1987

I caught Keith Boykin on television the other day, being interviewed about his latest book, Beyond the Down Low, which Publisher'sWeekly called a refutation of J.L. King's On the DownLow:A Journey into the Lives of Straight Black MenWho Sleep with Men. This is Keiths third book.

I've been getting little news, so I'll just rundown a few book recommendations.

Three books I've read over the last few years were enormously compelling. The first, which some of you might have already read, is Malcolm Gladwell's Tipping Point, which is about the theory of social epidemics. The book does not have much original research but is a great synthesis about the way trends happen.

Another one is Scott McCloud's UnderstandingComics. In comic book form, McCloud explores some of the assumptions and philosophies behind comic art. On the way, McCloud offers theories of art and visual culture that go beyond comics.

And finally there is a less well-known book, Strangers to Ourselves: Discovering the Adaptive Unconscious, by' Timothy D.Wilson, a psychology professor at University of Virginia. This book explains why it is difficult to understand completely the ways we act—our explanations of our motivations often are deeply flawed—and offers possibilities for bridging the gap between how and why we do the things we do.

The three books have all changed the way I look at the world in big ways and small—they are accessible without being simplistic.

One other recommendation is Billy Collins' edited collections, Poetry 180 and 180 More. If you feel that you should be reading more poetry, but don't know where to find it, these poems collected for high school students are, on the whole, compelling.

If you haven't seen the short-lived television shows, Wonderfalls and Freaks and Geeks, they are worth renting on DVD.

I hope for more news next round...if you have your own recommendations, please pass them along.

296 Union St., Brooklyn, NY11231; jtstex@gmail.com