In early June, Peter and I went on a World War II-themed tour of London, Portsmouth, Normandy, Versailles, and Paris. It was arranged by a social studies teacher at his school and run by EF Tours.
We saw a bunch of amazing things, but I thought I'd share some of the the literary connections I made. In London we went right up to the reconstructed Globe Theatre, and while on a brief visit to the Tate Modern I learned that they have some of Beatrix Potter's original illustrations.
In Paris I took a very quick drop in to the famous Shakespeare and Co. bookshop (I bought Percival Everett's James - in English) and a Bouquiniste (the French word for the hundreds of used book stands set up along the banks of the Seine) selling comics (I bought a Tintin volume - in French).
Here's the requisite picture of Peter and I in front of the Eifel Tower.
Heroes for the '90s
It's finally done!
Check out this compendium of all 34 essays plus the introduction and conclusion (at no extra cost).
It's like I wrote a book and just gave it away in installments. I feel like Charles Dickens.
It's Still Billy Joel to Me
My next blog project is a journey through the recorded output of Mr. William Martin Joel.
I've done this sort of thing before with The Beatles, The Monkees, XTC, Talking Heads, "Weird Al" Yankovic, and REO Speedwagon. The main difference here is that I'll be working in reverse chronological order.
So the first piece is about his newest song, "Turn the Lights Back On," which was just released this past February. I'll work my way backward from there.
What I'm Reading
I just finished singer-songwriter Shawn Colvin's memoir, Diamond in the Rough. I enjoyed it very much, but especially the part in the final chapter where she discusses some of her most memorable gigs. The final one she writes about in detail is a 2004 concert where held particularly low expectations, but "the channels of of purity and musicality and dynamics just completely opened up."
The show was at the Minnesota State Fair, and I was there. It was one of the best concerts I've ever been to, and I felt a complete sense of well-being the whole show. I even wrote about it on my music blog in November 2004: "It was a clear, temperate summer evening, and Colvin came on as the sun set, just her, a mic, and a guitar. A true folkie. And she nailed the performance. She ran through her oeuvre... and the crowd was mesmerized."
To have the performer herself verify that we witnessed something special is a pretty, pretty good feeling.
Meanwhile, Theo are continuing our way through Lloyd Alexander's bibliography by reading Westmark from 1981. The main character's name? Theo.
Hopefuls ALBUM of the Month
Olympic Hopefuls - The Fuses Refuse to Burn (2004)
Speaking of things that happened 20 years ago...
I can't believe it's been two decades since 2024 records released the Hopefuls' debut. I love this album so much, I wrote a book about it. So I'm indulging in a breach of etiquette by choosing all of the songs for this month's spotlight. As the kids say, it's all killer no filler.
Mark Gruenwald! It's literally been years in coming, but my biography of Marvel Comics writer and editor Mark Gruenwald finally has a publication date! It'll be out March 16, 2026, and you can preorder it at the link below. https://www.upress.state.ms.us/Books/M/Mark-Gruenwald The Karate Kid Part III Reimagined I've been a huge Karate Kid fan since the 1984 film, but I've always loathed The Karate Kid Part III. This summer I finally decided to do something about it and write my own version....
Books, Blogs, and Brain Clouds Newsletter #39 (March-May 2025) Mark Gruenwald Update My biography of Marvel editor and writer Mark Gruenwald (1953-1996) is closer than ever to publication! I recently filled out a "marketing questionnaire" for the publisher, which is a sure sign that we're nearing the final stages of production. Keep your eyes glued here for the cover reveal and publication date! My Berenstain Project I can finally reveal the project I've been working on with Mike Berenstain!...
Books, Blogs, and Brain Clouds Newsletter #38 - January / February 2025 Farewell to a Hopeful On February 23, word came that Hopefuls bassist Heath Henjum had passed away at the age of 55. While working on The Hopefuls, I had the pleasure of interviewing Heath at a coffee shop in St. Louis Park. He was frank and funny and super informative. I'm really bummed he's gone. Please take a moment to read the tribute I wrote here. Hello Hello, Sun! The newest Beginner Book marks a fascinating - and...
