Category Archives: Reviews

Book reviews, as well as Reads to Reels

Of Putin, Hamilton, wars, and corona

Posted on September 27, 2020 by

I entered quarantine on Tuesday, immediately after having my COVID test done. Since then my physical condition has improved (coughing is minimal, energy levels are much better) although until I test negative I’m still locked away from the public. I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

The Forest Unseen

Posted on September 20, 2020 by

In his Becoming Wild, Carl Safina remarked, “How long and rich a morning can be if you bring yourself fully to it. Come to a decent place. Bring nothing to tempt your attention away. Immerse in the timelessness of reality. … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

What Judgments Come

Posted on September 18, 2020 by

Star Trek Vanguard: What Judgments Come© 2011 Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore354 pages For three years, Vanguard Station’s mission of facilitating the exploration and colonization of the Taurus Reach has been sidetracked by its covert attempts to come to grips … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Becoming Wild

Posted on September 17, 2020 by

Becoming Wild: How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty, and Achieve Peace© 2020 Carl Safina375 pages In Becoming Wild, ecologist Carl Safina recounts his time spent with field scientists studying cetaceans, macaws, and chimpanzees, to share insights and speculation about … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Posted on September 16, 2020 by

A Thousand Splendid Suns© 2007 Khaled Hosseini372 pages “There is only one, only one skill a woman like you and me needs in life, and they don’t teach it in school . . . Only one skill. And it’s this: … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The Vanishing American Adult

Posted on September 15, 2020 by

The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming of Age Crisis , and How to Rebuild a Culture of Self-Reliance© 2017 Ben Sasse320 pages Why are teenagers and young adults floundering into maturity? Ben Sasse believes that much of the problem is … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Of WW2 and alternate schools

Posted on September 14, 2020 by

Early last week I accidentally bought a ‘book’ called One Man Air Force, by Don S. Gentle. I say “book” because it’s only 50 pages, and I would have returned it (I was browsing WW2 books and hit the ‘buy … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Resist Much, Obey Little

Posted on September 14, 2020 by

Resist Much, Obey Little: Remembering Ed Abbey© 1996 James Hepworth & Gregory McNamee254 pages To the States or any one of them, or any city of the States, Resist much, obey little,Once unquestioning obedience, once fully enslaved,Once fully enslaved, no … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Lives in Ruins

Posted on September 10, 2020 by

Lives in Ruins: Archaeologists and the Seductive Lure of Human Rubble© 2014 Marilyn Johnson272 pages Archaeology’s blend of history and science, topped off with a bit of danger, is a winsome combination. For those curious about it, Marilyn Johnson’s account … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , | 2 Comments

The Brothers Karamazov

Posted on September 9, 2020 by

The Brothers Karamazov© 1879 Fyodor Dostoevsky, trans. 1992 Pevear & Volkonsky840 pages Fathers and teachers, I ask myself: “What is hell?” And I answer thus: “The suffering of being no longer able to love.” The Brothers Karamazov has the unusual … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , | 8 Comments