January Book Events

Colorado author Robert Greer pleased a lot of readers with his C.J. Floyd mystery series. In his newest novel, Heat Shock, he brings his experience as a practicing surgical pathologist and research scientist to a gripping new thriller about a bizarre biotechnology abuse involving two prize fighting cocks. An emergency room doctor and a white-water rafter join forces to track down the stolen cocks and uncover a secret biotech scheme that could be worth billions of dollars.

Henry Abelove's Deep Gossip explains more about the place of homosexuality in American culture than a truckload of tomes about gay identity and queer theory. And because one of his themes is that homosexuals constitute “no special variety of humankind, no distinct sexual species” in exploring the fate of queer thought in America, Abelove tells us much about the sexual underpinnings of the American intellectual psyche.

Among the pantheon of Founding Fathers, Washington often gets short shrift. In Wiencek's book, because the old general arranged to free his slaves after his death, Washington gets the respect he deserves. By all appearances, An Imperfect God seems to be an important new work of early American history.

The Top 10 Arts and Books of 2003

Drum roll, please.

After much strained thought and ruthless self-flagellation (smacking myself with a stick helps me think), I've narrowed my favorite arts and literature experiences of 2003 down to this brief list. It hasn't been easy, friends. A lot has happened in 2003. I've seen lots of great plays and exhibits. I've read lots of great books. In the end, though, these are the 10 artsy-litsy thing-a-ma-jing-a-ma-bobs that I felt were truly unforgettable. I present them to you now in no particular order.

1) The Guaymas Chronicles: La Mandadera David E. Stuart