Thomas Berger
The author identifies Thomas Berger as “one of America’s three or four greatest living novelists.” At the time of writing, that was certainly true. Today, sadly, he ranks merely as one of America’s greatest novelists of all time, having passed away in 2014. Berger is specifically mentioned in connection with the publication of his novel Meeting Evil, but an overview provides insight into the irony of Berger being not just a greater writer, but infinitely accessible yet never becoming close to the best-selling mainstay he should have been.
Shirley Jackson
Singled out as the author’s favorite writer is the author Shirley Jackson. He makes note of the fact that as recently as a decade earlier Jackson’s name was capable of drawing blank stares until the title of her famous story was mentioned: “The Lottery.” In the intervening years, Jackson has finally begun to get the attention she deserves and it is beyond question that there are more people today than ever who identify her as their favorite writer.
James Brown
Many musicians and rock bands are mentioned and profiled over the course of the book, but none receive quite the genuflection of appreciation as the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. Ten pages is devoted the story of James Brown in comparison to the less than three complete pages devoted to the author’s confessed favorite band: The Go-Betweens.
Drew Barrymore
Although primarily a collection of non-fiction in the form of mostly short essays, a few selections qualify as pure fiction. Or, at least, one hopes they are intended to be fiction. For instance, the six separate paragraph-length stories of Drew Barrymore include the actress who got her start in E.T. riding down elevator with Alfred Hitchcock and the author and later running in the New York City Marathon with the author, Laurence Olivier and Dustin Hoffman.
Thomas Jefferson
The centerpiece of this collection—the essay most often assigned for study or analysis—is one which examines the nature of plagiarism against as historical foundation of artists borrowing aesthetics from other artists to produce aesthetics. Thomas Jefferson fits into this topic courtesy of being a character singularly associated with the concept of copyright protection. To wit: copyright laws should provide "just enough incentive to create, nothing more, and thereafter allowing ideas to flow freely, as nature intended."
