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Afterthoughts
A collection of afterwords from New York Times bestselling author Lawrence Block, a Grand Masater of the Mystery Writers of America.
In a career spanning more than fifty years, Lawrence Block has produced more than one hundred books, ranging in genre from hard-boiled detective stories to pseudonymous erotica. Collected here for the first time are more than forty-five afterwords from the works that made him a master of modern fiction.
Each afterword is an insightful reflection on the experiences that have brought Block’s fiction to life, from the lessons he learned as a reader at a literary agency to the unlikely—and semi-autobiographical—origins of the acclaimed Matthew Scudder series. Witty and inspiring, Afterthoughts is a must-read for Block fans and mystery lovers alike.
This ebook features an illustrated biography of Lawrence Block, including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection.
In a career spanning more than fifty years, Lawrence Block has produced more than one hundred books, ranging in genre from hard-boiled detective stories to pseudonymous erotica. Collected here for the first time are more than forty-five afterwords from the works that made him a master of modern fiction.
Each afterword is an insightful reflection on the experiences that have brought Block’s fiction to life, from the lessons he learned as a reader at a literary agency to the unlikely—and semi-autobiographical—origins of the acclaimed Matthew Scudder series. Witty and inspiring, Afterthoughts is a must-read for Block fans and mystery lovers alike.
This ebook features an illustrated biography of Lawrence Block, including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
9 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Block
768 books2,989 followersLawrence Block has been writing crime, mystery, and suspense fiction for more than half a century. He has published in excess (oh, wretched excess!) of 100 books, and no end of short stories.
Born in Buffalo, N.Y., LB attended Antioch College, but left before completing his studies; school authorities advised him that they felt he’d be happier elsewhere, and he thought this was remarkably perceptive of them.
His earliest work, published pseudonymously in the late 1950s, was mostly in the field of midcentury erotica, an apprenticeship he shared with Donald E. Westlake and Robert Silverberg. The first time Lawrence Block’s name appeared in print was when his short story “You Can’t Lose” was published in the February 1958 issue of Manhunt. The first book published under his own name was Mona (1961); it was reissued several times over the years, once as Sweet Slow Death. In 2005 it became the first offering from Hard Case Crime, and bore for the first time LB’s original title, Grifter’s Game.
LB is best known for his series characters, including cop-turned-private investigator Matthew Scudder, gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanner, and introspective assassin Keller.
Because one name is never enough, LB has also published under pseudonyms including Jill Emerson, John Warren Wells, Lesley Evans, and Anne Campbell Clarke.
LB’s magazine appearances include American Heritage, Redbook, Playboy, Linn’s Stamp News, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and The New York Times. His monthly instructional column ran in Writer’s Digest for 14 years, and led to a string of books for writers, including the classics Telling Lies for Fun & Profit and The Liar’s Bible. He has also written episodic television (Tilt!) and the Wong Kar-wai film, My Blueberry Nights.
Several of LB’s books have been filmed. The latest, A Walk Among the Tombstones, stars Liam Neeson as Matthew Scudder and is scheduled for release in September, 2014.
LB is a Grand Master of Mystery Writers of America, and a past president of MWA and the Private Eye Writers of America. He has won the Edgar and Shamus awards four times each, and the Japanese Maltese Falcon award twice, as well as the Nero Wolfe and Philip Marlowe awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Diamond Dagger for Life Achievement from the Crime Writers Association (UK). He’s also been honored with the Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award from Mystery Ink magazine and the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement in the short story. In France, he has been proclaimed a Grand Maitre du Roman Noir and has twice been awarded the Societe 813 trophy. He has been a guest of honor at Bouchercon and at book fairs and mystery festivals in France, Germany, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Taiwan. As if that were not enough, he was also presented with the key to the city of Muncie, Indiana. (But as soon as he left, they changed the locks.)
LB and his wife Lynne are enthusiastic New Yorkers and relentless world travelers; the two are members of the Travelers Century Club, and have visited around 160 countries.
He is a modest and humble fellow, although you would never guess as much from this biographical note.
Born in Buffalo, N.Y., LB attended Antioch College, but left before completing his studies; school authorities advised him that they felt he’d be happier elsewhere, and he thought this was remarkably perceptive of them.
His earliest work, published pseudonymously in the late 1950s, was mostly in the field of midcentury erotica, an apprenticeship he shared with Donald E. Westlake and Robert Silverberg. The first time Lawrence Block’s name appeared in print was when his short story “You Can’t Lose” was published in the February 1958 issue of Manhunt. The first book published under his own name was Mona (1961); it was reissued several times over the years, once as Sweet Slow Death. In 2005 it became the first offering from Hard Case Crime, and bore for the first time LB’s original title, Grifter’s Game.
LB is best known for his series characters, including cop-turned-private investigator Matthew Scudder, gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanner, and introspective assassin Keller.
Because one name is never enough, LB has also published under pseudonyms including Jill Emerson, John Warren Wells, Lesley Evans, and Anne Campbell Clarke.
LB’s magazine appearances include American Heritage, Redbook, Playboy, Linn’s Stamp News, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and The New York Times. His monthly instructional column ran in Writer’s Digest for 14 years, and led to a string of books for writers, including the classics Telling Lies for Fun & Profit and The Liar’s Bible. He has also written episodic television (Tilt!) and the Wong Kar-wai film, My Blueberry Nights.
Several of LB’s books have been filmed. The latest, A Walk Among the Tombstones, stars Liam Neeson as Matthew Scudder and is scheduled for release in September, 2014.
LB is a Grand Master of Mystery Writers of America, and a past president of MWA and the Private Eye Writers of America. He has won the Edgar and Shamus awards four times each, and the Japanese Maltese Falcon award twice, as well as the Nero Wolfe and Philip Marlowe awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Diamond Dagger for Life Achievement from the Crime Writers Association (UK). He’s also been honored with the Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award from Mystery Ink magazine and the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement in the short story. In France, he has been proclaimed a Grand Maitre du Roman Noir and has twice been awarded the Societe 813 trophy. He has been a guest of honor at Bouchercon and at book fairs and mystery festivals in France, Germany, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Taiwan. As if that were not enough, he was also presented with the key to the city of Muncie, Indiana. (But as soon as he left, they changed the locks.)
LB and his wife Lynne are enthusiastic New Yorkers and relentless world travelers; the two are members of the Travelers Century Club, and have visited around 160 countries.
He is a modest and humble fellow, although you would never guess as much from this biographical note.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 5, 2017
This is a collection of afterwords taken from an assortment of Block reissues in which Block (one of my favorite crime writers) discusses the genesis of many of his earlier works and includes autobiographical details that surround the writing.
If you have ever heard Block read one of his own books (he is a master narrator, by the way) you’ll hear his unique cadence even in some of these short essays.
Reading the book is like sitting with Block in a dimly lit bistro and having a lovely chat with an old friend.
If you have ever heard Block read one of his own books (he is a master narrator, by the way) you’ll hear his unique cadence even in some of these short essays.
Reading the book is like sitting with Block in a dimly lit bistro and having a lovely chat with an old friend.
January 19, 2012
Afterthoughts collects the many afterwords that Lawrence Block has written mostly for his out-of-print works that have become available as ebooks. Not surprisingly, given Block's recent popularity, these works skew toward the beginning of his career. Because Block chose not to take the time to turn Afterthoughts into a coherent memoir, he offers it for 99 cents and makes no bones about what it is: an extended advertisment for his backlist. In return for that bargain price, you are not allowed to complain that you hear certain stories over and over again, sometimes verbatim, as they are repeated in the afterwords to different novels from the same time period. Everything is informal and chatty and reads quickly, and you will be consistently entertained (if you can put up with the repetition). On top of that, the book serves Block's stated purpose well: You will likely finish Afterthoughts with a good idea of which Block ebooks you want to buy.
June 2, 2012
Compelling Look At Lawrence Block's Writing
Afterthoughts is the reflection by author Lawrence Block on the writing of his many books. In a neat little twist, he revisits the writing of each book and reflects upon his life then, as he wrote the book, but from the hindsight perspective of now which adds a wry flavor to most of his commentaries. Mr. Block began Afterthoughts, his memoir, many years ago, and it is still a work in progress which makes it ideally suited for the ebook format.
If you ever wondered what a famous author's personal life was really like, and what was going on when he wrote certain books, this is your chance to learn. You'll laugh at his references to his future ex-wife, but you'll see the pathos in his droll statements as well.
Afterthoughts is funny, poignant, and a better portrait of mystery author Block than a formally written autobiography would be. At times, it's laugh out loud funny, and it's always brutally honest. As Block discusses each book he has written in his fifty-year career, he frames the writing of the book with what was going on in the world at large--and in his own world--to give the reader a snapshot of the outer world around him and a very personal view of him and his life.
Highly entertaining and deeply person, the book is a bargain for fans, casual readers, and writers at only $.99 from Amazon Kindle. I highly recommend his memoir.
Afterthoughts is the reflection by author Lawrence Block on the writing of his many books. In a neat little twist, he revisits the writing of each book and reflects upon his life then, as he wrote the book, but from the hindsight perspective of now which adds a wry flavor to most of his commentaries. Mr. Block began Afterthoughts, his memoir, many years ago, and it is still a work in progress which makes it ideally suited for the ebook format.
If you ever wondered what a famous author's personal life was really like, and what was going on when he wrote certain books, this is your chance to learn. You'll laugh at his references to his future ex-wife, but you'll see the pathos in his droll statements as well.
Afterthoughts is funny, poignant, and a better portrait of mystery author Block than a formally written autobiography would be. At times, it's laugh out loud funny, and it's always brutally honest. As Block discusses each book he has written in his fifty-year career, he frames the writing of the book with what was going on in the world at large--and in his own world--to give the reader a snapshot of the outer world around him and a very personal view of him and his life.
Highly entertaining and deeply person, the book is a bargain for fans, casual readers, and writers at only $.99 from Amazon Kindle. I highly recommend his memoir.
January 4, 2015
One for avid fans only, this. Literally, a collection of afterthoughts Block has previously published with his work. The draw here is that Block has never really told the story of his life - though one recent book covered part - so piecing these together does (almost) constitute an autobiography... of sorts. Quite a bit of repetition and probably more of a 'dip into' memoir. Despite it's drawbacks, due to his unique style I enjoyed it.
May 22, 2016
This is a collection of afterwords and introductions, mostly from when Block began releasing his older stuff as eBooks. Gets repetitive toward the end as a lot of the stories about how he started out are repeated in many of the afterwords. But still a fascinating glimpse into the story behind the stories from a prolific author who started out in the pulp magazines in the 1950s.
June 14, 2020
Published as an e-book in 2011, Afterthoughts is a collection of various introductions and afterwords written by Lawrence Block for sundry republications and new editions of his books. Many of these are early pseudonymous novels. Throughout the volume, Block relates personal tales of his young adulthood, of the publishing industry, and of how each of these stories came to be written. He describes it a "piecemeal memoir written on an installment plan".
The good news is that Block is a natural born storyteller. His anecdotes are funny, and they often involve entertaining tidbits about other well-known authors such as Randall Garrett, Brian Garfield, and Don Westlake.
I did have two complaints about the book, however. If it is intended to be read primarily as a memoir, I wish Block had arranged the pieces in chronological order based on when the books were written. As it stands, the narrative jumps back and forth in time.
Block also stated upfront that he intended to update this book periodically with new material as he re-released more of his older novels. In the nine years since, he has in fact republished over thirty out-of-print volumes of both fiction and non-fiction from his back catalog. For some, he wrote a new afterword. For others, he wrote mini-essays about the books' histories on their product description page. However, he never updated Afterthoughts, which makes this book now feel woefully out of date.
I suppose one could argue that a compendium of this nature is already long enough at 256 pages, but so many recent Lawrence Block reminiscences are missing. The Jill Emerson bibliography has now grown by two books. Block’s lost first crime novel Sinner Man has been found and let loose on the world again. Different Strokes is newly adorned with an afterword describing how John Warren Wells came into existence and why he wrote an X-rated screenplay as well as an outrageous production diary and fake interviews with cast and crew that fooled readers for decades into believing this film was actually made.
The good news is that Block is a natural born storyteller. His anecdotes are funny, and they often involve entertaining tidbits about other well-known authors such as Randall Garrett, Brian Garfield, and Don Westlake.
I did have two complaints about the book, however. If it is intended to be read primarily as a memoir, I wish Block had arranged the pieces in chronological order based on when the books were written. As it stands, the narrative jumps back and forth in time.
Block also stated upfront that he intended to update this book periodically with new material as he re-released more of his older novels. In the nine years since, he has in fact republished over thirty out-of-print volumes of both fiction and non-fiction from his back catalog. For some, he wrote a new afterword. For others, he wrote mini-essays about the books' histories on their product description page. However, he never updated Afterthoughts, which makes this book now feel woefully out of date.
I suppose one could argue that a compendium of this nature is already long enough at 256 pages, but so many recent Lawrence Block reminiscences are missing. The Jill Emerson bibliography has now grown by two books. Block’s lost first crime novel Sinner Man has been found and let loose on the world again. Different Strokes is newly adorned with an afterword describing how John Warren Wells came into existence and why he wrote an X-rated screenplay as well as an outrageous production diary and fake interviews with cast and crew that fooled readers for decades into believing this film was actually made.
December 14, 2018
If Lawrence Block wrote insurance pamphlets, I'd read them.
This book isn't an insurance pamphlet, but it's stillnot something you'd think would be all that fascinating—a collection of introductions Block has written for various reprints of his works. Here's the thing, though: it's Lawrence Block, and he can make anything interesting, even that hypothetical pamphlet. The anecdotes behind each book are insightful and sometimes funny, but they also give a glimpse into the publishing world back in the so-called day, and over the course of the various intros, we get something of a biography of the writer.
Intros to the books I've read make me want to read them again, and the intros to the ones I haven't make me want to remedy that right away. Buy this book, and I warn you, your want-list will grow pretty quickly.
This book isn't an insurance pamphlet, but it's stillnot something you'd think would be all that fascinating—a collection of introductions Block has written for various reprints of his works. Here's the thing, though: it's Lawrence Block, and he can make anything interesting, even that hypothetical pamphlet. The anecdotes behind each book are insightful and sometimes funny, but they also give a glimpse into the publishing world back in the so-called day, and over the course of the various intros, we get something of a biography of the writer.
Intros to the books I've read make me want to read them again, and the intros to the ones I haven't make me want to remedy that right away. Buy this book, and I warn you, your want-list will grow pretty quickly.
September 2, 2011
Full review to follow after the weekend!
* * * * *
Every time in the past month that I told people I was reading a book collecting Lawrence Block's afterwords (and some introductions) from various ebooks, I got the same response: a somewhat quizzical raising of the eyebrows and a vague "oohhh" sound that indicated I had perhaps lost my mind, because how interesting could a bunch of afterwords be, anyway?
Very interesting is the answer.
Block is a master storyteller not matter what form or format he's working in. These essays (and that's what they are) are the next best thing to a full-on memoir. In them, he relates how each book he discusses came to be written but he also manages to tell the highlights of his life story and of course share some anecdotes about his writer friends.
What makes the book interesting is that each afterword was originally written and published separately. And so what we get when we take them as a whole is various angles on the same set of life experiences. In some hands, that could just feel repetitive. But Block doesn't tell the story the same way twice even as he manages to keep all the details consistent. By the sixth or seventh (I didn't bother actually counting) retelling of his time working the slush pile for the Scott Meredith Agency, I felt like I was hanging at the bar with an old friend listening to a story I knew the ending to but couldn't wait to hear anyway.
If you want a glimpse into what the "paperback originals" market was like for writers in the 60s and 70s, as well as a look at why someone would choose to write under multiple pseudonyms long past the time where he'd need to, read AFTERTHOUGHTS. If you want an overview of a writing life, read AFTERTHOUGHTS. If you want to get to know Lawrence Block better, but despair of ever meeting him in person, read AFTERTHOUGHTS. If you want to laugh while you glean some advice on writing, read AFTERTHOUGHTS.
Well, what are you waiting for? Go read AFTERTHOUGHTS already!
* * * * *
Every time in the past month that I told people I was reading a book collecting Lawrence Block's afterwords (and some introductions) from various ebooks, I got the same response: a somewhat quizzical raising of the eyebrows and a vague "oohhh" sound that indicated I had perhaps lost my mind, because how interesting could a bunch of afterwords be, anyway?
Very interesting is the answer.
Block is a master storyteller not matter what form or format he's working in. These essays (and that's what they are) are the next best thing to a full-on memoir. In them, he relates how each book he discusses came to be written but he also manages to tell the highlights of his life story and of course share some anecdotes about his writer friends.
What makes the book interesting is that each afterword was originally written and published separately. And so what we get when we take them as a whole is various angles on the same set of life experiences. In some hands, that could just feel repetitive. But Block doesn't tell the story the same way twice even as he manages to keep all the details consistent. By the sixth or seventh (I didn't bother actually counting) retelling of his time working the slush pile for the Scott Meredith Agency, I felt like I was hanging at the bar with an old friend listening to a story I knew the ending to but couldn't wait to hear anyway.
If you want a glimpse into what the "paperback originals" market was like for writers in the 60s and 70s, as well as a look at why someone would choose to write under multiple pseudonyms long past the time where he'd need to, read AFTERTHOUGHTS. If you want an overview of a writing life, read AFTERTHOUGHTS. If you want to get to know Lawrence Block better, but despair of ever meeting him in person, read AFTERTHOUGHTS. If you want to laugh while you glean some advice on writing, read AFTERTHOUGHTS.
Well, what are you waiting for? Go read AFTERTHOUGHTS already!
December 1, 2011
This turned out to be one of the more expensive books I've ever read even though I only paid forty cents for it. The volume collects all the afterwords Block has written for his work over the years, assembling them into something vaguely like a memoir.
Now I'm the sort of person who loves to read afterwords and forewords (and introductions, and acknowledgments -- hell, I even skim the copyright page); I get annoyed when I see one of my favorite books has been reissued with a new afterword. So this book is right up my alley. But it has one major drawback -- after reading each piece, I want to buy the book it's about. Most of Block's ebooks were on sale on the day I bought this, so I was able to indulge the urge with the first few sections without breaking the bank (I ended up spending $40 for what would've been upwards of $200 at full price).
The nature of the book means that there's quite a bit of repetition -- after a while you'll be saying, "Yes, Larry, I know you went to Wisconsin in the mid-60s to work for a numismatic magazine" -- and if you try to read it in one sitting you'll end up skimming some pieces because they repeat, with minor variations, the same story about how Block chose a particular pseudonym. But on the whole it's a fun read, particularly the sections about older books, back in the day when even legitimate publishers and agents conducted business in ways that would have Writer Beware sending out emergency bulletins. My favorite stories involve Block writing fake psychological case studies as though he were a real doctor with real patients. I can't help but feel I should take notes about such schemes and churn out a quick ebook. Maybe a voters' guide full of made up facts about the presidential candidates and their positions.
Now I'm the sort of person who loves to read afterwords and forewords (and introductions, and acknowledgments -- hell, I even skim the copyright page); I get annoyed when I see one of my favorite books has been reissued with a new afterword. So this book is right up my alley. But it has one major drawback -- after reading each piece, I want to buy the book it's about. Most of Block's ebooks were on sale on the day I bought this, so I was able to indulge the urge with the first few sections without breaking the bank (I ended up spending $40 for what would've been upwards of $200 at full price).
The nature of the book means that there's quite a bit of repetition -- after a while you'll be saying, "Yes, Larry, I know you went to Wisconsin in the mid-60s to work for a numismatic magazine" -- and if you try to read it in one sitting you'll end up skimming some pieces because they repeat, with minor variations, the same story about how Block chose a particular pseudonym. But on the whole it's a fun read, particularly the sections about older books, back in the day when even legitimate publishers and agents conducted business in ways that would have Writer Beware sending out emergency bulletins. My favorite stories involve Block writing fake psychological case studies as though he were a real doctor with real patients. I can't help but feel I should take notes about such schemes and churn out a quick ebook. Maybe a voters' guide full of made up facts about the presidential candidates and their positions.
July 10, 2014
This book collects afterwords crime writer Lawrence Block has written for various new editions of his books, including electronic versions. The books range from his more famous crime novels and series books to lesbian novels and other adult novels published under pen-names in the 50s and 60s...by today's standards they seem rather tame and, as Block points out, "adult" novels are rather ill-named since they appeal to the readers at the most immature and juvenile levels; even when writing those he added dashes of humor and insight that would become more apparent as he matured as a writer. So, what's the point of reading these afterwords, especially when many of them are for books you have not read or are unlikely to read unless you're an absolute Block completist? What I derived from them was a view of the publishing industry during the mid-century period, the opportunity to learn more about the life a writer I like, insights into the writing process, and revelations about books I did not know he had written. On a personal level, I enjoyed the many references to William Hamling, my old boss (once removed). Even though a half-century has passed (sorry, Larry) since Block started writing, much of the advice he gives is still as relevant now as it was then.
November 15, 2011
Assembled from afterwords of many of his older books recently brought back into print as ebooks, so there's repetition, but also a lot of interesting information on what it was like to write back in the 60s (to present).
Block once wrote a book in 3 days, including 85 pages in one day.
Warning! While the kindle edition of this book only costs 99 cents, it may lead to much greater expenditures buying
some of the fascinating-sounding books it talks about. At least that's how things turned out for me, and I regret nothing.
My two favorite quotes were:
"The difference between being in print and out of print is the same as the difference between being alive and being dead." -- Donald Westlake
"Sometimes I'm asked what's the one pierce of writing advice I consider most important.
Write to please yourself, I reply.
That's not all there is to it, not by any means.
But there's nothing without it."
-- Lawrence Block
Block once wrote a book in 3 days, including 85 pages in one day.
Warning! While the kindle edition of this book only costs 99 cents, it may lead to much greater expenditures buying
some of the fascinating-sounding books it talks about. At least that's how things turned out for me, and I regret nothing.
My two favorite quotes were:
"The difference between being in print and out of print is the same as the difference between being alive and being dead." -- Donald Westlake
"Sometimes I'm asked what's the one pierce of writing advice I consider most important.
Write to please yourself, I reply.
That's not all there is to it, not by any means.
But there's nothing without it."
-- Lawrence Block
January 2, 2012
Block's substitute for a memoir, and backhanded promotion of his more obscure work; don't think I'll read much of the soft core porn, but the writer's guides and collaborations look interesting. He argues in favor of the alphabetical-by-book arrangement style here because otherwise there would've been too much editing necessary; I think that too much editing (or more, anyway) would have eliminated the redundancies and made it less like eating pepperoni without a pizza underneath it. Each of the afterwords inside it rates higher than this book as a whole.
June 11, 2012
It's a neat little book of the development of a writer, but it really boils down to a bunch of gathered Afterwords grouped together. Alone, they are pretty interesting, but by the tenth or fifteenth one, there was far too much repetition to hold my interest. Block's story of growing out of writing pulp fiction is an interesting one, but there was only so many times I could hear it before the message became a little stale.
October 27, 2014
This is a great book to dip in and out of, though it's probably of most interest to those who have read and enjoyed Block's books, as I have. Even if you haven't read all the ones these 'afterthoughts' belong to, they still reveal a lot about the way Block writes, which is always interesting and he has a lightness of touch, and a good deal of humour, which make these short pieces very enjoyable.
March 24, 2013
Due to its nature as a collection of afterwords to various Block books, this book is unavoidably repetitive. I do wish we'd gotten an actual memoir, but at this late date I think it's safe to say this is the best we'll get (at least until he collects his recent series of articles for Mystery Scene.)
September 30, 2014
I like this sort of memoir. Block collected all his afterwords to his old books and his stories make up a disjointed life story. I like how it was all revolving around the writing. Some of the stories were repeated several times, but in each retelling, something different came to light, depending on which book he was writing about. Fun
May 6, 2016
Block's a likable writer: it's fun to read his own descriptions of each of his books (as this is a book of prefaces and afterwords to his own books), most of which are being republished (many published under his own name for the first time). Fun if you're already a fan of his and know a number of his books. I don't know what one would take away if they hadn't already read him.
August 22, 2013
I've read Afterthoughts through twice. Mr. Block is one of the few writers that I don't get bored listening to spill advice.
September 4, 2011
Interesting read about Block but too repetitive.
August 27, 2013
Interesting. It is a collection of afterwords for backlist books recently issued as ebooks. I will probably never read the books but did enjoy the back stories. Lb has led a very interesting life.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews