Pass the Nuts
Dan Coughlin fills his second collection of sports stories with untold tales from his 45 years of covering Cleveland sports. It includes a memorable chapter on Gene Hickerson and his good buddy Elvis, plus LeBron James' apparent unwillingness to learn anyone's name. It's a must-read for anyone who cringes when they hear John Elway's name. // Jason Brill
Pulp and Paper
Akron's Josh Rolnick masterfully renders the voices of varied characters, from an adolescent boy guilty of an accidental death to a middle-aged man grieving the death of his only son. Throughout the debut collection of short stories, Rolnick uses his New Jersey upbringing to evoke a vivid sense of place and gives us dialogue and characters we can relate to. // Lisa Viers
