…island. Carson’s new book, Red Doc>, a sequel of sorts of Autobiography of Red, is sadder than its predecessor, and stranger, too.. . . [Scenes] read like the moments of awe life occasionally grants us long after we have lost our innocence—respite from the difficult, disillusioning, everyday ticktock of being human. Even when the setting gets surreal, Carson never breaks faith with ordinary emotion. Red Doc> is, at times, excruciating in its grief…
Read more ›…trailer: *Official Giveaway Rules & Regulations DAVID PEACE GIVEAWAY Sponsored by Alfred A. Knopf A division of Random House, Inc. (”Random House”) I. HOW TO ENTER NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter your e-mail address for the chance to receive a copy of the hardcover edition of Occupied City and a movie poster for Red Riding. The giveaway begins February 2nd, 2010, and ends February 28th, 2010 at midnight (EST). II. ELIGIBILITY The giveaway is open to…
Read more ›…ire cult, the Dixie Mafia, and the deadliest assassin they’ve ever encountered—Devil Red. When their friend Marvin asks Hap and Leonard to look into a cold-case double homicide, they’re more than happy to play private investigators: they like trouble, and they especially like getting paid to find it. It turns out that both of the victims were set to inherit serious money, and one of them ran with a vampire cult. The more closely Hap and Leonard lo…
Read more ›…tion, particularly for the historically-minded hikers. The path follows an earthen dyke that was said to be built by a king who ruled the valley from 757 to 796 AD. Although much of the original structure has disappeared, portions are still traceable in the Wye valley. So—ready to go yet? Make sure you pack your hiking boots and your copy of The Red House. And let us know if you’re planning a vacation (we want pictures)!…
Read more ›…d all-knowing voice, its compelling yet unexplained character of the large red man, its instantly meaning-laden but somehow unprecedented situation of the ghosts who have returned to hear him read. In his introduction to the new Selected Poems, John Serio discusses Stevens as a poet sometimes uncredited for his emotional range, one who employs distancing strategies in his poems not in order to be impersonal or to fulfill an agenda that is primaril…
Read more ›…ble…a stunning success. “The 2,500-page, 18th-century classic Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xueqin is considered China’s most important work of fiction. Chen tackles the daunting task of adapting the revered original text, and her literary bravado engenders a stunning success. “Chen chooses three women to tell the story of the prominent Jia family: controlling granddaughter-in-law Xifeng, dutiful cousin-by-marriage Baochi, and naive granddaughte…
Read more ›…es deep and still dry, and Cem is increasingly distracted by thoughts of a red-haired woman’s alluring smile. Tragedy strikes, the red-haired woman vanishes, Öngören is swallowed up by sprawling Istanbul, and modern drilling technology replaces the dangerous old methods. Young Cem is fascinated by Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, but with age he is drawn to the tragedy of Rostan and Sohrab, a Persian inversion in which a father is fated to kill his son. “P…
Read more ›…every turn. When she falls in love with Baoyu, the family’s brilliant, unpredictable heir, she finds the forces of the family and convention arrayed against her, and must risk everything to follow her heart. While your reading group discusses the timeless tale—based on the epic Dream of the Red Chamber, one of the most famous love stories in Chinese literature—get a taste of Beijing with this hot and sour soup. This delicious recipe is taken from…
Read more ›…pper. The fennel, by that time, was tender, so I added the salted and peppered fish to the pan. A word of caution: this recipe calls for a lot of fish. Judith’s recipes are intended to provide enough leftovers for multiple meals, but nevertheless—for two people, a pound of fish was twice what we really wanted. (We prevailed, however, and finished most of the meal.) I topped the fish with herbes de Provence, the scallions, and the red pepper. Then…
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