Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Tom MacDonald

After a long career in business, Tom MacDonald changed careers and now works in the non-profit sector. He received his BA from Stonehill College, MBA from Boston College, Carroll School of Management and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine.

His new novel is The Charlestown Connection.

Last month I asked the author what he was reading. His reply:
Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad

A native of Russian Poland (now Ukraine), Conrad's native language was Polish, and yet he is counted among England's great novelists. For twenty years he worked as a seaman, and during that time he sailed to the Congo Free State (only five years old in 1890) where he got his material for Heart of Darkness. He writes of colonial exploitation, mercenaries, hoarders of natural resources, and adventurers--Heart of Darkness is still a great read today. For writers, Conrad is a master craftsman, a genius of language, a writer we can still learn from him today. He seamlessly and metaphorically mixes the the darkness of the African continent with the darkness of the human heart, and its potential for evil and corruption. Five stars.
Visit Tom MacDonald's website.

--Marshal Zeringue