Lookout Wednesday in the Honolulu Advertiser’s Island Life section for my feature on Nicholas Christopher’s newest novel The Bestiary. We talked over the phone last month about his connection to Hawai`i, taking his protagonist Xeno Atlas (such a great name) into the belly of the beast, and about his many books under construction. I thoroughly enjoyed his book, which was an emotional, spiritual and cerebral adventure.
In the September issue of Paste Magazine my long review of Denis Johnson’s behemoth new novel Tree of Smoke appears. I’ve already heard from a kind reader who saw the review and alerted me to its publication. You can order a trial issue on their website, though the review is not yet posted there. I’ll provide the link
on Literary Lotus when it does.
If you missed Sunday’s WIMR, click on the Don Horner link down and to the right to read about why this First Hawaiian banker is reading about Napoleonic lords. Next up, Maile Shimabukuro, the Hawai`i State Representative for Waianae-Makua will run this Sunday.
Coming next month: Paul Theroux and a review of his new book The Elephanta Suite: Three Novellas.
And in the meantime August is personal reading and writing time, hooray!
Literary Lotus 
These are the moments when I lament my reading of only what’s coming out now! That means my list just grows and grows–those two now added. Thanks!
I thought the Stars At Noon kind of outdid “The Book Of Common Prayer” by Joan Didion. It was a bit more…. approachable. I like Didion, in fact I think she did a GREAT job with the unlikeable protagonist, but Johnson makes the character a bit more within reach.
I hadn’t read him before this review assignment, but am definitely interested in checking out more. I’ll add The Stars at Noon to my list. Thanks. 🙂
I love Denis Johnson. The Stars At Noon is one of my favorite books with an unpredictable and unnamed narrator. Such a talent! I also like his poetry.