Michael Schaub , Book Critic
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About Michael Schaub

Book Critic

Michael Schaub is a frequent contributor to NPR.org. His writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Portland Mercury, and The Austin Chronicle, among other publications. A native of Texas, he now lives in Portland.


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  • Comment on Alison Hallett's answer…
    Michaelschaub

    So is the Game of Thrones series a good place for someone who hasn't read fantasy in a long time to restart? I might have to check these out...

    Michael Schaub commented 12 months ago
  • Comment on Michael Schaub's answer…
    Michaelschaub

    Book nerd fight! Alison referees, and the winner gets to feel slightly less depressed than he usually does. For a while.

    Anyway, yes on The Spy Who Came in from The Cold and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (which is the one I'm rereading right now). Both are really great. I hope you like them!

    Michael Schaub commented 12 months ago
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    Can you name some ripping yarns that are also beautifully written?
    Michaelschaub

    This really is a great question. I'm currently ignoring some deadlines to read a bunch of John Le Carre (who I strongly recommend). I love literary fiction, but it's always nice when things, you know, actually happen. So you might try:

    Julie Orringer - The Invisible Bridge. OK, yeah, it's a love story set in World War II-era Europe, but Orringer is an amazing writer, and there's not even a hint of cliche in the book.

    Dan Chaon - Await Your Reply. This is an insanely great thriller about identity theft written by one of America's greatest short story writers. It is brilliant.

    James Hynes - Kings of Infinite Space. Cat ghosts! Underground zombies! Bureaucrats! I probably shouldn't have put "Bureaucrats!" last, but still. It's basically "Office Space" meets...I don't know, some movie about cat ghosts and underground zombies. And it's hilarious.

    Frans Bengtsson - The Long Ships. An epic 19th-century novel about Vikings -- the NYRB edition has an introduction by Michael Chabon. If that's not enough to sell you, than I JUST DON'T EVEN KNOW.

    David Mitchell - The Thousand Autums of Jacob de Zoet. Even if you're not a fan of Mitchell, this one's great -- a love story and a historical epic, and unexpectedly funny.

    And I'll echo Alison on Oh Pure and Radiant Heart; it's a winner.

    Michael Schaub answered in Books 12 months ago
    Answer, comment & read 4 more answers »
  • Comment on Michael Schaub's answer…
    Michaelschaub

    Sorry, it's CHERYL Strayed, not Cherly.

    Michael Schaub commented 12 months ago
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    Who are some Portland authors worth reading?
    Michaelschaub

    Luckily, Portland has a ton of great local fiction authors. Willy Vlautin ("Lean on Pete") is kind of the Tom Waits of Portland literature (and his band, Richmond Fontaine, is awesome, too). Scott Sparling's "Wire to Wire," from local press Tin House, has been getting incredible reviews. Lewis & Clark professor Pauls Toutonghi's "Red Weather" is insanely great (disclosure: he's a friend of mine). Cherly Strayed is an amazing novelist and essayist. And Katherine Dunn is author of the classic "Geek Love" -- and she once beat up a would-be mugger on her way home from Trader Joe's. (This is true.)

    Michael Schaub answered in Books 12 months ago
    Answer, comment & read 10 more answers »
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