Bookends
The Wayward Literary Life
Here’s the latest news as I get ready to head back on the road next week.
-The Southern Swing. I’m driving down South for some book events for The Believer if you’re nearby.
Thursday, Nov. 7th. M.S. McClellan. Knoxville, TN.
Friday, Nov. 8th. Off Square Books. Oxford, MS.
If you can’t make it and would like a signed book then get in touch with either place and I’ll make out the book to whoever you like and they can ship it to you. Just in time for the holidays, etc. I always look forward to these signings. I’ve visited Knoxville a few times and really enjoy it. And I’m excited to see Oxford, MS, which my friend Ruaridh, who’s been everywhere, describes as his favorite city in America.
Incidentally, Ruaridh lives in Havana and his incredible reporting from Cuba, where the power grid is failing, is remarkable and stark.
-Eating in Alsace. In case you missed my story about dining in Alsace in the FT last week you can read it here. This was a fun one. This time I was with a lovely photographer who happened to be a vegetarian, which really put the dining pressure on me. It was quite something to see the Riesling vines in season (they were picking them that week) and actually eat some grapes. Delightful!
-Paris in Winter. My dad’s book is being reissued. It’s been nine years since Paris in Winter was published, which feels wild. You can read about annual trips to France of the youthful Coggins family. This edition has a new introduction and new illustrations. It’s out at the end of the month. Also very gift-y. You can pre-order here.
-The Case for Derek Marlowe. There’s been a lot of writing about gatekeeping and recommendations, (I wrote about cultivating your personal algorithm here). Anybody who has a newsletter is guilty of that—I’ve tried to keep The Contender from being a selling tool. If anything, one of the themes here is that you need fewer things, not more. But I do love a good recommendation, especially if it’s more esoteric.
In that spirit, I just re-read one of my favorite novels (and I don’t read many novels these days) and, happily, it still delivers. It’s Do You Remember England? by Derek Marlowe. The book takes place in the English countryside, Italy and a seaside town in what’s now Croatia. It’s a romance, but a jaded one, and you’ll know right away if you’re into it. Crucially, it’s about 200 pages, which is the right length for a novel recommendation. Now I’m going to re-read another of his novels: The Rich Boy From Chicago. And if you prefer spy novels, his first is A Dandy in Aspic, which was made into the Laurence Harvey film. Marlowe led an interesting life and he’s from an era (1960s and 70s) where he somehow managed to be barely photographed—there’s shockingly little about him on the internet.
-Siena Painting Show at The Met. Not a book or article, but a truly incredible exhibition up now. I love these early paintings, especially Duccio and Simone Martini. You’ll never have a chance to see these radiant paintings all together again.
Going to be a visceral week here in America.
Get out to vote, be civil and stay strong.
Painting by the great Richard Baker.
Thanks for the kind hat tip David. I started reading and thought, “I can’t believe you are going to Oxford. I’m so envious” and then I saw you remembered.
I read your piece in the FT yesterday by the fire. It's seriously foggy here and we can't see much out the windows except the ghostly outlines of the barns etc... it is good reading weather. We only harvested the grapes here a week ago. Something nice about having the harvest in and imagining the winter ahead and the books one will read and the great staples of the winter table. I've always shied away from choucroute garnie, but I will give it a chance now that I see where The Contender stands on the issue and I'll check out the books too.