Susan Howatch's Blog, page 5

Excerpt of the Week: From Marathon Man by William Goldman

As we've just launched three novels by William Goldman in ebook form, we're delighted to feature this award-winning author and to share the below excerpt from Marathon Man, the thriller that inspired the classic movie. 

Marathon Man by William Goldman (Excerpt) by OpenRoadMedia

William Goldman (b. 1931) is an Academy Award–winning author of screenplays, plays, memoirs, and novels. Born near Chicago, he earned his bachelor of arts degree at Oberlin College, where he began writing fiction, followed by a master of arts degree at Columbia University. His first novel, The Temple of Gold (1957), was followed by the script for the Broadway army comedy Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole (1961). He began writing for Hollywood soon after, and would script some of the finest films of the era, including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and All the President’s Men (1976), for which he won two Academy Awards.

Goldman continued writing novels, several of which he then adapted as screenplays, including the hit movies Marathon Man (1976), Magic (1978), and The Princess Bride (1987). He has also written acclaimed essays, and several memoirs of his career in Hollywood.

Learn more about William Goldman:

Visit Author Page View Mini-Documentary Video

Power Up Your Digital Library with Hard-to-Find Favorites

Just because a book is massively popular when it’s first published doesn’t necessarily mean it has staying power. And great books that might not have made a big splash when they were first released can go on to win a wide audience. Thanks to the digital revolution, many previously hard-to-find gems are making a comeback as they re-emerge as ebooks. So Power Up your ereader and start a trend. We’ve put together a list of ebook comeback titles for you to enjoy and recommend, including gritty noir masterpieces, thought-provoking dramas, and historical sagas.

As New York Times bestselling author Peter Blauner says, “I’ll always love the printed page but a great story is a great story no matter how it ends up in your hands.”

1. Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye by Horace McCoy. McCoy’s novel They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? became increasingly famous when it was adapted into a well-known film starring Jane Fonda. But many critics and readers consider the noir story Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye to be McCoy’s best work. Goodbye looks at one man’s relentless attack on American society, conjuring a memorable antihero.

2. The Man Who Loved Children by Christina Stead. With her searing novel about a highly dysfunctional clan, Stead revealed the bitter resentment seething below the surface of a large family. The Pollits have too little money, too many children, and too much anger towards each other—and readers can’t look away.

3. October Light by John Gardner. This novel won a National Book Critics Circle Award for its portrait of the tumultuous relationship of two elderly siblings. It encompasses captivating themes, such as identity and political extremism.

4. April Morning by Howard Fast. Beginning with the morning of April 19, 1775, Fast evokes the American turning point of the Battle of Lexington and Concord. This historical novel opens as fifteen-year-old Adam Cooper waits on the battlefield while the first musket shots ring out.

5. The Marriage of Sticks by Jonathan Carroll. Carroll has long been considered a cult-classic author. His novels are intelligent, modern, and often uncomfortable—although they don’t fit neatly into a genre, they’re compared to Haruki Murakami’s work for their elements of magical realism. In The Marriage of Sticks, a woman struggles with her grip on reality, and must learn to walk the razor-thin line that separates this world from the next one.

6. A Touch of Death by Charles Williams. Williams has long been considered one of crime fiction’s best-kept secrets. A Touch of Death,like many of Williams’s gritty, 1950s noir novels, is about a guy down on his luck, seduced into crime by the temptations of money and gorgeous, manipulative femme fatales.

Be sure to check out our entire Power Up list, specially curated for those of you looking to start the New Year out right with great ebooks.

Mystery Thursday: Dorothy Uhnak, Policewoman and Writer

"This is what I will forever hold against men in general: that they have carefully selected out and inoculated intelligent women with a sense of specialness: you're not like the other girls. Damn, for a woman, you sure are bright as hell."

—Dorothy Uhnak

Dorothy Uhnak (1930–2006) was best known as an author of crime novels and police procedurals. Her gritty, urban stories were inspired by the real thing: Uhnak worked as a policewoman in New York City for well over a decade and was twice decorated for bravery. The photo above shows Uhnak with Police Chief Thomas O’Rourke, during the ceremony promoting her to detective in the New York City Transit Police Department.

Uhnak recorded her experiences in a memoir, describing incidents such as her arrest of an armed mugger—a 125-pound woman taking down a large man. When she turned to fiction, Uhnak blazed a trail by creating tough female crimefighters. She’s often credited with opening a path for other hard-hitting female crime writers such as Patricia Cornwell, Sue Grafton, and Marcia Muller. 

As a tomboy growing up in the Bronx, Uhnak spent much of her time helping out in the 46th Precinct Station House, next door to her home, doing typing and other office tasks. After graduating from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, she joined the transit police.

Her first novel, The Bait, won the Edgar Award for the best first mystery novel of 1968 and introduced New York Police Department detective Christie Opara, who also starred in Uhnak’s next two novels, The Witness (1969) and The Ledger (1970). In 1973, Uhnak published the book that would make her famous: Law and Order. Modeled after The Godfather, the book spans three generations of a police department family. Her next novel, The Investigation (1977), dove into the case of a woman who murdered her two young children. Both of these blockbusters were later adapted for television.

In a 1977 interview with the New York Times, Uhnak said of her work, “I write about very hard situations and in a strong way.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. 

Fantasy Wednesday Powers Up!

The holidays are over and you’ve opened all of your presents. This is your lucky year: You got everything you wanted. You’re not rolling your eyes over some of your gifts. Maybe you’re the proud owner of a shiny new ereader, or perhaps you have Amazon gift certificates burning a hole in your pocket. But with so many books out there, how do you even begin to choose?

For today’s Fantasy Wednesday post, it’s time to Power Up your ereader with some fantastic science fiction and fantasy books, tailored to your post-holiday mood. And for an added treat, today is National Science Fiction Day and Isaac Asimov's Birthday, the perfect excuse to delve into a new SciFi or Fantasy read. 

If you’re feeling nostalgic for a simpler time, or if you need to mentally escape your family, try James Hilton’s Lost Horizon.

Written in 1933, Lost Horizon is a classic tale about a man’s discovery of Shangri-La, a secret, peaceful paradise in the Himalayas.

If you’re looking for something charming and Jane Austen–esque, try Patricia C. Wrede’s Sorcery & Cecelia.

Set in Regency England, Sorcery & Cecelia tells the story of two young, spunky cousins who write letters to each other, revealing their adventures with evil spells and enchanted chocolate pots.

If you’re looking for something short and sweet, with a large serving of raunch, try Ellen Datlow’s Sirens and Other Daemon Lovers.

This collection of science fiction erotica and romance is compiled by one of the most respected editors in the sci-fi and fantasy communities. These seductive tales of fairies, sphinxes, werewolves, and other supernatural beings are penned by superstar authors such as Joyce Carol Oates, Neil Gaiman, and Jane Yolan.

If you are exhausted by the seemingly endless holiday cheer, try Robert R. McCammon’s Swan Song.

In this epic bestseller, Swan, a nine-year-old psychic, is one of the few survivors of the nuclear bombs that have annihilated most of human civilization. As the survivors to make new lives in the wasteland, an evil army forms, intent on murder .

If you’re looking for your new favorite author, try Octavia E. Butler’s trilogy, Lilith’s Brood.

Bringing together three stories of mankind’s struggle for survival after a nuclear apocalypse, this trilogy explores what really makes us human, when an alien race offers salvation through crossbreeding.

Be sure to check out our special Power Up page featuring great titles, from classics to reader favorites. 

Power Up! Rediscover Classics and Find New Favorites

On the day after Christmas, what could be better than curling up with a good read and relaxing, after weeks of shopping and holiday-party hopping? Santa has come and gone. Relatives have come and gone—well, except for chatty Aunt Becky. After all of the gift-giving and cookie baking, it’s time to let the stress of the season fade away until next year. Take a few hours to restore yourself by escaping into your favorite classic novels or discovering an exciting new author, while lounging in your pajamas with a hot cup of coffee.

Whether you’ve just received a shiny, new ereader, which you can’t wait to power up, or you’ve resolved to dust off your current device and revamp your digital bookshelves, we have the perfect ebooks to spice up your e-library in the new year. See our special selections, ranging from iconic classics to home and lifestyle titles, by exploring our Power Up page. We have something to satisfy every literary need!

Are you a romance junkie? Indulge in Stranger in Paradise by Eileen Goudge, Savage Heat by Nan Ryan, Wild Horses by Linda Byler, and more.

Do mystery novels have you staying up one chapter too late? Spend all night with Jimmy the Stick by Michael Mayo, Grey Mask by Patricia Wentworth, The Last Good Day by Peter Blauner, and others.

Can’t get enough of the classics? Carry them all, wherever you go, including The Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell, Sophie’s Choice by William Styron, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark, and the list goes on. 

Are you a fan of science fiction and fantasy? Stock up on Lilith’s Brood by Octavia E. Butler, Swan Song by Robert McCammon, Voice of our Shadow by Jonathan Carroll, and much more.

Looking for a way to entertain the kids? They’ll love Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater, the Boxcar Children series by Gertrude C. Warner, Oddkins by Dean Koontz, and other fun stories.

Do you prefer the real-life anecdotes of nonfiction? Dig into Summer of ’49 by David Halberstam, Roosevelt by James MacGregor Burns, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown, and other fascinating titles.

Enjoy—and make sure to enter to win ten ebooks from Open Road Media by submitting your email address in the bottom left-hand field of our Power Up page.

Wishing you a wonderful and restful day of reading!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Holidays!

Open Road Authors Share Their Favorite Holiday Films

 

“Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?” 

Since the release of It’s A Wonderful Life in 1946, this heartwarming film has become a Christmas staple around the world. The film was directed by Frank Capra and stars James Stewart as George Bailey, whose impending suicide is interrupted by his guardian angel, who shows him how different life would be for everyone in his community if he had never been born. Although it was initially considered a box office flop, the film gained a huge following through annual Christmas screenings on television. Named by Open Road authors Julián Sánchez, Agustín B Palatchi, Dean Koontz, Andy Briggs, and Eileen Goudge as their favorite holiday film, this classic continues to resonate during the holidays.

But not everyone’s in the mood for the sweetness of It’s a Wonderful Life! Our Open Road authors also revealed competing favorites for their holiday movie-watching. Die Hard surprisingly turned out to be another highly rated Christmas movie. Other quirky choices were A Christmas Story, Gremlins, Love Actually, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Our Authors Help You Find the Perfect Ebook Gift

(E!)books are great gifts for the holiday season. With the shopping deadline approaching in mere hours, ebooks offer the quickest, simplest answer to the question of what to get for a family member or friend. Our authors shared suggestions for you last-minute shoppers!

Although their choices varied, all our authors consider a book selection to be a very important decision. As Lois Duncan explains, “I always match the book to the age and interests of the person to whom I’m giving it. I consider a book a very personal gift and the choice should not be made lightly.” Deborah Blumenthal recommends looking at the recipient’s other interests, and trying to find something new in that field that they haven’t yet discovered. And then there’s Dean Koontz’s simple rule of thumb: Find “good ones.”

“It depends on the age of the recipient: from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird to Sándor Márai’s Casanova in Bolzano.” —Roser Caminals-Heath, author of The Street of the Three Beds

"I love introducing the children in my life to the books I loved as a kid and that really made a difference in my life.  Recently I gave my godson a copy of The Golden Treasure of Poetry, the first book I ever received as a gift, at age 8, and that was the start of my love affair with poetry." —Eileen Goudge, author of The Replacement Wife

“If I’m really stuck, I’ll head straight for a travel-writing book in the hope to swoop them to a far-off land.” —Andy Briggs, author of Tarzan: The Greystoke Legacy

“This year I’m giving science books to my grandsons, who are three and six, and devour anything with facts and illustrations. My granddaughters, who are twelve and thirteen, will get historical fiction. They like kings and queens. My mother and daughters get mysteries. My son likes nineteenth-century exploration, especially of the poles.” —Caroline B. Cooney, author of Fog

“The books I gave this year were all biographies of great Americans: Washington, Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Jefferson, and most especially Hamilton.” —Shirley Ann Grau, author of The Keepers of the House

“Moon Palace by Paul Auster and A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor.” —Xavier Moret, author of An American in Barcelona

“Mostly books by Naguib Mahfouz, Amin Maalouf, Ahdaf Souheif” —Maha Akhtar, author of The Lost Princess

"I recommend The Fox at the Manger as a Christmas tale, version told by P.L. Travers (Mary Poppins) and illustrated by Thomas Bewick." —Madison Smartt Bell, author of The Washington Square Ensemble

“This year, I discovered a book called The Golem’s Latkes by Eric Kimmel and Aaron Jasinski. It’s perfectly charming and as the legend of the golem was the precursor to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, it has its literary bones, too.” —Mary Glickman, author of One More River

[image error]“The last book I gave as a gift was Archipelago, by Monique Roffey, and before that, The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak.” — Vina Jackson, author of the Eighty Days Trilogy

When all else fails, give the gift of your own writing! As Dan Gutman jokes, he makes sure his own books are “signed by the author, with whom I have a personal relationship.”

Lois Duncan's Holiday Memories

Sometimes, it’s the unexpected that makes the best holiday memories. Lois Duncan shares this hilarious holiday moment that she says turned her off of cooking turkey for future holiday dinners:

“I don't know if you'd call this my "favorite," but it's certainly one I will never forget. I was a single mom, living in New Mexico, and my parents flew in from Florida to join the children and me for Christmas. I decided to invite all my single friends who would be alone for the holidays to join us for dinner Christmas night.  Guests arrived around 5 p.m., and after serving cocktails, I went out to the kitchen to make the gravy. When I opened the door of the oven, I discovered a cold, raw, 22 lb. turkey. My father, who was obsessed with saving electricity, had walked through the kitchen early that afternoon, noticed the oven was on, and automatically turned it off.  I was frantic. I kept refilling glasses and praying for a miracle, (if Christ could turn water into wine, surely he could roast a turkey in ten minutes time!). Sadly, he did not comply.  I ended up slicing off slabs of raw meat and running them under the broiler. By the time I got dinner on the table, my guests were so sloshed that I could have served anything and they wouldn't have known the difference.”

Patricia Bosworth’s Sweet-Sour Onions and Frozen Apple Cream

Journalist and biographer, Patricia Bosworth, shares recipes for both Sweet-Sour Onions and Frozen Apple Cream. These dishes will be perfect additions to your holiday meal, with an interesting history to go along with it.

SWEET-SOUR ONIONS

Serves 6

24 small white onions. 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons sherry 3 tablespoons vinegar 2 tablespoons brown sugar Salt to taste Dash of Cayenne pepper

Heat oil in a heavy saucepan or a large skillet. Add onions and allow then to brown over moderate heat, shaking pan to move onions and brown on all sides. When they become brown, add sherry, vinegar, and sugar. Simmer slowly until onions are tender. The sauce will have turned to a thick syrup. Add salt and cayenne to taste.

Sweet-sour onions are a perfect accompaniment to poultry, or to game, which needs all the succulence and flavor you can add.

FROZEN APPLE CREAM

Serves 4 to 5

1 cup applesauce 4 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar 1/4 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Combine applesauce with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, butter and lemon juice. Chill.

Fold in whipped cream and pour into refrigerator tray or individual glasses. Freeze until firm, but not hard. This will take 2 to 4 hours. If you wish to chill it overnight, remove form the refrigerator about ½ hour before serving in order that it reach the proper consistency.

Apple cream is a light, smooth desert, tasting only faintly of apple and cinnamon. It may be eaten with a thin, crisp cookie such as Gaufrettes.