Thoughts on Living the Life Creative
A Classic About War, Betrayal, Naivete and Death The Quiet American by Graham Greene (1955) – Thomas Fowler is a British journalist covering the war in French Indo-China (Viet Nam). Cynical and aloof, he has created a quiet cocoon for himself. A life bounded by the carefully managed press opportunities performed by the French authorities,... Continue Reading →
Henry, Himself by Stewart O’Nan (2019) - In this moving sequel/prequel to “Emily, Alone”, we meet 75-year-old Henry Maxwell. Ten years past retirement, Henry wonders who he is now and what his life should look like. His body is aging, and the things he’s always done are moving away from him. There’s a secret in... Continue Reading →
So, What Does Fairy Puke Smell Like? The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar (2006) - A group of fairies from Cornwall and Scotland find themselves drunk and confused in New York City. The two from Scotland believe that Scottish folk music would improve through a strong dose of heavy metal. Meanwhile, the... Continue Reading →
Dive Deep To Find Truths You May Not Want To Know Midnight, Water City by Chris McKinney (2021) - Forty years ago, an asteroid threatened Earth with destruction. It was Akira Kimura that identified and then neutralized the threat, making her the savior of humanity. When she feels threatened, she calls on her former bodyguard/friend... Continue Reading →
Struggling Against The Tide The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck (1961) - The only remaining valuable part of Ethan Hawley’s long, aristocratic family’s history is the name. His father squandered the family fortune and now his son works as a grocery clerk in his hometown. To regain his self image and the respect... Continue Reading →
Atlas Hugged by David Sloan Wilson (2020) - Years after his grandfather disappeared, and his father grew rich from the legend of John Galt, John Galt III begins a movement to repair and replace his ancestors destructive philosophy. In its place, he offers a revolution of the mind and spirit. I'll get this out of... Continue Reading →
I've Never Read "Dracula" That's right. After decades of sometimes obsessive reading, across genres, for school and for pleasure, I have never read the iconic vampire novel. In my defense, I'm not much of a horror fan. I prefer Stephen King's more science fictiony titles ("The Stand", "The Dead Zone") to his outright horror. I... Continue Reading →
Neil Gaiman takes us on a trip below Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (1997) - Richard Mayhew isn't special. He's a nice guy with an ordinary life. Until he stops to help a young woman bleeding on the sidewalk. From that moment, his life would never be ordinary again. Mayhew enters the world that exists below... Continue Reading →
Masks and riddles, captivating and elusive, this is Venice The City of Falling Angels (2005) by John Berendt The historic La Fenice Opera House in Venice burns and around it, one of the most unique cities in the world tries to understand. Will it be rebuilt? Can it be rebuilt? John Berendt takes us inside... Continue Reading →
Edward Hopper by Carol Troyen (2007)- A collection of nine essays on the life and art of one of the United States’ most celebrated painters. It includes over 100 paintings as examples. This is a massive book, printed on high-quality paper. Originally a companion to a large traveling Hopper exhibition, the result is the classic... Continue Reading →
Stories Are My Life 