Category Archives: Books
Another Lonely Passion
The tragedy of the Titanic became famous worldwide as the first major international disaster in a time of peace. It’s generally believed that the ship’s maiden voyage began in Southampton, but, in reality, the Titanic first set sail from Belfast … Continue reading
Dodie Smiths’ Incipit
Carmel-by-the-Sea is a small town on the Pacific Coast about 300 miles north of L.A. It was initially inhabited by the Esselens, a 4,000 year old culture that lived in caves and covered their walls with hand prints. Caves, said … Continue reading
Dorothy B. Hughes’ Noir
From my bedroom window I could see her standing in the moonlight. Alone, once again. It had become somewhat of a ritual and I wondered why. Dorothy B. Hughes and I were friends since our days at the University of … Continue reading
The Face
It was noon on Wednesday, right smack in the middle of the week, right in between here and there when I boarded the train towards Kent. My compartment was full, mainly middle aged women wearing tweed and reading books. But … Continue reading
Change the World by Reading
Nancy Drew was my mentor. The 16 year old sleuth was everything I wanted to be—smart, independent, bold, and living life as an adventure. Because of Nancy, it was easy to imagine myself riding around in a blue roadster searching … Continue reading



