A tale of chalk, polished nails and generational incomprehension
Of course, the whole sorry tale ends up in court, bringing the series of fictional character sketches from Jim Gabour’s latest novel, Unimportant People, to a triumphant close.
... in which Jim expresses his preferences for criminal cases; and in which Slaughter and he are relieved of civil duties
A day of media coincidences disgorges its meanings to the last
This is the fourth of a series of fictional character sketches from the openDemocracy writer’s latest novel, Unimportant People…
This is the third of a series of fictional character sketches from the openDemocracy writer’s latest novel, Unimportant People…
III
Anyone on the street can tell you about his
Gabour, Giffords, gangs, guns and self-righteous thugs. The massacre in Arizona is part of a murderous culture, one in which death and violence are a norm and hardly reprehensible. It needs weapons to survive, but also a sentiment of righteous indignation that only a real or imagined support group
A fire rages through a block. Rebuilding is never done. It gets wearying. First published Feb 4th 2006
"Do not place cadavers or feces on the sidewalk for curbside collection." Or try and set up a soup kitchen serving hippie food. Petty abuses of power will not be stopped by a city-destroying, life-crushing calamity. First published November 1st 2005
As Louisiana braces itself for Tropical Storm Bonnie, Jim Gabour reflects on the current mood in New Orleans.
The ruined Louisiana marshes remain off limits, but locals gather at a fund-raiser in New Orleans’ Vaughan’s Bar and work out what they can do, as the oil spreads ever eastwards
