An American Childhood by Annie Dillard—how many of you read this in school?

I adore this book, but I do feel some uncomfortable emotions about it because of the similarities to my life: growing up in Point Breeze, attending private school, going to dancing school… hallmarks of a privileged Pittsburgh upbringing, that not everyone has had—it feels a little prissy.

But I absolutely love the prologue—it’s a description of the topology of the Pittsburgh area intertwined with the coal-mining, steel-making history of the area.  Here’s a snippet:

Read more…

• Pittsburgh author Gary Link’s historical novels set in Pittsburgh are written up in the Examiner.
• The Tribune-Review reports that local author Kathryn Haines’ fourth book is coming out, and she’ll be doing an event at Mystery Lovers Bookshop 6/11.
• Michiko Kakutani gives Nathaniel Philbrick a mostly positive review in The New York Times.
• The Lost Cyclist is a new book about Pittsburgher Frank Lenz, who disappeared while attempting to bike around the world.
• And.. you can follow Books n’at on Twitter!

Pittsburgh Authors in the News:

Pittsburgh’s own Nathaniel Philbrick has written a review of Philip Hoare’s The Whale in this week’s New York Times Book Review.  Philbrick writes acclaimed historical nonfiction, and his parents lived in Point Breeze.  We’ll be talking more about Philbrick, he’s a great writer and a really nice guy.

Michael Chabon has a funny, self-deprecating interview in the Wall Street Journal, that focuses on the literary life in San Francisco.  I’d argue that ours is just as great.