http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Fri, 16 May 2008 21:38:16 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/05/16/213816.php Clifford GarstangPeace comes from making the right choices.<br/> Richard Bausch's new novel, Peace, is quite short and reads - not just because of its length - more like a long short story than a novel. The action takes place over just a single day and night, with several long flashbacks, and turns primarily on a single moment. The cast of characters is small, and the single plot-line is straightforward (the... Books76960@blogcritics.org Fri, 16 May 2008 21:38:16 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/05/11/144324.php Clifford GarstangA book of druggies, jokers, and jerks.<br/> A casual reader may find this slim short-fiction collection entertaining. It's filled with apparently young people who drink a lot (sometimes in Ireland, sometimes in Paris, usually in New York), occasionally take ecstasy or mushrooms or heroin, visit strip clubs, play practical jokes on one another, and are generally bored. The book is fast-paced... Books76759@blogcritics.org Sun, 11 May 2008 14:43:24 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/04/29/061722.php Clifford GarstangWho says grumps aren't funny?<br/> With the arrogance of Paul Theroux and the comic abrasiveness of David Sedaris, Gary Buslik has, in A Rotten Person Travels the Caribbean, written a collection of &ldquo;travelers&rsquo; tales&rdquo; that is both crude and offensive. On the other hand, except where there are dips into near-racism, these accounts are mostly very funny extended jokes... Books76328@blogcritics.org Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:17:22 EDT