Hey, how about a murder? a mystery? some 19th century Michigan history? a family saga? a love story? courtroom drama? jealously and suspicion lurking in a community? Read Becky Thacker’s novel and you will get it all. A great book for the shorter fall days ahead of us in the Midwest. Published by the University of Michigan Press and available from the publisher or ask at your favorite bookseller. And let me know what you think of my friends.
Vern Miller
Not all that long ago I heard a friend say he was writing a book. I didn’t get excited; after all, we all have friends who say when they retire from another profession they will write a book. Phil Dobrin, a retired surgeon, did what he said. He wrote a book. In fact he wrote a good book about his life as a surgical resident. Take a look, you’ll find both the expected drama and some unexpected humor in the operating room.
This week we learned of the sudden death of Philip Dobrin from a massive bleed in the brain. He had been enjoying his travels around Florida to introduce himself and this book at as many people as had a moment to listen.
Vern
Thanks to an email on another topic from Mike Zapata (Fifth Wednesday Journal, Spring 2010 Issue 6) I discovered this morning a magnificent contribution to the spirit and life of the printed book in American culture. If you haven’t already discovered The Book Bike for yourself, you might visit www.bookbike.org/gallery/
You will enjoy what you find there. The Book Bike lives and works in Chicago, but could thrive in many other cities around the world. If you are acquainted with any of its cousins in other places, let us know by commenting on my discovery.
Vern
We need someone to demonstrate the usefulness of a blog for a literary magazine. After all, we invest resources in the manufacture and maintenance of these vehicles. In this case, “we” means the editors, designers, and webmasters who cobble the appearance and structure of them.
But we don’t really know who visits here, if anyone visits here, why anyone would visit here, how many visitors return for a second visit, or what thoughts, opinions, reactions, and attitudes the visitor carries away. So tell us. Leave a comment. Comment on this posting. Say what you want to say in the language of your choice. We do exercise a warden’s prerogative; we will censor abusive and pornographic rants, so let it hang out, knowing we will sanitize your act.
And while you are at it, join us in our new game. We ask you to name one important book published in the past decade that you have NOT read. Tattle on yourself. Novels, collections, anthologies, histories, biographies, philosophical, medical, political, scientific, memoir — if you haven’t read it but know you should, let us know about it. Don’t cheat! If you have read it, don’t list it here with the implied challenge to others to do so just to keep up with you.
My candidate is The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee, Scribner, Sept. 2010.
Or if you demand a “literary” text, how about this? I have not read The Help by Kathryn Stockett, Penguin Books 2010.
Top that if you can,
Vern Miller