thoughts, tales and travels
Review: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeousa novel by Ocean Vuong I don’t want to forget this is a novel. But when the main character is adressing the story to his Ma, it’s hard to keep that thought in mind.I can’t forget for a minute that Ocean Vuong is a poet. Every...
And this was the reason for the trip. Bill with his new Grandson Charlie.
It’s day two after election day, and we still don’t know who will be president. In an effort to avoid obsessive magic wall election coverage, I’ve turned to Exhalation, a short story collection by a master of speculative fiction, Ted Chiang. I found there the first story I had read...
Today I actually went through the doors of a library for the first time since March. Our little Sheldon branch of the Eugene Public Library is now open. I’ve been picking up and dropping off books curbside for a few weeks, but today I picked my own books off the...
Karen Russell dishes up dark, disturbing stories. Not quite “an axe for the frozen sea within us,” as Kafka would recommend. More like a probe for reflections in our darkest recesses. A water witch for hidden pools of empathy. Russell’s great gift is for creating a fully developed world built...
Evaristo’s poetical narrative style isn’t hard to settle into. Breaks are more frequent than standard paragraphing. The story is plot-driven and the style supports a clear narrative account of the lives of its multi-generational cast of characters. “Show, Don’t Tell” is a writing cliche.we have lots of novels now where...
Review of Black Leopard Red Wolf by Marlon JamesNew York: Riverhead, 2019. 620 pp. This wild African-flavored fantasy is the most original book I have read this year. Marlon James has created a complete world of unique magic. Comparisons to Tolkien aren’t going too far. Although author Marlon James wrote...
Our trip to Honolulu was January 7-14, 2020. Hey, we weren’t expecting Paradise, just someplace warmer and hopefully drier than Eugene in the winter. An interesting American city with a unique cultural history and vibe. The first evening we checked into our condo and strolled out into the Waikiki evening,...
It doesn’t get better than a coffee mug that keeps itself warm. Especially when it comes wrapped in a family story that includes Santa Clause and a good elf, a flaming microwave, delivery magic, and a postscript coincidence. Thanks, family, and happy holidays to all.
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