The semester begins and — as always — it’s off to a rocky start. You would think I’d get a handle on it by now, but watching my older and more experienced colleagues — individuals I respect, some of whom taught me — get started, I see that it’s never exactly a clean process. These things happen. Expect my next round-up to be a bit heavier on humor and pulp than the summer months were.
Read MoreHigh summer is rolling in to Kansas City. The weather is hot, and I am again working day in, day out to water trees so that there will one day be enough shade around here. Can’t do anything about the humidity, though: we’re just going to have to live with it feeling like we’re nestled deep in Pantagruel’s armpit. Reading in a cool room, though, is just about the best thing in the world.
Read MoreOkay, as usual, I let this sit too long. In my defense, I had a new job, COVID, and international travel in there, so things got dicey. A lot of good books this time, though it covers more ground than I normally do, time-wise. All title links go to bookshop.
Read MoreEdgar and I are traveling, and so we’ve prepared these posts in advance. Right now, I want to share with you something that isn’t quite a genre but which are unified by a particular set of qualities. Maybe that’s what a genre really is. I don’t have a good name for them, so I’m going to describe this as “unbureaucratic” fiction.
Read MoreI think I let this get too long. Blame the summer heat for making me lazy and stupid.
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