Plot: “Fishhead” is the unkind name given to the mixed-race main character who lived by swampy Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee. The lake was created by an 1811 series of earthquakes, which caused an area of land to subside and the Mississippi to flood in. Fishhead’s “half-breed Indian” mother—so the story goes—was frightened by one ofContinue reading “Review of “Fishhead” by Irvin S. Cobb: Halloween Countdown”
Tag Archives: writing
Review of “The Entail” by E. T. A. Hoffmann: Halloween Countdown
Plot:Our hero’s great-uncle V— works as a law agent and “Justitiarius” (other translations call him “Advocate”) for the family of Freiherr (Baron)* R—. Our hero is named V—like his great-uncle. He accompanies the elder V— to the family estates to attend to R— family business. Uncle V—’s usual rooms are unavailable, having suffered a catastrophicContinue reading “Review of “The Entail” by E. T. A. Hoffmann: Halloween Countdown”
Review of “The Dead Woman” by David H. Keller: Halloween Countdown
Plot:The authorities find Mr. Thompson, a bookkeeper, “slightly confused, a trifle bewildered, but otherwise apparently normal.” He makes no effort to conceal his conduct, the knife in his hand, or “the pieces in the trunk.” Rather than taking him directly to the slammer, the police bring him to a psychiatrist. Mr. Thompson tells the psychiatristContinue reading “Review of “The Dead Woman” by David H. Keller: Halloween Countdown”
Review of “Count Magnus” by M. R. James: Halloween Countdown
Plot:The story’s narrator says he has come into possession of some papers belonging to Mr. Wraxall, a traveler and writer of travel guides. In the early summer of 1863, Mr. Wraxall sets off to explore Sweden. At the time, most Britons considered Scandinavia to be a backwater. Snobs. He spends time conducting research at aContinue reading “Review of “Count Magnus” by M. R. James: Halloween Countdown”
Review of “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe: Halloween Countdown
Plot:Montresor tells the reader that he had borne the injuries from his friend Fortunato as best he could, but when Fortunato insulted him, he vowed revenge. He kept up the pretense of friendship until he could exact his revenge—and he would do so with impunity. Fortunato’s weak point was his belief in his connoisseurship ofContinue reading “Review of “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe: Halloween Countdown”
Review of “The General” (1926)
A friend of my dearly beloved has been involved in the restoration of an old theater in Fullerton, California, for some years. The theater was originally built in 1925, in the days of silent movies. My dearly beloved remembers seeing movies there in the 80s. As a treat for some friends (and in hopes ofContinue reading “Review of “The General” (1926)”
Mother’s Day: a Rant
Last night, I dreamed several of my closest friends died. I’m at the point in life where I attend memorials with increasing frequency and weddings hardly at all, but the dream was not about that. It was about a Mother’s Day visit with family. We are not close. There are no bad feelings that I’mContinue reading “Mother’s Day: a Rant”
Review of “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life” by Anne Lamott
The Stuff: This book consists of short, interrelated essays and anecdotes on writing and being a writer—being a human—grouped around larger themes. The parts are 1) Writing, 2) The Writing Frame of Mind, 3) Help Along the Way, 4) Publication and Other Reasons to Write, and 5) The Last Class. One of the essays inContinue reading “Review of “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life” by Anne Lamott”
Review of “Reading Like a Writer” by Francine Prose
In discussing writing workshops and classes, author Francine Prose writes, “But that class, as helpful as it was, was not where I learned to write. Like most—maybe all—writers, I learned to write by writing and by example, by reading books.” (p .2) But using what the author calls “close reading,” a writer can learn variousContinue reading “Review of “Reading Like a Writer” by Francine Prose”
