Boggs: A Comedy of Values (Passions and Wonders Series)8 reviews Lawrence Weschler University Of Chicago Press, 1999 Very entertaining book. + A Sophisticated Portrait of a Cheeky Man + Art as money - a great story. + Honest + Slightly scattered, but very interesting             Vermeer in Bosnia: Cultural Comedies and Political Tragedies3 reviews Lawrence Weschler Pantheon, 2004 Thinking About the Unimaginable + A Serious Man Who's Good Company + Wise, Enthralling, Insightful I'd admired the writing of Lawrence Weschler for years through his writing for The New Yorker. (And it's WESCHLER, not WECHSLER as I'd misread it for the longest time.) He is one of the better essayists around and has some of the qualities that make that possible: an insatiable curiosity, the drive ...             The Man in the Flying Lawn Chair: And Other Excursions and Observations3 reviews George Plimpton Random House, 2004 We'll miss you, George I ordered this book after reading an excerpt of the title piece in the New York Times. Like most of us, I was aware of Larry Walters's epic flying lawn chair adventure, and I was happy to hear the full details of the story. Plimpton did a terrific job of painting a sympathetic and poignant picture ...             Pieces of the Frame2 reviews John McPhee Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1979 Pieces of the Frame, John McPhee + If You Love McPhee The always excellent McPhee gives us a collection of short pieces on a wide variety of subjects, including the monsters and whisky and Macbeths of Scotland, playing basketball and tennis in England, racing horses, paddling canoes, and several more. My favorite is "The Search for Marvin Gardens," ...             Turning Bones (American Lives)1 review Lee Martin University of Nebraska Press, 2003 An American Life In "From Our House," Lee Martin explored his youth, growing up with a father who must cope with a split-second decision that cost him both of his arms. In "Turning Bones," with the help of his ancestors, Martin explores his middle age, looking back on his marriage, the question of children, the ...             Halls of Fame: Essays124 reviews John D'Agata Graywolf Press, 2003 Judge the book on its own terms + Not Essays but OK Let me preface this by saying I was a classmate of John's at the Iowa Writers' Workshop in the mid-90's. I remember discussing several of the essays included in this collection, and being incredibly impressed with both the work and the author. The time, imagination, detail, obsession, intelligence, ...             Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters19 reviews Annie Dillard Harper Perennial, 1988 Teaching a Stone to Talk - Good Read + Teaching a reader to write + Immerse yourself in Annie Dillard's thoughts and unique use of language Annie Dillard's work is most certainly her best with the exception of her Thoreau-esque first work. Her writing style and personality are captivating as she engages with a myriad of environments, from local lakes to the Galopagos Islands. As a naturalist writer, she explores the interaction ...             Aspects of the Novel12 reviews E.M. Forster Harvest Books, 1956 wonderful insights from a great British novelist + Nothing Else Like It + Genius This shortish book is composed of the transcripts of Forster's 1927 series of talks about the novel, and is divided into chapters on story, characters, plot, and pattern & rhythm. In my opinion the two chapters on fantasy and prophecy are less successful, but if you are considering this book then ...             Just Enough Liebling: Classic Work by the Legendary New Yorker Writer3 reviews A. J. Liebling Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2004 How can there ever be enough Liebling + Just Perfect + An awesome writer Is there ever enough Liebling? One of the classic observers of American life. If you have never read him, be prepared for a realy good time. A. J. Liebling was basically a reporter with a sense of observation that can only be called vibrant. This book is a collection of some of his better ...             Into Woods: Essays by Bill Roorbach1 review Bill Roorbach University of Notre Dame Press, 2002 Roorbach does it all It's exciting to find so many of Bill Roorbach's essays collected finally into one volume. I have loved reading his work in various journals and magazines; reading them again here, along with essays I'd never read, is such a satisfying experience. I found myself laughing out loud on the subway ...             Turning Bones (American Lives)1 review Lee Martin University of Nebraska Press, 2003 An American Life In "From Our House," Lee Martin explored his youth, growing up with a father who must cope with a split-second decision that cost him both of his arms. In "Turning Bones," with the help of his ancestors, Martin explores his middle age, looking back on his marriage, the question of children, the ...             Just Enough Liebling: Classic Work by the Legendary New Yorker Writer3 reviews A. J. Liebling Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2004 How can there ever be enough Liebling + Just Perfect + An awesome writer Is there ever enough Liebling? One of the classic observers of American life. If you have never read him, be prepared for a realy good time. A. J. Liebling was basically a reporter with a sense of observation that can only be called vibrant. This book is a collection of some of his better ...             Pieces of the Frame2 reviews John McPhee Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1979 Pieces of the Frame, John McPhee + If You Love McPhee The always excellent McPhee gives us a collection of short pieces on a wide variety of subjects, including the monsters and whisky and Macbeths of Scotland, playing basketball and tennis in England, racing horses, paddling canoes, and several more. My favorite is "The Search for Marvin Gardens," ...             Aspects of the Novel12 reviews E.M. Forster Harvest Books, 1956 wonderful insights from a great British novelist + Nothing Else Like It + Genius This shortish book is composed of the transcripts of Forster's 1927 series of talks about the novel, and is divided into chapters on story, characters, plot, and pattern & rhythm. In my opinion the two chapters on fantasy and prophecy are less successful, but if you are considering this book then ...             The Man in the Flying Lawn Chair: And Other Excursions and Observations3 reviews George Plimpton Random House, 2004 We'll miss you, George I ordered this book after reading an excerpt of the title piece in the New York Times. Like most of us, I was aware of Larry Walters's epic flying lawn chair adventure, and I was happy to hear the full details of the story. Plimpton did a terrific job of painting a sympathetic and poignant picture ...             Boggs: A Comedy of Values (Passions and Wonders Series)8 reviews Lawrence Weschler University Of Chicago Press, 1999 Very entertaining book. + A Sophisticated Portrait of a Cheeky Man + Art as money - a great story. + Honest + Slightly scattered, but very interesting             Into Woods: Essays by Bill Roorbach1 review Bill Roorbach University of Notre Dame Press, 2002 Roorbach does it all It's exciting to find so many of Bill Roorbach's essays collected finally into one volume. I have loved reading his work in various journals and magazines; reading them again here, along with essays I'd never read, is such a satisfying experience. I found myself laughing out loud on the subway ...             Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters19 reviews Annie Dillard Harper Perennial, 1988 Teaching a Stone to Talk - Good Read + Teaching a reader to write + Immerse yourself in Annie Dillard's thoughts and unique use of language Annie Dillard's work is most certainly her best with the exception of her Thoreau-esque first work. Her writing style and personality are captivating as she engages with a myriad of environments, from local lakes to the Galopagos Islands. As a naturalist writer, she explores the interaction ...             Halls of Fame: Essays124 reviews John D'Agata Graywolf Press, 2003 Judge the book on its own terms + Not Essays but OK Let me preface this by saying I was a classmate of John's at the Iowa Writers' Workshop in the mid-90's. I remember discussing several of the essays included in this collection, and being incredibly impressed with both the work and the author. The time, imagination, detail, obsession, intelligence, ...             Vermeer in Bosnia: Cultural Comedies and Political Tragedies3 reviews Lawrence Weschler Pantheon, 2004 Thinking About the Unimaginable + A Serious Man Who's Good Company + Wise, Enthralling, Insightful I'd admired the writing of Lawrence Weschler for years through his writing for The New Yorker. (And it's WESCHLER, not WECHSLER as I'd misread it for the longest time.) He is one of the better essayists around and has some of the qualities that make that possible: an insatiable curiosity, the drive ...