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True to his independent spirit, Savage brought the book to his readers without the benefit of a go-between publisher. The experience of having written over twenty-five previous books has resulted in knowing his way around the publishing world. Without the help of the “mainstream media” he has promoted it, modestly, and his been rewarded with orders.

In his daily radio programs he intersperses things political with stories about his life. He also mixes it up with commentary about Hollywood’s shallow offerings, to keen insights as to what is going on in the world.

With seventy-five stories from which to choose, if one story doesn‘t intrigue you, turn the page and you will find one that does.

All Savage’s titles are provocative and you want to find out what is hiding behind them. One such is “Love By the Sewer Plant”. It is a story about what is dear to most people, their first love. Savage describes how his own first love happened by the unromantic venue of the sewer plant:

…..”one day a group of entertainers came around and just stared at this girl. They came running up to her as if I wasn’t there. I was holding her hand and walking with her. We were just kids. One of them said, ‘Man, I wanted you to see this girl! This is the girl I was telling you about’. They looked at her like she was a specimen of biblical beauty”.

….”So we two kids walk down the hill, cross the river, roll up the dungarees, take off our shoes - our legs were blue - and we have a little bit of passion together. It was my first moment of passion and not exactly on the level of a complete moment of passion - but, for me, it was the first of that type. So now I’m star-struck”.

There is a scarcity of words about this encounter, but you know exactly what he is talking about and can feel his emotions. This is as risqué as it gets in “Psychological Nudity“. He has depended on imagination all his life and expects you to do the same here.

One current theme in his book is the eschewing of social snobbery. He tackles it in “When Pasta Was Spaghetti”, and “Political Museums and Downfall of Western Culture”.

Savage describes characters from the past, the ones who used to make spaghetti with no pretenses that it was anything but hardy and satisfying noodles. He says:

……”Well, it used to be called ‘spaghetti’. Now it’s ‘pasta’ at $10 a plate,” He laments the passing of the dish at 50 cents a plate, and using more poetry than prose, does it proud by describing one restaurant:

…..”In neon letters that you couldn’t miss, even through a fogged-over window on a cold winter’s eve, there was life: marinara sauce that stuck to the seat; noodles as long as your young arm; meatballs as fluffy as your dreams of them; bread on the table that you’d eat against your parents’ admonition that ‘the meal was a-coming, the meal was coming’”.

….“That was spaghetti before it became pasta’”. Savage says that was before pasta began to put on airs.

In “Political Museums and Downfall of Western Culture” Savage points out that museums have become politically correct and not solely devoted to the beauty of art. Because his father had an antique store he became well acquainted with museums and appreciated the art he found there. However, he points out that he quit going because:

“Too many exhibits were propaganda, not art. They put a basket from Guatemala next to a Rembrandt and they tell you they’re culturally equal! You hear? Nevertheless, the European collections are still there - and they still stand out, and they are still worth going to see.”

He describes his visit to a museum:

“So, let me begin at the end: I left the museum after two hours and came out feeling enlightened. I use the word ‘enlightened’ in the way it truly was written and meant to be understood: I felt lighter inside. My spirit was lifted from association with great art. I stood nose to nose with Hopper and Church and other great artists - you know, the sight an inch from the oil paint is an astonishing thing to behold. You can literally feel the movements of the brush. It does something to your mind that you can’t compare with anything else - certainly not television or a movie.”

Here, Savage’s words again are poetic. It makes you want to visit a museum and get right up close to see the swirling of the brush marks by the masters.

In “Psychological Nudity” Michael Savage has pulled out all the stops. He has used all the literary skills he possesses. From a writer’s viewpoint, a recognition of these skills brings admiration. From a reader’s viewpoint, they have produced a cornucopia of stories told by a master.

Barbara Anderson

Biography - Barbara Anderson

Barbara regularly writes for CapitolHillCoffeeHouse. She also appears in California Chronicle, Border Patrol, and Citizens Caucus. Her primary interest is illegal immigration, but she writes about other subjects as well.

Barbara lives in a large city on the West Coast. Her loyalties are with God, family, country, heritage and borders.

She enjoys music, painting, poetry and song writing.