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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."

April 2007



Mini-book reviews

Mon, 04/23/07 8:04 P GMT-08
Many great-looking new books are stacking up in my  home office. These include "Heyday" by Kurt Anderson, "What Is the What" by Dave Eggers and a book about Benny Binion's Texas years. I will get to them all eventually.In

2007 music so far

Mon, 04/09/07 6:04 P GMT-08
These are the 2007 albums I have been listening to, ranked from favorite to least favorite: 1. Son Volt, The Search2. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Living with the Living3. Kings of Leon, Because of the Times4. Modest Mouse, We Were Dead Before the Sh

VH/DLR: The Middle Years

Sun, 04/01/07 6:19 P GMT-08
Van Halen received some attention recently when the band was entered into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It also generated a minor news item when only a few band members showed up to receive the honor. Meanwhile, the debate rages on over whether Van