This Saturday, March 28, I’ll be participating in “Earth Hour” from 8:30-9:30 at night. Whatever time zone you live in, wherever you are, it’s an hour that belongs to Earth. We owe her that much, at least. So tomorrow at my designated time, I’ll switch off all my lights, TV, computer, etc., light a candle [...]
March 27th, 2009
"The Promise" by Chaim Potok
The Promise by Chaim Potok My review rating: 5 of 5 stars“The Promise” is a poignant story about a young Jewish man living in New York City during the aftermath of WWII. Studying to be a rabbi, Reuven Malter finds himself caught between conservative and liberal Judaism, a tension that has especial relevance today both [...]
March 24th, 2009
"The Widow of the South" by Robert Hicks
The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks My review rating: 3 of 5 starsI really, really wanted to enjoy this book. And on one level, I did. I enjoyed the setting, the Civil War so realistically and unapologetically rendered, the poetic descriptions, and uncommon dialogue. But on another level, I found myself not able [...]
March 24th, 2009
"A Fine Balance" by Rohinton Mistry
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry My review rating: 5 of 5 starsIn A FINE BALANCE, the finely-drawn characters eke out a living amidst the crushing poverty of India. These invisible, untouchable people have names, yearnings, and an innate sense of justice that is pitted against a cold, abusive, caste-bound India. The sheer horror of [...]
March 23rd, 2009
To agent or not to agent . . . that is the question
We all know the old Catch 22: in order to get published you have to have an agent; in order to get an agent you have to have been published. Sounds like an impossible dilemma, but there is hope for aspiring writers. First of all, I don’t believe the first statement is entirely true. I [...]
