Michael Thomas Corrigan

Cruising Paradise: Essays, Reviews and Stories Michael Thomas Corrigan

This collection's title is a nod to the late Sam Shepard who wrote a wonderful group of stories with a similar name. I have included an essay on Sam Shepard's work and legacy. There is an exploration of a huge topic, Christianity, that includes the counter viewpoint of writers like Albert Camus and Samuel Beckett.
Some of the portraits discuss the work of artists from Ernest Hemingway to Bob Dylan to Marlon Brando, a magnetic actor who created a new reality on stage and screen. I joined the tired debate about the true authorship of William Shakespeare's plays. There is a humorous take on a surprise birthday party for the mysterious Thomas Pynchon, and an article about romance and the senior citizen, written at a time when friends are disappearing. There is an examination of grief and spousal loss that may help other widows and widowers who face that tragic event.
Included are some human-interest stories: one about a high school classmate, Richard M. Bloom, missing in action in Vietnam, and another about the Mongelard family of Toulouse. The reader will find a story about my favorite cat, Missy, who loved the sound of blues harmonica.
My love of literature began with my father's bookshelf holding everything from popular novels to the complete works of Shakespeare illustrated with photos of famous actors in great roles. The Bard's mysterious yet rich language was a code holding magic. I hope the reader finds some interesst in these prose pieces.