Book Club: Read ‘Playworld,' by Adam Ross, With the Book Review
Set in New York in the 1980s, Adam Ross's new novel, 'Playworld,' tells the story of a young actor named Griffin as he navigates the chaos of the city, of his family and of being a teenager, and the dangers that swirl around each. His father is a struggling actor and his mother is a former dancer. The family is floundering financially, in part because of a devastating fire that Griffin accidentally started when he was 6 — a blaze that destroyed their home and all of their material possessions.
To help make ends meet, Griffin works as a child-star on a hit TV show, but the job distracts from both his school work and his true passion: wrestling. The sport, too, comes with its own agonies; the team's coach sexually abuses several of the young wrestlers, including Griffin. It's all a lot to deal with, especially for a kid, and the only one who seems to listen to him is Naomi, the very person he should avoid.
If this makes the book sound dour, it's not. Although 'Playworld' grapples with bleak material, it sparkles with Ross's vivid eye and sardonic sense of humor. Take, for instance, Griffin's mother's response to finding out, decades later, about his relationship with Naomi: 'But she was such an ugly woman.'
The result is a dark, off-kilter bildungsroman about one overextended teenager trying to figure himself out while being failed, continually, by every adult around him.
In April, the Book Review Book Club will read and discuss 'Playworld,' by Adam Ross. We'll be chatting about the book on the Book Review podcast that airs on April 25, and we'd love for you to join the conversation. Share your thoughts about the novel in the comments section of this article by April 17, and we may mention your observations in the episode.
Here's some related reading to get you started:
We can't wait to discuss the book with you. In the meantime, happy reading!
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New York Post
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- New York Post
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Buzz Feed
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- Buzz Feed
Kathy Griffin Reveals Results Of Third Facelift
Kathy Griffin is known for being honest, especially when it comes to subjects other celebrities might want to keep private. Griffin recently shared with fans that she underwent another facelift in a video aptly titled 'New Face, Same Kathy!' that she released earlier this month. 'It's my third,' the comedian shared. 'I know, that's so vain. I'm so vain for no reason.' 'No one has ever gone to a Kathy Griffin show to see her beautiful, youthful face,' she quipped. 'You come to hear my jokes, which is what I want. I don't want you to come to care what I look like.' Griffin then went into detail about the procedure, joking that 'as far as I know, they just yank the crap out of your skin and your neck.' She also spoke about the process of choosing her surgeon, Dr. Ben Talei, and said that he also did singer Sia 's facelift. 'And the reason I'm saying that is that you can go on YouTube [and find this out],' Griffin said. 'There's a video of her without her backwards wig, 'cause as you know, she's an anonymous giant celebrity, and she even gave him an award, and she had the best before and after pictures I've ever seen.' 'And first of all, it's funny that Sia even got a facelift because you don't ever see her face, but the pictures sold me,' the 64-year-old added. Griffin also got real about the surgical recovery process and made sure followers knew what they were getting into if they decided to follow in her footsteps. 'I'm going to be honest ― it's painful,' she said, mentioning that she had stitches in her eyelids. 'So these bitches that are like, 'It's like getting a tooth filled! It's nothing!' No ― it's painful.' Kathy Griffin/YouTube / Via And while the results might eventually look great, post-op recovery isn't pretty, the actor said. 'You come home ― and maybe you come home with a nurse ― and it's disgusting. I'm not going to lie,' she said. 'The first night, there's drains that come out of your chin. I know, it's so gross. But the vanity takes over.' Kathy Griffin/YouTube / Via Many commenters on Griffin's video praised the comedian for her transparency. Patricia Schlein / Getty Images Celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Kris Jenner, and Joel McHale have also recently been lauded for sharing details about various cosmetic procedures they've undergone. Luigi Iorio / Getty Images McHale made waves for opening up about his fourth hair transplant on the We Might Be Drunk podcast back in June, and even recommended his doctor. 'I can get you a name of a guy in Turkey,' McHale said. 'But just make sure, 'cause if somebody is like, 'I'll do it for $3,000,' then you don't [do it]. You get what you pay for.' Lorenzo Bevilaqua / Getty Images This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Chicago Tribune
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‘Getting back into full swing,' Bud Billiken Parade marks 96th year
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