Offering readers the best in quality literature
I read the four Neopolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante around two years ago. I am one of the few men I know who have actually read them. The novels took the American literary world by storm and have been championed by women writers worldwide. Ferrante is a pseudonym, and the author’s real identity was fiercely protected by her publisher until an Italian journalist publicized her real name to an international uproar. [Read more…]
Who would have thought The Great American AIDS novel has finally, finally been written—and by a woman. This surprise has little to do with the relative ability of a man or a woman to write better about any given subject. Rather that the AIDS epidemic has done the most damage to the gay male population. Arguably, up until now, all the fine literature associated with it has been written by men. First and foremost perhaps Angels in America by Tony Kushner, and lesser known but great in its own right the book Was by Geoff Ryman. [Read more…]
I like traveling alone to the countries where I speak the language. This gives me an opportunity for a cultural immersion that really isn’t possible if you’re traveling with English speakers.
Author of The Killing of Karen Silkwood
On November 13, 2014, a reporter at “KWTV-News 9” in Oklahoma City interviewed Karen Silkwood’s son Michael. It was the fortieth anniversary of her death, and Michael was close to tears as he confessed that he was afraid of dying without ever knowing who killed his mother and why. She was never far from his thoughts.
I recently did an event at Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, Vermont. Northshire is universally recognized as the preeminent bookseller in the State of Vermont. It has a faithful, steady clientele and its staff actively hand-sell titles. One of them, a cheerful crystal-eyed guy called Stan, is known throughout the publishing industry for having a singular ability to inspire sales of one thousand copies or more of a single title. Because of this, he is swamped with review copies of books that come to Northshire from everywhere. [Read more…]
In all the years I’ve been doing book signings and appearances, I’ve had a few eerie moments. The most usual is a person coming to an event merely because there is an event. They have absolutely no interest in the book or its author. They may be attracted to the makeshift arrangement of chairs. Perhaps they think there might be a giveaway or free wine and cheese after I get done with my spiel about my book and why I wrote it.
However, some people who come have connected with the book in a very powerful and meaningful way.
