Dirt by William Bryant Logan
“Dirt” by William Bryant Logan.
It’s written like a poetic memoir, half natural history half philosophical treatise. The writing is fantastic, the author is extremely lyrically gifted, and the chapters are short and often hilarious. There is a great interplay of the cultural, historical, spiritual, and even erotic side of dirt, yet it still gives a good novice’s overview of soil properties. Recommended by Dave Cass.
Because I’ve really enjoyed all of Junger’s writing. This book is the first hand account of two years embedded with American troops in the recently abandoned Korangal Valley, Afghanistan.
About Brahmin Indian women recommended by LEP.
Made someone’s Must-Read list. Newsweek, I think.
According to the Times, Jay Winik, “Sears’s reconstruction is “The Civil War equivalent of a modern spy satellite photograph. He hovers above the action, giving us a panoramic view.”
Recommended by Junot Diaz, author of Oscar Wao.
Part of the new generation of young Jewish writers.
Nobel Prize in Literature
This is a coming of age book set in one of the worst times and places to come of age — Panang, an island off the Malay Peninsula just before the start of WWII.
This super-sad, super-funny novel not only showcases its author’s super-caffeinated comic gifts, but also uncovers his abilities to write movingly about love and heartbreak. Set in the near future in a toxic New York City, this is a novel that manages to mash up an apocalyptic satire with a tragic romance and make the whole thing wondrously work. (Michiko Kakutani)