In this exciting matchup, I pit legendary authors against one another to see who comes out on top! Yessiree, folks, step right up for the fight of the century. In one corner, we've got legendary suspense author of over sixty-five books and counting, Stephen King, and his novella, The Body. And in the opposite corner,... Continue Reading →
After reading and reviewing Cloud Cuckoo Land, my best book of 2023, I knew I had to pick up another of Anthony Doerr's books. This time, I figured, why not the book that won him the Pulitzer? In true Doerr fashion, All the Light We Cannot See is a masterclass in poetry. Every sentence sings.... Continue Reading →
If you want to be a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer, or anything outside the humanities field, chances are you'll benefit from a college degree. But woe to you whose heart is set on becoming an author, a musician, a visual artist, or any pursuit whose area of study depends on an arbitrary grading system... Continue Reading →
David Sedaris would like you to know that nudists are ugly and weird and should probably know better. At least, that’s the impression he gives, if his book, Naked, is any indication. It’s crass, low-brow comedy—and a sneaky way for him to make fun of fat people just for being fat because, hey, they’re naked,... Continue Reading →
While I love the idea-driven, philosophically oriented science fiction authors of the 50s and '60s, the likes of which include Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clark, Philip K. Dick, Robert Heinlein, Frank Herbert, and Isaac Asimov---I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed by the first in Asimov's Foundation series. I truly, truly wanted to love... Continue Reading →
No matter how advanced artificial intelligence becomes---even after a thousand years of quantum computing---novels written by AI will never be worth anyone's time because fiction isn't a math problem to be solved. Storytelling is the greatest form of human expression. It's how we share our lived experiences, our fears, our pain, our aspirations. But a... Continue Reading →
What can I say about this book that hasn't already been said? Harper Lee's masterpiece and only true novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, has been analyzed to death by critics and is quintessential reading for any middle school English class. How Lee manages to write with such pathos, conviction, and storytelling skill without ever having... Continue Reading →
Every streaming service wants to make the next Game of Thrones. Barring the last two seasons' abysmal ratings, George R.R. Martin's book-based drama had studios the world over greening with envy, and because of that, viewers have been subjected to a flood of poorly conceived imitations the likes of which we haven't seen since the... Continue Reading →
Writing is hard and storytelling is even harder. It is a fool's errand paved with heartache and disappointment and oddly placed metaphors. So, if you're dreaming big, wanting to see your name appear at Barnes & Noble next to the big shots of the literary world, do yourself a favor and step away from the... Continue Reading →
I sit (virtually) with my artistic conspirator and college-attending daughter, Jasmine, to discuss one of our favorite pieces of fiction, Howl's Moving Castle, comparing Diana Wynne Jones's original fantasy novel with Hayao Miyazaki's cinematic interpretation. We also get into anime in general and the differences between Western and Japanese storytelling. Love Studio Ghibli? Or books... Continue Reading →
The Art of Storytelling 
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