St. James Infirmiry – a Review by William Taylor Jr. St. James Infirmary, a new collection of stories by Steven Meloan, is an engaging and pleasantly unpredictable read. The opening piece, “Googies,” does a solid job of setting up themes that are revisited throughout the book. What begins as a nostalgic first-person narrative of a …
Category: Reviews
Apr 16
Review by Laura Novak: St. James Infirmary by Steven Meloan
St. James Infirmary by Steven Meloan (Review) This collection of essays might have been called Postcards From the Edge, had that title not already been taken. As a child of the 60s, a young adult in San Francisco in the 80’s, and a transplant to California, and ultimately LA, I can say with certitude that …
Feb 20
Review by Westley Heine; Michele McDannold, Roadside Press, Gutter Snob Books, and her latest book of poetry By Plane, Train, or Coincidence
Independent, but not alone Michele McDannold, Roadside Press, Gutter Snob Books, and her latest book of poetry By Plane, Train, or Coincidence. I have come to realize that no one is going to save us. We have to save ourselves. I was never charmed by religion or politics, but Hollywood has chewed me up and spit me out twice. Also, I’ve …
Jan 30
Review by Sandra Feen: Unknowable Things by Kerry Trautman
Unknowable Things is an evocative language feast where sensory imagery is omnipresent. We see this throughout Kerry Trautman’s masterful collection, from the accessible first lines of her opening poem, “Drop,” He closed the screen door, stepped/into rain that smelled like worms to the engaging first lines of …
Nov 14
REVIEW by a.m. stein: By Plane, Train or Coincidence by Michele McDannold
Review of Michele McDannold’s By Plane, Train, or Coincidence. “Can you tell me where the yellow brick road goes when unaccompanied by red sequined shoes?” –from “cityscapes while sitting on a cold, cold stone” Reading Michele McDannold’s latest poetry collection, By Plane, Train or Coincidence (on the title page, on my personal, signed, copy McDannold …
Aug 20
REVIEW by a.m. stein: Busking Blues by Westley Heine
Busking Blues: Recollections of a Chicago Street Musician and Squatter by Westly Heine, reviewed by Alex Stein “When writing what would be considered gritty realism it is important to remember that even gritty realism is as subjective as anything else. It’s a sliding scale. Humans have such different perceptions of reality. This accounts for …
