Monthly Archives: August 2006

Remember that semi-awful Elton John song, Someone Saved My Life Tonight? Well, I feel that way about Carl V. over at Stainless Steel Droppings. Just when a stupid-ass work e-mail made me want to drink a bottle of Vitameatvegemin before … Continue reading →

This week I woke up in the middle of the night with a complete blog entry formed in my mind. First thing next morning, I fired up the computer and typed it all in. And then I read it and … Continue reading →

Naguib Mahfouz was not only one of the best Arab writers, certainly, but also one of the best writers of the 20th century. I’m currently reading fiction of the Middle East, as a way of understanding what is happening there. … Continue reading →

On this anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I was wracking my brain for New Orleans or Gulf Coast literature to quote, and then I came across this in a book I’m reading. It seems mysteriously apropos. Listen, my heart, and bewail … Continue reading →

I used to be a sucker for books on writing. Every time I’d see one in a bookstore, free box or bargain bin, I snapped it up, hoping I would come across that magical nugget of advice that will make … Continue reading →

Happy Friday, everyone! Just a few quick links for those interested…. Identity Theory started a new column about the publishing industry called “The Magic Bullet: Q&A for Writers.” Send in a question that brings up anxiety about writing, and receive … Continue reading →

We’ve arrived, once more, at another Thursday, the day when the seemingly endless dark chasm of the Work Week opens to a tunnel ending in Light, offering a glimpse to a near future when time is again our own. Walk … Continue reading →

I got this bright idea from Yogamum at Yoga Gumbo. She gives a lovely list of the Brit’s 100 best-loved books (many of which she has admirably checked off). It all reminded Yogamum of a drinking game she used to … Continue reading →

Some people say books will go the way of dinosaurs. Supposedly, we will enjoy reading “War and Peace” or “Moby-Dick” on a computer screen. But, as a reader, I recently experienced the visceral delight of book ownership that I realize … Continue reading →

Cross-posted at A Curious Singularity A bit of inspiration for a Thursday…here are two excerpts from Cynthia Ozick’s “Metaphor & Memory,” which helped further clarify the Chekhov reading on A Curious Singularity. From A Short Note on “Chekhovian:” …even when … Continue reading →