GEOFF SCHUMACHER'S LAS VEGAS

News, Music, Movies, Books and More

Schumacher Literary Hall of Fame

Here is a list of fiction writers who are among my personal favorites (with a representative book listed alongside). These are not the usual suspects, but some of the lesser-known writers I like. Richard Yates, "Revolutionary Road"; John Fante, "Ask the Dust"; Nelson Algren, "The Man with the Golden Arm"; Frederick Exley, "A Fan's Notes"; Charles Portis, "The Dog of the South"; John Williams, "Stoner"; Patrick Hamilton, "Hangover Square"; Richard Russo, "Empire Falls"; Richard Ford, "The Sportswriter"; Don DeLillo, "White Noise"; Jim Harrison, "True North"; Raymond Carver, "Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?"; Willy Vlautin, "The Motel Life"; Michael Chabon, "The Wonder Boys"; Ian McEwan, "Atonement"; Colson Whitehead, "John Henry Days"; Orhan Pamuk, "Snow"; Junot Diaz, "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao"; Avram Davidson, "Vergil in Averno"

Recent reading: recommended fiction

The Secret of Lost Things (2006), Sheridan Hay; Absurdistan (2006), Gary Shteyngart; Five Skies (2007), Ron Carlson; Citizen Vince (2005), Jess Walter; On Chesil Beach (2007), Ian McEwan; We're in Trouble (2005), Christopher Coake; Returning to Earth (2007), Jim Harrison; The Lay of the Land (2006), Richard Ford

My profile

What's a dogsbody?

It's British slang for "a worker who has to do all the unpleasant or boring jobs that no one else wants to do."

December 2008



This site has a new name

Mon, 12/29/08 4:43 P GMT-08
It makes a little more sense, I think. More changes to come.

Book signing news coverage!

Fri, 12/26/08 9:26 A GMT-08
Go here for a picture of the author himself at Cheesecake and Crime and a nice plug for the book. Thanks, Jarret.

Nice turnout for Cheesecake and Crime book signing

Mon, 12/22/08 3:55 P GMT-08
Thanks to everyone who showed up and bought books at my signing Sunday afternoon at the Cheesecake and Crime bookstore in Henderson. Saw some old friends and some colleagues and met some new people. And sold quite a few books. You can't ask much

Andy Taylor goes uptown

Mon, 12/15/08 1:59 P GMT-08
Dogsbody friend Andy Taylor now has his very own IMDB page, based on his production designer credit for the upcoming film "Thor at the Bus Stop." Check it out here .

My Best Books of 2008

Mon, 12/15/08 1:54 P GMT-08
My post today on the Review-Journal's Book Nook blog — here — is for titles published in 2008. I will, as I do each year, soon post on this site a list of all the books I read in 2008, with a few comments on some of the books. 

Book signing for Howard Hughes book scheduled

Tue, 12/09/08 11:12 A GMT-08
I haven't done a lot of signings lately, but I have one set for 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, at the Cheesecake & Crime Mystery Book Shop, 10545 S. Eastern Ave., in Henderson. This might a solution for anyone seeking a last-minute Christmas gift