Author Archives: John Sloan

Semple, Maria. Go Gentle. Putnam’s New York 2026. F; 4/26. I’m not sure why I chose this story particularly since it was on Oprah’s Book Club list. And predictably it starts with clever talk and a freedom-oriented divorcee who has … Continue reading →

Self, Will. The Quantity Theory of Morality. Grove, London, 2026. F;3/26. Self is a modern complicated character. He’s published over a dozen novels, short stories, and pieces of nonfiction, attended Oxford, was a teenage drug user but stopped heroin and … Continue reading →

April 2026. This Thai place came highly recommended but surprised us a bit by its atmosphere. It’s located in the East Village area and is a narrow but long room, quite crowded and busy at 6 PM. The lady outside … Continue reading →

April 2026. We have a spy in the form of a friend of our daughter who lives in the city and is keen on great food. He recommended this restaurant and said the Obamas had eaten here, which didn’t impress … Continue reading →

April 2026. We are staying in a B&B in Trumansburg New York and our hostess suggested this restaurant in Ithaca, 20 minutes to the south. Ithaca is the location of Cornell University (I had no idea) and seems to reflect … Continue reading →

April 2026. This is a remarkable eating experience combining high-class fine dining with a convivial large-group single table and a fixed menu. The owners are genuine culinary entrepreneurs and have a couple of other restaurants nearby in the Fingers Lake … Continue reading →

April 2026. We were in Toronto overnight (otherwise not our favourite place to be) en route to upstate New York and were starving after our cross-Canada flight. We remembered this place from years ago when our daughter lived here and … Continue reading →

Cumings, Bruce. The Korean War: A History. Modern Library, New York, 2010. 3/26. I’ve just finished and reviewed a powerful disturbing novel involving the Korean War We Do Not Part. After reading that story I realized I had close to … Continue reading →

Kang, Han. We Do Not Part. Munhak Donghae, S Korea , 2021. English translation E Yaewon and Paige Aniyah Morris, Hogarth, London/New York 2025. F; 3/26. This is a powerful semi-historic novel by a Korean writer who received the Nobel … Continue reading →

Ives, Lucy. An Image of My Name Enters America. Grayolf, Minneapolis, 1924. NF; 3/26. These essays reveal for me another side of Ms. Ives. Her short story Cosmogeny was a favourite of mine although I wasn’t as excited about one … Continue reading →