I have this crazy idea. I want to get Stephen King, Carl Sagan, and Lord Dunsany (Edward Plunkett) in a room together ... At first glance, these writers could NOT be further apart in terms of tone and subject matter. One of the books I am reviewing for this post isn't even fiction. But as... Continue Reading →
This is my third review of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro, and I have to admit, he's done it again! The Buried Giant is a superb fantasy tale told in a way only Ishiguro can. Very reminiscent of the fairy tales of yore, the book reminded me of my favorite fantasy classics, including The Last... Continue Reading →
In the 1980 film Somewhere in Time, Christopher Reeve (of Superman fame) plays a man who falls in love with a portrait of a young woman long dead. His obsession with her photo leads him to discard everything that reminds him of the seventies, and following a rather intense night of self-hypnosis, he travels back... Continue Reading →
After reading and reviewing Cloud Cuckoo Land, my best book of 2023, I knew I had to pick up another of Anthony Doerr's books. This time, I figured, why not the book that won him the Pulitzer? In true Doerr fashion, All the Light We Cannot See is a masterclass in poetry. Every sentence sings.... Continue Reading →
While I love the idea-driven, philosophically oriented science fiction authors of the 50s and '60s, the likes of which include Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clark, Philip K. Dick, Robert Heinlein, Frank Herbert, and Isaac Asimov---I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed by the first in Asimov's Foundation series. I truly, truly wanted to love... Continue Reading →
What can I say about this book that hasn't already been said? Harper Lee's masterpiece and only true novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, has been analyzed to death by critics and is quintessential reading for any middle school English class. How Lee manages to write with such pathos, conviction, and storytelling skill without ever having... Continue Reading →
I have thoughts. No surprise, I know, but being an oh-so-special lover of words, my thoughts tend to be stubborn things. They stick to my brain like molasses and refuse to go away. Unfortunately, we live in a time when having thoughts can be dangerous. Expressing an opinion---any opinion, really---is like strolling through a minefield.... Continue Reading →
You know Heather and I just had to talk about Amazon's most expensive show of all time, The Rings of Power, didn't you? As huge lovers of Tolkien's works and Peter Jackson's film adaptation, we try and parse through the honest detractors (the Tolkien purists) from the anti-woke crowd and get into the polarizing decision... Continue Reading →
Yes, we're doing it again! Intrepidly, boldly, perhaps a bit foolishly . . . Heather and I step back into the midst of the culture war. The political atmosphere in this country is particularly toxic right now, but we feel it's important to take a stand, as any conscientious person should --- because what we... Continue Reading →
I recently met a fan of mine (he's read both Ages of Aenya and The Princess of Aenya and is eager to begin The Feral Girl) who was very much at odds with my political views. Let's just say his beliefs threw me into a depressive, anxiety-laden spiral. As we continue slipping toward a future... Continue Reading →
The Art of Storytelling 
You must be logged in to post a comment.