Historical September–October 2002 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
A number of Skinker DeBaliviere neighbors are authors or artists.
In August, Marvin Nodiff, longtime resident of 61xx Westminster, joined these ranks. Nodiff, an attorney by profession, has produced a mystery novel reflective of his own real life experiences. Considered by many to be the community association/condominium guru, he helped to draw up the state statutes dealing with this genre. Nodiff has also served as counsel to many associations in the metro area and has been active in CAI, a national organization dealing with the management of community-run housing complexes. Recently, he taught a class dealing with these peculiar but burgeoning associations at Saint Louis University School of Law. Needless to say, his knowledge of his specialization is widely acknowledged. Five years ago, Nodiff turned his knowledge and experience to a different task.
He began to fashion a mystery involving community associations and their exercise of democracy after a fashion.
The result is “Special Assessment,” which “explores our love affair with democracy at its most intimate level, the community association, where elected leaders are largely untrained, unpaid, and unpredictable. Life in the association is a curious mixture of volatility and apathy, of common interest and self-interest, of noble aspirations and hidden agendas.” Those words are from Nodiff’s foreward and I vouchsafe that anyone who has been part of such an association can identify with Nodiff’s story.
As Hemingway noted, one’s life is reflected in one’s work so readers can avidly scour the pages of “Special Assesssment” to see who’s there.
On August 8. family and friends flocked to Left Bank Books to hear Marvin read from his work and to get their copies of “Special Assessment” signed.
The room was packed and it was a very successful evening. Left Bank is stocking this book and anyone interested may obtain a copy there.
Original photograph caption
Marvin Nodiff, book in hand, with Lana Stein at Left Bank Books. Photographer not credited.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, September–October 2002.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2002_09.pdf, printed page(s) 3; PDF page(s) 3.
