Tom Lynch

Back to form: after his somewhat disappointing "Yellow Dog," the heralded Brit novelist--who's penned biting classics like "Money," "London Fields" and "The Information"--returns with "House of Meetings," easily the best novel of this young year, one of Amis' finest and a rich, striking dive into philosophy, character and the impending sense of doom. Set in the 1940s USSR, two brothers fall for the same gorgeous Jewish girl in Moscow--this leads to a slave-labor-camp setting near the Arctic Circle, where much comes to fruition, tragedy and pain make their rounds, passion is had with overwhelming weight of the inevitable bad ending. Amis' Russia is daunting, powerful and mean. His dark, dark wit broods with the confidence of a master writer--his characters are fierce buffets of wealth onto themselves. It could be Amis' most intimate work yet--even while being somewhat epic in scope--as he deciphers the mysteries of love, the tragedies of envy and the soul, the heart and wounds of a country.

Martin Amis discusses "House of Meetings" January 28 at the Lookingglass Theater, 821 North Michigan, at noon.

(2007-01-23)

Also by Tom Lynch

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The 1900s, Bound Stems, Psalm One and more
(2007-01-16)

Verge Overkill
Bang! Bang!, Chin Up Chin Up, The Changes and more
(2007-01-16)

Never Mind the Parents
"Alternadad," author Neal Pollack's new work of nonfiction, follows the trials and tribulations of a punk-rock slacker-writer and his wife as they struggle with parenthood, trying to stay youthful themselves, attempting, in so many ways, to stay cool
(2007-01-16)

Tip of the Week
Califone's "Roots & Crowns," undoubtedly the band's best record yet, on Thrill Jockey, catapults the group beyond the experimental art-folk tag and into a new realm of superfluous categorization--musical geniuses
(2007-01-16)

Tip of the Week
(2007-01-16)

Our Little Ponys
(2007-01-09)

Tip of the Week
(2007-01-09)

Tip of the Week
(2007-01-02)

Tip of the Week
(2006-12-22)

All Acquaintance Be Forgot
(2006-12-22)

The Year in Rock
(2006-12-19)

Tip of the Week
(2006-12-12)

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