Maureen Dowd

I read several columns by NY Times columnist Maureen Dowd. Her writing was excellent and drew the readers in with every word. She gives vivid descriptions of what she is writing about, whether it be about her brother's unique collecting hobby or a disobedient colonel. After reading a few pieces, one aspect of her writing style stood out to me. She starts with a strong, thought provoking sentence. I thought, "What does she mean by this?" and am rewarded with a rich, well documented story. As a writer, I've found one of the hardest things is to find the right beginning. And she does it incredibly well. For example, on her column "Usurper In Chief," she begins with a seemingly simple sentence: "He can't handle the truth." Another simple sentence follows" "At least not when he's facing the brig". Then she reveals who 'he' is: Lt.Col. Terry Lankin, a disgruntled colonel is wrapped up in a conspiracy theory that President Obama is not a natural born citizen of the United States.