Books: March 2007 Archives

This week's installment brings more than just the week's top five F train picks. An ode to Bonnie's Grill in Park Slope (Best Chicken Wings Ever?) in very bad haiku form:

Meaty, juicy, hot
greaseless with a crunch
falling off the bone

And below, this week's Subway Reads:

Winter Solstice
by Rosamunde Pilcher

The History of Islam
by Akbar Shah Najeebabadi

The Echo Maker: A Novel
by Richard Powers

The Other Daughter
by Lisa Gardner

The Lovely Bones
by Alice Sebold

If there was any doubt that the bookstore on Columbia Street was sweet on Lynard Skynard, this weekend will clear up the misconception. Celebrate the used-book haven's three year anniversary, and witness the spectacle that will be a "wine-addled" rendition of, what else? Freebird.

As if you needed another reason to rock on.

7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Sunday, 11 March

Freebird Books & Goods

123 Columbia Street, between Kane and Degraw.

open-mic., special guests, food (corn dogs!), drinks, and good times.

My apologies for the lateness of this post. I think I'm violating the first rule of journalism/blogging here, you know the one about being timely. Alas, the "real" world and its deadlines have foiled my best Subway Reads plans, but it seemed wrong to keep the following recommendations all to myself.

Last, last weekend was the New York Comic-con, replete with Stan Lee, superheroes and storm troopers. My first conversation on Sunday involved a rather too lengthy debate with a man clutching a light saber on whether Godzilla or Dracula would win in a fight. I did not solicit this conversation. But I was there in support of the inimitable Jae Lee, whose first issue of The Dark Tower was just released, and who was very kindly signing copies of The Illustrated Dracula for happy fans. You can see the connection? No? I didn't either.

Anyway, in honor of the creativity that flowed from the Javits Center, this week's (er, last week's) Subway Reads pays homage to some great ways to miss your stop on the F train.

Stephen King's Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #1
story by Robin Furth and David David, art by Jae Lee

The Building Opposite
by Vanyda

12 Reasons Why I Love Her
by Jamie S. Rich and Joelle Jones

Stuck in the Middle: 17 Comics from an Unpleasant Age
edited by Ariel Schrag

Steady Beat: Volume 1
by Rivkah

(Be a good neighbor and pick these up from Rocketship, the neighborhood's best. comic store. ever.)