Last Word

We have all had the experience of loving one book by an author, and finding the second just so-so.

In thinking about Thanksgiving, I began to count the number of tropes associated with this most American of holidays.

Writer's block? Swimmer's block? The author has experienced both, but now she's ready to writer, and swim, again.

In the words of Snoopy: arrghhh.

I woke up thinking of the nature of reading.

I really admire poets.

Once in a while I'm talked into doing something that really pushes me out of my comfort zone.

I started to write this column from a hotel in Santa Fe, N.

I was dragged into the modern world of intimate strangers when I signed on for a Facebook account.

I had the most interesting email conversation with the woman who is doing the Brazilian Portuguese translation of "One Good Dog.

I'm not going to talk about New Year's resolutions again. That ship has sailed. I'm sure that by this time, three weeks into 2010, you've made and broken yours. I decided that as I...