Customer Comments

Courtney Young has commented on (13) products.

St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves: Stories (Vintage Contemporaries) by Karen Russell

Courtney Young, May 8, 2012

I'm a huge fan of short stories, in particular those that explore bold, fabulous, and spectacular plots and characters. So for me, Karen Russell's first collection of short stories is a treat. Each of the short stories in this collection is an excellent pairing of entertaining and well crafted prose. An added bonus is the story "Ava Wrestles the Alligator" which eventually evolved into her wonderful novel Swamplandia! This is definitely a wonderfully inventive collection and I highly recommend it!

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When I Was a Child I Read Books by Marilynne Robinson

Courtney Young, May 2, 2012

Marilynne Robinson's latest collection of essays is a true gem, a must read. The prose is beautiful and rigorous and she covers a wide range of topics from Christianity to the global debt crisis. My favorite essay is the titular one, in which Robinson recounts her voracious and discriminating reading choices during her childhood in Idaho. This discussion lends itself to a broader discussion on individualism and the American West. I first became acquainted with Robinson through her fiction works: Housekeeping, Gilead, and Home. Robinson's non-fiction is equally as sharp and smart. I highly recommend this book!

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[Sic]: A Memoir by Joshua Cody

Courtney Young, March 31, 2012

[SIC] is simply incredible. Its a gorgeously written memoir about a promising composer who receives a diagnosis of cancer and begins treatment while a PhD candidate at Columbia University. Not only does Cody chart his hospital stays and the effects of chemo, but he also graciously interweaves references to art, sex, life and love. Its no surprise to me at all that [SIC] was included as one of the best 100 books written in 2011. Pick up this book, you won't be disappointed!

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Say Her Name by Francisco Goldman

Courtney Young, January 28, 2012

This book is as beautifully written as it is stunningly evocative. Francisco Goldman's Say Her name is an autobiographical novel that recounts his less than 2 year marriage to his beloved Aura, who died at the age of 30 in a body surfing accident. Say Her Name is as much a book about the transforming properties of love as it is about the paralysis of grief. In my opinion, Say Her Name is Goldman's best work. I highly recommend it!

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Gryphon: New and Selected Stories by Charles Baxter

Courtney Young, January 21, 2012

There are many champions of the short story form --- Amy Hempel, Alice Monroe, Leonard Michaels, Jhumpa Lahiri, Mavis Gallant, etc. Charles Baxter's 2011 collection of short stories is proof that he should be added to this list. I first became acquainted with Baxter after reading his widely praised novel Feast of Love. Gryphon is no less brilliant. Baxter utilizes the midwestern locale customary to his works to bring to his readers a panoply of characters whose interior lives are just as fascinating as their actual ones. Of the 23 stories included here, 16 were previously published and the remaining 7 are brand spanking new. My personal favorites are "Gryphon," "Royal Blue," "Fensted's Mother," "The Cousins," "The Winner," "Poor Devil," "Mr. Scary," and "Shelter." If you're looking for good fiction, look no further. Gryphon is as good as it gets.

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