Category Archives: words

Here’s a review I wrote of Nicole Krauss’ new novel, Great House, for The Comment Factory.

Here’s a review I wrote of Mona Simpson’s new novel, My Hollywood, for The Comment Factory.

Living in New York, passing delis that sold Cel-Ray soda (a.k.a. “Jewish champagne”) and knishes and bumping, literally, into fur hatted Hasids in the subway, I felt self-conscious of being Jewish.  Having moved back to California, where every Jew is … Continue reading→

Here’s a review I wrote of Toy Story 3 in 3D for The Comment Factory.

The following letter was sent to the editor Pascal Covici by John Steinbeck, along with a box containing the manuscript of East of Eden: Dear Pat, You came upon me carving some kind of little figure out of wood and … Continue reading→

I found a piece of paper in an old journal.  On it were written quotes from various sources, including this from Harper’s Findings: “The brains of obese women expect more gratification from a chocolate milkshake than is actually experienced; the brains of … Continue reading→

Those nights lit by the moon and the moon’s nimbus, the bones of the wrecked pier rose crooked in air and the sea wore a tarnished coat of silver. The black pines waited.  The cold air smelled of fishheads rotting … Continue reading→

On the last day of the sixth grade I spent the afternoon with a group of girls, among us some very popular members of our class.  We decided to ditch out on the myriad pool parties held in celebration of … Continue reading→

The wind whistled and seagulls cawed.  Pam pushed a stroller and I held Emma’s hand as we walked the length of the pier in autumn.  Empty except for a few Chinese fishermen and another couple with a kid.  I took … Continue reading→

Jonathan Safran Foer’s new piece in The New Yorker’s fiction issue feels like lyrics.  “I’m not forty-five or eighty-three, not being hoisted onto the shoulders of anybody wading into the sea.  I’m not learning chess, and you’re not losing your … Continue reading→