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"Glimpses of the life of a California town are the hallmark
of this small but worthwhile book...The result is both moving and telling...The elegance of Woodward's prose enhances his
subject matter...this is a good book, well worth the reader's time..."
ForeWordreviews.com
As far
as trusting Woodward, hes got us from the title page. Hes a writer, and not only a writer with degrees to prove
it, but substance, social concern, and prose that is both graceful and tender. Often he focuses on the dark tragedies that
result from bottom-line, monied decisions by corporate, civic, and administrative top dogs. He has an uncanny eye for mid-summer
hillsides near Los Angeles, burning like the surface of the sun, fires that rumble like a river through
darkness. Later, he speaks of snow on frost-burnt azaleas, of daffodil bulbs asleep underground,
and ice sheeting the lily pond. Academic and civic issues aside, Woodward takes us deep into the heart of his
suburban neighborhood, into his world, and when we emerge, we are exhilarated with ideas, with fun, with pain, and with admiration
The
structure of Woodwards book is linear, as he chronologically recreates his eight-month-long stint as a newspaper columnist.
After the assignment folds, Woodward continues writing, turning to memoir and remembrance, a poem about his father, and some
short stories, and thus ends his year in writing. It is an effective, gripping structure about a mans deep
concern for his community, for his sons education future, and for small commercial enterprises
Woodward
has a mature, sustained mastery of narrative, and each of his essays is fueled with civic, issue-oriented emotion. Not only
can Woodward cut to the meat of his arguments, but his style continually nourished his judgments and insights. Each of his
essays is perfectly crafted.
iUniverse Inc.
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