I read two books in two days. Each was unputdownable in its own way. The first was “Normal People” by Sally Rooney. She was heavily hyped in the “New Yorker” about a month ago, so I read her first book, 2017’s “Conversations With Friends,” and Daniel Glass sent me her second, “Normal People,” from Claridge’s […]

Virgil Wander Everybody’s going somewhere. And the truth is if you’re not, you’re being left behind. But it used to be you could have stasis, have a job, earn a living, not get rich and not be poor, kinda experience life as it comes to you. Like Virgil. Virgil lives in Greenstone, Minnesota, north of […]

And when I see the sign that points one way I didn’t know there was a real Renee. I’ve been trying to finish this book, it’s a real chore. It’s called “Bel Canto” and don’t e-mail me your review, because I know it will contain the ending and spoil it for me. Then again, you […]

This is a terrible book. But I finished it anyway. You see I was there. When the Beatles broke, when FM radio ruled, when Led Zeppelin sold out stadiums and musicians were independent thinkers as rich as anybody in America. But those days are in the rearview mirror. There’s a music business, that’s for sure. […]