Fiction: February 2008 Archives

Murder, medicine and forensic investigation collide in Lawrence Goldstone's fiction debut, The Anatomy of Deception (Delacorte, 340 pages, $24), which takes place in Philadelphia in the late 1800s, around the time autopsies were just becoming a legal practice.

The first paragraph sets the scene:

March 14, 1889

For days, clouds had hung over the frigid city, promising snow, an ephemeral late winter veneer of white, but the temperature had suddenly risen and a cold, stringing drizzle had arrived instead. Jostled along in the derelict hansom, clad in her maid's blue worsted dress and plain wool cloak, her fingers and feet felt bloodless. The gloom that hung over the river penetrated the thin walls of the coach until it seemed as though she were breathing it.

Publisher's Weekly says: "With this top-notch historical page-turner and his proven versatility in nonfiction, Goldstone can expect to win over many new fans."

Here is a review from the Associated Press...

It's February, which means Black History Month, Lincoln's birthday, Washington's birthday and, of course, Valentine's Day. We'll cover all of these on the blog throughout the month. First up is a collection of stories compiled by Jeffrey Eugenides — a former Oprah Book Club author for his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Middlesex.

My Mistress's Sparrow is Dead (HarperCollins, 587 pages, $24.95) features love stories from writers past and present, including Vladimir Nabokov, Alice Munro, Raymond Carver, William Faulkner, Lorrie Moore, Bernard Malamud, Grace Paley, Denis Johnson, Stuart Dybek and many more.

The coolest thing about this book is that, according to Amazon.com, all proceeds from this book will go directly to fund the free youth writing programs offered by 826 Chicago, which is part of the network of writing centers across the United States dedicated to supporting students with their writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.

Here's a review of the book from the Associated Press...