Books
Naturalistic Prose Enlivens ‘San Miguel’
“Does life go on? It does,” T. C. Boyle writes in his latest novel “San Miguel.” This simple truth unites two families in Boyle’s fictionalized world of San Miguel, an island off the coast of California.
Chabon Stylishly Saunters Down ‘Telegraph Avenue’
When I mentioned the Oakland setting of “Telegraph Avenue” to my father—born and raised in the Bay Area—he asked me if there was a corrupt overlord-esque City Councilman and a zoning battle. Bingo. Michael Chabon, best known for his over-imaginative Brooklyn-based protagonists in “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay,” has flipped to the opposite side of the country for a romanticized portrayal of 2004 Oakland.
Smith Illuminates Class Struggles in ‘NW’
Achieving literary fame at a young age is frequently elusive. Once the hype surrounding a triumphant first novel fades, the literary world will look to its author with expectation, eager to see if genius will strike again or if the first book was simply a fluke.
President Faust to Appear on Colbert Tonight
Comedian and political satirist Stephen Colbert has been known to challenge members of the Harvard faculty. Professors including Steven A. Pinker, Stephen J. Greenblatt, and Michael J. Sandel have engaged Colbert in the typical comedic back-and-forth on his show, "The Colbert Report." But tonight he takes on a new challenge in the form of their boss—University President Drew G. Faust.
Fifteen Questions with Junot Díaz
Junot Díaz, author of “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” and “Drown,” meets me in front of the Harvard Bookstore.
Faust Embarks on Speaking Tour
Harvard University President Drew G. Faust has fought for immigration rights and brought the Reserve Officers’ Training Corp back to campus. And with the Tuesday premier of “Death and the Civil War,” an adaption of her book, she will extend her presence to the world of TV.
Retelling Harvard
In “Penelope,” the absurdity of college experience can be conveyed only through parody.
‘Sound’ Fogged by Stylistic Musical Renderings
Some novelists attempt to make sense of the world through their books, but in his debut novel, T.M. Wolf ’05 instead gives voice to the world’s confusion—he structures the very words on his pages to reflect the unpredictability of life.
Cheating and Regret at Forefront of Díaz’s Latest
Is a cheating man incapable of love? Yunior of “This Is How You Lose Her” will always cheat, but he will always love the women he cheats on.
Penelope Book
Pennypacker steps were a frequent haunt of the main character in Harrington’s novel “Penelope,” which touches upon the disparity between actual and idealized Harvard life.
