Laura Miller on Miranda July's The First Bad Man:
July’s previous book, No One Belongs Here More Than You, was a story collection, and the short form, with its brief glimpse into a character’s life, is better suited to her aesthetic. It’s true that if you dig deeply enough, you can find something bizarre about almost anyone. When, however, the focus for nearly 300 pages is on a relatively small cast, the multiplying weirdness becomes unamusing absurdity.
Jeffrey A. Bell on Steven Shaviro's The Universe of Things: On Speculative Realism:
Shaviro has done a tremendous service by detailing in clear and precise prose the key tenets and developments of what has come to be known as the "speculative realist" tradition in contemporary continental philosophy. Shaviro has also given new life to the work of Whitehead by showing how Whitehead's philosophy is of continuing relevance to the concerns of speculative realists. . . .
Steven Beattie on Neil Gaiman and Kelly Link:
Link does not wear her influences on her sleeve in the manner of Gaiman; they are more often submerged and hinted at. It is left to the reader to navigate the ever-shifting landscape of Link’s sensibility, and to decide whether to surrender, or give up in frustration.
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