Stegner and Kushner: All American Authors

Book Report:


A book of reflection, 'Crossing to Safety' by Wallace Stegner, is not usually my cup of tea. In this case, I was won over by the overwhelming attention to detail, not the boring kind, but the ones that matter, and that make a story 'real'. Not for the action-adventure fans, but great for someone looking to slow down and take a deeper look at life.


'Angels in America: Millenium Approaches and Peristroika' by Tony Kushner appeared on my bookshelf (as they often do when friends come visiting- they disappear as well). I remember about fifteen years ago when the plays made it to Broadway in succession, and caused an enormous stir. I pretty much ignored it at the time, but upon hearing that HBO had made it into a movie just recently, I decided to see what it was all about. The stir, even now, is justified. Rarely does a play bring one issue so close to even those who weren't there or previously had difficulty imagining being effected by AIDS. Believe it or not, I found a copy of the HBO movie here in Cameroon (strange coincidence) and was able to watch it shortly after reading it- excellent (special recognition to Mary Louise Parker, who nailed her part). If you're not into plays, at least rent the movie.