classics.

File under: web sites to get lost in all day long. New York Review Books publishes collections of lost and rediscovered books--all different kinds--classics, mysteries, children's books, non-fiction, new translations. Pretty much everything, some stuff you've heard of, but most of it you haven't. It's fascinating to go to the site and just browse the eclectic array of titles. The ones that really caught my eye were these lesser-known volumes by one of my favs, Henry James.

Now, you know how much a fan I am of musty old books that get all spiffied up with slick graphic design. But I think these are also really interesting examples of how powerful those designs can be.

Do these look like stories of goofy, naive Americans trying to get all chummy with a bunch of stuffy Brits? No 'effin way. These are tales of twisted passsions and Turn of the Screw-esque madness. Which is what James is all about to me. That's why I hate those dammed literary badasses who start their novels off with a heroin-snorting, prositute-screwing bang! I like to dig a little deeper for my darkness. It's much more interesting. I'll take James over this guy and Wharton over this guy any day of the week.

However.
I was also interested in this book, too, because God knows, I'm all about the noir. Going to see if it's at Borders right now, and if not, I'll just order from Amazon. Stay tuned for a future edition of "From Book to Film."