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Clyde Curley

Goodreads Author

Born

in Coronado, California, The United States

Website

http://clydecurley.com

Influences

I've always been in awe of three grand novels in the American canon: " ...more

Member Since

November 2012

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/clydecurley

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I was born into a Navy family, and as a consequence I grew up all over the country, with forays to Spain and North Africa, providing me with childhood experiences that profoundly affected my view of the world, its peoples, and their joys and problems.

After graduating from high school in Hawaii, I took most of a year to work (picking fruit, washing dishes) before settling in California in the mid-60s to attend college (B.A., S.F. State, 1968). As one can imagine, this, too, was a cultural experience all its own. Following these years--and marriage to my high school pal, Susan Allison--I commenced a 31-year career teaching high school English in Oregon, retiring from a wholly satisfying, partially exhausting life as a teacher in 2001.

Almost I was born into a Navy family, and as a consequence I grew up all over the country, with forays to Spain and North Africa, providing me with childhood experiences that profoundly affected my view of the world, its peoples, and their joys and problems.

After graduating from high school in Hawaii, I took most of a year to work (picking fruit, washing dishes) before settling in California in the mid-60s to attend college (B.A., S.F. State, 1968). As one can imagine, this, too, was a cultural experience all its own. Following these years--and marriage to my high school pal, Susan Allison--I commenced a 31-year career teaching high school English in Oregon, retiring from a wholly satisfying, partially exhausting life as a teacher in 2001.

Almost immediately, after moving first to Friday Harbor and then Bellingham, Washington, I began work on "Raggedy Man," which is now available for your delectation (and purchase!). There is much to say about this project, not least that while it strives to tell a ripping good mystery yarn, it also carries the kind of political and philosophical baggage one might find in a mainstream novel. But I'll leave that up to the reader to discover--and to judge.

Reading and books: always more than simply a professional imperative. Bette Midler was a classmate and good friend during my senior year in high school. At the time, she accused me (not the right word, actually) of not living life fully, but rather living it through books. At the time, and for some years after, I fretted and worried over this remark, but that was a long time ago. I do live an active life, but a life in books needs no excuse or even explanation. In its own right it is a deeply powerful, endlessly rewarding, emotionally stimulating, and intellectually challenging pursuit. I offer praise to any and all who live a life in books!

Or, more precisely, reading of any kind that allows the individual consciousness to interact fully with cultural and political life. To this end, I am a fan of the classic circulating magazine that tries to do it all: The New Yorker, Harper's, The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Review of Books, etc. My reading time is spent as much in those pages as it is in the latest novel, biography, or history--or in the classic works of fiction that I keep going back to (not, while we're at it, forgetting Shakespeare; oh, yes, Shakespeare).

I need to add that the relatively small but incredibly active world of folk music captured a part of my soul and being many years ago. The old fiddle tunes of the British Isles, French Canada, and rural America (especially Appalachia) give me a deep and enduring jolt every time I pick up a fiddle, guitar, or mandolin. To this end, I am active in playing music in various bands for country dances all over the Pacific Northwest, and have been for years. This interest led me to assisting Sue Songer of Portland in producing the popular tune book series "The Portland Collection" (also available for purchase).

Now I am learning to write fiction, and I am having a hell of a good time doing so. I am throwing everything I know about how good books should read, even "feel," if that makes any sense. It's a fun business. It's a serious business. And I hope you readers out there enjoy the fruits of my labors. ...more

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Clyde Curley's Blog

High stakes school testing

There was a terrific interview today (12/15/14) on Seattle radio station's KUOW with a high school teacher who has written critically about and engaged in active protest against standardized testing in the schools. (http://kuow.org/post/case-against-hig...). This is one of the issues I address in my new novel, "A Cup of Hemlock." The teacher in the interview, Jess Hagopian, argues that such testin Read more of this blog post »

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Published on December 15, 2014 19:24

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Clyde Curley’s books

Average rating: 4.23 · 90 ratings · 26 reviews · 5 distinct works

	Raggedy Man (Detective Toussaint Mystery #1) 4.15 avg rating — 47 ratings — published 2012 — 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
	A Cup of Hemlock 3.75 avg rating — 20 ratings — published 2014 — 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
	The Portland Collection: Contra Dance Music in the Pacific Northwest by Susan Songer, Clyde Curley (Goodreads Author) 4.79 avg rating — 14 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
	The Portland Collection: Contra Dance Music in the Pacific Northwest, Volume 2 by Susan Songer & Clyde Curley, Clyde Curley (Goodreads Author) 4.86 avg rating — 7 ratings	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
	A Cup of Hemlock it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2014	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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Clyde Curley is currently reading

Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815

by Gordon S. Wood

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Oct 10, 2014 10:25AM

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message 5: by Clyde

Dec 30, 2012 12:14PM

Heather, I'm happy to sign any copies anywhere anytime, including the ones that are mailed out of my house (the PayPal route). When you put the PayPal order in, there's an option to put a message in e-mail form that comes to us. That message could be: Please sign my book, Clyde! I have done this for many people so far. Of course, I'll be signing books at O'Connor's Vault in Portland (next door to Annie Bloom's) on Jan. 10. Annie Bloom's will have a freshened shipment by then, since they will be selling them out of their shop at the same time. Go to Annie Bloom's website for further information. And if you're in Portland, please drop by. I'd love to see you. But either route will get you a signed copy, guaranteed! And thanks for asking!

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message 4: by Heather (last edited Dec 28, 2012 07:38PM)

Dec 28, 2012 07:38PM

Clyde wrote: ""Raggedy Man," a murder mystery set in Portland, Oregon, exploring continuing and contemporary political and philosophical issues confronting our society is now available for purchase. Go to my web..."

If I buy via PayPal (versus going to Annie Bloom's and yet again depleting their stock!), will you do your adoring public the favor of personalizing the book? I've kinda got a signed collection going with such illustrious authors as Ralph Nader, Ursula LeGuin, Dar Williams, Michael Moore, and of course Courtney Miller Santo. I'd love to add an original Clyde Curley to my collection...

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message 3: by Clyde

Dec 04, 2012 02:22PM

Go to clydecurley.com for information about how to buy "Raggedy Man" directly from the author. PayPal option is offered!

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message 2: by Clyde

Dec 02, 2012 10:11PM

"Raggedy Man," a murder mystery set in Portland, Oregon, exploring continuing and contemporary political and philosophical issues confronting our society is now available for purchase. Go to my website, clydecurley.com, for ordering information, or order the e-book version from Amazon or Barnes & Noble. I'm looking forward to seeing reader reaction to this, my first novel.

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message 1: by Heather

Nov 17, 2012 06:34AM

Yay! Glad you're here.

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