Word: plot
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...always tastes better when it's free," but helps an old man who has fallen to the curb. On Tuesday night, after boozing it up with his "pals" he snatches a wad of cash from the hands of an unsavvy pedestrian. Where the book could now turn heavy with plot or philosophy, "Crime and Punishment"-style, instead Paul casually continues his life, flirting with women and planning a vacation with his ill-earned gains. What keeps you reading is the mystery of "why," and the smart writing that refuses to answer the question directly. Instead you get a glimpse into...
...Reading Zaben's oeuvre brings the films of John Cassavetes to mind. To enjoy both auteurs you need to divest yourself of the usual expectation for their chosen medium. Both use minimal plot devices as the seeds to study character and relationships in believable ways. The results are often as disorienting as life. Ever wonder why someone does something, or what, exactly is the relationship between two people? Welcome to Zaben's world. Although his two previous books were more confusing than revelatory, with "Tuesday and Thursday," Zaben has found the right balance between story arc and smart character writing...
...monsoon finally doused the extreme heat on the subcontinent late last week, allowing the masses to return to a semblance of a normal life. It will be a month before the full monsoon and its cooling rains sweep into Pakistan, however, leaving extremists plenty of idle time to plot revenge against India and ratchet up the pressure on their President...
Ironically, it was a network cop show, Steven Bochco's Hill Street Blues, that introduced serial "story arcs" into genre drama. But networks have retreated to the pre-Bochco era of "procedural" cop shows, in which character comes second to plot. The cops may have perfunctory personal stories, but you can easily ignore them and still enjoy the mysteries--that's why L&O has lost every original cast member yet enjoys its highest ratings ever. Cop procedurals are the new sitcoms: easily digestible, with stories wrapped up in one episode, they demand little commitment (and sell well in syndication...
...that plot isn't the only thing worrying U.S. officials. The Times of London in November reported that Western intelligence officials believe bin Laden's organization has acquired nuclear materials, allegedly from Pakistan. Although the Pakistani government pooh-poohed the reports and insists its nuclear program is in safe hands, it had earlier placed two of its best-known former nuclear scientists in "protective custody." One had been an outspoken supporter of the Taliban...