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Got through Robert Saviano's GOMORRAH the other day. This is a serious book about the criminal element around Naples, Italy. The author got inside various elements there and reveals much of the inner workings. It is not pretty. His writing is dramatic and sometimes goes over the top. However...

I've been researching a new novel and was seeking first hand accounts of late 18th century early 19th century naval activities. This is the time of Patrick O'Brian's hero Jack Aubrey, among others. "The Young Sea Officer's Sheet Anchor" by Darcy Lever is about the best book I've ever found on...

Just finished The Collaborator of Bethlehem, by Matt Beynon Rees. I particularly enjoyed this book because of the insights provided into the setting, which is present day Palestine. His "detective" is a school teacher, Omar Yussef who has his share of problems, among which idealism might be...

I work from outlines or sketches that ultimately develop into complete stories. Today I was looking through some old notes for finished stories and was amazed at how much I had edited and re-worked the story when going from the original to the final. Whole sections were cut or added. Characters...

Great article in the Wall Street Journal today about a guy who loves books and drags them with him to every place he's lived and just can't give them up for a variety of reasons. I took a moment to look around my own house and realized that I have various walls covered with books in most...

It's been out for some years now, but Our Lady of the Forrest by David Guterson struck me as a fine work. I enjoyed the character development, the plot, and the style of writing. Guterson captured the essence of belief, the necessity of survival, and many shades of human corruption. All this set...

Put down some of the best dialog exchanges that you've read. Here's one I like: His father said, "Cannonballs have no conscience, nor do the people for fire them." Like a visiting doctor, the young man replied in an even tone, "And yet no amount of prayer will break the chains of tyranny."

Has anyone else read Johnny One Eye, by Jerome Charyn?

I've read several of HV Morton's travel books which were penned between the 1920's and 1950's. This man is a marvel of historical interpretation and I would highly recommend these volumes to anyone traveling to any particular place he has described. Even though the books may seem out of date...

Has anyone else noticed the increasing number of mistakes in newspapers these days? I'm talking about missing words, poor spelling, things of this nature. Some highly respected rags are showing signs of chafing. Have they cut the proof readers? This is pathetic.

Wondering if anyone else has enjoyed Tawni O'Dell's books, Back Roads, Coal Run, and Sister Mine. I found Back Roads the best and among my favorite books. It's a great character study and O'Dell has a sense of place like few writers do and most writers should. Coal Run less so, but still a...

How is the Punisher doing these days? I haven't looked at this comic since the 1980's. I found a stack of them from the college days. Have a Number 1 and all. His motto used to be, "If you're guilt, you're dead." Nice.

Has anyone read Somerset Maugham's The Summing Up? Found his comments quite interesting. I enjoyed his short stories and a few of his novels. But, in The Summing Up I found him focused and intuitive about writing, people, and the intersection of the two. Just wondering....

Sorry, but I forgot to post here when I joined. Anyway, I've been writing long enough to forget what I wrote. I happened upon this forum and enjoy the discussions and interaction. Looking forward to more and would like to see people's work in the writer's showcase, which is a great feature of...

Has anyone read Thomas Cahill's latest historical tome? Just finishing it now. I liked the How The Irish Saved Civilization better.

Here is the first chapter from a book I've almost finished. I never wanted to be a bartender. I wanted to finish college, to become a professional with letters behind his name. But my brother got himself killed, and I got stuck behind the bar, wiping up other people’s drinks, listening to...