A Swim in the Pond in the Rain
George Saunders
Close readings of a selection of Russian short stories
Design for the Real World
Victor Papanek
Papanek examines the attempts by designers to combat the tawdry, the unsafe, and the frivolous.
The Sportswriter
Richard Ford
As a sportswriter, Frank Bascombe makes his living studying people—men, mostly—who live entirely within themselves.
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities
Delmore Schwartz
Readers as diverse as TS Eliot and Lou Reed appreciated Delmore Schwartz's work.
Killing Commendatore
Haruki Murakami
a complex and introspective novel that combines elements of magical realism, metaphysics, and psychological exploration…
The Invention of Morel
Adolfo Bioy Casares
Casares considered it the true beginning of his literary career, despite being his seventh book
A Man Called Ove
Fredrik Backman
a grumpy and solitary old man who finds unexpected connections and purpose in life
Flying to America
Donald Barthelme
published in 2007, this book presents all of Barthelme’s previously unpublished and uncollected short fiction
The Plains by Gerald Murnane
Gerald Murnane
In The Plains, Murnane explores how the landowning families of the plains have preserved a rich and distinctive culture.
Love is Blind
William Boyd
William Boyd's Love is Blind follows the life of Brodie Moncur, a young Scottish piano tuner with a remarkable talent for his craft.
The Skating Rink
Roberto Bolaño
With a murder at its heart, The Skating Rink is, among other things, a crime novel.
Running Dog
Don DeLillo
follows Moll Robbins, a New York City journalist trailing the activities of an influential senator
Lincoln in the Bardo
George Saunders
The novel takes place during and after the death of Abraham Lincoln's son William "Willie" Wallace Lincoln and deals with the president's grief at his loss. The bulk of the novel takes place throughout a single evening.
Impossible Owls - Essays
Brian Phillips
The essays in Impossible Owls go beyond simply chronicling some of the modern world’s most uncanny, unbelievable, and spectacular oddities.
Riding Toward Everywhere
William T. Vollman
Delves into the history and culture of train hopping. Excellent writing.
The Count of Monte Cristo
Alexandre Dumas
The story takes place in France, Italy, and islands in the Mediterranean during the historical events of 1815–1839 - the era of the Bourbon Restoration through the reign of Louis-Philippe of France.