Terry McMahon's Awesome Blog

So when Aaron Block called and told me that his brother Stefan had written a novel, I have to admit I was skeptical. Stefan, who I'd gotten to know up at their family cottage in New Hampshire and had since moved to NYC, was already in the midst of a burgeoning career in film documentary just a couple of years outside of college. Maybe he'd gotten sick of it or something, but even then, who doesn't want to write a novel?

Then Aaron told me that Stefan had found a publisher, which then reminded me of that annoying old Xerox ad that ends with "and now everyone can get published!" I mean, I could find a publisher. I couldn't find a good publisher, but I could go around calling myself "a published author" if I felt like it.

Then I discovered that Stefan's publisher is some joint called Random House, his book was being translated into 11 languages, he was going on a book tour, and it was getting reviewed by major critics. That sounded absurd, but I thought, well, I'll believe it when I see it.

I've seen it. Stefan's book comes out tomorrow, and courtesy of Aaron, here are some excerpts from reviews:

---
Janet Maslin of The New York Times described his novel as:

"[an] emotional roller coaster ... 'The Story of Forgetting' is as
true to the anguish of [its] questions as it is ablaze with love and
vitality ... Mr. Block taps into the life force that gives [his
characters] a human, heart-wrenching answer ... a fresh, beguiling
novel."

---
Tina Jordan of Entertainment Weekly claims that:

"Block weaves together his disparate narrative strands with a deft
hand, tingeing his tale with a lovely touch of the fantastic."

---
Melissa Katsoulis of The Financial Times states that his novel is:

"Blisteringly good ... The redemptive qualities of storytelling are
gloriously displayed in this astonishing first novel, which confirms
Block as a strong new talent."

---
Publishers Weekly in a Starred Review has stated that:

"... this astounding debut captures an air of the fantastical while
presenting one family's heartfelt battle with Alzheimer's ... Block
displays an innate gift for developing believable characters each with
his own distinct voice. The result is a story that's compulsive and
transporting."

---
Mike Shea of Texas Monthly raves that:

"STEFAN MERRILL BLOCK is a talent ... [he] can write big: By tracing
[a] lineage through generations, he gives his narrative scope and
power. But it's the intimate moments--husbands, wives, sons, and
daughters devastated by the effects of Alzheimer's--that make The Story
of Forgetting, well, unforgettable."

---
Steve Giegerich of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch claims that Stefan's
novel is:

"nuanced yet intensely personal literature ... [Block's] investment in
vivid character development pays off handsomely in a tightly
structured narrative that moves flawlessly from start to finish ...
The brilliance of 'The Story of Forgetting,' poetic and spiritual, is
undeniable."

---
Kirkus Review claims that

"...what makes this novel special is Block's grasp of the emotional
devastation wrought by Alzheimer's ... the melancholy that must
accompany even the closest bonds once this disease has struck. A
sensitive fictional interpretation of family tragedy."

---

So, suffice it to say that Stefan's book is kind of a big deal. I will buy it at the launch party because I'm so awesome and supportive, but I am pretty sure it will be a passable read. The Financial Times said so!

Posted by Terry McMahon at 11:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I worked in the New York State Office of the Attorney General the summer after my first year in law school. I was so proud to work for an AG who was willing to step up when the incompetent and politicized federal Department of Justice wouldn't. Sure, a lot of those Wall Street indictments turned out to have been based on thin evidence, but at the time I was thrilled that my boss was a bold and strong Democrat.

I first met the AG when the interns were shepherded into a small room in groups of about 30 at a time to hear him speak. I found out later that a lot of his anecdotes were taken from his stump speech, but he seemed at once fresh, innovative, brilliant, and above all else a friendly and normal guy who just happened to be unbelievably good at both politics and the law. I was a believer. Best of all, we got photos with him, as a group, and I was slick enough to stand right next to him in our photo. We got the photos back a few weeks later: I looked great, the AG looked great, and the photo was too blurry to make out much of anything besides our identities. Still, it was a real treat to meet him.

The next time I met Eliot Spitzer was after he became governor of New York. I was helping out the Edwards campaign on some of their NYC fundraisers, which mostly meant that I stood around at a table in front and checked people in to the art gallery or ridiculous Upper East Side condo hosting the event. One night, we realized that the apartment, while enormous, had no natural place to put the table, so we just set up shop in the building's lobby as the residents came and went around us. The setup was a little weird, but the evening went by without incident until one of the residents walked in. "Hey governor," I said, and sure enough, Eliot Spitzer just so happened to live there. He graciously came over and talked to us poor schlubs for a couple of minutes, though I'm sure he didn't feel like it at the end of a long day. Again, he was charming and friendly.

I've met a fair number of politicians, and they are almost always underwhelming in person. I don't hold it against any of them, since neither charisma nor brilliance is really part of the job description. Still, being around Eliot Spitzer felt like a genuinely rare experience: meeting someone supremely talented who was actually living up to his potential while still being a nice guy. I was sure Spitzer would become president someday, even after his shaky first year as governor. I assumed that this Princeton/Harvard Law guy, with his limitless ambition, bold policies, and alpha-male personality, needed an experience like this, where he'd get smacked down for the first time in his life and finally learn humility. The last piece of the puzzle.

I guess it doesn't matter how badly that photo turned out. I've cared about politicians who have lost. I've cared about politicians who have been caught up in scandals. I've cared about politicians who have made me proud even if they couldn't come through in the clutch. I've just never felt let down before. I guess it's one thing if a politician turns out to do something so colossally unexpected that you have no idea to react. I'm certainly surprised that Eliot Spitzer was involved in prostitution, but I thought he had moved past the arrogance of thinking he could do that kind of thing and have a successful political career too. I guess I just thought this was the kind of bad habit that could be fixed with a little effort.

Maybe it's tougher than that, and it's unfair to expect someone to fix their unfortunate personality traits once they're elected to high office. It would be a shame if that were true. Governor, I'm sorry this is the end. I really hoped.

Posted by Terry McMahon at 11:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I'm going to need a few examples of John McCain opposing military action before I take him seriously on foreign policy.

Unless he rhymes a few more upcoming wars with Beach Boys songs, in which case I'll support him pretty vigorously.

Posted by Terry McMahon at 5:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)