*** We thought it might be interesting to see what Carol Ward has been up to since we last discussed the Morris-Jumel Mansion.  We went out for lunch at Polpettina, a small Italian restaurant in Larchmont, and caught up about her job at One River School. Here’s what she had to say: *** Tell me … Continue reading Catching up with Carol Ward – One River School →

This book, with a short poem for each letter of the alphabet, is simply lovely.

Currently, an exhibition titled GLENN O’BRIEN: CENTER STAGE, opened at the OFF-PARADISE PROJECT SPACE in lower Manhattan.

*** Robert Girardi recently chanced to see what I’d written about his first novel, Madeleine’s Ghost, some time back, and as he appreciated my words, I asked him if he’d be interested in being interviewed for NewsWhistle. We had a long conversation on the phone about his books, his work, and the past and future … Continue reading Ghost Stories and Ghostwriting – Our Q&A with Author Robert Girardi →

I can’t sleep, thinking of him. He was always so vulnerable. His final decade was, finally, happy.

*** NOVEL: Arthur & George AUTHOR: Julian Barnes YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2005 REVIEW: *** I’ve read a few other books by Julian Barnes–Flaubert’s Parrot and A History of the World in 10 ½ Chapters, both considered classics, as well as Talking it Over (and its sequel, Love, etc).  There are certain commonalities in Barnes’ work: … Continue reading On Our Bookshelves – Arthur & George →

*** We’ve got a few more weeks of summertime left, but it’s definitely time to start thinking about going back to school. Notebooks, new backpacks, first day of school outfits, finding out who your teacher will be and who’s going to be in your class, frantically finishing up that math packet and the summer reading … Continue reading On Our Bookshelves – Back to School Books for the Little Ones →

*** NOVEL: Frederica AUTHOR: Georgette Heyer YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 1965 REVIEW: *** I read this one some years back when I was on a Georgette Heyer kick, breezing through her novels on my Kindle during my commute.  I recently picked this book up in paperback (free at the train station, a kind service the local … Continue reading On Our Bookshelves – Frederica →

*** NOVEL: The Photograph AUTHOR: Penelope Lively DATE OF PUBLICATION: 2003 REVIEW: I picked this novel up on a lazy afternoon, when it was too hot to do much of anything else than sit around, and although I read it only to occupy a few idle hours, it has stayed with me for weeks. *** … Continue reading On Our Bookshelves – The Photograph →

Much to my pleasant surprise, it was a lovely book, the story (which takes place over 15 years) of the making of a new dictionary at a Japanese publishing house.