Hollywood by Charles Bukowski

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


There was a time in my life, decades ago, when I traveled in and with a certain circle of persons. In that nebulous group, one mark of status was how much Bukowski one could quote. A contributing factor to that status was how inebriated one was whilst quoting Hank’s poetry. Things are different now. Back then, Hank was still alive, a small god to presumptuous well-read barflies. Bukowski has been dead for decades now, but I still love him.

“Hollywood” is a novel based on Bukowski’s experiences writing the screenplay for the movie “Barfly.” It is a dark kiss-and-tell, a damning of all the soullessness of Movie-Land, a paean to the vapid nature of Tinsel Town. The names of the guilty have been changed just enough to make sure that the reader can identify every single player.

The novel is Bukowski through-and-through. It isn’t quite “Post Office,” my lode-star for Hank’s novels, but it is a dark and funny look at the underside of the movie business, complete with Bukowski’s usual searing assessment of all things human, including himself.

Highly recommended, whether the reader is a guilty voyeur or, like me, a penitent returning to the scene of the crime.


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Thanks for your interest in my book review. I do hope you enjoy it. If you liked what you read here, please tell another reader. Word of mouth is the most precious gift an Indie Author can receive.

Dickran, and The Kid” at Literary Yard

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Marco Etheridge Fiction

You can check out books, blog posts, book reviews, or even get a free book. Just look for the big button that says “FREE BOOK.” It’s kind of hard to miss. Happy reading!!

Werewolves in Their Youth by Michael Chabon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The story of author Micheal Chabon’s rise to literary fame is an interesting tale, a lightning strike in a world of rejections and frustrations. Chabon wrote a novel as his masters thesis while working on an MFA from the University of California, Irvine. Without telling Chabon, his professor submitted the novel to a literary agent with the result that the manuscript was the prize in a bidding war amongst several publishing houses. At twenty-four, Michael Chabon was a best-selling author. A very long and ultimately abandoned novel followed. Chabon poured his frustrations into “The Wonder Boys,” a novel that became a bestseller and a Hollywood movie. He followed up on this success with two volumes of short stories. The second of those collections is “Werewolves in Their Youth.” Before we get to the review, I am compelled to say that I am an avid reader of Micheal Chabon’s work, but up until now I have not read his shorter fiction.

There are nine stories in this collection and they are all very much worth the read. The author drops well-developed characters into the maelstrom of life and leaves them there to sink or swim. The struggles faced by the protagonists include floundering marriages, a very troubled youthful best friend, and an unthinkably unwanted pregnancy. Each of the characters is given the opportunity to experience revelation, rise to redemption, or drown in self-created chaos.

Chabon is a master wordsmith and these stories serve to highlight his talents, as well as to enthrall and reward the reader. The first eight stories are similar in theme, although very different in situational plot and outcome. The exception is the ultimate story, “In the Black Mill.” This strange tale is an homage to the fiction of H. P. Lovecraft, although with much better dialogue than Lovecraft ever managed. As a literary aside, consider this quote by Stephen King: “H. P. Lovecraft was a genius when it came to tales of the macabre, but a terrible dialogue writer. He seems to have known it, too, because in the millions of words of fiction he wrote, fewer than five thousand are dialogue.” (King, Stephen. On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft)

I highly recommend “Werewolves in Their Youth.” Readers who are fans of short fiction will not be disappointed by these finely crafted stories, and aspiring writers may well learn a thing or two about the craft. This collection of short stories is listed in Stephen King’s suggested reading list for writers wishing to hone their chops. If the reader is looking for a very solid collection of short fiction, “Werewolves in Their Youth” is a fine place to start.

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Thanks for your interest in my book review. I do hope you enjoy it. If you liked what you read here, please tell another reader. Word of mouth is the most precious gift an Indie Author can receive.

“Mac, Dickran, and The Kid” at Literary Yard

Or perhaps one of my novels? All of the information is here at my website:

Marco Etheridge Fiction

You can check out books, blog posts, book reviews, or even get a free book. Just look for the big button that says “FREE BOOK.” It’s kind of hard to miss. Happy reading!!

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This short book by Stephen King is an essential reference for any aspiring writer. Yes, you read that correctly: Stephen King and the descriptive phrase ‘short book’ in the same sentence. Part memoir of a writer’s life, part nuts-and-bolts writing advice, this book is both informative and enjoyable.

I am not going to criticize Stephen King, first because I gave his book five stars, and second, because of my lowly position in the pyramid of writers. I live in the realm of competent writers and, like all of my peers, I look with longing to the tier above. I aspire to the lofty heights where dwell the good writers. When you read King’s book, you will understand.

This is a reference that I will be returning to again and again. If you wish to improve your writing skills, Stephen King’s “On Writing” is an excellent place to start.

The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

William Strunk Jr. created “The Elements of Style” as a textbook for English Eight, a course he taught at Cornell. He called it his ‘little book’ and so it was referred to by his students. All this was in the long ago and far away following World War One. An essential tool for aspiring writers, this small volume is more than one hundred years old. Despite its venerable age, “The Elements of Style” remains one of the most lauded references for writers wishing to improve their command of the English language. In his book “On Writing,” Stephen King uses many excerpts of Strunk’s rules to explain the craft.

“The Elements of Style” came to the general public in 1957, courtesy of E.B. White and the Macmillan publishing house. Strunk’s ‘little book’ was revised, updated, and published. It became so popular that a second edition was published in 1972. The simple rules remain unchanged: “Do not break sentences in two. Use the active voice. Omit needless words.” Each rule is followed by a very short essay and usually accompanied by examples of the true and the false. Some of these false examples are hilarious. I found myself laughing aloud; an unexpected benefit from a writing primer.

Stephen King describes how to build a writer’s toolbox, a place where we aspiring scribblers keep the tools of the trade. I have taken his advice to heart. “The Elements of Style” is a vital addition to any writer’s bag of tricks. I give this fine reference book my highest recommendation.


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The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England by Dan Jones

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England” is a fascinating history of the two-and-a-half centuries that transformed England from a Norman colony to a European power. First published in 2013 by Viking, Author Dan Jones’ tome documents the Plantagenet line with a clear overview, an attention to detail, and a fine pen. The book is very engaging and readable, yet it remains a fine work of history.

As documented by Mr. Jones, The Plantagenet line in England begins with Henry II and ends with the downfall of Richard II, or 1154 to 1399. These two kings bookend a ferocious and flawed set of rulers who cobbled together what we begin to recognize as England. During this era, French and Latin give way (finally) to English as the language of the newly-minted bureaucracies. It was a bloody time as well, full of invasions, sieges, treason, and the gruesome punishments that followed. Readers with a sense of the macabre will not be disappointed. There are quite enough poor sods beheaded, hung, and drawn and quartered to keep even the most ghoulish enthralled.

Writing history for the general public is a chancy game. A dry, academic tome appeals only to dry academics. The other end of the spectrum is splashy, historical fiction; with heaving bosoms atop the castle battlements. While this may appeal (to some) it does not inform. Happily, Dan Jones pioneers a path between the two extremes. The book is very well written, engaging, and yet remains informative and detailed. Along with documenting the saga of bigger-than-life kings, the book dispels a few cherished historical saws. Despite Winston Churchill saying it was so, Edward II most probably did not die of a red-hot poker inserted into his body. Sorry to disappoint.

The original hardcover version comes in at a hefty 540 some-odd pages. Readers of a historic bent should not be deterred. I found Mr. Jones’ history of the Plantagenets to be an entertaining and captivating page-turner. I have read a great many histories of this era, and for my money, this is one of best. I look forward to the companion volume on the Wars of the Roses.





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