John Gardner’s “The Sunlight Dialogues” Since we began exploring (last week) works that represent the profound transformation of American literary fiction, which helped set the 1960s and ‘70s afire (and, lest we forget, the earlier influence of Jack Kerouac and the Beat Generation of the 1950s had on the ‘60s), let’s take a look at […]
John Fowles’s “The Magus” Some novels refuse to fade from memory, and The Magus is one of them. It explores the self, love, mystery, adventures of the mind, body and spirit. Its ending is as mysterious as anything else in the story. It refuses to be categorized and in rising above easy genre naming becomes […]
Dear Emma Cline, I’ve just finished The Girls. Congratulations on your first novel. I was particularly interested in reading your book because it primarily takes place in the 1960s and in California, where I lived at that time. I consider Sonoma County, where I graduated Cal State. my spiritual home. You’re a fabulous writer. Every […]
I’m not a huge fan of contemporary short stories, even though I read and edit them weekly for publication in the Fictional Café ‘zine. My own reading and writing interest leans in more toward novels, with an occasional digression into flash fiction. However I do enjoy mystery short stories, a lot, and often delve into […]
I’ve just finished reading Ann Petry’s 1946 novel, The Street. I was inspired to do so after reading Petry’s reprinted obit (1908-1997) in The New York Times. She was the first black woman novelist to publish a book—her very first—that sold over a million copies. In reading it, I was struck by the unfortunate truth […]
I’m thumbing through my 1950 Modern Library copy of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden and Other Writings when a business card falls out. It reads “Booklady Inc., Used and Rare Books,’ in Littleton, New Hampshire. Obviously where I obviously bought this volume some years ago; there is no website or email address on the card. It […]
Beginning tonight and every Saturday night, I review a book I’ve read. I also review on Amazon and Goodreads, because I believe in the words of Richard Hell: “I worship books. They are the purest, most complete, most effective means for delivering knowledge and feeling.” Mark Greenside has written two entertaining and informative books on what it’s […]