Some of my “Gerty” cartoons
Gerty and LaShana Gerty, social-distancing Gerty stops to smell the roses Gerty and the Goldfinch The Perfect Escape Continue reading Some of my “Gerty” cartoons
A Manual of Magic
This season, full of turmoil and menace, as well as hope, reckoning, and the promise of regeneration, is also the fifth and third anniversary of my two novels, Malevir: Dragons Return and Where Dragons Follow (its stand-alone sequel). This post reviews the … Continue reading A Manual of Magic
If You Aren’t in Over Your Head, How do You know How Tall You Are? Attributed to T.S. Eliot, source unknown
With a glass of red wine in hand, I paced the two rooms of my apartment and puzzled over her remarks. Brave and together? Me? Continue reading If You Aren’t in Over Your Head, How do You know How Tall You Are? Attributed to T.S. Eliot, source unknown
Terry Pratchett’s Coup de Coeur
We’re emerging from the Time of Plague and Social Disruption. Today, I read Rebecca Mead’s piece in The New Yorker about the Cerne Abbas Giant on the Chalk Downs and thought again about Sir Terry Pratchett and how much I … Continue reading Terry Pratchett’s Coup de Coeur
Notes on “Olive Kitteridge”
Although the works are not analogous, Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge reminds me of Edgar Lee Master’s Spoon River Anthology. Both works survey and reveal the heart of a community and the relationships of its inhabitants. Strout experiments successfully with multiple … Continue reading Notes on “Olive Kitteridge”
Notes on “Station Eleven”
Plenty of reviews favor Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven, an apocalyptic novel whose narrative kills off 99% of humanity in a contemporary 21st century setting. I picked it up to read in tandem with Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton. I can only note my response to the book [anxiety, chills, and wild thoughts] without formally reviewing it because I imagine that none of those reviews was written in the context of a nearly global viral epidemic, the fictional analog being Station Eleven’s device bringing about the end of the world as we know it. The story … Continue reading Notes on “Station Eleven”
Notes on “Good Morning, Midnight”
An intense psychological experience, Lily Brooks-Dalton’s “Good Morning, Midnight” carried me through the heart-freezing interior landscapes of its two main characters as they struggled to survive in hostile settings. My two days with this speculative novel set me on edge … Continue reading Notes on “Good Morning, Midnight”
Source Materials
Speculative fiction, whether fantasy or science fiction, has fascinated me since my adolescence. In created worlds, echoing our own or totally alien, writers in these genres question the nature of the universe and our species. Who hasn’t pondered the Big … Continue reading Source Materials
The Power of Place – ‘A Month in Siena’ by Hisham Matar
Having lived near Siena for a relatively longer time than Hisham Matar’s sojourn, which he eloquently describes in “A Month in Siena,” I appreciate his experiences there. As a college student, my encounters with the city were more with people than with a conscious engagement with art and architecture. So, I loved “living” there again through his eyes and his immersion in Siena’s interior life. Goodread’s book description summarizes this work well–[ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46064199-a-month-in-siena ]. I’d like to add a few passages from the book to that summary: I loved his description of Siena’s central square, La Piazza del Campo, where … Continue reading The Power of Place – ‘A Month in Siena’ by Hisham Matar
The Horror Story Builds: next segment of “Only Regrets”
[The strange animal noises Ella heard when she first moved into her new, “perfect” apartment have stopped. Her neighbor, Dave, eases her concerns and feeling less anxious, she decides to explore her neighborhood] By the end of the week, I … Continue reading The Horror Story Builds: next segment of “Only Regrets”
Susan Bass Marcus Writes 