185 ratings | 105 reviews | avg rating:3.49

Joe’s Year In Books

Joe’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Joe’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

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Joe’s Bookshelves

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Joe’s Friends (15)

Angel

14,448 books | 4,928 friends

RAPHAËL ZÉLA

128 books | 2,029 friends

Gaia

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Renée Gendron

278 books | 99 friends

Surabhi Sharma

834 books | 788 friends

Thomas O. Scarborough

155 books | 3,119 friends

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16 books | 26 friends

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Joe Clark

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

https://joeclark-blogger.com

Twitter

joeclark_343

Genre

Fiction, Romance

Member Since

August 2015

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Joe Clark’s Demented got him Long-Listed for the Book Viral Millennium Book Award in 2020. His novels, The Walsh’s: the Coming of Eve, Demented, and MacGregor’s Final Battle are Book-of-the-Month selections. He writes Contemporary Drama and Urban Adventure. His “deliciously flawed characters” face moral and ethical dilemmas as they battle through challenging times. April Walsh, a suburban housewife and struggling writer, puts it all on the line in her undercover investigation of sex work. She and friend, PI Nickey Arnold, fight for the prickly, often abrasive, Cindy Foster when her porn past threatens to destroy her. Nurse’s Assistant, Kate Graham crosses lines when she falls in love with an elderly patient in MacGregor’s Final Battle.
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Popular Answered Questions

In what way does your experience enter your books?

Joe Clark Like all writers of fiction, I draw on my memories as a source of my creations.
Three of my four novels have been set in the Greater DC metropolitan ar…moreLike all writers of fiction, I draw on my memories as a source of my creations.
Three of my four novels have been set in the Greater DC metropolitan area where I have lived for over 40 years.
The Walshes are Catholics - practicing but not deeply committed. April is a struggling writer and her world view most closely mirrors mine (at least in my opinion). Husband Joe is a career engineer like me. He played varsity sports in college - like me. Their daughter Becky was based in part on my daughters.
Jack Edward's physical appearance is based on a cop I had a run in with while a grad student at VPI.
The setting and some of the characters carry-over to Demented,
Physical confrontations in the two books are informed by my decades as a martial artist - Shotokan Karate and Kung Fu
MacGregor's Final Battle is partly biographical Mac is an elderly, retired engineer - many details of his early life and career are borrowed from my life. But my second wife and I are still chugging along and we have a great relationship with out children. Kate Graham was inspired by a friend who is a nurse and Eddie Flores is modeled on my son-in law. The road trip was inspired by my own experiences driving across country.(less)

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What book or author would you say has influenced you the most as a person or a writer?

Joe Clark Thank you, Sara. I have been giving some thought to this question. I cannot pinpoint one book - either as a life guide or as influencing my writing. C…moreThank you, Sara. I have been giving some thought to this question. I cannot pinpoint one book - either as a life guide or as influencing my writing. Certainly no one book influences both writing and living.
As to writing, Stephen King's "On Writing," is a strong influence but it doesn't give specific guidance. "Fast Fiction" by Denise Jaden, the first book I read when I started writing novels, was more helpful. "Revision and Self-editing" by James Scott Bell introduced me to those processes. Finally "Conflict and Suspense" by Bell was my bible while I was writing Demented. Each of those books strongly influences how I approach my writing.
As to life, I believe I am more influenced by people real and fictional. Bret Maverick is my culture hero. Rhett Butler is another icon. I can't stand characters like TV MASH's Major Burns. I have read a great many books covering many aspects of life. Two stand out. The Tao Te Ching attributed to Lao Tsu and a book I can't find on Amazon. Back in the 70's, I read a book about a new way to look at living. Somewhat like The Power of Positive Thinking and PsycoCybernetics. I believe there were three main principles: Define your life goals in a way that gives you the best chance of winning; stay focused on your goal - don't let side issues get the best issues; create a garbage dump where you can dispose of the negative crap that gets dumped in your lap. I try. But like almost everybody else I find it difficult to focus on draining the swamp when I'm up to my ears in alligators.(less)

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Combine Editions
Joe Clark’s books

Average rating: 3.97 · 681 ratings · 84 reviews · 5 distinct works • Similar authors

	Demented 3.71 avg rating — 271 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	MacGregor's Final Battle 4.34 avg rating — 196 ratings — published 2023 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Walshes: The Coming of Eve 3.73 avg rating — 169 ratings — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Cauldron: A Struggle for Survival 4.86 avg rating — 42 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Survive (1) 3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Joe Clark's Blog

Common Sense Health Care

It’s time for a common sense tough love approach to health care. Even Barack Obama recognized that his signature legislation, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) needed an overhaul. The American Health Care Act of 2017 (AHCA) proposed by President Trump and GOP congressional leaders is not the overhaul that is needed. It will not provide… Continue Reading Common Sense Health Care

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Joe is Currently Reading

Joe Clark is currently reading

Once Upon a Death (Days of Death #1)

by Dzintra Sullivan (Goodreads Author)

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Mar 10, 2026 07:34PM

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The Killer Angels (The Civil War Trilogy, #2)

by Michael Shaara

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Jan 13, 2026 10:44AM

Joe Clark is currently reading

Beyond Mach 3: A Pilot’s Journey Through The U-2 and SR-71 (1950 to 1970) A Memoir

by Buddy Brown

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May 26, 2025 10:27PM

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Joe’s Recent Updates

Joe Clark is 20% done with The Harp and the Eagle: The whole issue of what the Civil War was about is muddled. Modern liberals insist slavery was the single issue. But saving the Union was as important if not more so. The 13th Amendment abolishing slavery only matters because the North won the war Preserving the Union was the key concern for Irish immigrants in the North (there were plenty of Irish soldiers in the Confederate army,) The Harp and the Eagle: Irish-American Volunteers and the Union Army, 1861-1865 by Susannah Ural progress:	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 25, 2026 07:50AM · like · see status
Joe Clark is 16% done with The Harp and the Eagle: To the Irish immigrant population, the Republican Party in 1860 was simply a reworking the NoNothing party - anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant. Stephen Douglas was going to protect the Constitution and the rights of poor, struggling Irish immigrants - not Lincoln. The Harp and the Eagle: Irish-American Volunteers and the Union Army, 1861-1865 by Susannah Ural progress:	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 23, 2026 05:11PM · like · see status
Joe Clark is now following Holly Bourne and Colleen
May 03, 2026 09:15PM
Joe Clark is currently reading Once Upon a Death (Days of Death #1) by Dzintra Sullivan (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 10, 2026 07:34PM · like
Joe Clark liked chuck r's review of The Cauldron: A Struggle for Survival: "An excellent historically correct fiction that puts you right in the middle of the action. Feel the chaos of the times, the fright of the battle, and even the boredom of the individual soldier waiting for his next assignment. High marks on this one J" Read more of this review »
Jan 20, 2026 04:58AM · see review
Joe Clark liked Charlotte's review of The Cauldron: A Struggle for Survival: "The Cauldron is a powerful, human-centered Civil War novel that goes beyond dates and battles to focus on the people who bore the cost of history. Joe Clark brings the era to life through Tom Donal, his brother John, and those bound to them by war, l" Read more of this review »
Jan 20, 2026 04:58AM · see review
Joe Clark is currently reading The Killer Angels (The Civil War Trilogy, #2) by Michael Shaara	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 13, 2026 10:44AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Joe Clark rated a book liked it Turn Signals Are the Facial Expressions of Automobiles by Don Norman	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 13, 2026 09:25AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Turn Signals Are the Facial Expressions of Automobiles by Don Norman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Turn Signals Are the Facial Expressions of Automobiles by Don Norman <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Joe Clark rated a book it was ok Abundance by Ezra Klein	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
The premise is based on the kind of thinking that is precipitating climate crisis and the collapse of out society. The prospect of humans stuffed in endless high rise apartment buildings smacks of chicken coops like my family used back in the 1950's ...more
Jan 13, 2026 09:25AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Abundance by Ezra Klein. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Abundance by Ezra Klein <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Quotes by Joe Clark (?)

“Everybody dies. What counts is how you live.”
― Joe Clark, MacGregor's Final Battle

1 likes

Joe’s Quotes

“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.”
― John F. Kennedy

tags: apollo, apollo-program, kennedy, lunar, moon, nasa, president-kennedy, rice-university, space, space-exploration, space-travel

116 likes

“A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing.”
― Oscar Wilde

tags: cynicism

4104 likes

“A warrior must focus his attention on the link between himself and his death . . .. He must let each of his acts be his last battle on earth. Only under those conditions will his acts have their rightful power.”
― Carlos Castaneda, Journey to Ixtlan: The Lessons of Don Juan

23 likes

“Spread a little kindness and your blessings will be greater than the sum of its parts.”
― Angel M.B. Chadwick

tags: wisdom-inspirational

1 likes

“Everybody dies. What counts is how you live.”
― Joe Clark, MacGregor's Final Battle

1 likes

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