Blogroll

Book Review: If Kennedy Lived by Jeff Greenfield

Some estimate books about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy number in the thousands. And with the 50th anniversary of the assassination coming next month, there’s been a growing stream of them this year about the assassination and Kennedy’s presidency and its legacy. Amidst the avalanche, political commentator Jeff Greenfield contemplates where we would […]

Book Review: Public Enemy: Confessions of an American Dissident by Bill Ayers

Although likely becoming prosaic, the phrases “walk the walk” and “talk the talk” remain effective shorthand. Their meaning is seen in the story of Bill Ayers. A founder of the radical Weathermen, Ayers and his wife Bernardine Dohrn spent 10 years underground as a result of their actions against the Viet Nam War. After their […]

Book Review: The Humans by Matt Haig

Normally, I would be writing about missteps and milestones today. But there weren’t really any missteps and there was a major milestone. As a result, I decided Matt Haig’s The Humans deserved more than a passing mention. It is the first book I’ve given a five star rating on Goodreads in two years. I also […]

Book Review: GOOD GOD JOHNNY by JJ Spankston

Unlike some, I don’t think “blind faith” is redundant (although it was one hell of a short-lived “supergroup”). Granted, faith necessarily implies belief without the need for evidence. But “blind” suggests the faith exists without contemplation or introspection and perhaps even through willful ignorance. If the blindness is exposed to questioning, thought or analysis, it […]

Book Review: Prophet of Bones by Ted Kosmatka

What if?

To me, those two words are one of the keys to good science fiction. The writer looks at a current state of affairs in politics, society or science (or all three), asks “What if?” and their imagination creates the foundation for a story. It certainly seems like that’s the method Ted Kosmatka used […]