Michael A. Kahn

Opening Passages to Greatness

Posted on April 25, 2018September 23, 2021 by Michael Kahn

The other day I stumbled upon The Heart, a wonderful series in the online version of The Atlantic in which authors discuss their favorite passages in literature. Browsing through the collection, I came upon John Rechy’s discussion of his favorite, which is the opening sentence of William Faulkner’s short story, “A Rose for Emily,” which also happens…

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Make America Naughty Again

Posted on February 22, 2018February 22, 2018 by Michael Kahn

As many of my readers know, I haven’t been able to quit my day job. Fortunately, the focus of my day job is intellectual property law–a legal realm sprinkled with just enough quirky issues to keep my day job fun. One such example is the subject of my latest post on my law firm’s blog,…

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Cain is able, better than most, and far darker: An Appreciation

Posted on February 16, 2018February 22, 2018 by Michael Kahn

At least thirty years had passed since I first read The Postman Always Rings Twice by James Cain. I confess that during those intervening decades my memory of the short novel had faded into a vague recollection of a dark somewhat sexy crime story involving low-life hustlers that took place somewhere in California. Oh, occasionally I would…

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The Magical Lure of the Intimate Voice

Posted on December 18, 2017December 21, 2017 by Michael Kahn

I have written here and elsewhere of the power of a great opening line. If you can imagine a bookstore as a crowded singles bar with each book hoping to get lucky, that first sentence essentially functions as the author’s pick-up line. Sure, a sexy book jacket helps, since it will increase your chances of…

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I’m Sorry, Anna.

Posted on December 9, 2017October 26, 2019 by Michael Kahn

For more years than I’d care to admit, my take on Leo Tolstoy’s novel Anna Karenina was perfectly summed up by fellow Missourian Mark Twain, who famously defined a “classic” as a novel “that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read.” But then a few months ago, while browsing my bookshelves in…

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What’s Your Dream Reading Spot?

Posted on September 22, 2017September 24, 2017 by Michael Kahn

On a lounge chair near a waterfall? How about a desert isle beneath the shade of a palm tree? Or maybe on a raft floating down a lazy river? Is there a margarita on a little side table? Or perhaps a Corona with a lime wedge? I received delightful email from a self-described book lover…

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Books and Cigars? Yep!

Posted on September 5, 2017September 5, 2017 by Michael Kahn

Never done a book event in a cigar bar, so this should be interesting–and fun (and hopefully not too smoky)!! Here’s the link to the event–and to the rest of the Bookfest events. When: 3 pm September 23rd. Where: Brennan’s (4659 Maryland Ave., St. Louis MO)

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A Truly Challenging Question for Me (and You)

Posted on August 1, 2017February 16, 2019 by Michael Kahn

I received an email from the folks at Goodreads asking for me to answer the following question: “If you could travel to any fictional book world, where would you go and what would you do there?” What a great question! And one you should ask yourself as well. Here’s how I answered it: I started…

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Can’t Leave Rachel Out!

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Michael Kahn

As you might infer, the main character in my Rachel Gold mystery series is named Rachel Gold. But back in the beginning, back many years ago, on the eve of publication of my first novel, Grave Designs, there was no Rachel Gold mystery series. Just a mystery novel featuring as the protagonist a savvy young…

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Relaxing With Some Tense Thoughts

Posted on June 12, 2017July 2, 2017 by Michael Kahn

My epiphany occurred as I read an interview of John Updike from nearly a half century ago. Ah, I said to myself, nodding my head, so that’s why I did it. The “it” was doing something I’d never before done in all of my prior novels and short stories. Each of those prior works, like the…

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