Read--Percy and Griffith

Next week I'm heading to Pittsburgh to visit my pal Eugene and attend a reading at Gist Street by another pal, Benjamin Percy. I am wholly fired up about this little trip, even if people keep making fun of me when I tell them I'm going to Pittsburgh over break. Well, actually I tell them I'm going to Key West (because I am, with J.C.), but before that, I tell them, I'm going to Pittsburgh. And sure, perhaps Pittsburgh and Key West are a bit incongruous. But Eugene's going to be there. And Ben. So.

Ben's second collection of stories, Refresh, Refresh, has been getting great reviews and is sitting very near the top of my to-be-read pile. I suggest you all run out and get a copy. Or click on the cover below and order one from Powell's.

I did a little perusing on the Internets to see if anybody else was going to be reading with Ben, and I found out that David Griffith will be. I hadn't heard of Mr. Griffith or his book, A Good War is Hard to Find: The Art of Violence in America, but after reading two essays by Mr. Griffith the other night, I'm looking forward to both his reading and picking up a copy of the book while I'm there.

Read "Prime Directive" here. And "An Orchestrated Attack: War's Sound Track Echoes from Dresden to Iraq" here. Both of them are worth your time.