Book review: Lawn Boy
March 30, 2018Michael Upchurch reviews Seattle-based author Jonathan Evison’s “Lawn Boy,” a novel about a good-hearted young man with two passions: books and garden care. It’s a swift, engaging read with a wry sense of humor that faces a pertinent issue head-on: the inescapable trap of inequality in America. Read more
Book review: theMystery.doc
March 22, 2018TheMystery.doc is not an easy book. At 1,660 pages, even hauling it around is a challenge. The fragmented narrative jumps between September 11 transcripts, phone conversations with AI bots, and page after page of a code that is never explained. But for the patient and adventurous reader it is worth the effort. Read more
Chief Seattle and The Town That Took his Name: book review
January 31, 2018Michael Upchurch reviews David Buerge’s book “Chief Seattle and the Town the Took His Name,” a history that rejects simple mythologies and draws a complicated portrait of the man the city of Seattle was named for– as well offering a rich account of Duwamish and Suquamish tribal culture. Read more