Curations from the Human Jungle
[Silverback Digest exclusive interview with the author: SD: Where did the inspiration for this novel come from? Stephen Morris: I'm not sure I would call it "inspiration."] The Cross Campus, 1987 Grafton College in South Deerfield, Massachusetts, is built around a large rectangular green bisected by two concrete sidewalks that connect the four corners. Where... Continue Reading →
[It's impossible to market a novel these days. In addition to the fact that there are no more book stores, people just aren't reading fiction. They are especially not reading fiction by a Vermont writer whose claim to fame is that he has created a fictional "jungle" where he rallies a motley crew of fellow... Continue Reading →
[So what's this whole "Jungle" thing all about? My operating premise is that, despite all our modern conveniences and conveyances and conventions, we are essentially the animal critters who lived in the jungle 100,000 years ago, and the better we understand those creatures, the better we will understand ourselves. Forget the modern artifices ... we... Continue Reading →
[Bananas are great, so are chutes and leaves, but sometimes you are hankering for that taste experience that you've never had before. Here are some ideas. SB SM] 14 Flavor-Bomb Condiments That Rescue Boring Meals No matter how good a cook you are, there will always be days when you’re just not on your game.... Continue Reading →
[Paul Theroux is a notorious curmudgeon. He is also one of our best living writers and a natural Silverback. One year, as a Christmas present to Silverbelle Sandy, I went online and bought used copies all of all of Paul's travel books. It cost a pittance, but provided both of us with hours of reading... Continue Reading →
[A friend of mine, Silverbelle Janis, once asked "Did you ever stop to think ... that elevators smell different to midgets? It is, indeed, a profound metaphysical question. SB SM] A gorilla's sense of smell is stronger and more evolutionary intact than a human's, though both species share a similar sensory blueprint as primates. While... Continue Reading →
[What else you going to do this morning? By the way, the buzz about my pants continues. Silverbelle Mary Jane, from the Arid Zone says "I haven’t been out of the house today, and I’m about 10 miles out of downtown, but there is some kind of ruckus going on down there so I’m guessing... Continue Reading →
[Ever try to garrotte a Silverback gorilla? You won't last long. Why do some crimes manage to instill fear in an entire society. The Unibomber comes to mind. And the Tylenol tampering? How about the guy who was shooting people at gas stations through the hole in his trunk? Anthrax, anyone? (And don't ask me... Continue Reading →
[As a self-style rock 'n roller, I've always been a little dismissive of Metal as a musical genre. Sure, it's loud and fast, and kinda fun, but other parts I just don't get-- the glam, the posturing. The reality show escaped me as well. But, time moves on, the children get over, and now even... Continue Reading →
[This proves my point. "Oo-oo" is really all you need. Want a banana? "Oo-oo?" "Give me that banana!" "Oo-oo!!" "Put that banana where the sun don't shine." "Fuk-oo." All the rest is window dressing. This is a clear and simple explanation of how our language evolved. I learned a lot. Above all, the "rule" of... Continue Reading →