by mike | Oct 25, 2018 | Books, Movies, Museums, Non-Fiction, Uncategorized |
This story remains fascinating—and chilling—even after so much time has passed. I first presented this post in 2014. Over a century ago a British engineer, Col. John Patterson, wrote a book titled, The Man-Eaters of Tsavo and Other East African Adventures. A...
by mike | Aug 13, 2018 | Books, Historical Novels, Museums, Non-Fiction, Uncategorized |
Also called the Great Dinosaur Rush, the Bone Wars comprises an interesting chapter in American history. The phrase refers to a period of fiercely competitive fossil hunting that took place during the latter part of the nineteenth century. Although many others got...
by mike | Jul 9, 2018 | Life, Museums, Non-Fiction, Uncategorized |
“There’s a sucker born every minute,” someone once declared. No, it wasn’t P.T. Barnum, the great showman, as many believe. But Barnum did have a role to play in the story of the Cardiff Giant—the greatest hoax of the nineteenth century. THE PETRIFIED MAN In 1868 a...
by mike | Feb 12, 2018 | Books, Movies, Non-Fiction, Travel, Uncategorized |
In 1981 a young Israeli man, Yossi Ghinsberg, went backpacking around the globe in search of adventure. During a trek through a minimally explored jungle in Bolivia, he found more adventure than he ever bargained for—and it nearly cost him his life. Years later Yossi...
by mike | Feb 1, 2018 | Books, Editing, Humor, Life, Non-Fiction, Publishing, Uncategorized, Writing |
No, I’m not coaching writers anymore, having drifted into a blissful retirement. But I still take a great deal of pride in the accomplishments of my writers, as indicated by this 2014 post. Given my (approaching) dotage I’ve been taking on fewer writers in recent...
by mike | Jan 29, 2018 | Books, Films About Writers, Humor, Life, Movies, Non-Fiction, Publishing, Romance, Travel, Uncategorized, Writing |
In 1996 Frances Mayes, a writer, book reviewer, teacher, and foodie extraordinaire, published a memoir—replete with recipes—called Under the Tuscan Sun. The book spent over two years on the New York Times bestseller list, a remarkable achievement. A romantic...