Walked up to
Square Books and bought
Chris Offutt's acclaimed new memoir MY FATHER, THE
PORNOGRAPHER. Thanks to Chris I will be setting aside this pretty interesting
Norman Mailer book about Lee Harvey Oswald because I can't wait to start Chris's book. In fact, I already have. In fact, I'm on page 14. And in fact, there's
an owl on page 14. "An owl moaned along the ridge." That's good! Good verb. In
all the many books I've read with owls in them, I don't believe any author but Chris has displayed the good sense to have their owl "moan." It gives back all the eeriness of the owl's cry that has been leached out through our tired centuries of "hooting."