Offering readers the best in quality literature
Some months ago I read in The New Yorker a description of an event that took place at the 92nd Street Y in New York City: a staged reading of Philip Roth’s novel, The Plot Against America. The producers of the event felt that there were some striking parallels between the plot of Roth’s novel, published more than fifteen years ago, and the political climate of America that has prevailed since late 2016. [Read more…]
I think one of the healthiest things I’ve already heard in 2019 came from one of our authors, who, in all candor, said to me, “You think I should write a memoir? Aren’t I a bit young for that?” My response to her, “Have you heard of So-and-So? She is only a few years older than you and she’s already published five of them?” Our author was astonished. She quickly went to Good Reads to look this person up. [Read more…]
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.
