Tag: authors
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Falconer by John Cheever – A Book Review
John Cheever is very good at his craft. His main characters as well as his supporting characters are very well developed; he is an expert at description and dialogue; he knows the way the human minds works in all its logical and illogical glory. That being said, while I appreciate all of Cheever’s talents, I…
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Beck At Bay by John Updike – A Book Review
John Updike is one of those names I had always heard of but had never checked out. Finally, a few weeks ago, I decided that it was time for me to get acquainted with Mr. Updike. I must say that the first work I chose to read of his did not disappoint me. Bech at…
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Out Of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis – A Book Review
I am a big C.S. Lewis fan. He won me over as a child with his Chronicles of Narnia books, but it was his thought-provoking and inspiring Mere Christianity that solidified his genius in my mind. That being said, it is with great vacillation that I must reveal I did not care for his science…
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Back In the World by Tobias Wolff – A Book Review
Are you reading Tobias Wolff yet? Are you? If not, you should be. With Back in the World, Wolff gives us yet another outstanding compilation of short stories. As always, Wolff’s stories are brief and absolutely potent, offering all the complexities and awkwardness of the human condition in a direct and entrancing manner. His…
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Close Range: Wyoming Stories by Annie Proulx – A Book Review
I decided to check out Close Range: Wyoming Stories on the recommendation from Stephen King in his memoir, On Writing. Imagine my surprise when I saw that it included the (very) short story “Brokeback Mountain!” You know, the source material for the 2006 Academy Award Best Picture nominee. But, I’ll get more into that later.…
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The Cement Garden by Ian McEwan – A Book Review
This is probably one of the most disturbing books I’ve ever read. I don’t mean disturbing as in thought provoking and edgy, I mean disturbing as in tasteless and barbaric. I found nothing redeeming about this novel whatsoever. McEwan may be a fine writer, but his choice of subject matter and plot, in my eyes,…
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A Model World by Michael Chabon – A Book Review
Michael Chabon once again proves why I believe he is America’s premier living author. In this collection of short stories, he presents many normal circumstances, every day sorts of things, but he gives them to us with such captivating, realistic characters that you must turn the page to find out how everything ends. Now, this…
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The Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon – A Book Review
Michael Chabon’s first novel, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, proves an enticing read. As usual, Chabon’s characters practically jump off the page and his dialogue is both realistic and somehow magical. He captures a manner of speaking through his characters that many of us wish we employed in real life. The plot, while tightly thought-out and…
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Bad Dirt: Wyoming Stories 2 by Annie Proulx – A Book Review
Though this is only the second book I’ve read by Annie Proulx, I can tell that her style and voice will keep me coming back for more and more of her work. Proulx blends the utterly fantastic with the totally mundane so seamlessly that she can pass virtually anything off in her writing and you’ll…
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The World According to Garp by John Irving – A Book Review
There are some books in existence that are simply must-reads. The World According to Garp is very much one of those books. Irving has written a novel of such simple complexity that it astounds the reader time after time. With this novel the statement is conveyed that all the nuances of life are important; every…
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