I apologize in advance. This is even longer than usual.The Stuff: Author Blake Callens wrote this book in response to The Case for Christan Nationalism by Stephen Wolfe. It is information-dense and appears intended for a Christian audience—perhaps clergy?—who understands theology and American and European history. All is not lost, however. Even an old heathenContinue reading “Review of “The Case Against Christian Nationalism: An Expository Commentary on Stephen Wolfe’s Book” by Blake Callens”
Category Archives: book review
Review of “Reunion: A Story: A Novella” by Alex Diaz-Granados
Full disclosure: author Alex Diaz-Granados and I have been net buddies for (is it possible?) nearly twenty years, first becoming acquainted at the now-defunct site Epinions, lo, these many years ago. Plot:Jim Garraty’s dream of becoming a history professor at a prestigious university has come true. He has some well-regarded publications under his belt andContinue reading “Review of “Reunion: A Story: A Novella” by Alex Diaz-Granados”
Review of “After the Forest” by Kell Woods
The Stuff: Hänsel and Gretal have grown up and now live in the Black Forest at the close of The Thirty Years War. Rumors abound of Greta’s childhood doings with the old crone in the woods—did she really push that old woman into the oven?—but, for the most part, the villagers accept her. She bakesContinue reading “Review of “After the Forest” by Kell Woods”
Review of “Harbour Street” by Ann Cleeves
Plot: Detective Joe Ashworth is on the Metro, bringing his daughter Jessie home from a school program. The train is crowded because of the holidays. Joe noticed a couple necking. A well-dressed elderly lady boards, and Joe wonders why someone with money didn’t take a taxi. Bad weather stops the train, and the passengers exitContinue reading “Review of “Harbour Street” by Ann Cleeves”
Review of “How to Sell a Haunted House” by Grady Hendrix
This New York Times Bestseller by horror writer Grady Hendrix mixes horror, grief, and family trauma with camp. According to my exhaustive—or exhausting—reading of reviews on Goodreads, most people either love it or think it’s the stupidest thing they’ve ever read. I fall somewhere between. Plot:Louise Joyner returns home to Charleston after her parents dieContinue reading “Review of “How to Sell a Haunted House” by Grady Hendrix”
Review of “Now They Call me Infidel: Why I Renounced Jihad For America, Israel, and the War on Terror” by Nonie Darwish
The Stuff: This memoir was written by Egyptian-American Nonie Darwish who spent her childhood in Gaza. Her father, Colonel Mustafa Hafez, served as commander of the Egyptian Army Intelligence in Gaza, then under military control of Egypt. Hafez was assassinated by the Israeli Defense Forces. Darwish’s brother was wounded in the same attack. The survivingContinue reading “Review of “Now They Call me Infidel: Why I Renounced Jihad For America, Israel, and the War on Terror” by Nonie Darwish”
Review of “America’s Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines” by Gail Collins
This Stuff:This is a survey of the history of women in America following European colonization until the end of the 1960s. It is broad, covering some four hundred years, and seeks foremost to cover the everyday life of women from all strata of society. What was childbirth like in colonial New England? How did oneContinue reading “Review of “America’s Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines” by Gail Collins”
Review of “A Fever in the Heartland” by Timothy Egan
The Stuff: This is a nonfiction book about the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s in the Midwest. Their traditional center of power was the South, the states of the former Confederacy. Most of the events it covers transpire from roughly 1921 to 1925, reflecting a rapid rise and a even moreContinue reading “Review of “A Fever in the Heartland” by Timothy Egan”
Review of “The Last Word: The New York Times Book of Obituaries and Farewells A Celebration of Unusual Lives” Edited by Marvin Siegel
The Stuff: This book is a collection of approximately 90 obituaries and write-ups from the New York Times Magazine. The focus is on interesting lives, regardless of whether the person was famous or lived an everyday life. Not all are saints. One is a reputed gangster, whom one acquaintance referred to as “a nice man.”Continue reading “Review of “The Last Word: The New York Times Book of Obituaries and Farewells A Celebration of Unusual Lives” Edited by Marvin Siegel”
Review of “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life” by Anne Lamott
The Stuff: This book consists of short, interrelated essays and anecdotes on writing and being a writer—being a human—grouped around larger themes. The parts are 1) Writing, 2) The Writing Frame of Mind, 3) Help Along the Way, 4) Publication and Other Reasons to Write, and 5) The Last Class. One of the essays inContinue reading “Review of “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life” by Anne Lamott”
Reviews of Old and New Stories. Mostly Old 