Tama Janowitz

Tama Janowitz is the author of Slaves of New York and Area Code 212, a new essay collection. Here, she chooses five novels and three poetry collections that “haven’t gotten enough attention.”

Violence, Nudity, Adult Content by Vince Passaro (Simon & Schuster, $13). This guy is a terrific writer, with a style as good as or better than Don DeLillo’s.

Vapor by Amanda Filipacchi (Carroll and Graf, $14). Such an interesting young writer. Filipacchi has an evocative, almost poetic style—mystical and, curiously, somehow reversing traditional gender roles.

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Crossways by Sheila Kohler (Ontario Review, $24). Kohler is a South African writer who has lived in this country for many years. Her work has an enthralling perspective on life in South Africa as well as rich and deep characterizations.

Speak Now by Kaylie Jones (Akashic, $22). Kaylie Jones is the daughter of the novelist James Jones and a wonderful writer in her own right. This 2003 novel is an exploration of a woman being stalked. Jones cuts from scene to scene, and the pacing reads almost cinematically; it’s curious that no one has purchased this for the movies.

Timoleon Vieta Come Home by Dan Rhodes (Harvest, $13). This novel has been the talk of cocktail parties since its publication a little over a year ago. It’s about an older gay man who develops an obsession for a younger one, causing the older man’s beloved dog, Vieta, to run away.

Visiting Rites, Temporary Dwellings, and Rites of Strangers