James's Picks

James grew up in Raleigh, but moved to Asheville in 2013 to attend UNCA.

Typically, on his shelf you can find a lot of contemporary fiction, satire, sci-fi, and essay collections.

When not in the bookstore, James can be found performing stand up comedy around town.

Books:

Inherent Vice: A Novel (Paperback)

By Thomas Pynchon

$17.00

ISBN: 9780143117568

Availability: On Our Shelves Now

Published: Penguin Books - July 27th, 2010

This book was described to me as "Pynchon-lite" compared to his other work, but that worked for me just fine. I loved the carefree, meandering plot and weird one-off characters. Part hardboiled mystery, part zany character study, you will not want to stop reading about detective Doc Sportello and his weed-hazed adventures.

How to Write an Autobiographical Novel: Essays Cover Image

How to Write an Autobiographical Novel: Essays (Paperback)

By Alexander Chee

$15.99

ISBN: 9781328764522

Availability: Not Currently On Our Shelves. Usually Ships in 1-5 Days

Published: Mariner Books - April 17th, 2018

In "How to Write an Autobiographical Novel", Alexander Chee demonstrates all of the winning characteristics of a good essayist. He is candid, lyrical, and not overly interested in painting himself in a positive. The stories range from his time in school to his current day experiences as an LGBQT activist and force of good. By the end of his stories, the reader feels that they have learned something new about a dear friend.