Unable to find any program to my liking last night at ten, I gave the remote a spin around channels not included amongst my favorites, and came upon Newt Gingrich giving an address at Wesley College in Delaware. He touched on the common conservative economic talking points: drilling, deregulation, lower taxes, elimination of the Capital Gains Tax,

Among Joanne's vast book donation to me were several by Joanne Fluke, who, like Diane Mott Davidson, specializes in culinary mysteries. Her heroine, Hannah Swenson, runs a cookie shop in a small Minnesota town, and solves murders on the side. It's silly, of course, but it's meant to be fun, not high art. I just finished the twelfth in the series, T

I am fascinated by the irony that occurs in life. I, a pro-capitalism conservative, helped edit my friend Bob Rubenstein's The White Bridge, which is in large part an anti-capitalist screed. Now he has given a glowing review to my third novel, Killing, which is at the opposite end of the spectrum. Here is a link to the review: http://www.amazon.com

Last night the NYC PBS station ran back to back documentaries on literary marvels. The first was dedicated to Margaret Mitchell, author of the phenomenon Gone with the Wind (1936). Born in 1900, she was unconventional, the antithesis of the southern belle. She spent one year in college, which was notable only because she protested the presence of a

I didn't anticipate much business at the floating bookshop today, as the wind was very brisk. Marie stopped by on her way to Manhattan to return items to Bed, Bath and Beyond. She described herself as an "impulse buyer." I'd never have guessed it. She seems so level-headed. She's been so kind to me, donating darn near 100 CDs and videotapes, most o