Staff Pick
360 Staff Pick: Get Lit
In this new memoir, Mary Karr recounts her descent into alcoholism, the collapse of her marriage, and her eventual conversion to Roman Catholicism, unfolding in the harrowing manner of a suspense novel. Karr writes the book as an open letter to her son, perhaps using her breathtaking language as a way of asking forgiveness. Karr’s […]
360 Staff Pick: Zadie Smith changes her mind
Who knew procrastination could be so fruitful? Smith (White Teeth) wrote the essays collected here while missing deadlines for her novels. Among them: her father’s experiences during the invasion of Normandy; thoughts on E.M. Forster and David Foster Wallace; and idolizing the women Katherine Hepburn played. The biggest surprise is her movie reviews — nothing’s […]
360 Staff Pick: Byrne Country
Composer Andrew Byrne spends most of his time in the U.S., but White Bone Country is about the ferocious, almost abstract deserts of his native Australia. The instrumentation of piano and percussion sounds austere, but — played by crack musicians Stephen Gosling and David Shively — the result is a delirious swoon: somehow lush and […]
360 Staff Pick: Blame
This gorgeously written novel tracks young history professor Patsy MacLemoore through her alcoholic blackouts, vehicular homicide, prison sentence, and rehabilitation. Don’t let the grim subject matter turn you away. The story’s exploration of responsibility, punishment, and the ways our self-perceptions determine our behavior is authentic and searing.
360 Staff Pick: The Original Crossover Act
Last weekend Kurt interviewed Owen Pallett, a violinist who makes indie-electro-classical-pop, either as a one-man band or with a live orchestra. This weekend, one of Brooklyn’s coolest clubs hosted Miracles of Modern Science, who play violin, cello, mandolin, and double bass, and cite Tears for Fears as their main influence. Last year, we had Bell […]