"Only two novels in the past 67 years have not been described somewhere on their dust jackets as 'compassionate,' and both of them were atlases." —M.J. Arlen, "How to Tell a Novel by Its Cover," LIFE (Aug. 21, 1964)

"'Always,' it bears repeating, 'it is the affliction of one human being that captures the imagination.'"
—George Douglas Atkins, Tracing the Essay

 

Is it true, as Momus suggests, that there are "few tales which would not be improved by the addition of the phrase 'suddenly, a shot rang out'"?  Decide for yourself as we alter the opening lines of . . .

A BLAZE OF GLORY by John Strange Winter

In a little room, somewhat shabby and rather meanly furnished, a young girl stood looking round on its well-worn and tediously familiar features with great solemn eyes filled with utter distaste and dissatisfaction.  Suddenly, a shot rang out.

"Believe it or not, the undead can be very superstitious."
—Christine Feehan, Dark Slayer

"The simple answer is that some individuals have better judgment than others.”

—Frank Manchel, Film Study (1990)

From Prof. Oddfellow's sketchbook:

The Spanish eñe has a stormy history.

"We are first and foremost trapped in the subjective world of the mind and can never exist beyond it as it is our only certainty."
—Maria Beville, Gothic-Postmodernism: Voicing the Terrors of Postmodernity (2009)

"This may surprise you, but corn starch raises the blood glucose faster than ordinary sugar."
—Ragnar Hanas, Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults (2007)

Is it true, as Momus suggests, that there are "few tales which would not be improved by the addition of the phrase 'suddenly, a shot rang out'"?  Decide for yourself as we alter the opening lines of . . .

A LOST LIFE by Emily H. Moore

I am the Doctor's wife in the quiet town of Baywood.  Suddenly, a shot rings out.

"I hate everything that does not relate to literature, conversations bore me (even when they relate to literature), to visit people bores me, the joys and sorrows of my relatives bore me to my soul.  Conversation takes the importance, the seriousness, the truth out of everything I think."
—Franz Kafka, from his diary, 1918 (quoted in Metaphor and Memory by Cynthia Ozick)

Speaking of Kafka, have we told you that New Star Books is publishing a book we illustrated entitled Kafka Franzlations: A Guide to the Imaginary Parables?

From Prof. Oddfellow's sketchbook:

Creole classification: pidginholing

"Believe it or not, it's all in how you think about it."
—David Allen, Making It All Work