Saturday, July 29, 2017

"The Nest" - This is Not a Criticism


"The Nest" sat atop the nation's best seller list for months. Just a few pages in I can see why. It opens with familiar if not fresh observations at a wedding that is in a setting that we wish we'd be familiar with and the writing is direct.
The first thing I noticed was the grammatical inconsistency ON THE FIRST PAGE!
This is not a criticism.
It is a reminder that perfection is the enemy of good.
And now I must go write.

(But the devilish angel on my shoulder whispers "What happens if you want more than good?")

"Th

"Mr Gwyn" by Alessandro Baricco



Plot: A novelist stops writing books to write portraits. (It's a spoiler to explain how he does that.) The main character unspools his built life and builds another; he leaves one deceptively precise job to start a unique project that also requires creative precision. Readers find this book engaging and affecting, but for a wide range of reasons.  I like the "you can create a new story for  yourself, but you are still the same person" angle. It defies review. 

This is a stylishly written book about a gossamer idea. I look forward to seeing how well he marries that style to content when I read his other well received novels that have more of a story.

Sunday, July 9, 2017

My Appearance on The Mixed Experience Podcasst



Here is the podcast I did yesterday for The Mixed Experience, the top rated apple pod cast about multi-cultural experiences. The host Heidi Durrow brought out an aspect of the book that some don't think of: that it is a literary analysis that reads like a detective novel. High praise indeed. Thank you Heidi! 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mixed-experience/id852675189?mt=2&i=1000389651761

Monday, July 3, 2017

New Podcast
I will be interviewed LIVE by NY Times  best-selling author Heidi Durrow on her podcast "The Mixed Experience". Tune in on July 7 at 11:30 am PST or check it out later on themixedexperience.com.

http://www.themixedexperience.com/the-mixed-experience-podcast/