Petra Mayer

A Bird-Watching Babe In The Woods Stumbles Toward Maturity

Petra Mayer — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:03:00 +0000

Oh no, I thought, cracking open Brian Kimberling's debut novel, Snapper. It's a collection of linked stories. Starring an aimless birdwatcher. Who drives an ancient, glitter-encrusted pickup truck named Gypsy Moth and has a grand passion for an honest-to-God Manic Pixie Dream Girl with red hair, floaty dresses, a flute and a killer pancake recipe. And her name is Lola. Lola! I was braced for a thorough beat-down with the dreaded Whimsy Hammer.

But then the book ...

Samba, Spiderbots And 'Summer' Love In Far-Future Brazil

Petra Mayer — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:27:00 +0000

In the 17th century, fugitive slaves founded a free community in the mountains of northeastern Brazil. They called it Palmares.

For 'Wheel Of Time' Fans, The Last Battle Is At Hand

Petra Mayer — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 15:02:00 +0000

It's the moment fantasy fans have been waiting for (really!): After more than 20 years, and 13 doorstopper volumes, the last book in the best-selling Wheel of Time series comes out Tuesday. The series unfolds an epic battle between good and evil — think Game of Thrones but more so: more characters, more magic, more tiny little world-building details, more everything.

And I've read all 14 of them. Plus the prequel.

Catching The 'Shadow' Of A Lost World

Petra Mayer — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 10:15:00 +0000

Photographer Edward Curtis started off his career at the tail end of the 19th century, making portraits of Seattle's wealthiest citizens. But a preoccupation with Native Americans and a chance encounter on a mountaintop triggered an idea: Curtis decided to chronicle the experience of the vanishing tribes — all of them. It was an unbelievably ambitious project that would define Curtis, his work and his legacy.

Writer Tim Egan has just completed a new biography of Curtis. It's called Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: the Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis.