On Rembrandt’s Lost Secret

I wouldn't normally do this...but here's an Amazon link. I'm willing to make an exception, because it's the best way to point you towards my most recent literary contribution: I served as editor (and sort of ghostwriter) for a friend's book. Part memoir, part art history, part screed against the attitudes of art conservation, the … Continue reading On Rembrandt’s Lost Secret →

On George R. Stewart’s novel Storm

The jacket copy (and pretty much any blurb I could find about Storm—published by George R. Stewart’s in 1941—refers to it as the first “eco-novel.” But that term does little to capture the sprawl and scope of this strange but awesome book. With a cast of dozens (hundreds?), Stewart takes a wide-angled view of how … Continue reading On George R. Stewart’s novel Storm →

On the odd joy of used book sales

I’m not sure if there’s an event I love more than a used book sale. Getting more books on the cheap is the main draw, obviously—but there’s also the oddball browsing experience. With no time to assert the order and coherence of a library or bookstore, the books at a used book sale are jumbled … Continue reading On the odd joy of used book sales →