Is Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821—1881) the greatest author of all time? I think the answer to that may quite possibly be yes. It puts you in mind of some frail and sickly girl you sometimes note with pity, even a sort of compassionate love-and at others simply fail to notice at all, who suddenly, in an... Continue Reading →
In the 1980 film Somewhere in Time, Christopher Reeve (of Superman fame) plays a man who falls in love with a portrait of a young woman long dead. His obsession with her photo leads him to discard everything that reminds him of the seventies, and following a rather intense night of self-hypnosis, he travels back... Continue Reading →
Am I really doing this? Yep. This guy (me), who grew up on a steady diet of He-Man and D&D, an author known for action, adventure, and monsters bleeding out across the pages of his own books, chose to pick up and read the most chic-flickiest of books ever written, and you know what? I... 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 →
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 →
I have thoughts. No surprise, I know, but being an oh-so-special lover of words, my thoughts tend to be stubborn things. They stick to my brain like molasses and refuse to go away. Unfortunately, we live in a time when having thoughts can be dangerous. Expressing an opinion---any opinion, really---is like strolling through a minefield.... Continue Reading →
In case you've been wondering, rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated. (Pretty sure I stole that line from somewhere . . .) But annnyway, I am still around and kicking, though it's been forever since my last update. The year 2023, for me at least, has been crazier than 2020. My eldest daughter... Continue Reading →
Arthur Alimonos, my father, passed away in March of this year at the age of ninety after having lived an amazing life. Twelve years ago, he asked me to share his story with the world. This is Part II of that story, where he journeys from his homeland in war-ravaged Greece to the shores of... Continue Reading →
Yes, we're doing it again! Intrepidly, boldly, perhaps a bit foolishly . . . Heather and I step back into the midst of the culture war. The political atmosphere in this country is particularly toxic right now, but we feel it's important to take a stand, as any conscientious person should --- because what we... Continue Reading →
The last thing I want is for this post to come off as exploitative. Right now, my thoughts are for the people of Ukraine only. What's happening there is not just tragic, but the kind of thing that makes you question whether we're living in a storybook. It's like Trump and the January 6th insurrection.... Continue Reading →
The Art of Storytelling 
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