Old lit crit dies hard

 A selection of reviews and other considerations done over the years. 

Review: on Louis de Bernieres' new novel, "A Partisan's Daughter" (Bernieres is the author of "Corelli's Mandolin")

Review/commentary: On J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit"

Review: On Nicola Barker's "Darkmans," a gothic novel nominated for the Man Booker Prize

Review: On "Dracula's Guest," a dry-run for Stoker's "Dracula"

Review: On Nicholas Christopher's novel of myth and quests, "The Bestiary"

Roundup article: On "Da Vinci Code" imitators

Review/commentary: Another attempt at capitalizing on Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code"

Author interview/profile: A talk with Sebastian Junger, author of "A Perfect Storm, " about a new book:

Review: On "Freddy and Fredericka," a thinly veiled spoof of Prince Charles and Princess Diana by Mark Helprin

Author interview with Tasmanian novelist Richard Flanagan

On a nonfiction study of true crime in Victorian England, “The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher”

The dreaded C-word

The health-related stuff that I've written is more important than anything else. This blog might be devoted to the realms of myth, but you can only really appreciate it when you and your family are healthy.  When a disease comes to visit, and won't leave, you couldn't give a holy $#@!& about Bilbo Baggins or the fate of Westeros. 

I was lucky enough to have encouraging editors in the Health section of the Los Angeles Times who allowed me to reach out to families where a cancer diagnosis had been made.  I've lost two people to cancer -- my father and one of my sisters -- and I knew all too well how lonely and isolation the disease makes everyone feel. So I tried over the years, in my small capacity, to write about some books or issues that I knew might make these afflicted families feel better. At the least I just wanted them to know a simple thing: They're not alone.

Profile of Marc Silver and his wife Marsha Dale on the publication of Silver's 2005 book, “Breast Cancer Husband”

Review of “Bathsheba’s Breast,” a comprehensive history of breast cancer

2007 double review of “Cancer Vixen” and “Cancer made Me a Shallower Person” (both memoirs)

Review of “Cancer Happens”, a memoir by Rebecca Gifford which shows us the experience of a strong, self-reliant twentysomething

Review of “The Language of Cells” (general interest book on cellular biology) by Spencer Nadler

2000 article, "Cancer’s Essential and Evolutionary Role in Genes," an analysis of a book on cancer's evolutionary aspect by Mel Greaves

Article on rethinking the doctor-patient relationship

How effective is cancer screening?: A review of "Should I Be Tested for Cancer?"