It Takes Two
September 23, 2009
As a twin whose sister writes for the New York Times, Abigail Pogrebin seems uniquely qualified to author a book titled One and the Same: My Life as an Identical Twin and What I’ve Learned About Everyone’s Struggle to Be Singular. But she didn’t think so at first.
“It was percolating in a way I didn’t necessarily confront, and every time I considered exploring it, it got so personal that there was no way to separate approaching it as a journalist and as a twin,” said Pogrebin, an Upper West Side native and former 60 Minutes producer. “I finally decided to not be frightened by the fact that it would be personal.” [Read more]
Speed Reads
September 2, 2009
A Gate at the Stairs
By Lorrie Moore, Out Sept. 1
Moore’s first novel in 15 years is a coming-of-age story set in a Midwestern college town, half a continent away from New York but still living in the shadow of 9/11.
To Sound in the Know: Known more for her short stories, Moore published her first collection at the age of 26.
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters
By Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters, Out Sept. 15
In the follow up to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Austen’s Dashwood sisters search for love on an island after their father is killed by a shark.
To Sound in the Know: Winters didn’t write P&P&Z. That was by Seth Graeme Smith, who apparently is too busy working on Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter to pen another Austen. [Read more]
August Shrink Book Round-Up
August 19, 2009
“I feel like I just got a hundred grand worth of your therapy by osmosis,” said a friend who read my debut novel, Speed Shrinking. With therapists away in August, abandoned patients are freaking out. Yet in this lousy economy, there are cheaper ways to soothe your turbulent psyche than handing over your hard-won cash to an overpriced Jungian partying in Southampton. Here this longtime shrinkoholic and former book critic lists the best fiction filled with shrink wit and wisdom you can suck in for just the price of a paperback: [Read more]
An Idoit’s Guide to Manhattan
July 30, 2009
In Jeff Nichols’ memoir Trainwreck: My Life as an Idoit, the stand-up comedian divulges his problems growing up with ADD and dyslexia—before he gets into the dirty bits about bong smoking and prostitutes. His story—both troubling and funny—was optioned and recently made into a movie. Sounds like he’s made the most of his dysfunction—but then it turns out the film might not be released. But he was still happy to talk about The Odd Couple, his transsexual eye doctor (and tennis pro) Renée Richards and why he’s glad he didn’t end up working at a hedge fund. [Read more]
