A Barely Coherent Mystery Faulkner, William (1931). Sanctuary. New York: Vintage. Often billed as Faulkner’s commercial whodunit, this novel hovers on the edge of unintelligibility. But, it’s a “classic,” so what do I know. Temple Drake, a young, well-off college student … Continue reading
Fan Fiction Goes Mainstream Cunningham, Michael (1998). The Hours. New York: Picador USA Fan fiction rarely gets published, but Cunningham’s The Hours somehow managed it. Fan fiction is written by fans of characters in stories created by someone else. A fan-writer produces elaborations … Continue reading
Wonderful Language, Dull Story Nabokov, Vladimir. (1955). Lolita. New York: Vintage 50th Anniversary Edition. This is a book whose reputation precedes reading. Everyone knows the story of a middle-aged man’s sexual obsession with a twelve-year-old girl. Humbert Humbert, a European gentleman, … Continue reading
It’s a helluva struggle to write anything on a road trip. Finding the time is one problem but the far bigger issue is finding the brain. It’s hard to focus. In the morning I have a visceral urge to hit … Continue reading
Wildly Overrated Doctorow, E.L. (1974). Ragtime. New York: Penguin. This impressionistic portrait of New York in the early 1900’s has been widely praised as a “classic,” and has been made into a movie and a Broadway show. I can’t understand … Continue reading
Like a Tarantula on an Angel Food Cake Chandler, Raymond (1940/1992). Farewell, My Lovely. New York: Vintage/Random. “Chandleresque” is a writing style that cannot be matched, though many have tried, even me. Tough guy PI, Philip Marlowe, is the definition of … Continue reading
Adams, W. A. (2011). Cognitive Psychology Meets Literary Criticism [Review of the book, Introduction to Cognitive Cultural Studies]. PsycCRITIQUES – Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books, January 5, 2011, Vol. 56, Release 1, Article 8. Cultural studies is an established academic discipline … Continue reading
A How-To on Writing George, Elizabeth. (2004) Write Away. New York: Harper Collins If you haven’t read any writing-how-to books, this one is a good place to start. It’s easy to read, encouraging in tone, covers most of the basics, … Continue reading
Adams, W. A. (2011). Words Matter: The Legacy of Thomas Szasz [Review of the book, The Myth of Mental Illness: Foundations of a Personal Theory of Conduct, 50th Anniversary Edition]. PsycCRITIQUES – Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books, March 9, 2011 … Continue reading
Is The Search Still Relevant? Percy, Walker (1960). The Moviegoer; New York: Knopf This American existentialist story is set after the Korean war, in the 1950’s. As with many post-war novels (The Sheltering Sky, The Stranger, etc.) it asks what meaning … Continue reading