Thanks to the generosity of Labyrinth Books, the New Haven Review is proudly hosting a summer book group in its New Haven store at 290 York Street. Each of the editors — Mark Oppenheimer, Tom Gogola, and Brian Francis Slattery — and one author from Issue 2 of the Review, Steven Stoll, will lead a discussion of a recent book that they have loved. The books are available at Labyrinth, but of course, having read the book beforehand isn't mandatory to coming to the discussions or taking part in them.
First up is Brian Francis Slattery (i.e., me) on May 28, at 6 p.m., leading a discussion of A Small Corner of Hell: Dispatches from Chechnya by Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya; an excellent overview of this slim, excoriating book appears on Labyrinth's website. I chose the book because, in recent memory, I haven't read a book that left me so shaken for so many different reasons, and it's one of a few books that I recommend to anyone who will bend an ear to listen. I hope that you, dear readers, will all come whether you have read the book or not. The discussion is likely to range across freedom of information issues, war correspondence, the swiftly changing face of Russia today, and whether the conflict in Chechnya and the government's massive cover-up of it will come back to haunt it. There is so much to talk about.
The New Haven Review Summer Book Group will continue on July 2 [formerly June 23 — ed.], also at 6 p.m., with Tom Gogola leading a discussion of The Rest is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century by Alex Ross. On July 23, again at 6 p.m., Mark Oppenheimer will lead a discussion of Lush Life, the new novel by Richard Price. Finally, on August 13 at (surprise!) 6 p.m., Steven Stoll will discuss A Brief History of Neoliberalism by David Harvey.
In sum, and for easy reading and marking of calendars:
New Haven Review Summer Book Group
May 28: Brian Francis Slattery discusses A Small Corner of Hell: Dispatches from Chechnya by Anna Politkovskaya.
July 2: Tom Gogola discusses The Rest is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century by Alex Ross. [As above, amended from June 23--ed.]
July 23: Mark Oppenheimer discusses Lush Life by Richard Price.
August 13: Steven Stoll discusses A Brief History of Neoliberalism by David Harvey.
All events begin at 6 p.m., at Labyrinth Books, 290 York Street, New Haven, CT. Hope to see you there.
Brian Francis Slattery is an editor of the New Haven Review.