-
Not Graham Greene
Amazon asked me if my novel, Two Pumps for the Body Man, met my expectations. “Well, the author’s no Graham Greene,” I say. “Please send me some of that.” Why should I (or anyone) read a story about a foot-fetishist diplomat doing time in Saudi Arabia when I (or anyone) could be reading about a vacuum cleaner salesman making bank in Cuba? But then Read more
-
The Ding Dong Reader
Ever since we moved in three years ago, visitors to our home have announced their arrival with a sick-sounding doorbell. Ding–Dunk, it sadly played. My reaction mirrored this dreary tune. Oh dear, who’s come to see us now? When the button finally gave way—a crack became a hole became an entirely broken piece of plastic more likely to Read more
-
What Would You Do About Bad Journalism?
I never thought I’d say this: Sarah Palin is right. “What would you do, if elected president, about Aleppo,” can only be described as Gotcha Journalism. The question is particularly egregious in a conversation like the one between Gary Johnson and Mike Barnicle on MSNBC. The two were talking about domestic politics, the role of Read more
-
Sin Tax, by Preston Lang, coming July 1 from All Due Respect Books
Just like Preston Lang to put out his next neo-noir surprise without telling anyone. Two months later: Surprise! Dark, humorous matter available. Review coming soon. Everyone knows that cigarettes will kill you. Mark works the overnight in a grimy deli in the Bronx, selling gray market smokes and bad meat. His hotheaded manager Janet pushes him Read more
-
Bart Simpson, Foreign Service Officer
I was driving the boys to a wishing well Sunday morning when good fortune came my way: NPR’s Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me was airing Not My Job. Talented people were supposed to do something without drawing on their talent. The talent in this case was Bill Oakley, who turned a Foreign Service exam cop Read more
Ben East Books 