Christopher Hitchens ~ Mortality

thanks to From the Top’s producer, Tom Voegli for gifting me the Last Days essays by one of the most gifted and compelling minds of our time, Christopher Hitchens’ MORTALITY. beautiful preface by Graydon Carter, and a magnificent afterward by Hitchens’ wife, Carol Blue, who tells of Hitchens’ volubility and grace even in the last …

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Lucius Shepard ~ The Dragon Griaule

even more astonishing than the breadth and scope of Lucius Shepard‘s imagination in the seemingly infinite variety of his plot, trajectories and characterizations is the power inherent in narratives that share a common theme or tone; when novellas with common locales or sensibilities are collected, they are their own mythologies: THE JAGUAR HUNTER, LIFE DURING …

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Bohumil Hrabal ~ The Death of Mr. Baltisberger

just finished reading Bohumil Hrabal’s collection of short stories, The Death of Mr. Baltisberger. perpetual thanks, as always, to Ann and Stona Fitch for introducing me to one of the 20th Century’s undersung masters. my favorites were the final two, The World Cafeteria and Want To See Golden Prague? (but even their late placement in …

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Lucius Shepard ~ The Taborin Scale

Just finished reading The Taborin Scale by Lucius Shepard, a novella of majesty and magic, part of the mythology surrounding the the centuries-old apparently moribund dragon-god, Griaule. Lucius’ recent collection, The Dragon Griaule is the volume wherein you’ll find this and other treasures telling of this bewitched and bewitching deity. I purchased this slim volume …

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Ross MacDonald ~ Find A Victim

just finished reading FIND A VICTIM by the legendary Ross MacDonald. i’ve been steadily making my way through Kenneth Millar’s (Ross’ given name) ouevre, but it’s been a while since the last one i read. no one in the noir world has a better sense of atmosphere, and no one has much troubled empathy and …

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DBC Pierre ~ Vernon God Little

just finished reading DBC Pierre’s debut, Booker Prize winning novel, the Columbine-inspired black comedy, VERNON GOD LITTLE. supplants Salinger’s coming-of-age novel in my mind for its insight, satire and sheer beauty of writing. really brilliant.

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