If you haven’t read Tobias Wolff’s classic short story, “Bullet In The Brain,” we urge you to do it now. Go ahead, we’ll wait. If you have read it, then you know how completely unforgettable the story is, with vivid characters, a dangerous scenario gone very wrong, and the Bartlebian response that sets the narrative in motion. … [Read more…]
ONE ROW AHEAD by Crissy Van Meter I see you at Moody’s funeral. I try not to lunge at you or throw my floppy arms around your neck and ask you if you remember me, or ask you if ten years ago was even a place you want to remember. With all of this sad … [Read more…]
TOO OLD FOR WAR by Frank Scozzari Old Makatiku looked wearily upon the young Kantaku. A pillar of youth he was, standing more than two meters in height with broad shoulders, a head full of shiny black hair, skin that was taut and clear, and muscles that rippled like the palms in a tree. His … [Read more…]
FRIENDS WHO HELP THEIR FRIENDS by Daniel Davis Gambling with Rick is kind of like being jealous of God. There’s no point to it. You can bring your best game, you can have luck on your side, and he’s still going to clean you out. We instituted a rule last year—no bets larger than fifty … [Read more…]
Reading Flavorwire’s “50 Incredibly Tough Books for Extreme Readers” challenged my literary fortitude. I found myself wanting to buy a bunch of new books, then take kickboxing lessons, hit the gym, or maybe dive of a cliff. I applaud the effort to compile a list of fifty tough books. Even putting this list together required its own toughness … [Read more…]