In order of finishing.
1.)”A Dangerous Character”: Humphrey Carpenter’s bio of Ezra Pound. Character, he was. Poetry, not for me;
2. Hilary Holaday’s bio of Herbert Huncke. Surprisingly sympathetic.
3. My pal Michael Lydon’s continuing memoir, “Into Music”;
4. Joan Didion’s “Let Me Tell You What I Mean.” I’d probably read all or most of these pieces before, but I can never get enough of her;
5. Elsa Morante’s “History.” Discussed at length in future-to-be-linked-to article.
6. Tom Cushman’s “Muhammed Ali & the Greatest Heavyweight Generation.” Cushman was a terrific boxing reporter and his piece on George Foreman, II, was excellent;
7. Deborah Eisenberg’s “Under the 82nd Airborne.” A couple of great short stories.
8. Sybille Bedford’s “Trial of Dr. Adams.” I’d liked the three or four of other books I’d read more.
9. Carolyn Pennington’s “The Black Gum Well.” Novel set in Appalachia in the 1940s by the mother of a cartoonist pal. (See my Amazon review.)
10. “Childhood.” The first of Tove Ditlevsen’s “Copenhagen Trilogy.” Superb.
Happy to discuss any or all.