Falcon's Bookshelf

Do you have a guilty pleasure book?
I love just about everything James Ellroy and Charles Bukowski have written. For Ellroy think: LA Confidential, Black Dhalia, etc. Really enjoy his staccato, sharp, hard-hitting prose. The stories often revolve around my hometown, Los Angeles, California, with themes of murder, corruption, sex, and the dark world inhabited by criminals and sometimes law enforcement. Although I know I shouldn't, I tend to mimic his writing style because his narrative "voice" resonates with me on many levels. For Bukowski think: grisly, working class prose that isn’t exactly polished or beautiful, and in a way redefines who can and should be a writer. You don’t need to be a brilliant academic who’s studied narrative fiction for your story to matter. Plus, he lived down the street from my grandparents in San Pedro, California.

What is your favorite genre?
Crime/Military fiction.

Which do you avoid?
Romance novels. So boring.

What is a book that you’re afraid to read?
Nothing! In fact, I'd love to be afraid to read something—it would make it even more tempting.

What is a book you dislike/hate that everyone loves?
Dislike just about anything Jane Austen has written (I’m sorry!) I was force-fed Austen in high school by a rather…acerbic teacher. So that, coupled with the fact that the world felt so foreign to me, like this son of a dock worker didn't deserve a seat at her fancy literary table.

Do you remember the last time you put down a book without finishing?
Yes, recently. I couldn't get through Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. It felt like an imitation of the life of American working poor, written by someone who has lived a life of immense privilege. Probably completely off base here, but I had to put it down after 200 pages.

What book is currently sitting on your nightstand?
Sideways by Rex Pickett is the book the film is based on, and it shares concurrent themes with something I'm currently working on. It offers a helpful path, so to speak.

What’s the last great book you read?
The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of André the Giant by Bertrand Hébert might seem ridiculous because it's about pro wrestling, but it was very well-written and insightful. 

What is the last book you recommended to everyone you know?
I use Carl Sagan's Demon-Haunted World in my English 1301 course, but I believe it's an essential read for anyone who values critical thinking. He wrote the book before the full force of the internet took over our lives, but the ideas/theories/warnings he presents are incredibly important in the world we find ourselves in today. Prophetic and scary.

Are there any classic novels you read recently for the first time?
The Complete Short Prose of Samuel Beckett. Hard read, and don’t think I truly understand most of the stories, but it got my brain hurting (in a good way).

Do you enjoy audiobooks?
Not really. I feel audiobooks remove that personal connection you get from digesting the prose in your head. We form a relationship with the narrative that is wholly unique to us; sometimes off-base, sometimes on-point — either way, when someone else is reading it aloud they nullify that relationship. I also like to see the "topography" of the wri1ng, observing how great authors construct their sentences and paragraphs.

Describe your ideal reading experience (when, what, where, how).
Late night, prior to writing, and something that pertains to the scenes I might be trying to construct.

Do you have a favorite book no one else has heard of?
Hostage to the Devil by Malachi Martin. A memoir of sorts from a legitimate Catholic Exorcist. Very creepy stuff and again, before the internet dominated our lives, so there’s something more true and real about it…at least to me.

Which writers – novelists, playwrights, critics, journalists, poets – working today do you admire most?
So many: Chuck Palahniuk, Tony Kushner, David Mamet, Neil Labute, Annie Jacobsen, Sebastian Junger, James Ellroy, Sarah Ruhl…

What’s the last book you read that made you laugh?
Oddly enough, Demon Copperhead. I know, I know…I probably should finish reading it.

What’s the most interesting thing that you learned from a book recently?
Ordinary Men by Christopher R. Browning documents how so-called ordinary folks, with no specific agenda and everyday likes and dislikes, can slip into absolute barbarity, bigotry, and evil if those in authority condone it.

Do you prefer books that reach you emotionally, or intellectually?
Emotionally. I want to feel something.

What book might people be surprised to find on your bookshelf?
I've got quite a few theatre plays on my shelf. Despite not fitting the typical theatre-kid stereotype, there was a time when I was quite involved in regional theater back in Los Angeles. Angels in America by Tony Kushner and Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire are well-dog-eared on my shelf.

Who is your favorite fictional hero or heroine?
That’s a hard one. Most of my favorite characters hug the line between hero and villain. If I were to pick a well-known character that embodies this, it would be Han Solo.

Who is your favorite antihero or villain?
Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver Marine Vietnam veteran who feels lost in society upon his return, ultimately descending into darkness.

What kind of reader were you as a child?
I wasn’t. As a kid I don’t think I ever really read a book aside from skimming Cliff’s Notes. Shocking, I know…

Which childhood books and authors stick with you the most?
The first books I actually read cover-to-cover as a kid (senior in high school): Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and Walden/Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau. A bit cliche, but Salinger’s theme of innocence and isolation still stick with me all these years later. I’ve been carrying a Walden quote in my wallet for about 20 years: “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

Have your reading tastes changed over time?
I used to avoid reading anything about the Iraq War, having spent quite some time there. Made me uncomfortable and/or angry/sad. However, now I make an effort to read as much as I can about it. From General Mattis’ biography, Call Sign Chaos (he was my commanding officer during the 2003 Invasion, as well as during 2004 Battle of Fallujah), to regular ole grunt memoirs like Soft Spots by my friend Clint Van Winkle. It’s helped me organize my thoughts, reflect on my actions, and understand my involvement. In a way, it's been therapeutic. Cathartic, even.

You’re organizing a literary dinner party. Which three writers, dead or alive, do you invite?
Hubert Selby Jr., James Ellroy, and Sylvia Plath. I imagine that could get very interesting. Or they could just get up and leave…lol.

What do you plan to read next?
I want to read The Godfather by Mario Puzo. Being half Sicilian, the more I re-watch the movies, the more I recall the stories my grandfather shared about coming to America in the 1920s. For Sicilians like him, the mafia served as a form of protection in a world that was often bigoted and cruel. Case in point: his family resided in deplorable tenement housing in Harlem, wherein a rat chewed off his baby sister’s ear. A local mafioso intervened, arranging for their relocation to a better area and covering the medical expenses. In return, the family pledged their votes to whomever the mafia instructed, receiving a fresh chicken as a token immediately after leaving the voting booth!

What book would you most like to see turned into a movie or TV series that hasn’t already been adapted?
Forever War by Joe Haldeman. I’ve heard it’s been in talks for years, but always falls into produc1on limbo. Very interesting vision of humanity in the distant future.

What’s the last book you read that made you cry?
Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway. I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it yet, but even now, just thinking about the ending gets me a little choked up.

What’s the last book you read that made you furious?
Multiplication Is for White People by Lisa Delpit. Another book I use for my English 1301 course. It delves into systemic racism in the education system. Reading about how deeply ingrained racism and bigotry are in the foundations of education in this country was shocking. There was a time I didn’t believe it; thought it was pure rhetoric, political musings of the Left, but she presents undeniable factual evidence to support the majority of her claims (that said, I don’t necessarily agree with her remedies or “fixes.”) But it infuriates me to think that people could be so ugly towards others simply because they have darker skin.

Where do you find your books? Where do you look when you’re searching for your next great read?
I ask friends for recommendations and sometimes conduct simple Google searches on related categories or topics I’m interested in. Found some good reads via podcasts and social media. Additionally, I make it a point to check out each year's Pulitzer Prizes for poetry, novels, and plays. I try to pick one from the list each year. Conversely, I enjoy exploring works by relatively unknown authors who delve into obscure topics, like Bigfoot, aliens, the and paranormal. Variety is the spice of life, right?