Tag: essay

Book Review, Classic, Non-fiction

A Little Cynicism Goes a Long Way or The Fran Lebowitz Reader

Fran Lebowitz said one of the best things anybody has ever said, “Having had a miserable adolescence does not justify writing a novel.” Unfortunately, I’ve often though of that line over the years–there are a lot of miserable adolescents in modern literature. So I was looking forward to reading this collection of writing mostly from the New Yorker.  The book includes two previous collections: Metropolitan Life … Continue reading A Little Cynicism Goes a Long Way or The Fran Lebowitz Reader

james b chester3 Comments
American Fiction, Book Review, California, Fiction, Non-fiction, TBR Dare

The Santa Monica Review vs. The Pinch: A Tournament of Short Stories II Post

Last spring I attended the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) annual conference in Los Angeles where I was very impressed by the quantity and the quality of small literary journals in the exhibit hall.  There’s far more of them out there than you probably suspect. I had nearly no money to spend, no cash that is, and very few of the small presses … Continue reading The Santa Monica Review vs. The Pinch: A Tournament of Short Stories II Post

james b chester
American Fiction, Book Review, California, Classic, Non-fiction

Slouching Towards Bethlehem: Seven Places of the Mind by Joan Didion

Joan Didion was one of the best chroniclers of life in California.  The essays collected in Slouching Towards Bethlehem make up the best portrait of California in the 1960’s that you’re likely to ever find. I hope people are still reading them fifty years from now.  The non-fiction essay is typically so tied up with its own time that it fails to remain widely read after its initial … Continue reading Slouching Towards Bethlehem: Seven Places of the Mind by Joan Didion

james b chester4 Comments
American Fiction, Book Review, Classic, Fantasy, Fiction, History, Non-fiction, Novella, Short Story

Jessica Mitford vs. Ursula K Le Guin: A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

For this round of the Deal Me In Short Story Challenge I drew Ursula K. Le Guin’s novella The Finder and an essay by Jessica Mitford called You-all and Non You-all: A Southern Potpourri.   My extra challenge has been trying to find a link between the two stories selected at random, which has been fun, frustrating, and once in a while impossible.  You might think it would … Continue reading Jessica Mitford vs. Ursula K Le Guin: A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

james b chester3 Comments
Book Review, California, Classic, Fantasy, Fiction, Non-fiction, Rants, Science Fiction, Short Story

Joan Didion vs. Ben Winters. A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

You might think this one would be a bit of a stretch. This time the two cards I dealt brought me Ben Winter’s linked stories “BRING HER TO ME” and “BRING THEM DOWN” from The Apocalypse Trilogy and Joan Didion’s essay “Comrade Laski, C.P.U.S.A. (M.-L.)’ from Slouching Towards Bethlehem. Winter’s story is about a group of religious fanatics who believe God has told them to end … Continue reading Joan Didion vs. Ben Winters. A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

james b chester1 Comment
Book Review, California, Classic, History, Non-fiction

Joan Didion vs. Joan Didion: “John Wayne: A Love Song” and “Slouching Towards Bethlehem”

I consider this a lucky draw. The nine and the king of spades were both essays by Joan Didion in my second deck for the Deal Me In Short Story Challenge.  Obviously, since these are both non-fiction essay, I’ve changed up the rules to suit my own personal taste.  I’ve also been reading two “cards” at a time and trying to find a link between the … Continue reading Joan Didion vs. Joan Didion: “John Wayne: A Love Song” and “Slouching Towards Bethlehem”

james b chester5 Comments
American Fiction, Book Review, Classic, Fantasy, Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story

Jessica Mitford vs. Ursula K. Le Guin – A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

 If you could sit down to a nice dinner with Jessica Mitford and Ursula K. Le Guin I think you’d be in for a very interesting evening.  I have no idea if either ever read the other’s work, I kind of doubt  it actually, but they certainly read enough and wrote enough to be very interesting people.   They both would have a lot of interesting … Continue reading Jessica Mitford vs. Ursula K. Le Guin – A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

james b chester5 Comments
Classic, Non-fiction

H.L. Mencken vs. Joan Didion a Deal Me In Short Story Non-Fiction Edition

Anyone who makes a list of the top ten essayists America has produced is likely to include both H.L. Mencken and Joan Didion. Mencken wrote during the opening decades of the 20th century while Didion began her writing career in the centuries second half but each clearly became a key writer of their time.  Each can be held up as uniquely American on some level, … Continue reading H.L. Mencken vs. Joan Didion a Deal Me In Short Story Non-Fiction Edition

james b chester4 Comments
Book Review, Classic, Non-fiction

Jessica Mitford vs. H.L. Mencken–A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

You can’t go wrong with either Jessica Mitford or H.L. Mencken so this was a very lucky draw for me.  Actually, I stacked the deck a bit for this my second round with the Deal Me In Short Story Challenge, lots of Mitford and lots of Mencken in my current deck.  This match up was bound to happen. I drew Jessica Mitford’s 1961 essay “Proceed … Continue reading Jessica Mitford vs. H.L. Mencken–A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

james b chester3 Comments
American Fiction, Book Review, Classic, English Literature, Fiction, Noir, Non-fiction, Short Story

George Orwell vs. Raymond Chandler

I’ve found two ways to connect the random stories I drew for this round of the Deal Me In Short Story Challenge: theme and style.  While not particularly specific to the two “stories” I drew this time, one thing Orwell and Raymond Chandler have in common is that both seek to expose what’s really going on in the society they observe. With a Chandler short … Continue reading George Orwell vs. Raymond Chandler

james b chester1 Comment