He Cuts To The Chase

i remember the first time i picked up a somerset-maugham book it was his razor's edge. it bowled me over. another one of his books which left an impression on me was the moon and six pence. now, i'm going through his malaysian stories. i found the worn paperback in the library and to my surprise it was published locally. his signature irony and humor were intact. his bend towards naturalism couldn't have been more obvious. most of all, i loaned it out because i wanted to know what he thought of my part of the world in his stories.

and since we're into remembering these days... eric carle. saturday saw me hunting for his books due to a customer's request. but not before a few quiet moments flipping through his artwork and recalling myself at 7 years of age hanging on to the teacher's every word during storytelling. the very hungry caterpillar anyone?