Many men are named James E. Anderson. The man pictured above is not one. That’s U.S. Grant, working on his memoirs in 1885. Grant wrote his memoirs late in life as he was dying of cancer. The book was a huge best-seller and critical success.
It shows you the possibilities.
As I was saying, many men are named James E. Anderson, as am I. But I’m probably not the one you want, unless the one you want is a scruffy, 70+ year-old who grew up in Michigan, married improbably well, taught college, squandered his talent, and retired just before finding out that he had a rare type of cancer. If that’s the guy you want, you have found him.
Seriously, there are a lot of James Andersons in the world. I know because I have been sued twice by people who thought I was one of the others.
I usually go by “Jim.” For positive identification, that’s a step backward, but at least it’s friendly.
My hobbies include reading, writing, computer game design and programming, playing games, and watching YouTube.
I used to blog, but haven’t for many years. I got into blogging just as it was dying and opinionated show-offs were turning to podcasting.
I had a podcast for a while, too.
Then everyone moved on to making videos for YouTube and TikTok, and I said to hell with it.
Here are actual photos of me, in case you’re still thinking I’m the guy you want.
Above: looking scraggly in 2023, after cancer treatments and major surgery. Below: looking almost professorial (and a bit shifty) in 2017.
The photos should remove any doubt about whether I’m the James E. Anderson you want. That settled, I should get to work on my memoirs.
Or start a YouTube channel.
Last updated August 14, 2025