Author Archives: John Walters

Book Review:  The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson

I hesitated before deciding to go ahead and write and post this review. After all, my intention is to attract readers, not repel them. But then again, the type of readers I am interested in reaching is not going to … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review:  Charlie Chaplin vs. America: When Art, Sex, and Politics Collided by Scott Eyman

When you think of iconic film makers of the early twentieth century few, if any, shine as brightly as Charlie Chaplin. The man was a comic genius and helped to define an art form. My personal favorite among his films … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review:  No Ordinary Assignment: A Memoir by Jane Ferguson; Part Two

As I read of Jane Ferguson’s adventures in war-torn countries in the Middle East, I was reminded of my own travels in the area. During a narrow window of time in the 1960s and 1970s, it was possible to travel … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review:  No Ordinary Assignment: A Memoir by Jane Ferguson; Part One

This is an extraordinary, exciting memoir written by one brave badass woman. And when I use the word badass, I in no way imply disrespect. To the contrary. I mean it in the sense that the Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Writer Considered as a Prospector in the Klondike Gold Rush

Not long ago I wrote an essay called “Panning for Gold in the Literary River.” It was about my ongoing struggle to monetize my words. I love writing. I do it whether I have hope of selling the results or … Continue reading

Posted in On Writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Thoughts on The Last Dangerous Visions Edited by Harlan Ellison and J. Michael Straczynski

This is not a book review, because at this time I don’t plan to read the entire volume. I borrowed The Last Dangerous Visions from the library to read the introduction and afterword by Straczynski, which comprise almost seventy-five pages, … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Panning for Gold in the Literary River

I love to write. If it can be said that particular occupations or pursuits are destinies, then writing is mine. For me it is a vocation, a calling, a mission, a pleasure, a joy, a delight, a thrill, a task … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Harlan Ellison’s Greatest Hits Edited by J. Michael Straczynski; Part Three

These days we are constantly beset by entertainment that features extreme acts of violence. We see violent deeds so often in film and television that we have become inured to them; they have, in a sense, lost their shock value. … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Harlan Ellison’s Greatest Hits Edited by J. Michael Straczynski; Part Two

I have been a traveler for much of my life, but my situation and finances don’t make it possible to do so at present. They do, however, make it possible for me to qualify for the national program known as … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Harlan Ellison’s Greatest Hits Edited by J. Michael Straczynski; Part One

And now we turn to a complex subject: the writer Harlan Ellison. He was a volatile, controversial figure during his lifetime, and continues to be after his death. His literary executor, Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski, is intent upon … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment