Meditation by James Hewitt

Meditation is a difficult subject for a ‘how to’ guide, because ultimately it doesn’t really matter how you do it. This is a pretty good attempt, though. James Hewitt gives the basic advice on posture, breathing, etc., and then takes…

The Almost Lizard by James Higgerson

James Higgerson’s debut novel follows a teenage boy whose habit of imagining himself in television soap operas develops from harmless fantasy into a cause for suicide. In a striking opening chapter, Danny Lizar announces that today is his 21st birthday…

Bottled Air by Caleb Klaces

I read this book twice in quick succession. It’s only a short collection, 70 pages of generously-spaced poems and a few pages of notes, so it didn’t take long. Interestingly, the two readings were very different. The first time, I…

The Quiddity of Will Self by Sam Mills

This book is unlike any other I’ve read. That, in itself, is a reason I’m glad I read it. In a world in which too many books are reminiscent of other books, this one is truly unique. It may sound…

What is History?

I used to treat books like sacred relics. I would read them carefully, never making notes in the margin or dog-earing the pages. These days, I’m more tolerant. The physical condition of a book means something else to me: well-preserved…