Craig,

I think you completely missed the boat (across the river Styx) on this one. The Centaur can be read as pure story without even consulting the list of mythological figures. It's been a number of years since I read it, but my memory is that it was one of Updike's most enjoyable books. Any time he writes about his early life in Pennsylvania, the warmth and emotion he feels for that time really shines through. Thanks for your review, though. I plan to suggest The Centaur to my book club and I'll make note of your contrary view in my presentation.

Chas

Dear Craig,

I'm told by those who know these things that it is considered extremely bad form for a writer to respond to a review, for some reason which eludes me. So let me make it clear that I am not telling you how thoughtful and perceptive I found your review of Callahan's Con to be, nor should I in any way be construed as thanking you or wishing you well in all your future endeavours. In fact, I haven't the faintest idea what possessed me to e-mail you.

But if you'll supply me with a meat address, I'd be pleased to send you a copy of The Callahan Chronicals with my compliments -- for absolutely no reason at all.

Spider Robinson

I'm sorry to hear that my two favorite Wheeler and Woolsey movies (Hips, Hips, Hooray and Cockeyed Cavaliers) are hard to find. Those two movies, along with Diplomaniacs, are my absolute fave Wheeler and Woolsey movies.

Luckily, I grabbed them on my own videotapes when they showed them years ago on American Movie Classics. This was when AMC still showed cool movies, and movies without commercials. Just about the only place to catch cool classics now, (without commercials, too), is Turner Classic Movies (and occasionally Fox Movie Channel).

I've never even seen Peach O'Reno, Oh, Oh, Cleopatra, So This Is Africa, Silly Billies, or Mummy's Boys.

Wheeler and Woolsey have been favorites of mine for many years now, along with Laurel and Hardy and the Three Stooges. (I'm among the few women I know of, who love the Stooges. I know their 1934 short "Woman Haters" verbatim)!

Thanks for sharing information about Wheeler and Woolsey on your site for fans and prospective fans. This amazingly talented team should never be forgotten.

Kia

Hi Craig,

I just wished to let you know that I truly enjoyed your review of my book and will focus on improving on the points you made. I want to make this next book really kick some butt (I already have started it). There are a few more chills in the storyline and again I have incorporated a kind of mythology behind it. But it's a completely different story than Pine Shallow. I hope you will enjoy it. I'm figuring it will take me about six months to complete give or take (I just hope you'll remember me!).

Again, I want to thank you for the inspiration. It means a lot.

All the best, Darrin (Web site)

Thank you, Craig, for your thoughtful, intriguing, and fair review of American Road. Your praises confirmed for me that you "got it" on themes I was going for, like I connected. Your criticisms were fair and actionable (especially for a guy who has a recording studio in his apartment), and your engaging writing style must provide a great service to your readers!

May I have your permission to reprint an excerpt of the review in my websites and my press kit (with links to your site, of course)?

[Editor's note: Any reviews from this site (with the exception of those previously published elsewhere) can be reprinted in the artist's promotional materials, provided that attribution is given and a link back to the review page where applicable.]

[The review was rewritten to reflect this.]

Please accept as a gift from me some additional music tracks - singles that have played specific roles in special projects but were not part of the American Road 'theme.' I offer these to people who get on my mailing list (which you did) and buy my CD (which your review will encourage--thanks for all the links!)

[The link to the free songs page has been removed, but can be accessed by the methods mentioned above.]

Jason Didner: Clean-cut Rocker with Humor, Heart and Soul (Web site)

Craig, thanks very much for listening, and taking the time to write a review!! One thing we have found from polling others, is that they like the CD more and more, with further listening, as they begin to appreciate the many meanings of her lyrics, and how the music compliments them.

Some other comments: I think you know that Alysson wrote and recorded all these songs when she was 16-17. (Thanks for not mentioning that! She is very tired of hearing about how young she is and how they can't wait to hear what she does when she's grown up). She also produced all the songs all except "Silk Sunflowers" herself. "Maybe", "Trapped in Time" and "Moonshell" were actually home recorded using Sonar, on her home computer. She is currently working on a new CD, with, what we believe, are even better songs.

Sorry it wasn't clear, but all the drum kit work was actually done by Robb Ladd. Jason Schmidt only contributed the percussion, not the drum kit work. This is the same Robb Ladd who put down a bunch of Alanis Morrisettes drum tracks, and tours with her and James Taylor, etc. It's nice to live in NC, sometimes with connections to his family like we have! Also, the guitar in "Lilac Sky" is actually Tracy Feldman. Again, we should probably have made this more clear, but our graphic artist was big on the artistic thing, and less so on the documentation side.

Again, thanks very much. No we really don't think Alysson is like the mature Tori Amos, nor do we think she will be like her. We truly think she is an original, and we can't wait to see what she will do next!! We're always surprised--so far not shocked, but we suspect that is lurking somewhere inside her.

Al Light