On December 7, Riffraff bookstore and bar (60 Valley St. #107A, PVD) celebrated its second anniversary (see story motifri.com/riffraffturns2. Sean Carlson interviewed cofounders Emma Ramadan and Tom Roberge for Motif. Sean Carlson (Motif): What duos or tag-teams have you admired? Any parallels you see in yourselves? Emma Ramadan: I greatly admire husband-wife translator teams, such […]
Note: Read a Q&A with Rifffraff cofounders Emma Ramadan and Tom Roberge at motifri.com/ramadanroberge In 1773, well before Olneyville became a Providence neighborhood, Christopher Olney established a place for paper production along the Woonasquatucket River. The Brown George Paper Mill passed to his sons, only to sell at public auction due to financial distress. In […]
When Poindexter Coffee opened off the lobby of the Graduate Providence hotel (formerly the Biltmore, 11 Dorrance St, PVD) in May 2019, its interior included literature as part of its aesthetic. Vintage hardcovers crisscross both sides of the fireplace, leaving guests a chance to thumb a classic edition of This Side of Paradise by F. […]
Bethany White hated the holidays, although she pretended to love them. She was, despite her name, the daughter of two Long Island conservative Jews. When the first Christmas carols hit the airwaves after Thanksgiving, she snarled through gritted teeth, but smiled. Her humbuggery only became an issue after college, when she moved to Rhode Island. […]
RI is full of talented authors, and it’s no wonder why — we have plenty to inspire us. Support local talent by gifting that bookworm in your life a tome by a local author. Below are a few suggestions, but if none of these fit the bill, seek out the many published authors among What […]
The journey can be an incredible adventure, regardless of destination or means. Sometimes there’s an undocumented reason that subconsciously leads someone to embark on an odyssey with no actual plan. These themes are explored by James Vickers in his debut novel, with each chapter label given either “Signs,” Wanderlust” or “Monsters” before the chapter’s title. […]
Even if you’re not a fan of horror, you’ve heard of Stephen King. It’s hard not to, as he has written more books than most any other three authors put together, and currently sits atop his own publishing house, scribbling away on napkins that somehow morph into bestsellers every few months. But this is about […]
For those of you who prefer to hold the object of your fear in your hands, Robin Kall Homonoff, host of the Reading with Robin podcast and part of the team behind the award-winning reading series The Cardigan Connection offers these scary stories sure to send shivers down your spine. Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky: […]
For his second published work, Alexander Smith packs a plethora of thought-provoking circumstances into seven stories that take up 60 total pages. While each story is short, Smith manages to spin a complete tale, proving that less can be more. He created intriguing story ideas that all encompass other realms of reality, though most of […]
Abundance by Michael Fine (320 pages, PM Press, published May 1, 2019). Doctors among warriors occupy an unusual position in society, witness to much yet trusted and expected to respect confidences. The character Doc Daneeka in Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, 1961, defines the title that has become a standard idiom of American English. MASH: A […]