Throughout its 91-year history, Kirkus has remained steadfast in its commitment to covering books from a vast array of publishers, from major conglomerates to tiny presses that may publish only one or two books per season. Every year, many of my favorite books come from small, independent publishers, and I’m happy to highlight four such books here. There’s no thematic connection between them, but all are outstanding examples of the excellence that a small press can foster.
The year 1967 was significant for numerous reasons, many of them related to music. In 1967: How I Got There and Why I Never Left (Akashic, July 2), noted British singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock (born 1953) shares why that year was crucial in his own artistic development. According to our reviewer: “A bright, nostalgic look at the exhilaration of 1967, this book—illustrated throughout with Hitchcock’s surreal sketches—will appeal to not only the author’s many fans but also anyone interested in the music and culture from the golden age of psychedelia.” That era has always been a topic of keen interest for me, and Hitchcock offers unique insights about this fertile period.
The Devil’s Contract: A History of the Faustian Bargain (Melville House, July 9), by Ed Simon, is an intriguing entry in one of my favorite genres: literary history. In a starred review, our critic notes, “Most readers are familiar with the story of Faust, the scholar who makes a pact with the devil, trading his soul for knowledge, power, and riches. Simon…believes that many people don’t fully understand the story’s depth and complexity, and this extensive cultural history goes a long way to prove his point.” The author’s deft handling of this centuries-old legend is a delight from start to finish.
Stacey D’Erasmo has been writing for more than a quarter-century; in her latest book, The Long Run: A Creative Inquiry (Graywolf, July 9), she asks a deceptively simple question: “How do we keep doing this—making art?” In our starred review, we note how the author “presents the results of her interviews with a variety of artists including musicians, photographers, dancers, and sculptors, as well as her personal experience and research. The result is a lyrical exploration of life and art.” This is not just a study in longevity, however; D’Erasmo also explores more universal concerns about art and its vitality in the world.
Visual art is the focus of Jonathan Lethem’s new book, Cellophane Bricks: A Life in Visual Culture (ZE Books, July 16), in which the novelist and essayist chronicles his involvement in the visual arts. Our reviewer describes the book as a gathering of “writings on art, most of which were published in catalogs, monographs, or exhibition materials, into a sometimes lyrical, sometimes surreal, always surprising volume, profusely illustrated with images of paintings (including a few of his own early works), sculpture, collages, movie stills, graffiti, book jackets, photographs, and comics.” Lethem is one of our most respected writers, and this book is a fine appreciation of a different element of his oeuvre, sure to please his fans as well as students of visual art.
Eric Liebetrau is a writer and editor in Charleston, South Carolina.
