Set against the backdrop of 1980s Houston in the early days of the personal computer revolution, this is a novel about a jailbird's comeback, the lessons provided by fate, and the role of friends – and ghosts. “I had a paperback with me, a ragged copy of Crime and Punishment I snitched from the St. Barth Correctional lending library…” from Houston Instructional, now available on Amazon or direct from Lulu Bookstore. William P. Moore©

Published in 1952, this is Steinbeck’s virtuoso performance. Nearly 600 pages of clean, direct prose colored with history, lyrical geographic description, fully rounded characters, and a story that marches ahead toward the fate of two families in California’s Salinas Valley, the Hamiltons and the Trasks. I came to it looking for an American saga, expecting a novel of broad range over people and time. There is that, but far more. There is a wealth of great reading, along the l

from May 16, 2012 Egan’s short story writing led to the construction of “Goon Squad.” That adds interest to reading this collection of her earlier work. The nine stories keep us engaged, provide excellent writing with precision and imagery, and then close with something of thematic value to consider when we’re done. What more could you ask? For example…the first two are risky and dark, presented with skillful characterization. The first examines a traveler in China with a