.
NOTE All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated. For more information about store events, email events coordinator Dustin Kurtz.
