I’ve been discharged from Rehab. My surgeon will be pulling out the surgical stables later today so I should be more comfortable after that’s done (the staples are starting to pinch). My gastric system, which was shut down by the anesthesia and narcotic pain killers, is back up and running. I’m walking around with a cane. I have a PT session scheduled for Monday. I have about a month and a half to recuperate before the Fall Semester begins. Life is Good.

For those of you who contemplate Major Surgery, my advice is to expect the unexpected. My total knee replacement surgery when perfectly. Yet, who knew I would be affected by ileus where I had an NG2 tube put down my nose into my stomach to suck out four quarts of gunk. And then I had an upper GI X-ray where I had to drink a goopy, oily concoction that would reveal if I had an blockages (I didn’t). But the witch’s brew started up my excretory system so I’m grateful for that.

I learned something I’ve always suspected: narcotics are Evil. In my case, the narcotic pain killers caused more problems than the surgery itself. Avoid them! I’m managing my pain with Tylenol. And exercise.

Diane supported me during this adventure in SurgeryLand. She made sure I was getting the best care while I was struggling. Diane kept friends and family informed of my progress. She is a gem.

Thank you all for your kind wishes and goodies. I’m glad to be back to blogging!

Moment in the Sun weighs in at 955 pages. That alone will turn many readers off. I think John Sayles made a strategic mistake when he decided that Moment in the Sun would have an ensemble of characters. Sadly, the center does not hold. Moment in the Sun involves its characters in the war for the Philippines (1898-1902). With the dozens of characters, I had a few favorites. I was moved by Hod, the reluctant boxer and soldier; Dr. Lunceford, a proud African-American physician who loses everything to racism; and Royal, an African-American solider with some of the worst luck in the world. Sayles is intent on showing the follies of Imperialism and sometimes that gets in the way of the story, too. There’s also the most graphic scene of a child-birth that I’ve ever read. But the sum doesn’t add up to all the parts. GRADE: B

Matthew Hughes is best known for channeling Jack Vance and producing quality SF novels like Majestrum and The Spiral Labyrinth. With The Damned Busters, Hughes channels Thorne Smith (of Topper fame). Chesney Anstruther accidentally summons a demon and all Hell breaks loose…literally. The demons in Hell go on strike. Chesney finds himself caught up in various shenanigans including being a superhero with some unique powers. If you’re looking for something light and frothy to read, The Damned Busters would make a perfect novel for the beach. GRADE: B

Charles Baxter has long been one of my favorite short story writers. Gryphon is the perfect place for readers who want to sample Baxter’s work. The title story is narrated by a young boy whose classroom has been transformed by an unusual substitute teacher. Baxter’s characters find themselves in situations that spin out of their control. What impresses me about Charles Baxter’s stories is the variety of subjects he’s able to write about convincingly: oldsters who are shop-lifters, lovers who are in the midst of breaking up, a doctoral student who can’t seem to finish his dissertation, crime and punishment. If you want to read some of the best stories being written today, I recommend Gryphon. GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Would-be Father
Horace and Margaret’s Fifty-second
Harmony of the World
Winter Journey
Surprised by Joy
The Eleventh Floor
Gryphon
Fenstad’s Mother
Westland
Shelter
Snow
The Disappeared
Kiss Away
The Next Building I Plan to Bomb
Flood Show
The Cures for Love
Poor Devil
Ghosts
Royal Blue
The Old Murderer
Mr. Scary
The Cousins
The Winner

Joseph Epstein, one of my favorite essayists, referred to Style by F. L. Lucas in a recent review of another, inferior, style guide. It took some searching, but I was able to find a copy of Style and I read it immediately. Published in 1955, F. L. Lucas’ Style takes plenty for granted. For example, there are at least a hundred quotations in this book in FRENCH. Lucas assumes as an intelligent, educated reader, I should be able to read those French quotations. Sadly, my high school French was not up to the task so I missed out on many wonderful examples of great style. Lucas also includes examples in Latin and Greek, but occasionally takes pity on the language-challenged reader and provides translations. Still, there are hundreds of examples in clear, precise English to enjoy. If you’re a fan of good writing, there’s plenty of it in Style. If you want to improve your writing style, F. L. Lucas may have written the definitive guide. GRADE: A

The versatile Philip Jose Farmer delighted in writing biographies of imaginary characters. One of Farmer’s best is Tarzan Alive: A Definitive Biography of Lord Greystoke. I prefer the Bison Books edition that contains a Forward by Win Scott Eckert and an Introduction by Mike Resnick. Farmer’s detailed examination of Lord Greystoke’s incredible life “corrects” some of errors in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ version. This Bison Books edition also includes Farmer’s “Exclusive Interview with Lord Greystoke” and “Extracts from the Memoirs of Lord Greystoke.” Farmer’s intimate knowledge of the Tarzan Saga coupled with his sense of mythic design makes Tarzan Alive an unforgettable reading experience.

Neil Diamond was a songwriter in the legendary Brill Building in 1966, but he wanted to be more than that: he wanted to be a performer. So Diamond signed with upstart Bang Records and produced a string of hits. This new collection features 23 songs, remastered in pristine mono. These pop songs never sounded so good. As always, Ed Ward’s commentary (below) is full of obscure information about Neil Diamond and his career. Neil Diamond is one of the few people to be a member of both The Songwriter’s Hall of Fame but also The Rock-&-Roll Hall of Fame. GRADE: A
Track List
1. Solitary Man 2:35
2. Cherry, Cherry 2:45
3. Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon 3:01
4. Kentucky Woman 2:26
5. Thank the Lord For the Night Time 3:03
6. You Got To Me 2:51
7. I’m a Believer 2:44
8. Red, Red Wine 2:42
9. The Boat That I Row 2:40
10. Do It 1:54
11. New Orleans 2:26
12. Monday, Monday 3:03
13. Red Rubber Ball 2:23
14. I’ll Come Running 3:02
15. La Bamba 2:10
16. The Long Way Home 2:33
17. I’ve Got the Feeling (Oh No No) 2:20
18. You’ll Forget 2:50
19. Love To Love 2:22
20. Someday Baby 2:19
21. Hanky Panky 2:50
22. The Time is Now 3:04
23. Shilo 3:27

I’m alive! My surgery went well. I have a nice new left knee. But I came down with a bad case of illuis (forgive my spelling) which is a condition that shuts down the gastric system. The cause is anesthesia and the pain medications. As soon as I recover, I’ll be back blogging in real time. Until then, I have posts ready for the next week or two. I go to Rehab tomorrow. More details as soon as I’m able. Avoid hospitals!

I’m in the minority on my opinion of Somewhere. Roger Ebert gave it four stars and A.O. Scott of the New York Times put Somewhere on his Year’s Best Movies list. My son, Patrick, also thought Somewhere was one of the best movies of 2010. After watching Somewhere, I told Patrick how they came up with the title of the movie: “When you’re watching it, you wish you were somewhere else.” Sofia Coppola wrote and directed this movie about a Hollywood actor whose life seems meaningless. His 11-year-old daughter gets dumped on him because his ex-wife needs “space.” A series of meaningless scenes follow: a trip to Italy, an award show, a helicopter ride to the daughter’s summer camp. Dull, dull, dull. I suppose we’re supposed to think the actor’s life sucks, but I wasn’t convinced (plenty of women in his life). I’ve seen Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation and Marie Antoinette. Coppola’s movies always distance the audience. I love movies that draw me in and completely involve me. Coppola’s movies keep me at an arm’s length and annoy me. GRADE: C-