Posts by David Benjamin
Stir-crazy in Dairyland
by David Benjamin “Conspiracy is a term which gets slighted. Conspiracy theories have been right about a lot of things.” —Aaron Rodgers PARIS—Maybe Wisconsin makes you stir-crazy. I mean, if you’re not from Wisconsin in the first place, and you’re not used to all the men in Wisconsin mumbling, so you have to…
Read More“Down-the-block” tough
by David Benjamin “Don’t let him bluff you, Mr. Louie! Be firm. Stop him!” —Sherman MADISON, Wis.—“Fight like hell!” quoth the demagogue, twenty feet above his congregation, wreathed in cashmere, framed among flags, shielded by bulletproof glass, flanked by bodyguards. “Charge!” he roared, dispatching his masses as he slid into his limousine and…
Read MoreThe Ed McBain Factor
by David Benjamin MADISON, Wis.— Since I was never admitted—nor did I seek admission—to a prestigious university creative-writing program, I don’t know if the students in these curricula are taught much about digging. I learned to dig, rather, as a newspaper reporter and editor. None of my bosses in journalism gave me digging instructions,……
Read MoreSins of the father
by David Benjamin “The stories of young men searching for their fathers are the stories of young men who through their adventures father themselves by doing for themselves what they hoped a father would do for them.” —William S. Wilson “Someone once said that every man is trying to live up to his father’s expectations…
Read MoreA pregnant pause in the word wars
by David Benjamin “‘You’re not allowed to call them dinosaurs any more,’ said Yo-less. ‘It’s speciesist. You have to call them pre-petroleum persons.’” —Terry Pratchett MADISON, Wis.—Ever since I heard, in grade school, the passage in Matthew 25—“Truly, I say to you, as you did to one of the least of my brethren,…
Read More“Where do you get your ideas?”
by David Benjamin MADISON, Wis.—A question readers often ask is, “Where do you get your ideas?” The short, smartass answer is “My head.” The candid response is hard to express because inspiration varies from story to story, book to book. What I’ve learned, for sure, however, is that you can’t fashion a good yarn……
Read More“Who are those guys?”
by David Benjamin “Sundance Kid: I can’t swim! “Butch Cassidy: Are you crazy? The fall will probably kill ya.” — William Goldman MADISON, Wis.—Once, many moons ago, while researching a book about inventions, I toured a carpet factory in South Carolina. The company was a giant in its industry, with hundreds of non-union…
Read MoreFollicle wars, conformity follies
by David Benjamin “Get a haircut and get a real job/ Clean your act up and don’t be a slob/ Get it together like your big brother Bob … ” —George Thorogood and the Destoyers MADISON, Wis.—My favorite vignette in America’s endlessly recycling follicle wars appears in Robert Zemeckis’ little-noted but remarkably significant—and fun!—film,…
Read MoreThe Kafka thread
The choice between writing “realism” or venturing into science-fiction and fantasy is often irrevocable, unless the writer can somehow follow the unique example of Franz Kafka. by David Benjamin MADISON, Wis.—Every fiction writer, often subconsciously, decides early in life whether to base his or her stories in the “real” world or to venture instead……
Read MoreA voice in the distance
by David Benjamin “Back then, it was students against the institution. Now it’s very different because it’s student against student.”” —Paul Brest, professor emeritus, Stanford Law School MADISON, Wis.—When I was matriculating at a little liberal arts outpost called Rockford College (pop. 450), there were two noticeably outspoken right-wing students. One, from Boston,…
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