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Customer Reviews:- Confusing
Author of Aztec Dawn: A tale of sacrifical murder, from Manhattan to Mexico
This is a long book and that is fine if the author can hold the plot together and maintain interest. I felt this didn't happen towards the end. I felt King began to meander somewhat and there are events in the plot that made no sense to me at all. I am acutely aware that most reviewers have loved this novel and I hesitate to go against the crowd, and perhaps I have missed some elements in the story that explain things. For example, the main character, Edgar Freemantle, develops psychic abilities after an accident that leaves him without his right arm. When this psychic power wishes to express itself, his missing right arm begins to itch unbearably and he must take up his painting brush. What he then creates reveals events that are happening or have happened to other people. As he grows more confident with this ability, he finds he can influence events by painting them beforehand. Fine so far, but then the reader is introduced by stages to a demon called Perse who is trapped in an underground cistern on the abandoned property of Edgar's elderly neighbour. This demon had controlled the elderly neighbour, Elisabeth Eastlake, who had also suffered a bad accident when she was very young, again using painting as a medium to do so. At the time of the story, Perse is beginning to escape from the prison in which Elisabeth's nanny had trapped her and she uses some of Edgar's paintings to do that. People who have his work in their possession (excuse the pun) start to kill those close to Edgar when Perse realises that Edgar wishes to imprison her again, which indicates that she is working through those paintings. What never becomes clear in the novel, in my opinion, is where Edgar's power ends and Perse's begins. That is one source of confusion for me. Then, events occur towards the end of the novel that, earlier, would have been attributed to Perse but, at this stage, Perse is incapacitated, so I am left wondering how they could have happened. I also feel that the reader is never introduced to Perse properly. We are, apparently, just expected to take her presence for granted even though we are not told where she comes from or what drives her (or is that something else I missed?) So, yes, this book did keep me awake at night but only because I was trying to figure out what the plot was about.
I would love to have a discussion with those readers of this book who can enlighten me but, mindful of Amazon's rules on writing reviews and not having discussions, it has to take place somewhere else. I have responded to a comment posted on a review by Riggo under Most Recent Reviews one month ago. If anyone wishes to lessen my confusion, may I suggest that would be a great place to go and do it....more info - Excellent Story...no matter what people say...
I've just about read most of Stephen King's work...as early as Carrie, The Shining, IT and now Duma King. Like all his books I found his writing captivating and couldn't put the book down at some points. Some people complain about the profanity used by his characters--I call it realistic. Hey, out of all the many people that surround me I don't know of even one that doesn't throw the occasional curse here and there. If you're one of those that claim that they never, ever curse--then you are in denial...and denial is a bad state of mind my friend.
I've read the very few bad reviews presented here and noticed one thing-- about more than 1/2 of the reviews...even though they went on and on about how HORRIBLE the book was...stated that they read the book in it's entirety.
Question is, why would you read the entire book if it's SO horrible that it makes you cringe?...more info - Another good story from Stephen
This will be brief. I lOVED IT!!!! I got lost in it - I cared SO MUCH about the people in it...and it never bored me - always surprised me. Listening to this book, I finally realized why I love King's books so much..we're the same age..we have all the same music and movie memories, although he has a memory file much larger than mine, but I can quickly hook-up to his side references to things like...it pulls me in so quickly to the characters.
Say what you will about the spookier aspects of his books and stories, for me, his worth is in the fact that he can tell a story - a wonderful story - and in the end, that is what hooks me and brings me back, page after page, or in my case, CD after CD!
Good work, Stephen. Thanks for this one, I kind of got a bit lost at the end, but you took my hand and led me back to the TRUTH with that last scene on the lake.
It also made me wonder,
"If Persie was painting the pictures, Who is writing the books????"
Just kidding - but the parallel was unavoidable!
Thanks again,
JW...more info - Reading Duma Key in the Keys
October 7, 2008
I thought about mixing it up and trying to review Stephen King's great book in a more literary fashion, but I actually like writing these travelogues more-or-less chronologically because it may help me remember the books I read on these great trips when the old memory-machine stops firing on all cylinders.
My Charger season ticket buddy Bill and I flew all day from San Diego through Dallas to Miami, arriving around 6 in the afternoon. Spectacular view out the window, flying out to sea above Ft. Lauderdale and looping around to the southwest to land in Miami - huge boiling cotton-white clouds and the high-rise hotels on the beach, glinting in the late afternoon sun and casting their shadows into the turquoise water.
We had carry-ons and no checked baggage to get lost so it was off to Avis for our rental car. Just as two years ago, the Nav system could not handle the construction zone in progress around the airport, and there was much stress and swearing until we finally made the Florida Turnpike and US1 heading south towards Homestead and the Keys. It's a long slow drive, but once we passed Marathon and the 7-Mile Bridge it was all new to us, and soon we were in Key West, 90 miles from Cuba.
We parked the car at the Angelina Guest House on Angela Street, an old bordello from the 1920s, checked into our comfortable room, and walked up to Bogart's Irish Pub for our second Guinness of the trip. The Red Sox - Angels playoff game was on, and as usual we had a lot to talk about.
There were voluble Red Sox fans in Jack Flats, where we sat at the bar while watching a series of huge TVs playing various games. As usual, we experienced the late night East Coast time zone sports smorgasbord, arriving as we did in the middle of college and pro football season plus the baseball playoffs - an abundance of action on ESPN, TBS and the three networks lasting until 2 in the morning or later. We enjoyed beers plus two great appetizers: Buffalo-style shrimp, and grilled Mahi-Mahi sliders.
Finally we found the Green Parrot - our new favorite bar, which we visited at least 3 times during our short stay in Key West.
Crashed pretty soundly after that at about 2:30 in the morning (11:30 PDT, still pretty late after flying all day then driving four hours.) We were in Key West!
Up and at `em the next morning about 8:30 to the crowing of roosters - already sunny and hot, without a cloud in the sky (pretty good for hurricane season!) We had coffee in the Angelina and then took a quick drive to catch our bearings, ending up at a coffee shop across the street from Lower Keys Democratic HQ (where Bill got a key tip from a passing motorist about where to watch the Biden-Palin debate that night.) I called my friend Shadow and told him I didn't really want to spend a couple of hours on the road driving up to Mile 28 and back, but fortunately for me he wouldn't take no for an answer.
Bill and I scouted the scene some more behind the wheel, getting out to visit Voltaire Books, where I got a map of the Keys, the Haitian Art Company, and the 5 Brothers for sweet and powerful Cafe Cubano. Bill and I acquired a taste for Haitian art on our last visit after our dinner at Tap Tap in Miami Beach - there is a colorful national aesthetic incorporating Voodoo, Catholicism and village life that we are both drawn to.
Finally it was time for me to drop Bill off near Mallory Square and take off on my adventure to visit my high school friend, the well-known Chef Shadow. I took off up US1 and was very pleased to do the drive for the first time during the day. You're right on the water after you leave Key West - driving through the most scenic part of the Keys. This is what I wrote about it this morning for our high school friends (including Julianne):
SNORKLING WITH SHADOW AND DEDE IN THE KEYS
I was amazingly fortunate to hook up with them last Thursday at Shadow's place on Little Torch Key, at Mile 28 from Key West. As he said, it's like Mission Beach...100 years ago. This is the frontier of Florida Keys habitation - very few houses off US1, on a road of white sand and sea shells, surrounded by sub-tropical vegetation. The three of us went out on Shadow's boat, tied-up right behind the house: out into Pine Channel and south underneath the Overseas Highway into Newfound Harbor Channel, and into the Bight Aquatic Preserve, where we snorkeled a few hundred yards from Little Palm Island, where the rich and famous like Tiger Woods pull up in their yachts for a little R&R.
That's what Shadow and Dede offered me, on my 4th trip to South Florida and my first to Key West - an experience so sublime I'm at a loss for words. The warm aquamarine water was so buoyant we felt like we were hovering over a luminous realm of sea fans, multi-colored reef fish, and aloof, ominous 4-foot barracuda. We saw hogfish, queen angels, and a puffer with a head the size of a football hiding under a rock. (Sorry I didn't bring an underwater camera, but this whole maneuver came together serendipitously.) Dede had made us delicious sandwiches of chicken curry with onion and apple. We went in the water twice, in two locales - it was the highlight of the trip.
Or should I say, one of the highlights, because we hooked up again that night at sunset in Key West, at Mallory Square, with Dede's friendly 7-year old son. The four of us had a mini adventure with my Chargers season ticket buddy Bill (we were in South Florida to see our team lose to the Dolphins) because the power was out all over Key West, which became more apparent as it got dark. A few places had generator power, or partial power like the famous Hogs Breath, where we took refuge from the increasingly apocalyptic scenario on the streets (pardon the overheated imagery - I'm reading Stephen King's Duma Key) to enjoy shrimp ceviche and beverages. Soon it was time to go our separate ways in the dark. Well met by (a sliver of) moonlight...looking forward to seeing them again soon!
#
I missed a little something in the chronology with this account - the hours I spent walking around Key West before sunset. When Bill and I finally set out on our sunset walk to meet Shadow and Dede, we passed an amazing statue in front of the art museum: the couple from Grant Wood's American Gothic, rendered about 30 feet tall! It was pretty eye-catching.
Next to the Square there was a place to enjoy beers and the view while we watched another game. So we told you about the power failure - but our plan was to watch the Vice Presidential Debate in a private room at the Hard Rock Cafe on Duval Street, which is exactly what we did. Because the power was out all over the island, so was the cable TV feed, but intelligent Democrats in the group rigged up some computer speakers so we could hear the audio over the internet until the power came back on. Interesting debate, no? My favorite lines by Biden were, that McCain is no Maverick on the issues that matter to Americans - and that Dick Cheney is the most dangerous Vice President we have ever had. By the time you read this, the election will be over. If I could vote more than once I would.
After the debate was over, we discovered that many places were closed because the blackout had lasted so long - but finally we settled down at some random watering holes for several beers, more baseball and a lot of laughs. We ended up late at the Green Parrot, where I called M. & B. My son was on TV again! Channel 8 came to his High School to interview the Debate Team about the Biden-Palin debate. Another great appearance - I'm losing track how many times he's been on TV...
The next morning we had coffee and checked out of the Angelina for our drive up to South Beach for Phase II of our adventure. We took one last picture of the 90 mile marker and we were off, further on up the road.
We repeated our excellent breakfast experience from two years ago at the 7 Mile Grill: eggs, sausage, grits and toast. A few hours later, we turned the car in at 22nd and Collins and were strolling between the hotels and the warm Atlantic in one of our favorite cities.
I was so happy to be back I can't tell you! Miami is one of our nation's largest cities, but Miami Beach is off by itself on the far eastern edge of the metropolis - and basically what we're talking about is a tropical paradise.
Bill and I were in the midst of a long walk from the rental car place, and we decided to make the best of it by finally visiting a beer-lover's destination we'd heard about: The Abbey. We navigated the shade on south side of the Lincoln Road Mall trying to stay out of the hot October sun. The guy at the rental place was right: it was hidden behind the McDonald's at 16th and Alton Road, with a simple sign that said BAR. Inside, it was an oasis of cool air, dark wood, and delicious Immaculate IPA from Melbourne.
After about an hour chatting with the barman about the Philadelphia Eagles and a visiting Chef about Key West, we poured ourselves out the door and made our way to one of the best meals of the trip - dropping into the bar at Tapas y Tintos at 448 Espa?ola Way for a world class Mojito, the Pulpo (Octopus in olive oil, garlic and paprika,) and Garbanzos con Chorizos. A nice small meal containing a world of savory flavors. The barman was from Argentina and the waitress from Serbia. Delicious.
Finally we made it to the hotel, our third stay at the South Beach Marriott at 3rd and Ocean in our SoFi (or South of Fifth) neighborhood in South Beach. It was time to join our friends: the Fellowship of the Fins. Glenn had arranged a meet-and-greet out on the patio above the pool, where we talked and drank for hours into the darkness, before finally adjourning to dinner at Big Pink and a quick visit to Ted's Hideaway, our local just down the block from the hotel.
That was Friday night, and Saturday morning I woke at 8 and went downstairs to jog to the jetty and back and then jump in the ocean. The rain we had been expecting had finally come. Just after 9, Bill and I were sitting under an awning outside at the News Cafe having breakfast.
Later, we took a long walk in the rain, down to Smith & Wollensky at the bottom of the island for Bloody Mary's, then up to Puerto Sagua for a really good Cuban sandwich, and the Playwright Pub for more Guinness and college football.
At 3:30 the Florida State - Miami game was on, and we spent some time watching it in Glenn's room with the group: Brad, Big Bill, Big Dave, Robert and John. (We'd see John's cool friend Bobby at the game the next day.) Very fun, but my eyes started to droop and I had to split at halftime to take a nap. When I woke up, Bill and I went in the ocean, and had a Mojito outside by the pool, watching the game. Florida State, romping in the first half, had to hold off a very determined Miami team in the second, with lots of scoring and huge swings of momentum.
Also, and this was critical: it was a frickin' mini hurricane at Dolphins stadium, dumping inches of torrential rain in huge gusts - and it was heading our way. Part of our Saturday night adventure to follow. So we watched the end of the game with our friends upstairs, still wearing our wet bathing suits - FSU held on to win at the last minute, much to Brad's and Big Bill's delight. That was a great game. As I recall, Bill and I then adjourned to our room to watch Sports Center and whatever other games were on. Later, when we were dressed for dinner, we had a beer with Brad in the downstairs bar while sipping Acacia Pinot Noir. By then there was a howling storm outside blowing sideways off the ocean, and I had my hat and new orange pancho on the counter, ready to go.
At 9:25 we made our move and called a cab for the :30 second, $5 drive around the corner to Shoji Sushi, where we enjoyed our dinner with Manny Ramirez two years ago. We stepped out of the cab into more than a foot of water flowing down the street like a river, soaking our shoes and lower pant legs, stepping into the half-full restaurant wet and bedraggled after only a few moments in the storm. It was awesome. Very nice waitress from Tampa who was a little unclear on the Japanese names Bill was throwing out - another delicious meal including Spanish Mackerel and two kinds of sake.
After dinner the eye of the storm had mostly moved-on, and we added a refined & elegant beer and wine bar to our list of locals: The Room, right around the corner from Shoji. Excellent beers, dark candlelit ambiance, good alternative music and nice barmaids. We struck up a conversation with a guy named Patrick who was incredibly knowledgeable about beers and microbreweries and we invited him to hook up with us if he ever comes to San Diego.
Back at the hotel, we had one last amusing incident - a room party that Bill & I had trouble remembering the next day! (That's not entirely accurate - we remembered it OK, we just thought it happened earlier.) Glenn reminded me I hung my wet orange pancho and Chargers hat on the door spring and I suddenly experienced the a-ha moment. But we were only there long enough to experience a few minutes of a late baseball game and then it was pretty much time to call it a night. Bill and I had consumed a number of different beverages during the course of the evening, and by-and-large we had come through with flying colors.
Sunday was game day and I was downstairs jogging at 8:30 - there were two power boats washed-up on the beach! We sure didn't imagine that storm, but there was plenty of blue sky to be thankful for as we snuck into the Concierge Level for coffee and granola. I didn't want to spoil my appetite at the tailgate, what with Big Bill loading up Glenn's BMW with Jambalaya. It was going to be a good day.
At 10:30, Bill, Brad, Robert & I hopped in a cab and headed north to Dolphins stadium, and about 15 minutes later we were at the tailgate, swilling bloody mary's and watching Dave stir the jambalaya.
The game itself was disappointing for Charger fans, but one amazing thing happened. Bill & I left the tailgate a few minutes before the others to go into the stadium, and when Glenn got to our row he came down to our seats, told a story about finding a wallet on the way into the stadium - and then handed me my wallet! I couldn't believe it. He said it was just lying on the ground where it fell, with money sticking out of it! What are the chances of that? I thanked him profusely - a few people referenced "good karma," but I'm not taking any credit obviously. I was just plain stupid. Glenn is the Man - the Force is strong in him, and all I can say is, thanks again!
Our travelogue is nearly done. After the game we continued the tailgate while the parking lot emptied out and then the fellowship broke in half and goodbyes were said until Bill, Brad, Robert and I were the last ones standing. Back in South Beach, we walked to pizza by the slice at 8th and Washington, and then had to say goodbye to Brad. Bill & I stayed up as late as we could watching extra innings of the Red Sox - Angels game but finally had to cash-in our chips after midnight and the 11th inning. Up at 5:45 on Monday morning and met Robert in the lobby at 6:20 for our cab to the airport. And that afternoon around 2 local time Bill and I were on the ground in San Diego. There and back again.
I remember opening the door to our balcony on that last night and saying "I really want to come back here." There was that brisk warm wind off the ocean carrying a hint of rain, and the lights of a cruise ship in the distance. There's just something about South Florida. I plan to return some day. Bill and I definitely get along well together, and the guys in our group are just top notch: friendly, fun, opinionated and considerate. Nice people.
I am really enjoying Duma Key and I appreciated the synchronicity, seeing Stephen King on TV cheering on the Sox at Fenway. (I was a little confused until I looked at the map of Florida and saw there are also Keys on the west coast near Sarasota.) It's a big scary ghost story, and if you like that sort of thing I recommend it.
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...more info - King is back
With the exception of the Colorado Kid, I have to confess to having not read Stephen King in awhile. I'd become disappointed in some of his efforts.
By chance, through the winning of a raffle, which awarded a bundle of books, I came into possession of a copy of Duma Key. Even then I did not read the book right away, choosing a few of the other books in the stack instead. When I did get around to it, I first examined the cover, realizing that I liked that much of it. I cracked the book open and began to read. A few hours later, I knew that I had once again become entranced by the work of Mr. King.
If you're a fan of Stephen King, especially one who has been away for a while, you should pick up a copy of Duma Key. Stephen is definitely back on track with this one.
-- Bob Avey, author of the Detective Elliot mystery series
...more info - I want to give 4 and a half stars...
I really enjoyed this book. The most enjoyable part of this book was the build up of the characters. I felt like I knew them; I could see them, hear them, bask in their clear contrasts. This was my first Steven King book and it made me want more. :)...more info - Warning! Be Prepared For Nightmares!
Duma Key: A Novel
As an author of Florida-themed novels myself, I was curious to see how Stephen King would write about the region. As a longtime fan of this fascinating author, I found his take on life in the warm climes of Florida was indeed delightful and insightful.
In my opinion, King is one author who can write in first-person without boring you with "I this and I that" type dialogue, which he did with Duma Key. He is also a master at painting vivid pictures of his characters, so that you literally see them as you are reading, which only draws you deeper into the story, as if you are a part of it.
Edgar Freemantle, the main character of the novel, is one interesting dude, even with only one arm to call his own. Halfway through the book, I found myself reminiscing about Pet Semetary, another of his brilliant novels, because of the way the story twisted into a similar theme of bringing dead things to life...or the opposite, if he so chose.
I have a feeling that King's memories of his own brush with death several years back had a lot to do with this story on Duma Key. What goes on in Edgar's head regarding his missing limb is just too "right on" not to have come from a similar personal experience.
More often than not, when bad things happen to people the experience is like being reborn, if you can keep your head screwed on straight without going insane. Suddenly, you have no choice but to re-evaluate your life, and even though you may have lost something or someone near and dear to your heart, at the same time you gain another perspective, or in Edgar's case, a new career and a new passion; making do with what you have and doing it brilliantly, for a little while, at least. I think that's what King was trying to portray throughout this story, even though Edgar's paintings had ulterior motives.
"Artistic types aren't morning people", Edgar is quoted as saying more than once in this book, which made me wonder about myself. I'm a huge morning person, often getting up at four or five in the morning...but then, I don't consider myself artistic in the sense of a painter. Maybe it's the creative writers who are the ones getting up before the chickens. Hmmm...I may have to disagree with King here.
Elizabeth Eastlake, although portrayed as just a senile old woman who wore big blue sneakers in the beginning of the book, morphed into an icon toward the middle part of the story, and I fell in love with her, much the same as Edgar and her caretaker Wireman did.
One of King's revelations in the book that I thought was excellent:
"How to Draw a Picture - Be brave. Don't be afraid to draw the secret things. No one said art was always a zephyr; sometimes it's a hurricane."
Okay...I wrote all of the above at the halfway point of the book...or thereabouts. What happens on the backside of halfway is what gave me nightmares (by the way...that's a compliment to King, bless his pointy little head). They weren't boogeyman nightmares, but nightmares about my own personal demons, if you can understand that, and they came in rapid fire succession, one after the other, keeping me awake for hours one night.
King doesn't disappoint his readers who thrive on the supernatural, the eerie, the unexplained...he trumps it up in grand style towards the end of the book.
And yes, if you're wondering, it's extremely difficult to put this book down once you get into it, because the suspense keeps building...chapter after chapter. After a while, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I wanted to get to the ending.
And what an ending it was! Heart-wrenching at a certain point. Dang! What an imagination King has been blessed with!
The moral of the story, or at least one moral that I grasped from reading this book - should you be of the mindset that all books must have an underlying message - is that it's okay to emulate your idols, whether you're a writer, a painter, a musician, or whatever floats your creative boat, but do it with your own voice and draw from your own experiences. That's what will make you stand out and be an original artiste. Whether King did this intentionally or not, only he can answer, but that's how I interpreted it...once I reached the halfway point, that is. The back end of the book is just pure King brilliance, as usual; crazy, unbelievable, suspenseful and just plain enjoyable reading.
An excellent read, even if you're not a King fan.
...more info - Duma Key is thrilling
This book was riveting and I couldn't put it down - what an exciting ending!...more info - Classic King, one of the best.
As an avid Stephen King fan since I was 9 when I read my first book by him, I have since read every work he has ever published including under the name Bachman.
This book though was one of the best I have read by him. I was completely captivated by the interesting and spooky story. There were parts in this book that made the breath catch in my throat and I actually jump!
To be able to write so vividly and convey such imagination simply from words on a page is phenomenal. I recommend to anyone who has read anything by King or for a first time reader of his work.
I was truly sad when it ended! Just leave a light on when you're reading it at night!...more info - Clunky, overlong but ultimately powerful
It must be nice to be Stephen King. Everything you write is automatically a bestseller -- no editor or publisher will ever tell you "no." But the flipside of such omnipotence is also evident in this book.
A building contractor from Minnesota has an awful accident in which he loses one arm and also suffers brain injuries from which he slowly recovers. His wife leaves him so he moves to an almost deserted Florida key and begins painting strange works of genius. It turns out that evil has awakened in the swampy land and is giving his art its weird power.
I hadn't picked up a King book for some years and horror is not generally my thing. But I had time to spare on a trip and fancied a good old-fashioned literary wallow.
King's strength remains his ability to conjure a scary tale but there are also weaknesses here, some of which could have been fixed with good editing. The book is very looooooong. I know some King fans love and demand Dickensian length but the story did not support it.
The characters are weak. One is described merely through tiresome use of Spanish. Another fairly major character has no character at all. The wife is a big nothing. I did not get emotionally involved with these people. When people I was supposed to care about died, I didn't care.
King has a way of telegraphing plot developments. Three or four times, he writes, "I never saw her again," or "That was our final conversation." It's an old trick that wears out.
Having said all this, King remains unmatched at describing pure evil and that's what accounts for his success I suppose. He knows what pain feels like and transmits that too.
I'm glad people read his stuff because all reading is good and they could do much worse. They could also do a little better -- and so could he. ...more info - Another good story from Stephen
This will be brief. I lOVED IT!!!! I got lost in it - I cared SO MUCH about the people in it...and it never bored me - always surprised me. Listening to this book, I finally realized why I love King's books so much..we're the same age..we have all the same music and movie memories, although he has a memory file much larger than mine, but I can quickly hook-up to his side references to things like...it pulls me in so quickly to the characters.
Say what you will about the spookier aspects of his books and stories, for me, his worth is in the fact that he can tell a story - a wonderful story - and in the end, that is what hooks me and brings me back, page after page, or in my case, CD after CD!
Good work, Stephen. Thanks for this one, I kind of got a bit lost at the end, but you took my hand and led me back to the TRUTH with that last scene on the lake.
It also made me wonder,
"If Persie was painting the pictures, Who is writing the books????"
Just kidding - but the parallel was unavoidable!
Thanks again,
JW...more info - Reading Duma Key in the Keys
October 7, 2008
I thought about mixing it up and trying to review Stephen King's great book in a more literary fashion, but I actually like writing these travelogues more-or-less chronologically because it may help me remember the books I read on these great trips when the old memory-machine stops firing on all cylinders.
My Charger season ticket buddy Bill and I flew all day from San Diego through Dallas to Miami, arriving around 6 in the afternoon. Spectacular view out the window, flying out to sea above Ft. Lauderdale and looping around to the southwest to land in Miami - huge boiling cotton-white clouds and the high-rise hotels on the beach, glinting in the late afternoon sun and casting their shadows into the turquoise water.
We had carry-ons and no checked baggage to get lost so it was off to Avis for our rental car. Just as two years ago, the Nav system could not handle the construction zone in progress around the airport, and there was much stress and swearing until we finally made the Florida Turnpike and US1 heading south towards Homestead and the Keys. It's a long slow drive, but once we passed Marathon and the 7-Mile Bridge it was all new to us, and soon we were in Key West, 90 miles from Cuba.
We parked the car at the Angelina Guest House on Angela Street, an old bordello from the 1920s, checked into our comfortable room, and walked up to Bogart's Irish Pub for our second Guinness of the trip. The Red Sox - Angels playoff game was on, and as usual we had a lot to talk about.
There were voluble Red Sox fans in Jack Flats, where we sat at the bar while watching a series of huge TVs playing various games. As usual, we experienced the late night East Coast time zone sports smorgasbord, arriving as we did in the middle of college and pro football season plus the baseball playoffs - an abundance of action on ESPN, TBS and the three networks lasting until 2 in the morning or later. We enjoyed beers plus two great appetizers: Buffalo-style shrimp, and grilled Mahi-Mahi sliders.
Finally we found the Green Parrot - our new favorite bar, which we visited at least 3 times during our short stay in Key West.
Crashed pretty soundly after that at about 2:30 in the morning (11:30 PDT, still pretty late after flying all day then driving four hours.) We were in Key West!
Up and at `em the next morning about 8:30 to the crowing of roosters - already sunny and hot, without a cloud in the sky (pretty good for hurricane season!) We had coffee in the Angelina and then took a quick drive to catch our bearings, ending up at a coffee shop across the street from Lower Keys Democratic HQ (where Bill got a key tip from a passing motorist about where to watch the Biden-Palin debate that night.) I called my friend Shadow and told him I didn't really want to spend a couple of hours on the road driving up to Mile 28 and back, but fortunately for me he wouldn't take no for an answer.
Bill and I scouted the scene some more behind the wheel, getting out to visit Voltaire Books, where I got a map of the Keys, the Haitian Art Company, and the 5 Brothers for sweet and powerful Cafe Cubano. Bill and I acquired a taste for Haitian art on our last visit after our dinner at Tap Tap in Miami Beach - there is a colorful national aesthetic incorporating Voodoo, Catholicism and village life that we are both drawn to.
Finally it was time for me to drop Bill off near Mallory Square and take off on my adventure to visit my high school friend, the well-known Chef Shadow. I took off up US1 and was very pleased to do the drive for the first time during the day. You're right on the water after you leave Key West - driving through the most scenic part of the Keys. This is what I wrote about it this morning for our high school friends (including Julianne):
SNORKLING WITH SHADOW AND DEDE IN THE KEYS
I was amazingly fortunate to hook up with them last Thursday at Shadow's place on Little Torch Key, at Mile 28 from Key West. As he said, it's like Mission Beach...100 years ago. This is the frontier of Florida Keys habitation - very few houses off US1, on a road of white sand and sea shells, surrounded by sub-tropical vegetation. The three of us went out on Shadow's boat, tied-up right behind the house: out into Pine Channel and south underneath the Overseas Highway into Newfound Harbor Channel, and into the Bight Aquatic Preserve, where we snorkeled a few hundred yards from Little Palm Island, where the rich and famous like Tiger Woods pull up in their yachts for a little R&R.
That's what Shadow and Dede offered me, on my 4th trip to South Florida and my first to Key West - an experience so sublime I'm at a loss for words. The warm aquamarine water was so buoyant we felt like we were hovering over a luminous realm of sea fans, multi-colored reef fish, and aloof, ominous 4-foot barracuda. We saw hogfish, queen angels, and a puffer with a head the size of a football hiding under a rock. (Sorry I didn't bring an underwater camera, but this whole maneuver came together serendipitously.) Dede had made us delicious sandwiches of chicken curry with onion and apple. We went in the water twice, in two locales - it was the highlight of the trip.
Or should I say, one of the highlights, because we hooked up again that night at sunset in Key West, at Mallory Square, with Dede's friendly 7-year old son. The four of us had a mini adventure with my Chargers season ticket buddy Bill (we were in South Florida to see our team lose to the Dolphins) because the power was out all over Key West, which became more apparent as it got dark. A few places had generator power, or partial power like the famous Hogs Breath, where we took refuge from the increasingly apocalyptic scenario on the streets (pardon the overheated imagery - I'm reading Stephen King's Duma Key) to enjoy shrimp ceviche and beverages. Soon it was time to go our separate ways in the dark. Well met by (a sliver of) moonlight...looking forward to seeing them again soon!
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I missed a little something in the chronology with this account - the hours I spent walking around Key West before sunset. When Bill and I finally set out on our sunset walk to meet Shadow and Dede, we passed an amazing statue in front of the art museum: the couple from Grant Wood's American Gothic, rendered about 30 feet tall! It was pretty eye-catching.
Next to the Square there was a place to enjoy beers and the view while we watched another game. So we told you about the power failure - but our plan was to watch the Vice Presidential Debate in a private room at the Hard Rock Cafe on Duval Street, which is exactly what we did. Because the power was out all over the island, so was the cable TV feed, but intelligent Democrats in the group rigged up some computer speakers so we could hear the audio over the internet until the power came back on. Interesting debate, no? My favorite lines by Biden were, that McCain is no Maverick on the issues that matter to Americans - and that Dick Cheney is the most dangerous Vice President we have ever had. By the time you read this, the election will be over. If I could vote more than once I would.
After the debate was over, we discovered that many places were closed because the blackout had lasted so long - but finally we settled down at some random watering holes for several beers, more baseball and a lot of laughs. We ended up late at the Green Parrot, where I called M. & B. My son was on TV again! Channel 8 came to his High School to interview the Debate Team about the Biden-Palin debate. Another great appearance - I'm losing track how many times he's been on TV...
The next morning we had coffee and checked out of the Angelina for our drive up to South Beach for Phase II of our adventure. We took one last picture of the 90 mile marker and we were off, further on up the road.
We repeated our excellent breakfast experience from two years ago at the 7 Mile Grill: eggs, sausage, grits and toast. A few hours later, we turned the car in at 22nd and Collins and were strolling between the hotels and the warm Atlantic in one of our favorite cities.
I was so happy to be back I can't tell you! Miami is one of our nation's largest cities, but Miami Beach is off by itself on the far eastern edge of the metropolis - and basically what we're talking about is a tropical paradise.
Bill and I were in the midst of a long walk from the rental car place, and we decided to make the best of it by finally visiting a beer-lover's destination we'd heard about: The Abbey. We navigated the shade on south side of the Lincoln Road Mall trying to stay out of the hot October sun. The guy at the rental place was right: it was hidden behind the McDonald's at 16th and Alton Road, with a simple sign that said BAR. Inside, it was an oasis of cool air, dark wood, and delicious Immaculate IPA from Melbourne.
After about an hour chatting with the barman about the Philadelphia Eagles and a visiting Chef about Key West, we poured ourselves out the door and made our way to one of the best meals of the trip - dropping into the bar at Tapas y Tintos at 448 Espa?ola Way for a world class Mojito, the Pulpo (Octopus in olive oil, garlic and paprika,) and Garbanzos con Chorizos. A nice small meal containing a world of savory flavors. The barman was from Argentina and the waitress from Serbia. Delicious.
Finally we made it to the hotel, our third stay at the South Beach Marriott at 3rd and Ocean in our SoFi (or South of Fifth) neighborhood in South Beach. It was time to join our friends: the Fellowship of the Fins. Glenn had arranged a meet-and-greet out on the patio above the pool, where we talked and drank for hours into the darkness, before finally adjourning to dinner at Big Pink and a quick visit to Ted's Hideaway, our local just down the block from the hotel.
That was Friday night, and Saturday morning I woke at 8 and went downstairs to jog to the jetty and back and then jump in the ocean. The rain we had been expecting had finally come. Just after 9, Bill and I were sitting under an awning outside at the News Cafe having breakfast.
Later, we took a long walk in the rain, down to Smith & Wollensky at the bottom of the island for Bloody Mary's, then up to Puerto Sagua for a really good Cuban sandwich, and the Playwright Pub for more Guinness and college football.
At 3:30 the Florida State - Miami game was on, and we spent some time watching it in Glenn's room with the group: Brad, Big Bill, Big Dave, Robert and John. (We'd see John's cool friend Bobby at the game the next day.) Very fun, but my eyes started to droop and I had to split at halftime to take a nap. When I woke up, Bill and I went in the ocean, and had a Mojito outside by the pool, watching the game. Florida State, romping in the first half, had to hold off a very determined Miami team in the second, with lots of scoring and huge swings of momentum.
Also, and this was critical: it was a frickin' mini hurricane at Dolphins stadium, dumping inches of torrential rain in huge gusts - and it was heading our way. Part of our Saturday night adventure to follow. So we watched the end of the game with our friends upstairs, still wearing our wet bathing suits - FSU held on to win at the last minute, much to Brad's and Big Bill's delight. That was a great game. As I recall, Bill and I then adjourned to our room to watch Sports Center and whatever other games were on. Later, when we were dressed for dinner, we had a beer with Brad in the downstairs bar while sipping Acacia Pinot Noir. By then there was a howling storm outside blowing sideways off the ocean, and I had my hat and new orange pancho on the counter, ready to go.
At 9:25 we made our move and called a cab for the :30 second, $5 drive around the corner to Shoji Sushi, where we enjoyed our dinner with Manny Ramirez two years ago. We stepped out of the cab into more than a foot of water flowing down the street like a river, soaking our shoes and lower pant legs, stepping into the half-full restaurant wet and bedraggled after only a few moments in the storm. It was awesome. Very nice waitress from Tampa who was a little unclear on the Japanese names Bill was throwing out - another delicious meal including Spanish Mackerel and two kinds of sake.
After dinner the eye of the storm had mostly moved-on, and we added a refined & elegant beer and wine bar to our list of locals: The Room, right around the corner from Shoji. Excellent beers, dark candlelit ambiance, good alternative music and nice barmaids. We struck up a conversation with a guy named Patrick who was incredibly knowledgeable about beers and microbreweries and we invited him to hook up with us if he ever comes to San Diego.
Back at the hotel, we had one last amusing incident - a room party that Bill & I had trouble remembering the next day! (That's not entirely accurate - we remembered it OK, we just thought it happened earlier.) Glenn reminded me I hung my wet orange pancho and Chargers hat on the door spring and I suddenly experienced the a-ha moment. But we were only there long enough to experience a few minutes of a late baseball game and then it was pretty much time to call it a night. Bill and I had consumed a number of different beverages during the course of the evening, and by-and-large we had come through with flying colors.
Sunday was game day and I was downstairs jogging at 8:30 - there were two power boats washed-up on the beach! We sure didn't imagine that storm, but there was plenty of blue sky to be thankful for as we snuck into the Concierge Level for coffee and granola. I didn't want to spoil my appetite at the tailgate, what with Big Bill loading up Glenn's BMW with Jambalaya. It was going to be a good day.
At 10:30, Bill, Brad, Robert & I hopped in a cab and headed north to Dolphins stadium, and about 15 minutes later we were at the tailgate, swilling bloody mary's and watching Dave stir the jambalaya.
The game itself was disappointing for Charger fans, but one amazing thing happened. Bill & I left the tailgate a few minutes before the others to go into the stadium, and when Glenn got to our row he came down to our seats, told a story about finding a wallet on the way into the stadium - and then handed me my wallet! I couldn't believe it. He said it was just lying on the ground where it fell, with money sticking out of it! What are the chances of that? I thanked him profusely - a few people referenced "good karma," but I'm not taking any credit obviously. I was just plain stupid. Glenn is the Man - the Force is strong in him, and all I can say is, thanks again!
Our travelogue is nearly done. After the game we continued the tailgate while the parking lot emptied out and then the fellowship broke in half and goodbyes were said until Bill, Brad, Robert and I were the last ones standing. Back in South Beach, we walked to pizza by the slice at 8th and Washington, and then had to say goodbye to Brad. Bill & I stayed up as late as we could watching extra innings of the Red Sox - Angels game but finally had to cash-in our chips after midnight and the 11th inning. Up at 5:45 on Monday morning and met Robert in the lobby at 6:20 for our cab to the airport. And that afternoon around 2 local time Bill and I were on the ground in San Diego. There and back again.
I remember opening the door to our balcony on that last night and saying "I really want to come back here." There was that brisk warm wind off the ocean carrying a hint of rain, and the lights of a cruise ship in the distance. There's just something about South Florida. I plan to return some day. Bill and I definitely get along well together, and the guys in our group are just top notch: friendly, fun, opinionated and considerate. Nice people.
I am really enjoying Duma Key and I appreciated the synchronicity, seeing Stephen King on TV cheering on the Sox at Fenway. (I was a little confused until I looked at the map of Florida and saw there are also Keys on the west coast near Sarasota.) It's a big scary ghost story, and if you like that sort of thing I recommend it.
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...more info - King is back
With the exception of the Colorado Kid, I have to confess to having not read Stephen King in awhile. I'd become disappointed in some of his efforts.
By chance, through the winning of a raffle, which awarded a bundle of books, I came into possession of a copy of Duma Key. Even then I did not read the book right away, choosing a few of the other books in the stack instead. When I did get around to it, I first examined the cover, realizing that I liked that much of it. I cracked the book open and began to read. A few hours later, I knew that I had once again become entranced by the work of Mr. King.
If you're a fan of Stephen King, especially one who has been away for a while, you should pick up a copy of Duma Key. Stephen is definitely back on track with this one.
-- Bob Avey, author of the Detective Elliot mystery series
...more info - A new King classic
It's been a long while since I read a Stephen King novel. Apart from one or two archetypal classics, they started to leave me unsatisfied... But this one is different. An effortless page-turner, and more than that, clear proof that Stephen King does know how to finish a story. All the King classic idiosyncrasies are here: attention to detail, obsessive American vernacular, complex, damaged yet sympathetic characters, secrets, pain, horror and death, and now all blended into a subtler mix and gentler pace that are the product of King's vast writing experience. ...more info - good Stephen King book
This is a good Stephen King book. It kept me up reading 'just one more chapter' til all hours of the night to find out what was really happening. And it all comes together in the end, so you're not disappointed!...more info - Get ready for some nightmares
As with some of the other reviewers of this book, I too have been slightly disenchanted with the Stephen King of late. The last few novels I have attempted, I have muddled through or quit, altogether. This novel is like a phoenix from the ashes for Mr. King. I loved this story, the characters were realistic and lovable, the plot was terrifying. When I did put it down and attempted to sleep, my mind wandered through endless possibilities of where the heck this story was going. To me, this is the true test of a story, if you fail to stop thinking about it even when you move on to other tasks. There were some elements in the story that were so out there that the reader has to ponder their purpose, but in the end, it all comes together wonderfully and leaves the reader satisfied. It is reminiscent of "It" in that supernatural forces need to be dealt with and the characters need to figure out how but aside from that reference, this story stands unique. I highly recommend it to the reader who loves fantasy and horror all mingled together and to anyone who wants some sleepless nights....more info - Stand for the King
I have been reading Stephen King for a very long time and it is a love hate relationship. I will say there are clunkers out there, but as a whole I was entertained. There is something about King's writing style, it seems effortless yet you still see it all. Stephen King can never be accused of not being detailed to a fault, and again that is what we have with Duma Key.
Duma Key is actually a long novel compared to the average King novel and that is what kept it at four stars and not five. The action really didn't get going until around 562. From then on it went like gang busters, and I was not disappointed. Now, the other half was a bit slow, but I have to say I was never bored. This is the story of Edgar Eastlake, a man who lost his arm to a freak accident and in doing so he lost his wife in a divorce. Edgar decides to move to the Florida Keys to the deserted Duma Key island. An island that is also full of mystery and mayhem. While on the island Edgar begins to paint portraits and paints them so well he becomes a sought after painter. But as Stephen King novels go, all is not what it seems, it seems that Edgar is seeing images in his head and these images are becoming real on canvas. The mystery is what and who is causing these images to become reality, and there lies the intrigue. I will say that I loved all the characters presented in the novel and I thought it was richly drawn. Again the length is the only drawback. I think if you can be patient it will not disappoint you diehard S.K. fans out there. ...more info - Is King Surrounded by Yes-Men?
I'm amazed that this book was published and distributed without anyone pulling Steve aside and politely letting him know that it was terrible. I've always been a fan of King but this offering comes up short.
First the characters are terrible, especially "Wireman" and the protagonist Edgar. The dialogue is almost painful. Every time the characters have a conversation I felt like I was 14 years old and my Dad was trying to talk to my friends and sound funny. It was just embarrassing.
Second, I'm all for having supernatural elements, especially in thrillers, however the supernatural aspect of this book was so off the wall and inexplicable it was baffling. The main reason I finished the book is because I was waiting for some sort of big reveal or twist in the end that would explain why there was a death ship full of ghosts and why Edgar's paintings affected reality. It feels weird to say this but the zombie-ghost-dolls-whatever had no motivation!
Third, the book's an easy read but wow is it boring. It gets off to an interesting beginning (I think the Amazon reviewer only read the first 30 pages as they almost admit) but this beginning is essentially a short story King wrote that ends with Edgar killing the dog. King takes this cerebral and dark short story, moves it to Florida, completely changes the tone to something more like a Hardy Boys book, and then tacks on 650 pages of total nonsense.
While I always look forward to a new Stephen King novel, I'm definitely concerned that his publishers would green-light his drool on a cocktail napkin. I hope everyone in King's camp is a bit more discriminating next time on when a book is ready for primetime....more info - You Gotta Believe
There is no doubt: Stephen King is one of the premier American fiction writers of our generation. And as soon as you open Duma Key, his skill becomes readily apparent. The trials of Edgar Freemantle, especially in the first third of the book, paint a picture (a painting reference... how disgustingly appropot) of a main character that will grab you and keep you going throughout the novel.
For a book this long, however, you must be prepared for a few strange shortcuts that King takes about the limits of Edgar's powers. The portrait of Isle's boyfriend is quite shocking, but I found it readily believable as the book entered into the supernatural. It seemed odd to me, however, when King introduced the active powers of the paintings with the portrait of Candy Jones. As my title dictates, you have to want to believe, otherwise you'll find yourself disconnected from Freemantle and, more importantly, from Wireman. With just a little more preparation from King, I think the reader would be far more ready for this departure from reality.
The art show is clearly the best part of the book. Wireman's intervention, along with the fascinating development of the "dissertation" (did King call it something different? I can't remember), make the scene startlingly normal yet totally astounding. It's very easy to empathize.
I thought King choosing to make Freemantle wealthy was strange, as more of a plot device than anything to do with character development. Edgar never seemed to notice or care about the money, more just needing the Gulfstream every now and then.
The literary device that King constantly relies on throughout is moving out of his past tense voice to a knowing observation from the post-event narrator. It's a little dizzying to listen to a disembodied voice that knows how things turn out but seems unwilling to give the reader any relevant information, like King wanted to give the book replay value so you'd be tempted to read it again to see how the commentary relates to the climax.
My criticisms are light and secondary: Freemantle's grief over the deaths that occur late in the book seemed softer than I would have expected from a character with severe temper problems. More notably, Jack's accompanying Freemantle and Wireman to Heron's Roost seemed very strange as King didn't characterize Jack as someone who had any investment in the events.
The climax is a true descent into madness, but if you're prepared, you'll be wonderfully rewarded with a great, character-driven, vastly surreal and terrifying trip into the unknown.
...more info - Another one out of the Park!
I was in California on a vacation when I happened to stop at a store and picked up a copy of, Duma Key by Stephen King. While I was in California, I did many exciting things. I went to Disneyland then to the wild animal Park in San Diego. I spent two nights at Las Vegas, and I visited the Hoover dam. Everywhere I went, I carried my copy of Duma Key. I've always enjoyed books by Stephen King, but I must say Duma Key is a real page-turner. Mr. King did not disappoint me. Emotions ran high. I felt the gamut, sadness, joy, apprehension, fear, gloomy, hopeful, hate filled, loving and frustration. Stephen King definitely has a way with words and phrases in telling the story. I too am a writer. I have several books out and many short stories. I can only hope someday to achieve the talent and ability of Mr. King.
Buy this book!
Dreams in Blue: "The Real Police"...more info - Artist with No Right Arm
This is a great book. I don't want to reveal the entire story, but the main character, is an ex-husband and father who is in pain and full of rage. He moves to Florida to try and put his life back together and try and function without his right arm, which he lost in a horrifying accident that King describes in an almost slow motion fashion. What happens with the paintings and in his interactions with the other residents on Dumas Key is very scary. He also tries to reunite with his family as his painting becomes therapy for him. Highly recommend this book if you like Stephen King. Set aside plenty of time to read it and be prepared to get the creeps.
Power Path to Love...more info - Very Good Says the Wife
Purchased as a gift for my wife, a Stephen King fanatic, and she loved the book...couldn't put it down....more info - King Up To His "Evil" Tricks Again
In recent months, I had given myself a bit of a break from Stephen King novels in order to try some other fare. However, after "coming back" to King with this book, I can say with confidence that King really is the master storyteller of our generation.
For a short synopsis of this novel, it focuses on a middle aged man named Edgar Freemantle, who suffers a debilitating construction-site injury and decides to take a "year off" in a more tropical climate to help with his depression and broken marriage. While on his hiatus, in Duma Key, Florida, Edgar discovers and cultivates a seemingly unknown talent for drawing/painting. While that newfound talent seems to jumpstart his life again, it also dredges up a decades-old evil that haunts the Key.
In typical King fashion, the real nexus of the story is the fight of the "simple man" (Edgar), his small group of friends, and a larger, nature-like evil that must be stopped (or at least contained) at all costs. Though those EXACT themes have played major roles in nearly ever post-Bachman King novel, they still resonate due to the fact that King's incredible character development.
Thus, I highly recommend this novel not only to all Stephen King fans (you will read it regardless of what I have to say!), but also to anyone who just wants to immerse themselves into an interesting tale. If you can open your imagination, you (like me) will also come to realize the genius that King really is at his writing craft....more info - Average King at Best
The beginning of "Duma Key" grabbed me but like most of King's novels of late it went from a really interesting premise to not making any sense really quickly.
Uusually I can't put down a Stephen King novel but found myself forcing to get through the novel, I had a 14 hour flight and thought this book would be a great page turner, instead I ended up watching Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 on the flight since I couldn't stomach trying to make sense of what was going on in the novel.
I skip this one and read King classics like "The Stand", "The Shining", "Bag of Bones", or any of the first three books in the "Dark Tower" series. ...more info - Should have ratings
I hear & say curse words every so often but it seems to be quite different to read them. You can't block them out. You can't ignore them. So with that being said I would like to see ratings (that they use on TV programs) so that you know what to expect. I am a Steven King movie fan & would just like to know what to expect when buying other books....more info - Stephen King has returned
An absolute page turner. This book is well conceived and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Loved it!...more info - a lot of text to say very little
I am a big fan of Stephen King's earlier books. They are extraordinarily creative and full of action.
The main character and a secondary character ("Wireman") were thoroughly developed and interesting. Other than that though, I found this book to be long and generally uninteresting. The villain was almost an afterthought. Hardly anything happened and the climax was blah. I had a hard time getting through this book. ...more info - A good read!
I really liked this book. It had a good story line that was unpredictable. It was long enough to really develop the story and I didn't read it in a couple of days. It did start out kind of slow but picked up quite nicely and though I wasn't crazy about how it ended, (I felt like I was left hanging but maybe that was what he wanted to do)I did enjoy the book. I am not a regular fan of Mr. King because I don't want to be scared to death when I read a book but this one was very good with enough intensity to keep you interested....more info - Another great one from Stephen King
This is a story of a man named Edgar Freemantle. He gets into a horrible accident on one of his work sites and loses an arm. He also loses a lot of his memory and becomes very angry. His wife divorces him and he decides to move down to a little island in Florida called Duma Key. He starts painting and that is when the real story begins. Edgar meets two interesting people on the island, Elizabeth Eastlake, an elderly rich woman and her caretaker, Wireman. Edgar seems to fit like a piece of a puzzle with them and with the island. Finding out what his special talent is and the secret Elizabeth Eastlakes has been hiding for the past 80 years make this book hard to put down.
I loved this book! Although it is under the horror category, it is not a gross bloody story. It is more creepy and scary than anything. There were several parts of the book that made my heart started racing because something jumped out at me. I hope Stephen King keeps writing great books like this for a very long time. ...more info - Eliza Luster
This book is great! Very few books lead the imagination into a world that leaves a permanent path straight to a fictional destination like Duma Key. With even a mention of the title, I taste the salt in the air and feel the struggle to overcome all pre-conceived expectations of perception.
It's passionate and eerily divine. A must read for those needing a coastal escape from their predictable, chaotic life. ...more info
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Memories are contrary things; if you quit chasing them and turn your back, they often return on their own. That's what Kamen says. I tell him I never chased the memory of my accident. Some things, I say, are better forgotten.
How to Draw a Picture
