Archive

L.A. Booksellers on Their Favorite Reads of 2023
Los Angeles booksellers choose their favorite books of 2023.
LARB StaffDec 24, 2023
- Fiction
- Nonfiction
How the West Was Revised
Rebecca Giordano considers the transformation of the Western genre, both its limitations and its possibilities.
Rebecca GiordanoDec 24, 2023
A Novel Is a Long Slow Dream: A Conversation with William Kotzwinkle
Collin Mitchell talks with William Kotzwinkle about his long, storied career and his latest novel, “Bloody Martini.”
Collin MitchellDec 23, 2023
- Fiction
- Noir
The Best of 2023
LARB Radio Hour hosts Kate, Medaya, and Eric share their favorite books, movies, TV shows, music, magazines, and more in this look back at the year that was 2023.
LARB Radio HourDec 22, 2023
Soy Califa! On Dexter Gordon’s Life and Music
Alex Harvey examines the life and music of jazz legend Dexter Gordon.
Alex HarveyDec 22, 2023
- Biography & Autobiography
- Music
A Transitional State: A Conversation Between Charles Yu and George Saunders
George Saunders in conversation with Charles Yu for the 2023 LARB Luminary Dinner.
Charles YuDec 21, 2023
- Fiction
The Callas Myth
Olivia Giovetti surveys memoirs about the opera diva Maria Callas, on the centenary of her birth.
Olivia GiovettiDec 21, 2023
Reselfing: On Brandon Shimoda’s “Hydra Medusa” and Eleni Sikelianos’s “Your Kingdom”
Christopher Kondrich reviews Brandon Shimoda’s “Hydra Medusa” and Eleni Sikelianos’s “Your Kingdom.”
Christopher KondrichDec 20, 2023
- Cultural Studies
- Poetry
That’s a Wrap
David Diaz follows legendary LA punk band Graf Orlock to the ends of the earth (well, only to Anaheim—but still).
David DiazDec 20, 2023
What Does “Stylist” Even Mean? On Steven Millhauser’s “Disruptions”
Josh Cook reviews Steven Millhauser’s new story collection “Disruptions.”
Josh CookDec 19, 2023
- Fiction
- SF
Nothing for Something: Cryptos, Cons, and Zombies
Peter Lunenfeld traces the persistence of classic con games in the current explosion of cryptocurrency markets.
Peter LunenfeldDec 19, 2023
I Didn’t Play
Follow Gracie Hadland’s weekend peregrination through the avant-cultural world of greater Los Angeles, from Koreatown to Pasadena.
Gracie HadlandDec 19, 2023
Zeina Hashem Beck’s “Survival Sonnet”
A new poem from Zeina Hashem Beck.
Zeina Hashem BeckDec 18, 2023
- Around the World
- Poetry
Capitalists Inside a Communist State: On Two Books and the Puzzle of Chinese Billionaires
Carey Mott reviews two books about the blurred lines between communism and capitalism in China: Christopher Marquis and Kunyuan Qiao’s “Mao and Markets: The Communist Roots of Chinese Enterprise” and Scott Moore’s “China’s Next Act: How Sustainability and Technology Are Reshaping China’s Rise and the World’s Future.”
Carey MottDec 18, 2023
One Gig Is Worth 10 Rehearsals: On Ray Padgett’s “Pledging My Time”
Tim Riley reviews Ray Padgett’s “Pledging My Time: Conversations with Bob Dylan Band Members.”
Tim RileyDec 17, 2023
A People’s History of Slime: On Two New Books About Ooze
Mariella Rudi reviews Susanne Wedlich’s “Slime: A Natural History” and Christopher Michlig’s “File Under: Slime.”
Mariella RudiDec 17, 2023