Monthly Archives: August 2014

Writers’ conferences , as you may have long suspected, have a pecking order – and most of us are at the bottom… (For previous essays in this series, look here and here.) This week’s look at Joe David Bellamy’s book of … Continue reading →

John McPhee’s greatness lies in his ability to make the real world and its inhabitants as interesting as if they were fictional… Here’s one from the 2014 reading list that I’ve been looking forward to reading. I have been a … Continue reading →

One of the things an aspiring writer learns quickly is that literary magazine editors are a quirky lot…but that there are lots of literary magazines these days…. (For previous essays in this series, look here) My second essay on Joe … Continue reading →

Frazier’s historical novel was a great success even though it is rather indifferent both as history and as a novel… A confessions of sorts. I have always been something of a fan of the historical novel. My interest began probably … Continue reading →

American literary fiction over the last 50 years has been, it seems, in a struggle to find an audience… Another book from the 2014 reading list composed of essays. This one, Literary Luxuries: American Writing at the End of the … Continue reading →

Kromer’s novel of The Great Depression was his only fully achieved work… I realize I have been remiss. Despite two updates to my 2014 reading list (see here and here) I have still more books that I’ve added. So once I … Continue reading →

Stieg Larsson’s crime novel The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is really an examination of moral and ethical ambiguity…. The next novel from my 2014 reading list is the first in a trilogy (yet again with the trilogies – sheesh) … Continue reading →