Sunday, April 29, 2007
Copeland points us to a fantastic resource--155 Classic Short Stories, all online. I have to admit that of the few stories on the list that I've read, most were assigned to me when I was in school. Stephen King, who has written some great short stories and novellas, has lamented the decline of the genre as a form as popular literature. Even until the mid-1990s, Esquire and GQ used to regularly publish short fiction, and a lot of it was damn good. I have to confess that I rarely read the fiction published in the New Yorker, and I think I'm going to resolve to change that.
Labels: Dave Copeland, short stories, Stephen King
Friday, April 13, 2007
Copeland has a nice appreciation for Kurt Vonnegut. As for me, if I were to make a list of my favorite novels, "Cat's Cradle" would probably be in the top 10, and maybe even the top five.
Labels: Dave Copeland, Kurt Vonnegut
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Last Friday was the Pittsburgh release party for Dave Copeland's book "Blood and Volume", which I plan to start reading tomorrow. Dave is a good friend--he was in my wedding--and a fellow survivor of the newspaper industry. It was great to see him, and both my wife, Maggi, and I are very proud of him.
One strange note: When Dave was still in Pittsburgh, he did some work for the campaign of late Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O'Connor. In attendance at Dave's party was Dennis Regan, the former aide to O'Connor and Mayor Luke Ravenstahl who left city government under a cloud. He was there with his housemate, Marlene Cassidy--secretary to O'Connor and Ravenstahl and also at the center of controversy--and she presented Dave with a proclamation from the mayor designating Friday "Dave Copeland Day."
I follow city politics rather closely, and so it was just a little weird to be at the same function as the two of them. It goes to show just how small this town really is.
One strange note: When Dave was still in Pittsburgh, he did some work for the campaign of late Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O'Connor. In attendance at Dave's party was Dennis Regan, the former aide to O'Connor and Mayor Luke Ravenstahl who left city government under a cloud. He was there with his housemate, Marlene Cassidy--secretary to O'Connor and Ravenstahl and also at the center of controversy--and she presented Dave with a proclamation from the mayor designating Friday "Dave Copeland Day."
I follow city politics rather closely, and so it was just a little weird to be at the same function as the two of them. It goes to show just how small this town really is.
Labels: Dave Copeland, Dennis Regan, Pittsburgh
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
There are several book-related items I've been meaning to bring to your attention: Dave Copeland's book is making news in New York, and Jason Togyer is entering the home stretch on his book about the G.C. Murphy Co. I am green with envy, or else I just ate some bad peanut butter.
Meanwhile, according to the New York Times, comedy shows like "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" have become the best places for authors to have serious discussions about their books. (I watch "The Colbert Report" only occassionally, but it seems like every time I do the guest is an author.)
And finally, Random House is introducing a book browser, perhaps in response to Google Book Search.
Meanwhile, according to the New York Times, comedy shows like "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" have become the best places for authors to have serious discussions about their books. (I watch "The Colbert Report" only occassionally, but it seems like every time I do the guest is an author.)
And finally, Random House is introducing a book browser, perhaps in response to Google Book Search.
Labels: "The Colbert Report", "The Daily Show", Dave Copeland, Google, Jason Togyer, Random House
