Though Baldwin's singular obsession with the Plumed Serpent makes his narrative seem forced at times, he has generally succeeded in writing a useful and condensed history of what transfixes foreigners about Mexico.

His natural bent of mind towards poetry coupled with his singular obsession to excel in the pursuit brought him fame and fortune.

Capek (pronounced CHOP-ek) is arguably Mr. Wechsler's singular obsession, just as he was the main reason for starting Catbird Press.

His singular obsession eventually rounds the bend into psychosis after he crosses paths with Marilyn O'Connor (Linda Kerridge), an Australian model and a Marilyn Monroe look-alike who becomes the physical embodiment of his cinematic desires.

From the day he became aware of her sin against him, of how wickedly she had robbed him, Senjin had, like a tireless stoker, fed his hatred with the singular obsession of someone fearful that without constant atten-tion it would in time fade like memories.

Mr. Whitmore, who was born in 1945, is writing about the American heartland of an earlier time, but "Nebraska" is far from being a tale of singular obsession.

Gigli successfully convinces the young man, Brian, to go off with him by promising to take him "to the Baywatch," which seems to be Brian's singular obsession, and turns out to just be the beach.

Since the massive destruction of his large business empire in 1982, one singular obsession has occupied his mind to the exclusion of all else: "Payment for my lands and my federally guaranteed relocation benefits."

Each dwarf pursues a singular obsession, called a focus, that requires at least a week to complete.