Faves
PAUL’S 2023 READING LIST
Elizabeth Hardwicke – Sleepless Nights (re-read)
Emily J Edwards – Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man
Bob Dylan – The Philosophy of Modern Song
Robert Silverberg – The Hot Beat
Teju Cole – Open City
Dave Alvin – New Highway
Teju Cole – Every Day is for the Thief
Daniela A. Olivas- How to Date a Flying Mexican
Alex Segura – Silent City
Lee Smith – Cakewalk
Lee Smith – News of the Spirit
Maryse Conde – The Belle Creole
Lee Smith – Oral History
Manuel Munoz – The Consequences
Paul Sexton – Charlie’s Good Tonight
Teju Cole – Black Paper
Teju Cole – Blind Spot
Toni Ann Johnson – Light Skin Gone to Waste
Walter Mosley – Every Man a King
Leonard Cohen – A Ballet of Lepers
Danyel Smith – Shine Bright
Joel Engel – LA ‘56: A Devil in the City of Angels
Laura Wardell – Sweet, Soft Plenty Rhythm
Daniel Black – Don’t Cry for Me
Cormac McCarthy – The Passenger
Mark Guarino – Country and Midwestern
E.P. O’Donnell – The Great Big Doorstep
Tom Piazza – The Auburn Conference
Lucinda Williams – Don’t Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You
Daniel Black – 12 Gates to the City
Lee Smith – The Last Girls
Caleb Azumah Nelson – Small Worlds
Cynthia Bond – Ruby
Gayl Jones – Butter
Victor Aguilar Camin – Day In, Day Out
Yanick Lahens – Sweet Undoings
Ivan Webster – The Cares of the Day
Randall Kenan – A Visitation of Spirits
Randy Wayne White – North of Havana
Ocean Vuong – On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous
Ana Castillo -Dona Cleanwell Leaves Home
Louis Nordan – Lightning Song
Ana Menendez – The Apartment
Emily J. Edwards – Viviana Valentine Goes Up the River
Lewis Nordan – Wolf Whistle
Lee Smith – Silver Alert
David A. Less – Memphis Mayhem
Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya – The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos
Harold Rogers – Tropicalia
Lewis Nordan – Boy With Loaded Gun
Sam Lipsyte – No One Left to Come Looking for You
Alan Leeds – There Was a Time
Daniel Weizmann – The Last Songbird
Cristina Garcia – King of Cuba
Latoya Watkins – Holler, Child
Colson Whitehead – Crook Manifesto
Itamar Vieira Junior – Crooked Plow
Cedric Kyle – Flipping Boxcars
Joe Ide – Fix It
Denise Mina – The Second Murderer
Jake LaMar – Viper’s Dream
Ed. Summer Farah – Sarah Lyn Rogers – Best Debut Short Stories 2023
Henry Threadgill & Brent Hayes Edwards – Easily Slip Into Another World
Ed. Tim Hennessy – Milwaukee Noir
Charmaine Wilkerson – Black Cake
Thomas E Ricks – Waging a Good War: How the Civil Rights Movement Won It’s Battles
Jose Falero – Pedro and Marques Take Stock
Glen DaCosta w/ Dave Peters – This is Reggae
Derek Owosu – That Reminds Me
Salvatore Pane – The Neorealist in Winter
Joel Selvin with Chris Strachwitz – Down Home Music
Aaron Neville – Tell It Like It Is: My Story
Paul’s attempt to read himself out of 2022 worked:
Austin Clarke – Storm of Fortune
Sandra Cisneros – Martita, I Remember You
John Lurie – The History Of Bones
Jesse Dayton – Beaumonster
Jaime Cortez – Gordo
Tiphanie Yanique – Monster In The Middle
Tony Allen w/ Michael Veal – Tony Allen: An Autobiography of the Master Drummer of Afrobeat
Colson Whitehead – Harlem Shuffle
Stevie Simkin – What Makes the Monkey Dance: The Life and Music of Chuck Prophet and Green on Red
John Steinbeck – Of Mice and Men
Sylvia Moreno-Garcia – Mexican Gothic
Jono Miller – The Palmetto Book: Histories and Mysteries of the Cabbage Palm
J.M.G. LeClezio – Onitsha
Julian Herbert – Bring Me the Head of Quentin Tarantino
David Benioff – City of Thieves
Claude Brown – The Children of Ham
Wilma Stockenstrom – The Expedition to the Baobab Tree
Gregory Gibson – Hubert’s Freaks
Kathy Reichs – Bare Bones
John Updike – The Centaur
Macon Fry – They Called Us River Rats
Barbara Kingsolver – The Bean Trees (reread)
Gary Phillips – One-Shot Harry
Tiphanie Yanique – How to Escape from a Leper Colony
Ladee Hubbard – The Last Suspicious Holdout
Chantal James – None but the Righteous
Steve Almond – All the Secrets of the World
Zachary Lazar – The Apartment on Calle Uruguay
John Edgar Wideman – Look For Me and I’ll be Gone
A.J. Verdelle – Miss Chloe
Joe Ide – A Philip Marlowe Novel: The Goodbye Coast
Ladee Hubbard – The Talented Ribkins
Marcial Gala – Call Me Cassandra
Mary Gauthier – Saved By A Song
Mark Ribowski – The Big Life Of LIttle Richard
Elizabeth Nunez – Now Lila Knows
Marytza K. Rubio – Maria, Maria
Joe Ide – IQ
Cleyvis Natera – Neruda On The Park
Michelle Zauner – Crying In H Mart
Michelle Cliff – The Store of a Million Items
Dantiel W. Moniz – Milk Blood Heat
Chris Blackwell – The Islander
Scott Billington – Making Tracks
Joy Castro – How Winter Began
Charlotte Carter – Drumsticks
Toya Wolfe – Last Summer On State Street
Francesca Momplaisir – The Garden Of Broken Things
Elliot Chaze – Black Wings Has My Angel
Billy Bergman – Goodtime Kings: Emerging African Pop
Joe Ide – Righteous
Jorge Ibarguengoitia – The Dead Girls
Joe Ide – Wrecked
Karla Suarez – Havana Year Zero
Mark Richard – The Ice At The Bottom Of The World (reread)
Gayl Jones – The Birdcatcher
Gustavo Perez Firmat – The Havana Habit
Chip Duncan – Ewaso Village
Gabriella Burnham – It Is Wood, It Is Stone
Joe Ide – Hi-Five
Rafael Agustin – Illegally Yours
T.J. English – Dangerous Rhythms: Jazz In The Underworld
R.J. Smith – Chuck Berry: An American Life
Mark Pogacar – Neon South
Joe Ide – Smoke-
Blitz Bazawule _ The Scent of Burnt Flowers
Gabrielle Lucille Fuentes – Are We Ever Our Own?
Alex Jennings – The Ballad of Perilous Graves
Elliot Chaze – Mr. Yesterday
Fernando A. Flores – Valleyesque
Elliot Chaze – Two Roofs and a Snake At The Door
PAUL’S 2021 READING LIST:
Peter Guralnick – Looking to Get Lost
Billy Miller/Michael Hurtt – Mind Over Matter: The Myths and Mysteries of Detroit’s Fortune Records
Alice Randall – Black Bottom Saints
Bill Flanagan – Fifty in Reverse
Cynthia Shearer – The Celestial Jukebox
Ed McBain – The Gutter and the Grave
Fred Chappell – The Gaudy Place
Nick Tosches – Cut Numbers
Alice Randall – Ada’s Rules
P. Djeli Clark – Ring Shout
Alice Randall – The Wind Done Gone
Suzzy Roche – The Town Crazy
Walter Mosley – Blood Grove
Alexis Schaitkin – Saint X
Jacqueline Woodson – Before the Ever After
Patricia Smith – Big Towns, Big Talk
Maisy Card – These Ghosts are Family
Mark Richard – The Ice at the Bottom of the World (re-read)
Albert French – I Can’t Wait on God
Nat Hentoff – Jazz Country
Jim Thompson- The Golden Gizmo
Gabriela Garcia – Of Women and Salt
Jim Thompson – A Hell of a Woman
Caleb Azumah Nelson – Open Water
Paco Ignacio Taibo III – The Shadow of a Shadow
Ed.Julie Shaper & Steven Horwitz – Amplified
Elmore Leonard – When the Women Come Out to Dance
Valerie Martin – Property
Larry McMurtry – The Desert Rose
Richard Thompson – Beeswing
Chanel Cleeton – The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba
Deesha Philyaw – The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
Andrea Lee – Red Island House
Rickie Lee Jones – The Last Chance Texaco
Nick Pizzolato – Galveston
Natalie Baszile – Queen Sugar
Chanel Cleeton – The Last Train to Key West
Dawnie Walton – The Final Revival of Opal and Nev
Mark Ribot – Unstrung
Shani Mootoo – Cereus Blooms at Night
Allen Gurganus – The Uncollected Stories
Leonardo Padura – The Transparency of Time
Michael Elliot – Have a Little Faith: the John Hiatt Story
S.A. Cosby – Blacktop Wasteland
Lauren Groff – Florida
Louis Edwards – Ramadan Ramsey
S.A. Cosby – Razorblade Tears
Caroline Randall Williams – Lucy Negro Redux
Steve Earle- I’ll Never Get Out of this World Alive
Todd Lazarski – Spend it All
Nathan Harris – The Sweetness of Water
Joe Meno – Tender as Hellfire
Kaitlyn Greenidge -Libertie
Gavin Lambert – The Slide Area (re-read)
Roxane Gay – An Untamed State
Erik Morse – Bluff City Underground
Dr Moo-Moo – Snippets
Edward Telles Ribeiro – I Would Have Loved Him If I Had Not Killed Him
Jerry Tisserand / Michael Tisserand – My Father When Young
Some Musical Favorites of 2021
Allison Russell / Outside Child
Jon Batiste / WE ARE
Swamp Dogg / Sorry You Couldn’t Make It
Buffalo Nichols / Buffalo Nichols
Silk Sonic / A Night With Silk Sonic
Daniel Lanois / Heavy Sun
Charlie Crockett / Music City U.S.A.
Orquesta Akokan / 16 Rayos
Yola / Stand For Myself
Los Lobos / Native Sons
John Hiatt and the Jerry Douglas Band / Leftover Feelings
Wee Willie Walker / Not In This Lifetime
Re-issues (Compilations):
Modernity / Kent/Ace Records
The Last Shall Be First Vol.2 / Bible & Tire
Birth Of Soul:Los Angeles Special / Kent/ACE
Soul Power ’68 / Doctor Bird
Paul’s 2020 Reading List
William Gay – The Lost Country
Joe Meno – How the Hula Girl Sings
Jaquira Diaz – Ordinary Girls
Bill Moody – Fade to Blue
Joe R Lansdale – Rumble Tumble
Bill Moody – Looking for Chet Baker
Joe R Lansdale – Mucho Mojo
Daniel Jose Older – The Book of Lost Saints
Jacqueline Woodson – Red to the Bone
Ron A Austin – Avery Colt is a Snake, a Thief, a Liar
Margarita Garcia Robayo – Fish Soup
Joe R Lansdale – The Two Bear Mambo
Joe Meno – Blue Birds Used to Croon in the Choir
Raymond Benson – Blues in the Dark
Teresa Dovelpage – Queen of Bones
Chris L Terry – Black Card
Bernardine Evaristo – Girl, Woman, Other
Mercedes Lambert – Ghosttown
Joe R Lansdale – The Elephant of Surprise
Joe R Lansdale – Captains Outrageous
Samuel Selvon – The Housing Lark
Cyprian Ekwensi – People of the City
Joe R Lansdale – Rusty Puppy
Ivonne Lamazares – The Sugar Island
Mercedes Lambert – Dogtown
Joe R Lansdale – Honky Tonk Samurai
Tiphanie Yanique – Land of Love and Drowning
Attica Locke – Heaven, My Home
Leigh Camacho Rourks – Moon Trees and other Orphans
Travis Atria – Better Days Will Come Again: The Life of Arthur Briggs
Jasmon Drain – Stateway’s Garden
John Williams – Nothing but the Night
Zora Neale Hurston – Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick
Delia Owns – Where the Crawdads Sing
Nana Kwame Adjei Brenyah – Friday Black
Solon Timothy Woodward – Cadillac Orpheus
Cab Calloway/Bryant Rollins – Of Minnie the Moocher and Me
Damon Young – What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker
William Kennedy (rereads) –
Iron Weed
Legs
Billy Phelan’s Greatest Game
James McBride – Deacon King Kong
Colson Whitehead – The Nickel Boys
Bryan McCann – Hello, Hello Brazil
Nicholas Butler – Shotgun Lovesongs
Otessa Moshfegh – My Year of Rest and Relaxation
Colson Whitehead – John Henry Days
James McBride – Song Yet Sung
James Sallis – Cypress Grove
Walter Thurman – Infants of the Spring
Roben Jones – Memphis Boys/The Story of American Studios
Mercedes Lambert – Soultown
Maxine Beneba Clarke – Foreign Soil and Other Stories
James Lee Burke – A Private Cathedral
Walter Mosley – Trouble Is What I Do
Paulo Coelho – Veronika Wants to Die
Joe Bonomo – Field Recordings from the Inside
Joe R Lansdale – A Fine Dark Line
Jace Clayton – Uproot / Travels in 21st Century Music and Digital Culture
Joe R Lansdale – Blood and Lemonade
Adger Cowans – Personal Vision/Photographs
Joe R Lansdale – The Bottoms
Michael Connelly – Angel’s Flight
Walter Mosley – The Awkward Black Man
Toni Morrison – Love
Ross MacDonald w/Tom Nolan – The Archer File
Alex Segura – Miami Midnight
Bill Moody – Bird Lives!
William Goyen (reread) – The House of Breath
Chris Frantz – Remain in Love
Mark Radcliffe – Crossroads
Amy Rigby – Girl to City
Rob Johnson – Did Beatniks Kill John F Kennedy?
Isabel Wilkerson – Caste
Some Musical Favorites of 2020
Chuck Prophet – The Land That Time Forgot
The Flat Five – Another World
Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters
Tony Allen/Hugh Masekela – Rejoice
Dan Penn – Living On Mercy
CeeLo Green is Thomas Calloway
Gregory Porter – All Rise
Rami & The Reliables-Sweet & Leanin’
The James Hunter Six – Nick Of Time
Robert Cray Band – That’s What I Heard
Bob Dylan – Rough & Rowdy Ways
Singles:
The Claudettes – I Wash My Hands Of This
John Prine – I Remember Everything
Moses Sumney – Cut Me
Re-issues:
New Breed R&B: Saturday Night Special
La Locura de Machuca
Dudu Pukwana – Dudu Pukwana and The Spears
Doctor Bird Rocksteady& Reggae Re-issues
Some Musical Favorites of 2019
Instant Classic – Rami & The Reliables
Songs of Our Native Daughters-Our Native Daughters
We Get By – Mavis Staples
Rush Of Blood – Geraint Watkins
Capitalist Blues – Leyla McCalla
Easy Way – Cactus Blossoms
Lulu & The Broadsides – Sampler
Let It Be Guitar – Joel Paterson
Trombone EP – Nick Lowe & The Straitjackets
Jaime – Brittany Howard
Congo Revolution-Various Artists (Soul Jazz Records)
Doctor Bird Rocksteady, Mento and Ska era reissues
This is Lowrider Soul
Paul’s 2019 Reading List:
Donald Brackett – Long, Slow Train: The Soul Music of Sharon Jones
Jennifer Baker, Editor – Everyday People, The Color of Life, a Short Story Anthology
Langston Hughes/Roy DeCarava – The Sweet Flypaper of Life
Guillermo Cabrera Infante – Map Drawn By a Spy
Art Shay – Chicago’s Nelson Algren
Denis Johnson – The Largesse of the Sea Maiden
Amparo Davila – The Houseguest
Robin Robertson – The Long Take
Earle Stanley Gardner – The Knife Slipped
Earle Stanley Gardner – The Count of 9
Christina Rivera Garza – The Taiga Syndrome
Jim Thompson – The Getaway
Padgett Powell – You and Me
Wendy Guerra – Revolution Sunday
Naomi Jackson – The Star Side of Bird Hill
Bianca Marais – Hum If You Don’t Know the Words
Esi Edugyan – Washington Black
Timothy Hallinan – Nighttown
Jeff Tweedy – Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back)
Michael Ondaatje – Warlight
Caryl Philips – The Final Passage (re-read)
Stephanie Powell Watts – We Are Taking Only What We Need
Charles Williams – The Hot Spot
James Lee Burke – New Iberia Blues
Louis Alberto Urrea – The House of Broken Angels
Otessa Moshfegh – McGlue
Kiese Laymon – Heavy
Per Oldaeus – Professor Longhair-A Scrapbook
Camille Ackerman – Training School for Negro Girls
Lawrence Block – A Time To Scatter Stones
Claire Adam – Golden Child
Patricia Smith – Shoulda Been Jimi Savannah
Lawrence Osborne – On To Sleep
Otessa Moshfegh – Eileen
Preston Lauterbach – Bluff City
Patrick Chamoiseau – Slave Old Man
James M. Cain – The Cocktail Waitress (re-read)
Kwame Davis – Bivouac
Timothy Halinan – A Nail Through the Heart
Lauren Wilkinson – American Spy
Mark Howard – Listen Up
Otessa Moshfegh – Homesick for Another World
Leonardo Padua – Grab a Snake by the Tail
Amaud Jamal Johnson – Darktown Follies
Dominic Smith – The Electric Hotel
Chanel Cleeton – When We Left Cuba
Eve Babitz – Slow Days, Fast Company
De’Shawn Charles Winslow – In West Mills
Geovani Martins – The Sun on My Head
David Ritz – The God Groove
Pablo Medina – The Cuban Comedy
Amanda Marbais – Claiming a Body
Nafissa Thompson-Spires – Heads of the Colored People
Jaime Manrique – Like This Afternoon Forever
Chanelle Benz – The Gone Dead
Walter Mosley – Elements of Fiction
Randy Boyagoda – Original Prin
Myla Goldberg – Feast Your Eyes
Bill Moody – Solo Hand
Emily St. John Mandel – The Lola Quartet
Clairice Lispector – The Besieged City
Regina Porter – The Travelers
Christopher Hall – Our Man Down in Havana
Graham Greene – The Comedians
Bill Moody – Shades of Blue
Karla F. C. Holloway – A Death in Harlem
Karen Russell – Orange World
Zadie Smith – Grand Union
Bill Moody – The Sound of the Trumpet
Aaron Cohen – Move On Up
Sarah M. Broom – The Yellow House
Earle Lovelace/Robert Antoni, Editors – Trinidad Noir the Classics
Will Birch – Cruel To Be Kind
Edwidge Danticat – Every Thing Inside
Alexandra Fuller – Travel Light, Move Fast
Fernanda Torres – Glory and Its Litany of Horrors
Joe R. Lansdale – Jackrabbit Smile
Booker T. Jones – Time Is Tight
Paul’s 2018 Reading List
The Company Car – C.J.Hribal
Robichaux – James Lee Burke
A Negro And An Ofay – Danny Gardner
The Futilitarians – Anne Gisleson
Way Down In Louisiana – Todd Mouton
Day In, Day Out – Hector Aguilar Camin
Revulsion:Thomas Bernhard in San Salvador – Horacio Castellanos Moya
Spy Of The First Person – Sam Shepard
Death In Veracruz – Hector Aguilar Camin
Tropic Death – Eric Walrond
Slumberland – Paul Beatty
Havana Libre – Robert Arrelano
Down To The River Unto The Sea – Walter Mosley
Raising The Dad – Tom Matthews
For You To See The Stars – Radney Foster
Stories From Blue Latitudes: Caribbean Women Writers at Home And Abroad
-ed by Elizabeth Nunez and Jennifer Sparrow
As Lie Is To Grin – Simeon Marsalis
The Book Of Night Women – Marlon James
Lydia Cabrera and the Construction of An Afro-Cuban Cultural Identity-Edna M Rodriguez-Mangual
Claire DeWitt and The City Of The Dead – Sara Gran
New Year In Havana – Chanel Cleeton
King Zeno – Nathaniel Rich
Nightfall – David Goodis
White Tears – Hari Kunzru
Sing Unburied Sing – Jesmyn Ward
Beautiful Music – Michael Zadoorian
Abeng – Michelle Cliff
Salvage The Bones – Jesmyn West
New Year’s Eve/1929 – James T. Farrell
The Axeman – Ray Celestin
Men We Reaped – Jesmyn Ward
Claire DeWitt and the Bohemian Highway- Sara Gran
Eclipse Alley – David Fulmer
The Linden Tree – Carlos Aira
The Iron Gate – David Fulmer
Streets Of No Return – David Goodis
Where the Line Bleeds – Jesmyn Ward
The Music Shop – Rachel Joyce
The Song Is You – Megan Abbot
My German Brother – Chico Buarque
American Histories – John Edgar Wideman
How To Love A Jamaican – Alexa Arthurs
Good Trouble-Joseph O’Neill
Soucouyant – David Chariandy
Sweet & Low – Nick White
Valmiki’s Daughter – Shani Mootoo
Bluebird Bluebird – Attica Locke
Nighthawks – Charles Johnson
145th Street – Walter Dean Myers
Love War Stories – Ivelisse Rodriguez
Ayiti – Roxane Gay
Lokotown – Cyprian Ekwensi
A Thousand Distant Radios – Woody Skinner
Love Interrupted – Reneilwe Malatji
West Of Sunset – Stewart O’Nan
Siren Song – Seymour Stein
Memphis Rent Party – Robert Gordon
John Woman – Walter Mosley
Small Country – Gael Faye
The Third Hotel – Laura Van Den Berg
The Traveling Feast – Rick Bass
Side Swipe – Chares Willesden
Manhattan Beach – Jenneifer Egan
Fruit Of The Drunken Tree – Ingrid Rojas Contreras
The World Beat – Gaylord Dold
Wild Wives – Charles Willesden
Turn On The Heat – Erle Stanley Gardner writing as A.A. Fair
After The Winter – Guadelupe Nettel
Maigret Enjoys Himself – George Simenon
Some Musical Favorites of 2018
Lonesome As A Shadow – Charley Crockett (Sons Od Davy/Thirty Tigers)
Orquesta Akokan – Orquesta Akokan (Daptone)
The Prodigal Son – Ry Cooder (Concord)
Whatever It Takes – The James Hunter Six (Daptone)
Call It Home Pts 1 and 2 – The California Honeydrops
The Tree Of Forgiveness – John Prine
Disques Debs International Vol.1 – (Air Caraibes/Strut)
Robbie Fulks & Linda Gail Lewis – Wild!,Wild!,Wild! (Bloodshot)
David Byrne – American Utopia
Paul’s 2017 Reading List
Moving Target-Ross McDonald
The Lady In The Lake-Raymond Chandler
State of Wonder-Ann Patchett
Dodger Blue Will Fill Your Soul-Bryan Allen Fierro
Another Brooklyn-Jacqueline Woodson
Whatever Happened to Interracial Love?-Kathleen Collins
Crime and Music-ed. Jim Fusilli
Hillbilly Elegy-J.D. Vance
Testimony-Robbie Robertson
Pop. 1280-Jim Thompson
T Bone Burnett: A Life in Pursuit-Lloyd Sachs
Travel Advisory: Stories of Mexico-David Lida
Saga of Brutes-Ana Paula Maia
The Great American Songbook-Sam Allingham
Proving Nothing to Anyone-Matt Cook
Rage to Survive-Etta James
Writing to Save a Life: The Lewis Till File-John Edgar Wideman
Krazy-Michael Tisserand
America Over the Water-Shirley Collins
I Scare Myself-Dan Hicks
Born a Crime-Trevor Noah
I’m Just Dead I’m Not Gone-Jim Dickinson
Darktown-Thomas Mullen
Buried Strangers-Leighton Gage
The One Inside-Sam Shepard
The Big Sea-Langston Hughes
The New Analog-Damon Krukowski
Flesh & Bone & Water-Luisa Sauma
Blood of the Wicked-Leighton Gage
The Jukebox Kings-Doug Allyn
Strangers to Temptation-Scott Gould
Rifftide-Papa Jo Jones ed.Albert Murray & Paul Devlin
The Guilty-Juan Villoro
The End-Fernanda Torres
The Reef-Juan Villoro
Lincoln in the Bardo-George Saunders
So Much Things to Say-Roger Steffens
Love for Sale-David Hajdu
Good Booty-Ann Powers
Moving Forward Sideways Like a Crab-Shani Mootoo
Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun-Sarah Ladipo Manyika
The Cuban Affair-Nelson DeMille
Best Worst American-Juan Martinez
Five Carat Soul-James McBride
Kingdom Cons-Yuri Herrera
The Transmigration Of Bodies-Yuri Herrera
The Invisible Life Of Eurydice Gusmao-Martha Batalha
A Perfectly Good Guitar-Chuck Holley
Gwendy’s Button Box-Stephen King/Richard Chizmar
The Things We Don’t Do-Andres Neuman
Signs Preceding The End Of The World-Yuri Herrera
Bark- Lorrie Moore
The Vine That Ate The South-J.D. Wilkes
Liner Notes-London Wainwright III
The Tragedy of Brady Sims-Ernest J. Gaines
Album For An Age-Art Shay
Charlie Marty & Other Stories(re-read)-Elmore Leonard
Lime Tree Can’t Bear Orange(re-read)-Amanda Smyth
Dead Man’s Blues-Ray Celestin
Some Favorite 2017 Recordings:
Soul Of a Woman-Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
If All I Was Was Black-Mavis Staples
The Navigator-Hurray For The Riff Raff
Brand New Day-The Mavericks
Goin’ Platinum-Robert Finley
Don’t Give Up On Love-Don Bryant
Robert Cray and Hi Rhythm
Not Dark Yet- Shelby Lynne & Allison Moorer
Some Favorite songs 2017:
Just How Low-Robert Cray
We’ve Come Too Far To Turn Around-Lucinda Williams
I Will Not Be Quiet-Iris Dement
Til Justice Rolls Down Like Water-Iris Dement
I Wish You Well-The Mavericks
Hungry Ghost-Hurray for the Riff Raff
Rican Beach-Hurray for the Riff Raff
Some 2016 Musical Favorites
This Is Where I Live-William Bell
Livin’ On A High Note-Mavis Staples
Hold On!-The James Hunter Six
A World of Love and Hope-The Flat Five
Take Me To The Alley-Gregory Porter
You Want It Darker-Leonard Cohen
You’re Dreaming-The Cactus Blossoms
Favorite Reissues:
Urgent Jumping! (Sternsmusic)
Kenya Special Vol.2 (Soundway)
Tanbou Toujou Lou (Ostinato Haitian comp)
Nigeria Freedom Sounds(SoulJazz)
Paul’s 2016 Reading
Lime Tree Can’t Bear Orange-Amanda SmythBlack Noir
Memphis Noir-ed/ Lauren D.Cantwell&Leonard Gill The Continental Op-Dashiell Hammet Fortunate Son-John Fogerty Letters to Yeyito-Paquito D’Rivera
Shut Up In My Bones-Charles M. Blow
Corina’s Way-Rod Davis
I Hear You Knocking (reread)Jeff Hannush
The Red Storm-Grant Bywaters
Havana Twist-Lia Matera
I Blaim Dennis Hopper-Illeana Douglas
Drowning In A Sea Of Love-Al Ypung
Dancing With The Devil In The City Of God-Juliana
Barbassa
The Heat’s On-Chester Himes
Lucking Out-James Wolcott
Do Not Sell At Any Price-Amanda Petrusich
Delicious Foods-James Hannaham
The Color Of Water-James McBride
Kill ‘Em And Leave-James McBride
The Ballad Of BlacK Tom-Victor Lavalle
Making Tracks-Charlie Gillett
Slapboxing With Jesus-Victor Lavalle
Burning Bright-Ron Rash
The Book of Harlan-Bernice L. McFadden
Between The World and Me-Te-Nehisi Coates
My Father’s Guitar and Other Imaginary Things-Joseph Skibell
Cut Me In-Ed McBain
Ways To Disappear-Idra Novey
Driving The King-Ravi Howard
The Assimilated Cuban’s Guide To Quantum Santeria-Carlos Hernandez
Written In Dead Wax:The Vinyl Detective-Andrew Cartmel
Charcoal Joe-Walter Mosley
Screaming Jay Hawkins All-TimeGreatestHits-Mark Binelli
Bumping Into Geniuses(Tim Morck Collection)-Danny Goldberg
Close Enough For Jazz(Tim Morck Collection)-Mike Zwerin
Your Song Changed My Life-Bob Boilen
Make The Road By Walking-Todd Lazarski
Sergio Y-Alexandre Vidal Porto
Soul Serenade-Rashod Ollison
Loteria-Ruben Mendoza
How To Listen To Jazz-Ted Gioia
The Consummata-Mickey Spillane/Max Allan Collins
Mozart & Leadbelly-Ernest J. Gaines
Olio-Tyehimba Jess
The Beautiful Struggle-Te-Nehisi Coates
Blind Man With A Pistol-Chester Himes
Moses Ascending-Sam Selvon
Leadbelly-Tyehimba Jess
Negroland-Margo Jefferson
Better Get It In Your Soul-Krin Gabbard
The Ancient Minstrel-Jim Harrison
Desperado:A Mile High Novel-Manuel Ramos
Absalom’s Daughters-Suzanne Feldman
Umami-Laia Jufresa
The Mortifications-Derek Palacio
Ghosts Of Havana-Todd Moss
Soutown,a Whitney Logan Mystery-Mercedes Lambert
Every Song Ever-Ben Ratliff
How To Travel Without Seeing-Andres Neuman
Wandering Time-Luis Albert Urrea
Dancing In The Dark-Caryl Phillips
Great Spirits-Randall Grass
The Jealous Kind-James Lee Burke
The Lady Of Solitude-Paula Parisot
Mississippi Noir-Ed. Tom Franklin
Born To Run-Bruce Springsteen
SOME 2015 MUSICAL FAVORITES
Look Closer-Saun & Starr
Rise and Fall-Dayna Kurtz
Coming Home-Leon Bridges
Sound & Color-Alabama Shakes
A River’s Invitation-The California Honeydrops
Mono-The Mavericks
Gates of Gold-Los Lobos
Coming Forth By Day-Cassandra Wilson
Senegal 70 (Analog Africa comp.)
PAUL’S 2015 READING
The Death of Sweet Mister-Daniel Woodrell
The Outlaw Album-Daniel Woodrell
Cadillac Orpheus-Solon Timothy Woodward
I Never Met A Story I Didn’t Like-Todd Snyder
Give Us A Kiss-Daniel Woodrell
My Dog Skip-Willie Morris
Good Old Boy-Willie Morris
A Brief History Of Seven Killings-Marlon James
The Hilliker Curse- James Ellroy
Wild Tales-Graham Nash
Thelonious Rising-Judith Richards
Sidewalks-Valerie Luiselli
North of Havana-Randy Wayne White
Elvis Presley Calls His Mother After The Ed Sullivan Show-Samuel Charters
Man Walking On Eggshells-Herbert Simmons
Sound Man-Glyn Johns
Yonder Stands the Orphan-Barry Hannah
The Snare-Elizabeth Spencer (at Peter Whipple’s recommendation)
Ralph Peer & The Making of Popular Roots Music-Barry Mazor
Reverb,An Oddysey-Joe Ely
The Blue Hammer-Ross MacDonald
The Doomsters-Ross MacDonald
You Don’t Know Me- James Nolan
Starting Over-Elizabeth Spencer
Oye What I’m Gonna Tell You-Cecilia Rodriguez Milanes
The Distant Marvels-Chantal Acevedo
The Underground Man-Ross MacDonald
The Instant Enemy-Ross MacDonald
Strangers in Town-Ross MacDonald
Into The Beautiful North-Luis Alberto Urrea
A Sport and a Pastime- James Salter
Black Orchid Blues-Persia Walker
All the Light We Cannot See-Anthony Doerr
World Gone By-Dennis Lehane
The Dog of the South-Charles Portis(at John Sieger’s recommendation)
Going Into The City-Robert Christgau
Fire In The Hole-Elmore Leonard
Unknown Man No.89-Elmore Leonard
Trouble Follows Me-Ross MacDonald
Find A Victim-Ross MacDonald
And Sometimes I Wonder About You-Walter Mosley
The Galton Case-Ross MacDonald
Return To The Same City-Paco Ignacio Taibo II
Yonnondio: From The Thirties-Tillie Olsen (re-read)
Dylan Goes Electric-Elijah Wald
The Wise Women of Havana-Jose Raul Bernardo
A Free State-Tom Piazza
The Name Is Archer-Ross MacDonald
The Way Some People Die-Ross MacDonald
The Chill-Ross MacDonald
Cortadito-Enrique Fernandez
Among The Wild Mulattos-Tom Williams
The Barbaous Coast-Ross MacDonald
Tell Me A Riddle, Requa1and other works-Tillie Olsen
The Sisters Brothers-Patrick DeWitt (at Gurf Morlix’s recommendation)
The Wind In The Reeds-Wendell Pierce
Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink-Elvis Costello
Street Of No Return-David Goodis
Natural Histories-Guadalupe Nettel
Haitian Graves-Vicki Delany
Charlie Martz & Other Stories-Elmore Leonard
Gold Coast-Elmore Leonard
Please Talk To Me-Liliana Heker
The Odd Woman And The City-Vivian Gornick
Cuba Straits-Randy Wayne White
Los Lobos:Dream In Blue-Chris Morris
Mourner’s Bench-Sanderia Fayel
Some 2014 Musical Favorites:
A Reasonable Amount of Trouble – Jesse
Hot Shot (single) – Saun & Starr
Popular Problems – Leonard Cohen
Brass Tacks – NRBQ
Common Courtesy – Rusty Belle
Silver Ladder – Peter Mulvey
The Complete SAR Records Recordings – LC Cooke
Spirit of Malombo – Malombo Jazzmen
You’re Not the Bossa Me – Marti Jones
Township Jive and Kwela Jazz Vol. 3
The Afrosound of Columbia Vol. 2
Middlewestern – Frankie Lee
Let’s Fly A Kite – Eleni Mandell
Easy Gone – Ray Bonneville
Give The People What They Want – SharonJones & The Dap-Kings
Hall of FAME Vol. 3- Various artists
The Bert Berns Story Vol. 3
Some Live Highlights 2014:
The Flat Five – The Hideout in Chicago
Blake Mills – SPACE Evanston, IL
Kobo Town w/ Calypso Rose – Global Union/Milwaukee and The Mayne Stage/Chicago
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings w Saun & Starr
(Lawrence, KS, Mpls.,Chi.,Det. and Pittsburgh)
Sierra Leone’s Refugee AllStars
Cecile McLorin Salvant – Chicago Jazz Festival
Sun Ra Arkestra – Chicago Jazz Festival
Mavis Staples at 75- Chicago
Taj Mahal Trio – Summerfest/ Milwaukee
Rusty Belle w/Hayward Williams-Anodyne/Milwaukee
Frankie Lee – Anodyne/Milwaukee
Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets- Old Town School
Paul’s 2014 Reading
The Good Lord Bird – James McBride
Never Street – Loren Estleman
A Field Guide to Getting Lost – Rebecca Solnit
The Faraway Nearby – Rebecca Solnit
The Girl With The Golden Shoes – Colin Channer
Hollywood Nocturnes – James Ellroy
Under the Bright Lights – Daniel Woodrell
Muscle For The Wing – Daniel Woodrell
The Ones You Do – Daniel Woodrell
Clandestine -James Ellroy
Last Car To Elysian Fields – James Lee Burke
How To Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America – Kiese Laymon
City of Tiny Lights – Patrick Neate
Saint Monkey – Jacinda Townsend
The Switch – Elmore Leonard
Pig’s Foot – Carlos Acosta
The Black Mass Of Brother Springer – Charles Willeford
Rhode Island Red (re-read) – Charlotte Carter
Long Division – Kiese Laymon
The Neon Rain – James Lee Burke
Here Comes The Night – Joel Selvin
Willin’ – Ben Fong-Torres
I’ll Take You There- Greg Kot
Down By The River Where the Dead Men Go – George Pelacanos
Twelve Bar Blues – Patrick Neate
Huey Smith & The Rocking Pneumonia Blues – John Wirt
Really The Blues – Mezz Mezzrow / Bernard Wolfe
Suicide Hill – James Ellroy
Coswell’s Guide To Tambralinga – Scott Landers
The Keillor Reader – Garrison Keillor
The Wrecking Crew – Kent Hartman
Crusader’s Cross – James Lee Burke
Love & Death In A Hot Country- Shiva Naipaul
Respect Yourself – Robert Gordon
In the Electric Mists With The Confederate Dead – Burke
Not For Everyday Use – Elizabeth Nunez
Being Dead In South Carolina – Jacob White
Is Just A Movie – Earl Lovelace
The Man Who Loved Dogs – Leonardo Padura
Dixie City Jam – James Lee Burke
Heaven’s Prisoners – James Lee Burke
Swan Peak – James Lee Burke
The Interior Circuit – Francisco Goldman
The Lost Get Back Boogie – James Lee Burke
Mr. Lover Man – Bernardine Evaristo
Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls – David Sedaris
Pepperpot Best New Stories From The Caribbean
Cubana – ed. Mirta Yanez
River of Shadows – Rebecca Solnit
The Other Side Of Paradise – Julia Cooke
Light of This World – James Lee Burke
Faces In THe Crowd – Valeria Luiselli
Leapfrog and Other Stories – Guillermo Rosales
Crow Blues – Adriana Lisboa
Movies – stephen Dixon
Cape Town Coolie – Reshard Gool
The Strat in the Attic – Deke Dickerson
Fanon – John Edgar Wideman
A Little Lumpen Novelita – Roberto Bolano
Can’t We Talk About SomethingMore Pleasant-Roz Chast
Another Side Of Bob Dylan – Victor & Jacob Maymudes
The Twelve Tribes of Hattie- Ayana Mathis
Black Cherry Blues – James Lee Burke
Now We Will Be Happy – Amina Gautier
The Wide Net – Eudora Welty
A Language Of Song – Samuel Charters
Rose Gold – Walter Mosley
A Simple Distance – K. E. Silva
Tropic Death – Eric Walrond
Ballad Of Another Time – Jose Luis Gonzalez
The Search – Geoff Dyer
Cannery Row – John Steinbcek
Really The Blues – Joseph Koenig
The Freedom In American Songs – Kathleen Winter
Debbie Doesn’t Do It Anymore – Walter Mosley
Even This I Get To Experience – Norman Lear
The Maid’s Version – Daniel Woodrell
Winter’s Bone – Daniel Woodrell
Paul’s 2013 Reading
A Woman Like Me – Bettye Lavette
Taps – Willie Morris
140 Goats and a Guitar – David Berkeley
North Toward Home – Willie Morris
Thoughts Without Cigarettes – Oscar Hijuelos
Mr. Sammler’s Planet – Saul Bellow
Herzog – Saul Bellow
Firefly – Severo Sarduy
Christ On The Rue Jacob – Severo Sarduy
Johnny Too Bad – John Dufresne
It So Happen – Timothy Callendar
The Southern Journey of Alan Lomax-Tom Piazza
Chinaberry Sidewalks – Rodney Crowell
Welcome to the Arrow Catcher Fair-Lewis Nordan
Jazz Body and Soul – Bob Willoughby
Tiger Rag – Nicholas Christopher
How Literature Saved My Life – David Shields
Venus Drive – Sam Lipsyte
The Collected Stories – Calvert Casey
Gumbo Tales – Sara Roahen
The Art Of Cartography – J. S. Marcus
98% Funky Stuff – Maceo Parker
Maps To Anywhere – Bernard Cooper
We Live In Water – Jess Walter
Tin Roof Blowdown – James Lee Burke
Woes of the True Policeman – Roberto Bolano
The Wrong Handed Man – Lawrence Millman
Little Green – Walter Mosley
Enough About You – David Shields
Long Gone Daddies – David Wesley Williams
Ayiti – Roxane Gay
Come Together, Fall Apart – Christina Henriquez
Creole Belle – James Lee Burke
Tenth of December – George saunders
The Geographical Cure – Michael Parker
Grey Skies Tomorrow – Silvia Molina
High Wire Moon – Susan Straight
The Fun Parts – Sam Lipsyte
Between Heaven and Here – Susan Straight
King Of Cuba – Christina Garcia
New Hope For The Dead – Charles Willeford
The Way We Die Now – Charles Willeford
Sideswipe -Charles Willeford
The Shark Infested Custard – Charles Willeford
Miami Blues – Charles Willeford
I Was Looking For A Street – Charles Willeford
Men In Miami Hotels – Charlie Smith
Don’t Make Me Stop Now- Michael Parker
Hit Me Fred – Fred Wesley
High Times,Hard Times-Anita O’Day(recommended by Kelly Hogan)
The Big Ear – Robin Hemley
A Small Hotel – Robert Olen Butler
Fidel’s Last Days – Roland Merullo
WhenTheWomenComeOutToDance-Elmore Leonard
Bruce – Peter Ames Carlin
TheKingdomOfThisWorld-AlejoCarpentier (recommended by Jon Cleary)
The Ballad of Gato Guerrero – Manuel Ramos
Hectic Ethics – Francisco Hinojosa
Jack Of Diamonds – Elizabeth Spencer
Kansas City Lightning – Stanley Crouch
The Book Of My Lives – Aleksander Hemon
Local Souls – Allen Gurganus
Southern Cross The Dog – Bill Cheng
Cadillac Jukebox – James Lee Burke
A Morning For Flamingos James Lee Burke
Mo’MetaBlues-Ahmir Questlove Thompson & Ben Greenman
Levels of Life – Julian Barnes
Barracuda In The Attic – Kipp Friedman
Purple Cane Road – James Lee Burke
Crusader’s Cross – James Lee Burke
Eminent Hipsters – Donald Fagen
The Big Blowdown – George Pelecanos
Some Musical Favorites of 2013
Love Of Mine – Vic & Gab
David Egan David Egan
Minute By Minute – James Hunter Six
Victim Of Love – Charles Bradley
Here’s Nikki Hill – Nikki Hill
Liquid Spirit – Gregory Porter
Live In San Francisco – Ry Cooder
Family Atlantica
Le Grand Kalle: His Life, His Music
The Three FAME Ace George Jackson records
Electric-Richard Thompson
Forever Endeavor – Ron Sexsmith
2012 Reading
Life-Keith Richards
Groove Interrupted-Keith Spera
Babylon Rolling-Amanda Boyden
Charity-Mark Richard(re-read)
Tom Waits on Tom Waits
The Convict and Other Stories-James Lee Burke
Marielitos, Balseros, and Other Exiles-Cecilia Rodriguez Milanes
Nothing To Be Frightened Of-Julian Barnes
(at Peter Whipple’s urging)
Who She Was-Sam Freedman
Los Angeles Stories(City Lights Edition)-Ry Cooder
Shango’s Beads and Two-Tone Shoes-William Kennedy
All I Did Was Shoot My Baby-Walter Mosley
Before the End,after the Beginning-Dagoberto Gilb
The Last Holiday-Gil Scott-Heron
Moon Deluxe-Fredrick Barthelme
The Last Sultan: The Life & Times of Ahmet Ertegun-Robert Greenfield
The White Woman on the Green Bicycle-Monique Raffey
Swing Symphony-Christopher Lawrence
Bob Dylan:Like a Complete Unknown-David Yaffe
Nica’s Dream-David Kastin
LeFreak-Nile Rodgers
420 Characters-Lou Beach
Half-Blood Blues-Esi Erdugyan
Sunset Limited-James Lee Burke
Lita-Jervey Tervalon
A World Made Of Fire-Mark Childress
Jitterbug-Loren Estleman(suggested by Mike Finnegan)
Black Swan-Christopher Hope
What Is What Was-Richard Stern
Sistermony-Richard Stern
Downriver-Loren Estleman
The Glass Highway-Loren Estleman
Ernie K-Doe The R&B Emperor of New Orleans-Ben Sandmel
Cubop City Blues-Pablo Medina
The Midnight Man-Loren Estleman
A Smile on the Face of aTiger-Loren Estleman
Sweet Women Lie-Loren Estleman
A Natural Woman-Carole King
The One-RJ Smith
Natural Shocks-Richard Stern
The Ferguson Affair-Ross MacDonald
Lady Yesterday Loren Estleman
Dropped Names-Frank Langella
Burning Midnight-Loren Estleman
Forbidden Fruit-Pablo LaRosa
Suddenly a Knock at The Door-Etgar Keret
Anacaona-Alicia Castro
L.A. ’56-Joel Engel
Sans Souci-Dionne Brand
How Music Works-David Byrne
NW-Zadie Smith
Saving The World-Julia Alvarez
This Is How You Lose Her-Junot Diaz
The Cocktail Waitress-James M. Cain
Home-Toni Morrison
Knockemstiff-Donald Ray Pollock
Marginal Voices-Julio Ramon Ribeyro
Telegraph Avenue-Michael Chabon
Some Musical Favorites for 2012
Election Special-Ry Cooder
Rebirth-Jimmy Cliff
Secret Canon Vol.1-Dayna Kurtz
Locked Down-Dr. John
Home Again-Michael Kiwanuka
Painted Caves-Painted Caves
Ondatropica-Ondatropica
Dan Penn FAME Recordings
The FAME Recording Story
Slipstream-Bonnie Raitt
The Domino Effect-Herb Hardesty
Live Music Highlights for 2012
Levon Helm-Northern Lights Theater
Alabama Shakes-Pabst Theater
Garland Jeffreys-FitzGerald’s
David Byrne/St. Vincent-Riverside Theater
Pedro Martinez-Jazzfest
Mavis Staples-Jazzfest
Nick Lowe-Chicago Opera House
tUNeYards/Meyer Hawthorne -Summerfest
Some Musical Highlights 2011
Pull Up Some Dust and Sit Down – Ry Cooder
Bad As Me – Tom Waits
Last Star – Jon Rodine
The Old Magic – Nick Lowe
Bad Man’s Blood – Ray Bonneville
I Wake Up Screaming – Kid Creole & The Coconuts
So Beautiful or So What – Paul Simon
American Standard – Dayna Kurtz
Betty Wright:The Movie – Betty Wright w/The Roots
Soul Time – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
The Original Sound of Cumbia – Soundway comp
Don’t Be A Stranger-The Rolling Stones(previously unreleased track)
Live Music Highlights2011
Sade at the United Center in Chicago
Paul Simon at the Riverside Theater- Milwaukee
Pedro Martinez-Guantanamera and Lincoln Center in New York and UCC in Milwaukee
Special thanks and tribute to my heros who died this past year:
Harry Van Oudenallen
Debra Evenson
Pat Cummings
Marv Tarplin
Howard Tate
Clay Hammond
Jerry Leiber
Jerry Ragavoy
Nick Ashford
Manuel Galvan
Carl Gardner
Phoebe Snow
Paul’s 2011 Reading
Cuba,My Revolution -Inverna Lockpez Dean Haspiell w/ Jose Villarubia
Pacific Tremors-Richard Stern
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey-Walter Mosley
Shares-Richard Stern
Soul Mining-Daniel Lanois
The Lacuna-Barbara Kingsolver
Room-Emma Donoghue
The Havana Habit-Gustavo Perez Firmat
Heaven is Hard To Swallow-Rafael Perez Gay
Brazil-Jesse Lee Kercheval
In Corner B-Es’kia Mphalele
Palo Alto Stories-James Franco
Carribean Currents-Peter Manuel
Stitch-Richard Stern
The Weather and Women Treat Me Fair-Percival Everett
Europe,or Up and Down with Shreiber and Baggish-Richard Stern
Alan Lomax:the Man Who Recorded the World
John Szwed
Down & Delirious in Mexico City-Daniel Hernandez
The Remarkable Life of Leonard Cohen-Anthony Reynolds
The Missing-Tim Gautreaux
Memory Wall-Anthony Doerr
In the Walled City-Stewart O’Nan
Last Night At The Lobster-Stewart O’Nan
Woman in the Dark-Dashiell Hammett
The Clearing-Tim Gautreaux
Anything Goes-Madison Smartt Bell
Heaven Before I Die-Michael Oliver-Goodwin
The Sound of Building Coffins-Louis Maistros
House of Prayer No. 2-Mark Richard
The Island of Eternal Love-daina Chaviano
the Bright Midnight-Josh Russel
The Next Step in the Dance-Tim Gautreaux
The Long-Legged Fly-James Sallis
Southland-Nina Revoyr
Eye Of The Cricket-James Sallis
Bluebottle-James Sallis
Moth-James Sallis
Love Is A Mixtape-Rob Sheffield
Ghost of a Flea-James Sallis
The Crazy Kills-Chester Himes
Black Hornet-James Sallis
Cripple Creek-James Sallis
Salt River-James Sallis
Death Will Have Your Eyes-James Sallis
A Visit From The Goon Squad-Jennifer Egan
Volt-Alan Heathcock
The Zebra-Striped Hearse-Ross MacDonald
The Goodbye Look-Ross MacDonald
Golk-Richard Stern
Born Under The Sign of Jazz-Randy Hultin
A Father’s Words-Richard Stern
Samba Dreamers-Kathleen DeAzevedo
Unfinished Blues-Harold Batiste Jr.
!Cocinando!-Pablo Yglesias
Conversations with Walter Mosley-ed. Owen E.Brady
The Tempest Tales-Walter Mosley
The Right Mistake-Walter Mosley
Diablerie Diablerie-Walter Mosley
Six Easy Pieces(re-read)-Walter Mosley
Wish Someone Were Waiting For Me Somewhere-Anna Gavalda
The Night Train-Clyde Edgerton
Great House-Nicole Krauss
Ladies & Gentlemen-Adam Ross
Glorious Days and Nights-Herb Snitzer
The Bolero of andi Rowe-Toni Margarita Plummer
The Ten-Thousand Things-Maria Dermout(at Peter Whipple’s recommendation)
Someday This Will Be Funny-Lynne Tillman
The Chitlin’ Circuit and the Road to Rock n Roll-Preston Lauterbach
Black Postcards-Dean Wareham
The History of Love-Nicole Krauss
Life On the Hyphen-Gustavo Perez Firmat
The Ballad of Bob Dylan-Daniel Mark Epstein
The Screaming Mimi-Fredric Brown
Lesser EvilsTen Quartets-Gary Soto
The Ice at the Bottom of the World(re-read)-Mark Richard
Talking to the Dead-Sylvia Watanabe
Train Dreams-Denis Johnson
Serenade-James M. Cain
Adios,Happy Homeland-Ana Menendez
The Butterfly-James M. Cain
The Cat’s Table-Michael Ondaatje
Snow-Orhan Pamuk(at Peter Whipple’s urging)
The Time of Our Singing-Richard Powers(at Gabe Roth’s urging)
Devil Brings The Rain- Tom Piazza
Rifftide:The Life and Opinions of Papa Joe Jones as told to Albert Murray ed. by Paul Devlin-
Tom Waits on Tom Waits – ed. by Paul Maher Jr.
Sudden Fiction Latino- ed.Robert Shepard,James Thomas & Ray Gonzales
Some Musical favorites 2010
You Are Not Alone – Mavis Staples
I Learned The Hard Way – Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
Black Dub – Black Dub
The Promise – Bruce Springsteen
Nigeria Special Vol.2 – Soundway comp
Nigeria Afrobeat Special – Soundway comp
Ghana Special – Soundway comp
Exile On Main Street reissue and augmentation – The Rolling Stones
Palenque Palenque – Soundway Columbian comp
The Definitive Collection of Federal Records
(VP comp of rare Rock Steady and Reggae)
Guaguancos – Orlando Contreras
Afrocubism – Afrocubism
Songwriting Demos – Jon Rodine
San Patricio – The Chieftains featuring Ry Cooder
Singles and should be singles 2010
Plundered My Soul- The Rolling Stones
Better Things – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
i Learned the Hard Way – Sharon Jones & the DK’s
Mama Don’t Like My Man – Sharon Jones & the DK’s
Soldier of Love – Sade
Tightrope – Jonelle Monae
Soul Is / Pontiacs No More – John Stano
Spanish Eyes – Bruce Springsteen
The Brokenhearted – Bruce Springsteen
Stoplight Roses – Nick Lowe
Out Demons Out – Geraint Watkins
Quicksand – Ry Cooder
The Hills Of Mexico – Ry Cooder w/ The Chieftains
Some live 2010 Highlights
Sagbohan Danialou & Band- Jazzfest New Orleans
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings- HSB Festival San Fran
Nick Lowe & Band plus Geraint Watkins –
Pabst Theater Milwaukee
Black Dub-Lincoln Hall Chicago
Sachal Vasandani & Gretchen Parlato – Alverno College Milw.
Booker T – Turner Hall Milwaukee
Super Chikan – Waterfront Blues Festival-Portland, OR
Levon Helm – Jazzfest New Orleans
Mr. Symarip – Subterranean Chicago
Magnetic Fields – Pabst Theater Milwaukee
Nick Sings Elvis, Elvis Sings Nick – Great American Music Hall San Fran
Vampire Weekend – Riverside Theater Milwaukee
Norah Jones – Riverside Theater Milwaukee
David Lindley – Riverside Theater milwaukee
Paul’s 2010 Reading
Too Much Happiness – Alice Munro
Brides & Sinners in El Chuco – Christine Granados
Drinking Coffee Elsewhere – Z.Z. Packer
John Crow’s Devil – Marlon James
Noble Rot – Richard G. Stern
Reasons For And Advantages of Breathing – Lydia Peele
Day Out Of Days – Sam Shepard
The Unemployed Fortune-Teller – Charles Simic
Tuesdays With Morrie – Mitch Albom
What Is What Was – Richard G. Stern
Lost Alphabet – Lisa Olstein
Record Makers and Breakers – John Broven
Perfecting Sound Forever – Greg Milner
Record Palace – Susan Wheeler
See Jack – Russell Edson
Havana Best Friends – Jose LaTour
Another Bullshit Night In Suck City – Nick Flynn
Gringo – Chesa Boudin
The Position Of The Body- Richard G. Stern
The Dying Crapshooter’s Blues – David Fulmer
Escaping the Delta – Elijah Wald
Little Richard The Birth of Rock ‘n Roll – David Kirby
The Paper Boy – Pete Dexter
Letters From New Orleans – Rob Walker
The Ticking Is The Bomb – Nick Flynn
More of This World and Maybe Another- Barb Johnson
Where the God of Love Hangs Out – Amy Bloom
God’s Gym – John Edgar Wideman
Three Delays – Charlie Smith
the World In Six Songs – Daniel Levitin
Walking To Guantanamo – Richard Fleming
through a generous loan from John Radanovich
Lean On Pete – Willie Vlautin
Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life – Steve Almond
An Evening At The Club – Christian Gailly
My Life In Heavy Metal – Steve Almond
The Hungered One – Ed Bullins
How To Leave Hialeah – Jennine Capo Crucet
Beautiful Maria of My Soul – Oscar Hijuelos
Ray (re-read in aftermath of Barry Hannah’s untimely demise)
A Language Of Song – Samuel Charters
New Orleans – Samuel Charters
The Return – Roberto Bolano
The Insufferable Gaucho – Roberto Bolano
Roberto Bolano: The Last Interview & Other Conversations
ed.and intro by Marcela Valdes
Conditions Uncertain & Likely To Pass Away – Frank Stanford
Antwerp – Roberto Bolano
Known As Evil – Walter Mosley
Chicago Blues: A New Collection Of Crime Stories
ed.Libby Fischer Hellman
The World In Half – Christina Henriquez
Nashville Chrome – Rick Bass
Take One Candle Light a Room – Susan Straight
Lengua Fresca ed.Harold Augenbrum and Ilan Stavans
When that Rough God Goes Riding – Greil Marcus
Further Adventures In The Restless Universe – Dawn Raffel
Hawk Moon (re-read) – Sam Shepard
Kora In hell (re-read) – William Carlos Williams
Los Angeles Stories (re-read) – Ry Cooder
Other Men’s Daughters- Richard G. Stern
Vida – Patricia Engel
What the Dog Saw – Malcolm Gladwell
White Bicycles – Joe Boyd
Gandys on The MoPac – Wes Sumptor
In The Year Of long Division – Dawn Raffel
The Light The Dead See – Frank Stanford
Airships (re-read) -Barry Hannah
San Francisco Noir 2 – ed. Peter Maravelis
Brief Encounters With Che Guevara – Ben Fountain
Thank You To My Heros Who Died This Year 2010
Lhasa De Sela
Abbey Lincoln
Bobby Charles
Don Van Vliet
General Johnson
Willie Mitchell
Barry Hannah
A Few Musical Favorites 2009
For The Love Of Hazel – Dayna Kurtz & Mamie Minch
Throw Down Your Heart : Africa Sessions – Bela Fleck
Panama 2&3 – Soundway Comps
O Canto Dos Escravos – Clementina de Jesus,Geraldo da Filme & Tia Doca
Live At Bob’s – John Sieger
Keletegui et ses Tambourinis – The Syliphone Years
Tumbele – Soundway French Caribbean Comp
Africa Boogaloo – Honest Jon’s Comp
Echos Hypnotiques – Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou
Razorburn Blues – Mamie Minch
Pacho Galan, Climaco Sarmiento, Pedro Laza – Fuentes label comps
Live In London – Leonard Cohen
A Few Live Highlights ’09
Mavis Staples – Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (SF)
Leonard Cohen – Rosemont Theater (CHI)
Little Richard – Potowotomi Casino (MILW)
Dayna Kurtz & Mamie Minch – Cafe Carpe (Ft.Atkinson WI)
Bonnie Raitt – South Bend (IND)
Richard Thompson/Loudon Wainwright – Pabst Theater(MILW)
John Fogerty – Riverside Theater(MILW)
Should be Singles of the year:
When My Angel Smiles- John Sieger
Only The Lonely – Dayna Kurtz & Mamie Minch
Astroland Tower – Mamie Minch
The Lemon Tree – Willy Porter
Vision of Alpha/Laboring -Eric Blowtorch & the Welders w/ Rico Rodriguez and Brian Edwards
Paul’s 2009 Reading (roughly in order read)
Dr. King’s Refrigerator – Charles Johnson
Stagolee Shot Billy – Cecil Brown
Retro Redux- ed: Amy Prior
The Night Buffalo – Guillermo Arriaga
Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell
Tomorrow They Will Kiss – Eduardo Santiago
Havana Lunar – Robert Arellano
Ruins – Achy Obejas
Mambo Pelligroso – Patricia Chao
Trinidad Noir – ed:Lisa Allen-Agostini/Jeune Mason
The Jazz Ear – Ben Ratliff
Netherland – Joseph O’Neill
No Sleep ‘Til Canvey Island – Will Burch
The Right Mistake – Walter Mosley
Slumberland – Paul Beatty
Blackout – Luis Alfredo Garcia-Roza
Interpreter Of Maladies – Jhumpa Lahiri
Tales Of Tenderness and Power – Bessie Head
Things The Grandchildren Should Know – Mark Oliver Everett
Days Of Awe – Achy Obejas
Tell The Truth Until They Bleed – Josh Alan Friedman
A Twisted Pig’s Tale – Vern Pinkowski
The Sound and The Fury – William Faulkner
The Long Fall – Walter Mosley
For The Record:The Life and Work Of Alex Steinweiss – Jennifer McKnight-Trontz & Alex Steinweiss
The Savage Detectives – Roberto Bolano
My Father, Dancing – Bliss Broyard
Nine Lives – Dan Baum
La Perdida – Jessica Abel
The Opposite House – Helen Oyeyeme
Lost River – David Fulmer
The Blue Door – David Fulmer
Delta Blues – Ted Gioia
Welding With Children – Tim Gautraux
Crazy Heart – Thomas Cobbs
Jazz and Twelve O’Clock Tales – Wanda Coleman
Hidden In Havana – Jose Latour
Es Cuba – Lea Ashkenas
Something About The Blues – Al Young
Do Travel Writers Go To Hell? – Thomas Kohnstamm
Havana Fever – Leonardo Padura
Triangular Road:A Memoir – Paule Marshall
Here We Are In Paradise – Tony Earley
New Stories From The South;The Year’s Best 1993 – ed: Shannon Ravenel
Alone In The Crowd – Luis Alfredo Garcia-Roza
Hound Dog – Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller/David Ritz
Lowside Of The Road – Barney Hoskyns
Parrot In The Oven – Victor Martinez
The Lazarus Project – Aleksander Hemon
Playback – Raymond Chandler
The Amazing adventures Of Kavalier And Clay – Michael Chabon
Los Angeles Stories – Ry Cooder
Sequins For a Ragged Hem – Amryl Johnson
Wild Man Of Rhythm: The Life And Music Of Beny More – John Radanovich
Nightmare Town – Dashiell Hammet
Make Mine Music – Bruce Swedien
Love And Obstacles – Aleksander Hemon
King of the Queen City – Jon Hartley Fox
How the Beatles Destroyed Rock ‘N’ Roll – Elijah Wald
A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You – Amy Bloom
Don’t Let’s Go To The Dogs Tonight – Alexandra Fuller
Havana Nocturne – TJ English
The Year Before The Flood – Ned Sublette
Paul’s 2008 Reading List (roughly in order read)
The Road – Cormac McCarthy
No One Belongs Here More Than You – Miranda July
As Far As You Can Get Without A Passport – Peter Case
This Is Your Brain On Music – Daniel Leviten
Fear Of The Dark – Walter Mosley
The World That Made New Orleans – Ned Sublette
Last Evenings On Earth – Roberto Bolano
Cinnamon Kiss – Walter Mosley
The Faith Healer Of Olive Avenue – Manuel Munoz
Fear Itself – Walter Mosley
Paradise Travel – Jorge Franco
Fearless Jones – Walter Mosley
Spy’s Fate – Arnaldo Correa
Comrades In Miami – Jose LaTour
A Window On Copacabana – Luis Alfredo Garcia-Roza
Divisadero – Michael Ondaatje
Southwesterly Wind – Luis Alfredo Garcia-Roza
Jass – David Fulmer
The Silence Of the Rain – Luis Alfredo Garcia-Roza
A Death In Brazil – Peter Robb
Rampart Street – David Fulmer
Pursuit – Luis Alfredo Garcia-Roza
The Autograph Man – Zadie Smith
Striver’s Row – Kevin Baker
Chronicle Of The Seven Sorrows – Patrick Chamoisseau
I,Flathead – Ry Cooder
Carnival – Robert Antoni
Infinite and Finite Games – James P. Carse
My Grandmother’s Erotic Folktales – Robert Antoni
The Day Is So Long, The Wages So Small – Samuel Charters
Winter In Lisbon – Antonio Munoz Molina
City Of Refuge – Tom Piazza
The Dud Avocado – Elaine Dundy
I Got Somebody In Staunton – William Henry Lewis
The Motel Life – Willie Vlautin
Any Wednesday I’m Yours – Mayra Santos-Febres
Tango For A Torturer – Daniel Chavarria
Little Star Of Bella Lua – Luana Monteiro
Chasing the Devil’s Tail – David Fulmer
Havana Noir
Waking Up In Memphis – Andrea Lisle and Mike Evans
Renewal Time – Es’kia Mphalele
The Cigar Roller – Pablo Medina
Northline – Willie Vlautin
The Words Of Every Song – Liz Moore
Here Is Where We Meet – John Berger
Consuelo Kanaga – Barbara Head Millstein/Sarah M. Lowe
Exiled Memories – Pablo Medina
First Stop In The New World – David Lida
The Book Of Other People – ed.by Zadie Smith
Photocopies – John Berger
All Aunt Hagar’s Children – Edward Jones
Telex from Cuba – Rachel Kushner
Considering Genius – Stanley Crouch
Some Musical Favorites for 2008
I,Flathead Ry Cooder
In A Bad Mood Geraint Watkins
Nigeria Special (Soundway Comp)
Lagos Jump (Strut Comp)
Goin’ by Feel Ray Bonneville
The Hard Way James Hunter
Same Old Man John Hiatt
Live Hope at The Hideout Mavis Staples
Toda Vez Que Eu Dou Um Passo… Siba e a Fuloresta
The Way I See It Raphael Saadiq
Cuban Pearls:Latin Jazz (Syllart Comp)
Beto Villares Beto Villares
Live Highlights:
Chuck Prophet live at Fitzgerald’s
Robbie Fulks live at Fitzgerald’s
Stevie Wonder live in New Orleans and Milwaukee
? and The Mysterians live at the Ponderosa Stomp
David Byrne live at the Pabst Theater
Orchestra Baobab live at The Barrymore Theater- Madison
Guitar Bass Drums live at Great American Music Hall SF
Nick Lowe live at The Green Mill and The Barrymore Theater
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass
Jonathan Batiste at Jazzfest
Ruthie Foster Jazzfest
Ethiopiques at Lincoln Center Out of Doors
Carlinhos Brown live in Chicago
Album title of the year
The Shaming Of The True John Sieger (Faux Real Records)
Singles (or should’ve been singles!) 2008
Strange Overtones David Byrne/Brian Eno
Sure Hope You Mean It Raphael Saadiq
Love That Girl Raphael Saadiq (bassline of the year!)
Waitin’ for Some Girl Ry Cooder
Filipino Dance Hall Girl Ry Cooder
Cherry Red John Hiatt
Tell Her James Hunter
Carina James Hunter
Goodbye For Good John Sieger
Paul’s 2007 musical picks:
Dirt Farmer Levon Helm
We’ll Never Turn Back Mavis Staples
My Name Is Buddy Ry Cooder
The Roots Of Chicha
Voodoo Love Inna Champeta Land Columbiafrica Mystic Orch.
At My Age Nick Lowe
Authenticite Syliphone Guinean comp
African Pearls: Congo, Guinea and Mali comps
Pinata Mexican Institute of Sound
Song of the year:
Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day Nick Lowe
Paul’s 2007 Reading List:
Movies – Stephen Dixon (re-read)
Women of America – Charlie Smith
Hotel Atlantico – J G Noll
Intimate Diary—Ana Christina Cesar
The Archipelago:New Caribbean Writing Conjunctions:27
Muchachos Adios – -Daniel Chavarria
Small Island – -Andrea Levy
Mexican Postcards – -Carlos Monsivais
A Sudden View-Sybille Bedford
The Book Of Disquiet-Fernando Pessoa
Voices Made Night – Mia Couto
Tales From The Cuban Empire – Antonio Jose Ponte
Mexican Days-Tony Cohan
Between Midnight and Day – Dick Waterman
Yonnondio – Tillie Olsen (re-read)
Bonfire of Roadmaps – Joe Ely
Havana Blue – Leonardo Padura
Fruit Of The Lemon – Andrea Levy
Our Man In Havana – Graham Greene
Havana Black – Leonardo Padura
Childhood and Other Neighborhoods – Stuart Dybek
Tropicana Nights – Rosa Lowinger and Ofelia Fox
The Salt Roads – Nalo Hopkinson
Song For My Fathers – Tom Sancton
Havana Red – Leonardo Padura
Straight No Chaser – Leslie Gourse
Hard Language – Mike Padilla
Lonely Avenue – Alex Halberstadt
Doctor Sax – Jack Kerouac
The Last Night I Spent With You – Mayra Monteiro
Thine Is The Kingdom – Abilio Estevez
Adios Hemingway – Leonardo Padura
Skin Folk – Nalo Hopkinson
I Sailed With Magellan – Stuart Dybek
The Coast Of Chicago – Stuart Dybek
Ike Turner-King Of Rhythm – John Collins
Streets in Their Own Ink – Stuart Dybek
Cuba In Mind – ed. Maria Finn Dominguez
Traveler’s Tales:Cuba – ed. Tom Miller
Loteria and Other Stories – Ruben Mendoza
Havana World Series – Jose Latour
Infinite Refuge – Virgil Suarez
The Lawless Roads – Graham Greene
Every Tongue Got To Confess – compiled by Zora Neale Hurston
Walking With Legends – Barry Martyn
Paul’s 2006 Reading List:
The Insatiable Spiderman – Pedro Juan Gutierrez
Dream Boogie – Peter Guralnick
Zero – Ignacio De Loyola Brandao
Why New Orleans Matters? – Tom Piazza
1 Dead In Attic – Chris Rose
Blue Monday – Rick Coleman
The Second Death Of Unico Aveyano – Ernestro Mestre-Reed
Blues Up And Down – Tom Piazza
A Simple Twist Of Fate – Odegard and Gill
Last Dance in Havana – Eugene Robinson
From Coal To Cream – Eugene Robinson
Lord Of Dark Places – Hal Bennett
The Known World – Edward P. Jones
The First Thing Smoking – Nelson Eubanks
My Sax Life – Paquito D’ Rivera
The Long Tail – Chris Anderson
Nights Of Love And Laughter – Henry Miller
The Mexico City Reader
Arsenio Rodriguez and the Transnational Flows of Latin Popular Music – David Garcia
My First Love – Zoe Valdes
Music In Brazil – John P. Murphy
The Devil’s Stocking – Nelson Algren
Lancelot (reread) – Walker Percy
The Magic Striptease – George Garrett
The Last Flight of Jose Luis Balboa – Gonzalo Barr
Dirty Blonde And Half-Cuban – Lisa Wixon
Brides and Sinners In El Chuco – Christine Granados
This War Called Love – Alejandro Murguia
Cold Havana Ground – Arnaldo Correa
By the Rivers Of Babylon – Jorge De Sena
Mamzelle Dragonfly – Raphael Confiant
A Few Favorite Albums of 2006 :
People Gonna Talk – James Hunter
Orphans – Tom Waits
Another Black Feather – Dayna Kurtz
Big Ol’ Fiya – John Mooney
Living With War – Neil Young
Compilations and Reissues:
London Is The Place For Me 4
Take One – Hallelujah Chicken Run Band
Historia Do Brasil Atraves Dos Sambas De Enredo “O Negro Do Brasil”
Paul’s 2005 Reading List:
Midnight Robbers – Nalo Hopkinson
Brown Girl in the Ring – Nalo Hopkinson
Cuba and It’s Music – Ned Sublette
The Gettin’ Place – Susan Straight
The Man Under My Stairs – Walter Mosley
The Quality of Life Report – Meghan Daum
Get Home Free – John Clellon Holmes
Outcast – Jose Latour
The Adventures of Augie March – Saul Bellow
Him With Foot in His Mouth – Saul Bellow
Humboldt’s Gift – Saul Bellow
Innocent When You Dream – Tom Waits interviews
Train – Pete Dexter
The Whiteman In The Tree -Mark Kurlansky
Ask The Dust – John Fante
The Ghost Writer – Philip Roth
Gilead – Marilyne Robinson
On Beauty – Zadie Smith
Dirty Havana Trilogy – Pedro Juan Gutierrez
Tropical Animal – Pedro Juan Gutierrez
Enduring Cuba – Zoe Bran
The Reader’s Companion To Mexico
2005 Year End Favorite Albums
Chavez Ravine – Ry Cooder
***Solo In Rio 1959 – Luis Bonfa ***
Multiply – Jamie Lidell
Our New Orleans – Nonesuch Hurricane Relief Album
Tijuana Sessions Vol.3 – Nortec Collective
Afro – Novalima
London Is The Place For Me 2 – Diasporal Compilation on Honest Jon’s
2004 Favorite Albums
“3AM (In the Beats We Trust)” Side Stepper
“Loved Her Then” John Sieger and the Skeletons from “Her Country“
“Havana Mood” Bill Laswell & Jean Touitou – Remix dub Cuban music
“The Nguni Sound ” Hugh Tracey – South African Recordings – SWP Records
“Cabeca Feita” Nadinho Da Ilha – Odeon Records Reissue
“Folklore for Export” Hugo Diaz – Orfeon Records”
I Want More” & “Heaven Knows” from Cassandra Wilson’s album “Glamoured” on Blue Note
“Las Canciones des Maria Teresa Vera” Viente Anos on Egram Records
“Objectif Perfection” Balla et Ses Balladins
“Bola Sete” Odeon Records (reissue)