About GB,HR.

Welcome to Great Books, Half Read; the Online Home of Martin Marks.

Sometimes, it’s a blog about literature, an enabler of overused parentheses and em dashes (see the beginning of sentence, and right now), a sanctuary to the ephemeral, a temple for vague and oftentimes incoherent ramblings &c. &c.

I’m a writer of everything but poetry (Teleplays, novels, screenplays, yes! Sestinas, villanelles, no!) who graduated from Johns Hopkins with a BA in Near Eastern Studies (Egyptology) and Writing, an MA in Writing, and then an MFA from NYU in Writing. As my father likes to tell me—somewhat quoting Chico Marx (no relation)—a few more degrees in Writing, and I’d make one hell of a plumber. Here is a picture of me:

(Photo by Hanuk)

While the internet may seem to be a democratic institution, and while GBHR strives to be a noocracy, it will sometimes seem a benign autocracy at best (perhaps, with contributors, even an oligarchy), a fearful totalitarian dictatorship at worst.  Inasmuch, comments will be moderated, weird hyperlink-type entities will be banished, and other rules as I see fit. Though I hate to say it, Big Brother is Watching—but, please, for both of our sakes, think of this ‘Big Brother’ as being Scott Baio from Charles in Charge. So, Scott Baio is Watching.