I did an interview today on The Readdicts to help get the word out about my crowdfunding campaign to publish the novel Identity Theft. I ended up talking quite a bit about the business of publishing and why, I think, we’ve reached a tipping point where it makes more sense for career-minded writers to publish […]
A couple of stories have crossed my radar lately that have led me to ask this question. University of Maryland sociologist Philip N. Cohen dissected the argument of the amicus brief filed by Hawkins and Carroll in Utah’s attempt to ban same sex marriage in that state. The brief makes the following assertion: Traditional, gendered […]
A follow up, of sorts, to my first article on tradition. When you start to read books on the history of Christianity it becomes clear that many of the ideas and approaches that seem non-traditional and novel are actually as old or older than the approaches considered “traditional.” I have read many a 19th century […]
The opening sequence of the film (and the play) Fiddler on the Roof features Tevye joyously and unforgettably celebrating his culture’s traditions. On the surface, Fiddler on the Roof is about a Jewish community in early 20th Century Czarist Russia. More essentially, however, it is about the conflict between tradition and change. Which traditions are […]
A couple of weeks ago I was listening to a panel on the Dian Rehm show discussing same sex marriage. One of the panelists, who opposed legal recognition of same sex marriage, explained that those who are in favor of legal same sex marriage tend to frame their arguments in terms of rights while those […]
As I was going through some of what I wrote for Oscar’s Ghost as I research my follow up book (coming soon) I came across a bit that ended up on the cutting room floor. As it doesn’t fit into the next book either, I thought I’d share the snippet with you. It talks about […]
It’s October 22, and being the anniversary of Lord Alfred Douglas’s birth, it is the traditional time to post about his awfulness. “Evil queen” and “a dick” are a couple of the memorials that flashed through my twitter feed today. I usually try to find a little something of interest to share on the day. […]
I have just finished watching the 2009 BBC 2 series Desperate Romantics, which is streaming for free on Pluto these days. Ten years down the line, I imagine the statute of limitations on spoilers is probably passed, but if you haven’t watched this yet, I’m letting you know that I’m going to talk about plot […]
“Lying, the telling of beautiful untrue things, is the proper aim of art.”-Oscar Wilde (There is a new book by Gregory Mackie by this title, but that is not what this post will be about.) Have you seen this quote on an Etsy cross stitch or t-shirt? “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”-Oscar Wilde. […]
A while back Electric Lit ran an article by Hannah McGregor called “Liking Books is Not a Personality.” It addressed a minor controversy in the book blogosphere over lifestyle guru Marie Kondo. I don’t have strong feelings about Marie Kondo and her theories of decluttering. I know a number of people who have found her […]
Story and Self 