In a novel that derives its title from the smoothest but most potent bootleg liquor in the projects, McBride has given use a taste of all the characters in the neighborhood... The protagonist is Sportcoat, a lifelong drunk and church deacon who does odd jobs around 1969 Brooklyn. One day apropos to who-knows-what he takes... Continue Reading →
The Rome of Fall by Chad Alan Gibbs
Hits all the right notes, all the inside jokes, all the nostalgia of the 1990s. I was gripped by The Rome of Fall for a quick day and a half. Told in two threads, thirty years apart, in the life of Marcus Brinks, high school senior/ washed up rock star... 1994: Marcus is forced to... Continue Reading →
Cherry by Nico Walker
Cherry is an autobiographical novel that Walker wrote while in jail. It's a piece about addiction, PTSD, and a desperation for purpose. Initially enrolled in college and dating a girl named Emily, the main character loses his direction and flunks out. He chooses another path and enlists in the Army as a medic. But he... Continue Reading →
The Cactus League by Emily Nemens
There is a rhythm to the game that those who are familiar with it can sense. The flip to start the double play, the throw back to the catcher, the tapping of the dirt off the cleats... Nemens captures much of the game in nine emotion -filled chapters. The characters run the gamut of the... Continue Reading →
Mini Review: Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
A special category on PaulsPicks for this one: I got through it in less than one day. Darius is just a fantastic character who you will want to follow along with. Two key parts of Khorram's book with stick with me: his treatment of mental illness and male friendships. Darius is being treated for depression.... Continue Reading →