Robert Giroux (1) (1914–2008)

Decent account of the murder of silent film Director William Desmond Taylor. A bigger picture often bubbles to the surface of the page; the early days of Hollywood. Fascinating subject, and if you're into that, this book will provide some interesting insight. While most would find this to be book filler to pad out the mystery, it seemed to help with the tapestry of the era as backdrop and the murder itself. Not sure if this is the be all, end all solution to the puzzle, that may never be show more solved, but a solid theory. Decent read. show less

This collection of Flannery O'Connor's stories revealed not only the common themes and style of O'Connor's writing (themes like freedom/free will, her use of sarcastic humor, the use of physical deformities to symbolize certain characteristics, etc.) but also her growth as a writer, from her writings as a student at the University of Iowa, until her death twenty years later. There is a sense in which perhaps O'Connor stories might be better enjoyed individually (some of her later writings show more are re-writes of her earlier works), but there was also value in reading these stories as a large group. I'd love to spend more time reading these stories and discussing them with fellow readers. show less

This collection of Flannery O'Connor's stories revealed not only the common themes and style of O'Connor's writing (themes like freedom/free will, her use of sarcastic humor, the use of physical deformities to symbolize certain characteristics, etc.) but also her growth as a writer, from her writings as a student at the University of Iowa, until her death twenty years later. There is a sense in which perhaps O'Connor stories might be better enjoyed individually (some of her later writings show more are re-writes of her earlier works), but there was also value in reading these stories as a large group. I'd love to spend more time reading these stories and discussing them with fellow readers. show less

Dark and clever, nobody gets at the human soul quite like Flannery O'Connor. She is slyly funny and grim all at once. I highly recommend a read through all her stories, though don't expect to fall asleep when you do. There are some real eye-openers in here.