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new titles
FICTION
American Pastoral
Call Me P.P. Hartnott (Pulp Books £7.99).
GSOH .7 AC/DC .7 OTK ? The abbreviated and secretive world of
Pride Scotland Festival and
WaterStone'S Phi“ Roth (Jonathan Ca 9 E15 99) (gay) personal ads is the subject of this * ’3’", p ' bleak but compelling novel. Merging present the roles of fictional writer and factual
researcher, Hartnott placed a contact ad for a fictitious character - the ensuing replies inform the novel’s development. Call Me explores the mundane and bizarre aspects of desire — from benign dreams of walking in the park with a new found love to a}: _, fantasies of dismemberment and urine
.& , _. showers. In many ways, Hartnott
. ' as explores the perennial themes of gay literature — identity and the need for love among others — but avoids the emotional whitewash that so often comes with the territory. The book's detached reportage style can seem coolly impassive at times in its descriptions of potentially dangerous encounters. But if you’ve ever thought of placing an ad or of replying to one — gay, straight or otherwise — read this. (TD) l PP Hartnott will be reading with Patrick Gale and William Sutc/iffe at contradiction in terms. Philip Roth, Waterstone’s, Edinburgh, Wed 78 Jun, now into his 64th year and his 22nd 7pm and at Dillons, Glasgow, Tue 77 book, has once again constructed a Jun, 7pm. slab of Americana which manages to
be both nostalgic ~wnhout the Stray Dogs
unfurling of rose-tinged stars and , stripes -- and a dagger in the heart of £O1h6n9lg§jley (HOddef 8‘ Sloughlon
i the good ole’ US of A. Havmg inherited his pop's lucrative glove
Patrick Gale & P.P. Hartnett
Monday 16th June 7.30pm George Street Free tickets from branch
PHILP
Author of The Cat Sanctuary will be reading from and signing copies of his book of short stories Dangerous Pleasures (HarperCollins £5.99 pbk) with RP. Hartnett. whose first novel Call Me (Pulp Books 97.99) explores the sometimes terrifying, sometimes hilarious world of contact ads.
American Pastoral: now there's a
William Corlett & Michael Arditti
The Nevada heat is more than Just
Wednesday 18th June 7pm West End Free tickets from branch
business, Seymour 'Swede’ Levov finds his fingers being burned by family,
i state and the soaal upheavals which
hit the country in the 60s. You know
weather. It's an animal thing, parboiling men’s minds and messing things around. Reading Stray Dogs you can feel it breathing, thick and heavy,
on your neck. John Stewart has it worse. He can feel it on his face.
things are tOugh when your daughter swaps teenage mores for a terrorist mask and sets out to destroy her Penniless and stranded in a no-mark father’s success. As ever, Roth is desert town, With a bad debt chasing rigorous in his dissection of indiViduals him from Vegas, Stewart needs an
reading from Two Gentleman Sharing (Little,
Brown 9599} Theatre crm?’ Mlcheol Ardlfil Will 1 and their motives and nearly obsessive escape route. That’s where Grace
OISO be reCtdlng from hls second novel, Pagan in sketching out the details Not that comes in. Grace and a murder plan. i this acts as substitute for raw emotion John Ridley’s lean, streamlined debut
and Her Paren's' I -- there's plenty of that, none more so novel -— a heady amalgam of money, than when the famin face up to their sex and death in sweat-stained
s r')ffspring’s bloody slaughter. tBD) clothing — was made for cinema. Indeed, Oliver Stone is on the Stray Dogs set as we speak. Take away some
Award winning author William Corlett will be
Emma Donoghue & Ali Smith in conversation with Ellen Galford Thursday 19th June 7pm
East End
Free tickets fron branch
Quarantine Jim Ci‘ace (Viking U699) t + at viz r
A story-teller of exquisite virtue, Crate l has received enough literary awards to i ; turn his contemporaries ivlartian green { As it is, the likes of Will Self and Nick l Hornby compete for the most I coruscating of endorsements. Quarantine, the author’s fifth novel, spends 40 days and 40 nights in a l Biblical v-iilderness With seven characters, each pursuing their own version of salvation For some that I means god, for others ego, or wealth, , or children. One is named Jesus Make of this what you \"JISli Jesus is , simultaneously Wise and foolish, by turns a dreamer, a healer, a thief, a l man, a mirage Contact \"JIIll his fellow pilgrims is minimal yet the significance he holds for them all becomes
Following up her collection of short stories, , - v i - T overwhelming This is a delightfully Free Love' All WlH be readlng from her 3 written book about faith and folly,
novel, (Virago £14.99) belief and betrayal, truth, Justice, and a flying donkey Maybe not The Greatest Story Ever Told but heaven help the i : competition (RE) 3 John Ridley l
Donoghue. author of Hood will be reading from a love poetry collection What Sappho Would Have Said (Penguin 5317) C]er from her collection of fairy tales Kissing the Witch (Penguin 93.50)
94 THE UST 13—26 Jun 1997