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.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
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
-
Democrats’ strategy to woo voters for 2026: religionThe Explainer Politicians like Rob Sand and James Talarico have made a name for themselves pushing their faith
-
Pregnancy in AmericaFeature Why is it getting riskier to give birth in the U.S.?
-
The potential warning sign of an auto lender’s bankruptcyIn the Spotlight Tricolor collapse an ‘extreme example’ of economy’s challenges
-
Jessica Francis Kane's 6 favorite books that prove less is moreFeature The author recommends works by Penelope Fitzgerald, Marie-Helene Bertino, and more
-
Keith McNally's 6 favorite books that have ambitious charactersFeature The London-born restaurateur recommends works by Leo Tolstoy, John le Carré, and more
-
Garrett Graff's 6 favorite books that shine new light on World War IIFeature The author recommends works by James D. Hornfischer, Craig L. Symonds, and more
-
Helen Schulman's 6 favorite collections of short storiesFeature The award-winning author recommends works by Raymond Carver, James Baldwin, and more
-
Beatriz Williams' 6 timeless books about history and human relationshipsFeature The best-selling author recommends works by Jane Austen, Zora Neale Hurston, and more
-
Aysegul Savas' 6 favorite books for readers who love immersive settingsFeature The Paris-based Turkish author recommends works by Hiromi Kawakami, Virginia Woolf, and more
-
Geoff Dyer's 6 favorite books about the realities of warFeature The award-winning author recommends works by Ernie Pyle, Michael Herr, and more
-
Laura Lippman's 6 favorite books for those who crave a high-stakes adventureFeature The Grand Master recommends works by E.L. Konigsburg, Charles Portis, and more
