Equal parts surreal and sharp, devastating and delightful, Daniel Chacón’s “The Last Philosopher in Texas” has something for everyone.
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All articles filed in Reviews
Michael Odom Explores the “Southern Strategies” of Evangelical Christianity-Informed Society and Power
To answer the resounding “How did we get here?” question focused on our current political, and even existential, functioning as a country, Michael Odom offers Southern Strategies: Narrative Negotiations in an Evangelical Region. The book offers an exploration of religion’s role in how the evangelical movement has shifted in its power and perspective attempts to…
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“Hell’s Not Far Off” Ensures Getting Shot in the Leg Once Is Enough To Become a Hero
A review of Josh Howard’s “Hell’s Not Far Off,” which tells the story of Appalachian labor activist Bruce Crawford.
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“Cauterized” Full of Rich and Poignant Verse
Laura Apol’s latest collection, “Cauterized,” is an invitation to closer observation.
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“Adam in the Garden” Challenges Narratives, Reminds of Magic and Mystery in the Everyday
AE Hines’ poetry collection is a personal, direct exploration of geography, nature, queer love and the Eden one creates through self-love and self-acceptance.
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Julia Ridley Smith’s “Sex Romp Gone Wrong” Doesn’t Just Tease; It Delivers
A favorite writing teacher, one particularly enamored with short stories, once told me never to approach a collection with the expectation that all, or even most, will be good. He’d said one, two tops, is all you can reasonably ask for. Not every story in “Sex Romp Gone Wrong” carries emotional heft or grace, but a surprising number of them come close and are destined to be read again and again.
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How the Rhythmic Beating of “Vibe” Carried Me Beyond Borders
A review of “Vibe: The Sound and Feeling of Black Life in the American South” by Corey J. Miles.
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Compelling, Conspicuous Womanhood in the Gorgeous Debut “The Turtle House”
From the first lines of The Turtle House, debut historical fiction author Amanda Churchill signals how she plans to spin her masterful family saga from prewar Japan to late 20th Century Texas ranch country. Curtain, Texas March 1, 1999 Paper hates water. It hates wind. And fire. Paper falls apart. There is no home safe…
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“Old Gods”: New Poems from Clifford Brooks
From philosophy, to film, to hip-hop, this collection is ripe with references and reflections.
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Fates of Single Mom and Ex-Con Converge in Southern Noir “Desperation Road”
A review of the film “Desperation Road,” based on the novel by Michael Farris Smith.
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