The pages of March, 2010

Four books helped fill the pages of the month as they flipped by.

First was Paul Theroux's Ghost Train to the Eastern Star. It makes you want to travle and write.

Second was  George Friedman's The Next 100 Years, a look at the probabilities of the future, which he says will be an American Century. But he predicts  the other emerging powers will be Russia--which is happening now, and headed for another collapse, and the growth of Turkey, Poland and Mexico as regional powers--also happening now.

Third, was John McPhee's Silk Parachute, my favorite author's rare look inside his own life in a series of essays. He can make almost anything interesting, including the last essay, Rip Van Golfer.

And last night, I finished poet Billy Collins latest book Ballistics. His fresh way of looking at the everyday is refreshing. And yes, I've underlined and checked and marked and circled lines and words throughout all four

Hmmm, a non-fiction month. Yes, you have to take Collins' poetry as non-fiction.

In April, I don't know. A pretty good year so far. Too bad there's not another Harry Potter book coming out.

Selections soon.


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