Category Archives: Book Reviews

Book Review:  The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann

The title of this book confused me at first; I thought it referred to a bet. In fact, however, The Wager refers to the HMS Wager, a British man-of-war named after Admiral Sir Charles Wager, which left England in 1740 … Continue reading

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Book Review:  The Mandala of Sherlock Holmes: The Adventures of the Great Detective in India and Tibet; also known as Sherlock Holmes: The Missing Years by Jamyang Norbu

Many novels and stories have been written by a variety of writers using the character of Sherlock Holmes. I have read none of these by other authors than the original until now. However, when I was young I read with … Continue reading

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Book Review:  Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond

This new study on poverty in the United States and what to do about it is by the author of the brilliant study Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City. In Evicted, Desmond focuses on about a dozen Milwaukee … Continue reading

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Book Review:  Liberation Day: Stories by George Saunders

I have been eagerly looking forward to reading the latest short story collection by George Saunders, but I had to be patient, as it is a much-sought-after item at our local library. Now that I have read it, I can’t … Continue reading

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Book Review:  When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

Paul Kalanithi, the author of When Breath Becomes Air, majored in literature in college and then decided to go into medicine. He chose to become a neurosurgeon and neuroscientist, which involves some of the most difficult academic and residency training … Continue reading

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Book Review:  The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere by Pico Iyer

Fogged in by a spate of loneliness, I decided to deal with the gnawing, empty feeling by turning the negative into positive. To accomplish this, I conducted a search for books on solitude, and compiled a list of about a … Continue reading

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Book Review:  All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

I have just finished reading this amazing novel, and I am unsure of how to approach it as a reviewer. In truth, I am in awe of it. I approach it as I might approach a priceless painting or sculpture … Continue reading

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Reviews and Reflections on Books, Literature, and Writing: Volume Three Is Now Available!

My latest collection of book reviews, Reviews and Reflections on Books, Literature, and Writing: Volume Three, is now available in paperback and as an ebook at various online outlets. Links to these are below. From the author’s introduction: A popular … Continue reading

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Book Review:  Cinema Speculation by Quentin Tarantino: Part Two

When I wrote part one of this review of Cinema Speculation, my grandson Charlie was nine and a half months old. Today is his first birthday. That’s how long it has taken me to obtain a copy of the book … Continue reading

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Book Review:  Cinema Speculation by Quentin Tarantino: Part One

I have recently returned from a two-week trip to Los Angeles. (This first part of the review was written in February.) However, this was not a holiday venture during which I spent my time wining and dining and touring places … Continue reading

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