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| A shot from one of Bill Burman's many plays. |
In the movies, they have an expression called "meet-cute," generally the initiating event of all romantic comedies. Bill Burman and I had the artistic equivalent. I met him because his wife and my girlfriend worked together. Halfway through our first double date, Bill asked, "Are you
the Michael Vaughn?"
It wasn't as flattering a question as it sounded. As it turned out, fourteen years previous, Bill assembled his first evening of satirical skits, titled A Prayer and A Fart. Bill was betting his future career - playwriting or perhaps something more reasonable - on the outcome of this first production. It was a success, owing largely to a review from a critic at Good Times magazine named Michael Vaughn. I had just condemned him to years of starving artistry. (It wasn't my fault - his skits are hilarious.)
My reward for this act was years of friendship and some of the most insightful reviews my books have ever received. Bill well knows the ins and outs of storytelling, and always delves into the technical challenges faced by writers. He is a particular fan of my dialogues, and coming from a playwright that's an especially flattering observation.
One could point out some definite conflict-of-interest here, but I don't think Bill would have expended so much care and energy if he secretly thought I sucked. I also get the feeling if I ever really went off the rails, Bill would be the first to say, WTF are you doing, Vaughn? That said, please enjoy these takes on my novels.
(See my author page at
Amazon for all titles.)
Climies (four stars)
Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2020
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A novel in which self-proclaimed "patriots" react badly to a disaster is hardly comfort reading at this juncture in time, and I confess I had to stop reading this book several times because of certain recent events and go watch an old episode of Columbo to take myself out of the present and the dark future Vaughn portrays in "Climies" As the title implies, it is a politicized future where those of the pejorative nickname are sparring with "patriots" over the reality and consequences of climate change AFTER the disaster has already happened. Vaughn invites us to tour the likely results of our current equal time for science and deranged conspiracy theories free-for-all.
But of course Vaughn's writing is too refined to be a political screed. As usual, his latest novel is populated by complex characters such as Boss, the grizzled leader of the anti-climate science motor cycle gang menacing the Skyline community of "climies" struggling to survive in a world where the Pacific has swallowed up most of the Bay Area. And Vaughn doesn't allow a mere man-made catastrophe to dampen his joy in describing natural beauty in a transformed environment, luscious meals, futuristic technologies and the intriguing vagaries of human relationships. The plot is as imaginative as you'd hope from a science fiction novel, and though it is dark overall, it has a sort of pick-up-the-pieces hopefulness that takes the edge off a bit. My only complaint is that it seemed to end too soon for me.
A Painting Called Sylvia (five stars)
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2019
In A Painting Called Sylvia, Michael Vaughn veers from his more familiar terrain of bohemians, outcasts, religious refugees and tormented lovers into the lives of the comfortable but secretly anguished bourgeoisie. Chris and Clarice, a well-heeled couple raising their talented and lovely daughter Sylvia, navigate a series of shocks precipitated by the chance discovery of a crayon-pen sketch in a coffeehouse. An intense but tender family drama, the story plunges us into the minds and souls of all its principal characters, and Vaughn's artistry makes us feel like we are sitting in a room with each one separately, listening to a flesh and blood individual relate their experience. The teen-aged girls seem as well realized as the middle-aged men. The characters seem somehow both fresh and familiar, and the arc of their relationships is unexpected and satisfying. The story seamlessly works through issues of parenting in the modern age, aesthetics, high school dating and domestic violence. A mysterious artist named "Marcello" looms large over the whole affair, and the healing power of art is in play. Oddly enough, this cynical reader in these cynical times finds Vaughn's hopeful novel itself a rejuvenating experience.
Figment (five stars)
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2017
"Figment" is Michael J. Vaughn's 20th novel, but in a way it's his "8 1/2." Like Fellini in his classic, Vaughn's fictional self parties with a menagerie of his own characters, and takes on society's attitudes about struggling artists, his critics, and a world where only the vapid thrive. Certainly he could be accused of self-indulgence, but as Michelangelo argues in the famous Monty Python sketch where he is confronted by the Pope over his interpretation of the Last Supper, which features 28 apostles, a kangaroo, and three Jesuses, "It works, Mate!" Vaughn explores the tenuous line between creator and creation/reality and fiction with a wild, sexy, road trip up and down his beloved Pacific Coast, through dive bars and funky cafes, and the crazy heart of Left Coast bohemia. As always, the dialogue and descriptive writing are a joy to read, although occasionally, the hipster banter becomes tiresome. And Vaughn's ability to write strong, well drawn female characters has never been more apparent. His protagonist, Channy Adams, while apparently suffering a mental breakdown, refuses to stop pulling the thread that may unravel her whole existence or reveal its ultimate source. Vaughn took some huge risks in "Figment," and for me, they paid off.
Double Blind (four stars)
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2007
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In Double Blind, Vaughn fearlessly confronts the nagging ambiguities of love, monogamy, sex, and family in the age of the Internet. And has a hell of a time doing it. His protagonist, Hopkins Grinder, a sexually adventurous geneticist, endures a moribund marriage for the sake of his kids. His ill-advised experiment to placate his unhappy wife launches a series of sexual misadventures that have both comic and dramatic effects. Grinder's dilemma is achingly human, and Vaughn makes us feel it so keenly that we can identify with Grinder in his most extreme moments. His relationship with his kids, who are particulary well drawn characters, gives him even more depth. The struggle with his seemingly neurotic wife leads to astonishing revelations and a truly original resolution. Vaughn offers no palliatives but rather a fresh and bracing look at love and family life in the 21st century. Oh, and did I mention it is also a fantastic love story.
The Monkey Tribe (four stars)
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2010
A marvelous romp through yet another California subculture. An inspiring story of rejuvenation, renewal, and random breat grabbing. Vaughn's contagious exuberance for life comes through in his fine literary depictions of everything from opera arias to Peruvian coffees. The book also features the best description of being stoned in English prose. I felt like I was high, and I haven't touched the stuff for years. Bravo
Slow Children (four stars)
Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2016
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A gripping tale of the emotional costs of artistic achievement, tempered by Vaughn's passion for road trips through the Pacific Northwest, playful romances, and all things sensual. In "Slow Children," Vaughn does for Rock and Pop music what he did for opera in "Gabriella's Voice," giving us an fascinating insider's view of the intricacies of songwriting and performing. His comic take on the maddening frustrations of band dynamics makes one relieved not to be a musician. The larger question the book poses, however, is does the quest for artistic greatness imply the fraying of human bonds? Is musical genius a tornado that lays waste to relationships on its way to masterpiece? "Slow Children" is a thoroughly absorbing exploration of that topic, with many a delightful side trip along the way.
Frosted Glass (four stars)
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2003
"Frosted Glass" is a marvelous tale of romance and escape from the Silicon Valley. Michael Vaughn brings his characters and various west coast locales to life with linguistic brilliance and a gentle wit. Vaughn's gift for description is evident in everything from his delineation of his characters' interior lives to his rendering of sumptuous meals and fantastic seascapes. His characters have personal mythologies every bit as fascinating as the main story and their romance manages to be both playfully sexy and soberingly existential. Their struggle to discover the realities of love and work outside the narrow parameters of Silicon Valley culture is by turns heartrending and hilarious. This is truly one of the best novels I have ever read about creative people in the micro-chip metropolis. It gives one hope that authenticity can survive in a world dominated by cellphones, pagers, laptops and SUVs.
The Popcorn Girl (four stars)
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2012
As a Catholic school veteran turned Agnostic, I found "Popcorn Girl" fascinating on a number of levels. The story says a lot about the impact of religious upbringing on identity. Can we ever really escape the iconography and the theology embossed in our young minds? Even rebelling against it somehow ties you to your religious background. People, like the characters in Vaughn's book, can wrestle with it their whole lives, sometimes without being aware of it. And the people in "Popcorn Girl" are dealing with religious baggage that made mine feel very light indeed. I loved the main character, Paul, a recovering Jehovah's Witness and vigorous Atheist whose knowledge of religious history would put a holy roller to shame. His efforts to help the tormented Jasmina sort out her murky past while carrying on a fairly torrid romance makes for a great story, with many a shock along the way. As always with Michael Vaughn, the characters are well developed, the story is rewarding, and the dialogue is fluid and clever. I need to reread it, because I think I read the book it in two hours.
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