This is the first in a series of film reviews. The magic of the silver screen has always had a strong allure – from classics of the 1920s to the most recent indie flick. I will usually watch any film once to give it a chance, but a truly great movie needs the perfect synthesis […]
A selection of quotes from The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce (1842–c. 1913). These are witty and cynical observations on human nature that generally stand the test of time well. After the American Civil War Bierce taught himself journalism and got work in San Francisco where his linguistic skills and barbs earned him some measure […]
This is the first in a series of book reviews on works of literature that are worthy of some time, words and discussion. There are some books that resonate strongly, stick in the memory, make you laugh out loud, or entertain and enthrall. This doesn’t happen with every single book I read, but when it […]
Images of Brompton Cemetery in London. April 2012. “Brompton Cemetery is located near Earl’s Court in South West London. Established by Act of Parliament, it opened in 1840 and was originally known as the West of London and Westminster Cemetery. “Consecrated by the Bishop of London in June 1840, it is one of Britain’s oldest […]
There are many great quotes on the craft of writing. Here are some I particularly like. If the doctor told me I had six minutes to live, I’d type a little faster.~Isaac Asimov I’d rather be caught holding up a bank than stealing so much as a two-word phrase from another writer.~Jack Smith All my […]
Raymond Chandler (1888-1959) was the creator of Philip Marlowe, the iconic private detective. His work was a masterful display of hard-boiled fiction, set in a sleazy and seductive Los Angeles of the 1930s to 1950s. Often imitated, never bettered. Because I am a huge fan of Chandler’s work, I’d like to present some of his […]