95 North. . . The Newspaper

Good ol' Ed Hopper's paintings from the late 20's and early 30's capture an America we can still feel today (even after suburbanization)- one of solitary souls eating at the diner, filling up gas, or sitting on a train. Hopper's Americana could be about loneliness and isolation just as easily as it could be about those beautiful moments when you face the world alone- in the morning- late fall- 5 am at Dunkin' Donuts- with a white moon poking out of the sky. That kinda thing. It's all about the sights you chose to see.

I am currently reading Omar El Akkad's excellent debut novel- American War . The novel is a piece of futurism, as it imagines a future civil war in the United States over oil. Southern states revolted over a blue state law that banned its use. Chemical weapons are used in South Carolina. "Birds" are mini-drones. The ocean overtakes New York City, Washington D.C., and most of Flordia. In the midst of this horrifying story, a young girl, Sara (known as "Sarah-T") emerges a force for justice- or is she being manipulated? Part thriller, part-warning shot- this book makes for a great read. Highly recommended! Quotes: "My favorite postcards are from the 2020's and 2030's. . . a reminder of when America as it existed in the first half of the 21st century: soaring, roaring, oblivious ". "But still she sensed in her brother a kind of insecurity, as though trying to scare her was not some cruel way to pass time, but a vital means of prov...

I've recently been diving into the work of Oklahoma singer/songwriter John Moreland. He's right up there with Jason Isbell as a modern day ace songwriter. I'll detail an "essential list" in a later post, but for now, check him out: