Following 2010’s A Visit from the Goon Squad, Manhattan Beach (2017) is a far cry from the time-hopping experimental prose anyone might have expected. It’s a “traditional” historical novel set in Depression era/World War II New York and centred on the Navy Yards. Egan’s melancholic, Noir-esque drama is elegiac and affirmative — which was also true… Continue reading On Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
Ann Patchett's sprawling domestic novel begins in 60s Los Angeles at a suburban christening party. The reader is immediately planted in the middle of the action and given a panoramic view of the scene. When handsome Bert arrives with a bottle of gin we see an almost comical jump to action as men roll up their shirtsleeves to… Continue reading A Review of Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
In peach-lit Miami, Moonlight shows three stages in the life of black-American Chiron. In young adolescence he finds a surrogate father figure in Juan (played by Mahershala Ali). He has abusive slurs thrown at him (including by his mother) without even knowing that they are homophobic. Juan is instrumental in the development of Chiron's character,… Continue reading On Moonlight
It's a drizzly day in London when I go to see the Rauschenberg exhibition, which only makes it more surreal when I walk through the door and see Monogram (1955-59), a taxidermied Angora goat standing on a collage, in the middle of the room. The Combines form the first section of the exhibition, and are an affronting, energetic introduction… Continue reading Robert Rauschenberg at the Tate Modern
Letters for Rent 