Author: Benton Savage
The Significance of Uncle Tom’s Cabin
I had heard of Uncle Tom’s Cabin when I was young but only read it a few years ago. Though I don’t read as much now, my interest was piqued by two facts: it was the best-selling novel of the 19th century and second only to the Bible in overall sales. I knew it was… Read more
How Jack Kerouac’s On the Road Still Inspires Wanderers
I started reading Jack Kerouac’s On the Road the day after graduating college. I’d always known about the novel, but what really drew me in was a quote from actor Nick Nolte. He once said that On the Road had profoundly shaped his life. While I wouldn’t say I idolize Nolte, that kind of endorsement… Read more
How Hemingway Hooked Me and Ruined My Damn Life
Damn You, Ernest Hemingway Hemingway’s Influence: A Double-Edged Sword I don’t like Ernest Hemingway. I used to love him, but not anymore. And I have good reason. You see, Ernest Hemingway ruined my life. Since I finished reading The Sun Also Rises thirty years ago, I’ve believed I could be a novelist. What Papa made… Read more
The Fox, the Grapes, and the Truth About Excuses
A hungry fox saw some fine bunches of grapes hanging from a vine that was trained along a high trellis, and he did his best to reach them by jumping as high as he could into the air. But it was all in vain, for they were just out of reach. So he gave up… Read more