Ford was not the most prolific of authors. He wrote 12 books. I’ve read 5 of them and am constantly on the lookout for the others. Each of those books left a distinct and lasting impression.

Ford did two things amazingly well – write characters and write in the moment. In The Princes of the Air, years pass in between sections, and yet Ford never gives in to the temptation use flashbacks. In The Last Hot Time, you only learn the main character’s background when he tells others. In neither case does the reader care, because the moment is so engaging.