See Larry Run
browsable—but be advised that it would be a mistake to skip anything. Even topics that Larry Felder has ink in his veins. A vetermay not immediately interest you—bullfightan journalist for The Washington Record— ing, face transplants, the Jewish ritual bath also known as The Rag (no relation)—he’s called mikvah—come alive in the hands of 56 and on the brink of retirement. As he A Compendium of Readers, Writers, Books, & Events these extraordinary writers. contemplates the next phase of his life, his From assisted suicide and girls’ basketassistant dangles an enticing future before by Karen Lyon ball to the working poor of Tennessee and rehis eyes: a Congressional seat in productive rights in Texas, each topic becomes Maryland’s Eighth District. “Larry an eloquent gem of engaging observations and al budget. But never fear: thanks to Felder has been pounding a keyinformative prose. One of my favorites, by Suzannah Levey’s deft writing, wry (but not board for a very long time,” she Lessard, focuses on the social boundaries between too cynical) voice, and big dash tells him. “Windows are closing— neighborhoods in New York City, where even the naof heart, this is one campaign bus windows that you didn’t even know ture of the displays in store windows can, within just you’ll want to hop onto. could open. You’re never going to a few blocks, reflect deep socioeconomic divisions. In addition to his reporting for take three years off and sail around The personal profiles are equally illumithe Post, Levey wrote a daily colthe world, Larry. But a seat in Connating. If you’ve never had a burning desire to umn, “Bob Levey’s Washington,” gress—this could be Felder II.” learn more about B.B. King or Rudolf Nureyev, for 23 years, and also enjoyed an Wealthy thanks to a settlement With an insider’s wink and or thought there wasn’t much more to be said extensive career on radio and telefrom the accident that left his wife in plenty of verve, former about Jacqueline Kennedy, think again. These vision. He does not plan to run Washington Post columnist a coma, Felder realizes he is free to Bob Levey chronicles a ficinsightful pieces go well beyond brilliant perfor political office. For more, go to “take a shot at the career I dreamed tional campaign for a Marysonality sketches to reveal larger truths about the www.bobleveypublishing.com. about when I was a little boy.” He land Congressional seat. world we live in and, ultimately, about ourselves. decides to go for it—“because it’s In “The Stories We Tell,” Sims has creatIn Their Own Write just too damned easy to sit behind ed both a lasting tribute to When I recently had a keyboard and aim rockets. Placthese fine writers as well as a to spend a tedious ing yourself before actual voters— very readable commentary on stretch in a hospital as crazy and as kinky as they could America in the late 20th and waiting room, I prebe—was the ultimate test, and the early 21st centuries. Happily, pared by packing a ultimate reward.” as she notes in her introducPayDay bar, a mysIn “Larry Felder, Candidate,” tion, a second volume is altery novel, a puzzle former Washington Post columready in the works highlighting book, and “The Stonist Bob Levey spins a lively story “a younger generation of womries We Tell: Classic that careens between the “lurchen—many of them inspired by True Tales by Amering, desperate, can’t-feel-the-botthe writers featured here.” ica’s Greatest Womtom of the lake world of print Patsy Sims is the author en Journalists,” a journalism” and the glossy, gritty, In “The Stories We Tell,” Hill of three nonfiction books, injournalist and editor Patsy Sims collection of literdeal-making arena of politics. It’s presents a collection of literary cluding “The Klan” and “Can ary nonfiction edited by Hill writer no surprise that he does so with flair and credibilnonfiction by some of AmeriSomebody Shout Amen! Inca’s finest female writers. Patsy Sims. Five rapt hours later, the ity. Levey has had a front-row seat to both worlds, side the Tents and TabernaPayDay was long gone, but neither having covered the local scene for the Washington cles of American Revivalists” the novel nor the crosswords had Post for nearly four decades. (a New York Times noteworseen the light of day. Levey’s insider knowledge serves him well as thy book of 1988), and coauThis remarkably engrossing he describes Felder’s transition from a dull but eththor of the narration for the anthology includes some of the best ical newspaperman to a calculating candidate. It’s Academy Award-nominated writing you’ll ever encounter, both all here: the predatory opponent digging for dirt, documentary, “The Klan: A by luminaries in the field (Gloria the overly-tanned lawyer who can’t stop bragging Legacy of Hate.” Steinem, Joan Didion, Lillian Ross) about his sexual exploits, the ruthless businessman looking for any way, legal or not, to gain a competitive edge—and an ambitious young campaign manager who’s in love with her boss. Needless to say, Felder’s road to Capitol Hill is strewn with obstacles the size of the feder-
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and by others whose names may be less familiar but whose work you’ll soon avidly be seeking out. While I dove in from cover to cover, the collection is eminently
Hill Highlights for February East City Bookshop offers a special “Galentine’s Day”