Is There God after Prince?

Dispatches from an Age of Last Things

Peter Coviello

“Dearly Beloved: We are Gathered Here Today …” – After you finish reading Peter Coviello’s collection of essays, you immediately want to find someone to talk to about them. In my case, I was lucky because I was able to interview the author himself at the 2024 Printers Row Lit Fest, thanks to an invitation from Amy Danzer, who organizes Chicago's annual bacchanal of books. As it turns out, Peter in-person is as engaging as Peter on-the-page. He writes and speaks with great vivacity for the subject at hand (whether it’s music, blended family, friendship, heartbreak, or love.) He and his writing easily shift from provocative to poignant to hilarious to keenly observant regardless of whether he’s writing about Pop songs or existential dread (or both!) This rollercoaster collection of personal essays is interwoven with thoughtful, timely social commentary – and makes for excellent reading.