August Speed Reads

Better By John O’Brien, Out Aug. 1 A parade of dreamy, hedonistic characters drink, cavort and collide in an L.A. mansion in this posthumously published novel from the author of Leaving Las Vegas.

To Sound in the Know: O’Brien committed suicide in 1994 at the age of 33 just before Nic Cage and Elizabeth Shue started filming the movie version of his book.

Inherent Vice By Thomas Pynchon, Out Aug. 4 Noir psychedelic ‘60s Pynchon = God only knows.

To Sound in the Know: There’s nothing to know about Pynchon. I’m certainly not him. Not at all… Look over there!

Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-Time Eater By Frank Bruni, Out Aug. 20 The New York Times food critic details life as a rotund man with a damaged ego in this memoir that explores both the up and downsides of life as a food lover.

To Sound in the Know:

Bruni has worn many hats at the Gray Lady, including covering W’s first presidential campaign in ‘99.

The Skating Rink By Roberto Bolaño, out Aug.28 The posthumous Bolaño infusion continues with this story of crime, love and a skating rink set in an imaginary town north of Barcelona.

To Sound in the Know: Bolaño-mania is just getting started—there are four more books planned for release in 2010. Eat that, James Patterson!

I Drink For a Reason By David Cross, Out Aug.31 The comedian and veteran of Arrested Development and Mr. Show finds a new avenue for his acerbic wit in this collection of essays and satirical fiction.

To Sound in the Know: Cross has appeared at Lit and 2A as well as in movies, music videos,TV and even video games—as a voice in Halo 2 and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

The Death of Bunny Munro By Nick Cave, Out Sept. 1 The lead singer of the Bad Seeds tells the story of a drugged-out salesman going door to door in search of…something.

To Sound in the Know: Cave’s first (and only other) novel, And the Ass Saw The Angel, was published almost 20 years ago. Can’t wait for the next one in 2038!

Homer & Langley By E.L. Doctorow, Out Sept. 1 Doctorow uses two brothers, one blind and the other mad, to tell the story of America unfolding after World War I in New York City. To Sound in the Know: Edgar Lawrence Doctorow was named for another famous American author: Edgar Allan Poe.

A Best of Fence: The First Nine Years Volumes One and Two Out Aug. 31 The anthology of the NY-based lit mag Fence, which includes fiction, poetry and non-fiction from almost a decade of production, and also essays from editors and collaborators about their experience working with Fence.

To Sound in the Know: Current and former Fence editors, including Jonathan Lethem and Ben Marcus, worked on the anthology.