Julian Fellowes
Julian Fellowes interview I love his thoughts about Highclere Castle’s architectural/political history (nice too how he intertwines the two aspects). On writing characters: “You …build on emotional predicaments you have witnessed.” You take their problem with their mother, whatever it is… It’s only ever a lifting-off point.” On the period chosen for the story: “Both ...
quotidian thrash
another fine book with “dog” in the title (no mystery why these jump off the shelf at me)
what a good book should do
it feels as if my own heart, in its most private and awful moments, has been written onto the page
literary evangelizing
if I can simply get more people to read richard russo’s straight man, I will feel that much of my work in this world has been for the good. it is Comedy in the grandest sense.
ghost stories and creepy phenomena
Strange Unsolved Mysteries I was obsessed with this book as a kid– the haunted houses, the bizarre occurrences of talking animals, the whiff of an underside to this prosaic world. just thought of it.
el-oh-el-ay
so last night I went to a house party/ro-sham-bo championship. the host used to be an event promoter, so he did up his own event in stylee, with a little pa/dj station and prizes from the dollar store and everything– verrrra nice. and a group of people who like to play games– I was in ...
the fictional tale of a guy by the name of s. morgenstern and a land called florin.
when various aspects of this life become unbearable, my best and favorite solution is retreat into story. agatha christie’s good. some days william goldman‘s even better. what mark danielewski’s done with such much-lauded postmodern panache in _house of leaves_, bill goldman executed far more captivatingly a couple of decades earlier in writing _the princess bride_– ...