Books

Because “Predictioneer” Sounds Like “Privateer”

Friday, February 5th, 2010

This review appeared previously at Wiffli.com, and is being reproduced here because here is where I’m supposed to put reviews. BOOK REVIEWS: ‘THE PREDICTIONEER’S GAME’ by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita 272 pages Published by Random House, 2009. ‘PIRATE LATITUDES’ by Michael Crichton 320 pages Published by Harper Collins, 2009. Finished The Predictioneers Game by Bruce […]

Pratchett Fan Forever

Saturday, January 30th, 2010

This review appeared previously at Wiffli.com, and is being reproduced here because here is where I’m supposed to put reviews. BOOK REVIEW: ‘UNSEEN ACADEMICALS’ by Terry Pratchett 368 pages Published by Doubleday, 2009. 3 weeks, 3 books so far, and hey hey hey, I’m almost done with week 4 and book 4. But Week 3: […]

Absurdity, Unrepentant

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

This review appeared previously at Wiffli.com, and is being reproduced here because here is where I’m supposed to put reviews. BOOK REVIEW: ‘YOUTH IN REVOLT’ by C.D. Payne 499 pages Published by Alvia Press, 1993. Last Friday I finished Youth in Revolt by C.D. Payne. Now this is an exciting book because it’s the first […]

The Publisher Who Played With Posthumous Publishing

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

This review appeared previously at Wiffli.com, and is being reproduced here because here is where I’m supposed to put reviews. BOOK REVIEW: ‘THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE’ by Stiegg Larsson 631 pages Published by Norstedts Förlag, 2006. I’ve taken it upon myself to read one book per week this year. So far I’m one-for-one, […]

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night…

Wednesday, March 26th, 2008

BOOK REVIEW: ‘STORM FRONT’ by Jim Butcher 368 pages Published by Penguin Putnam, 2000. I saw the rack of books and I was intrigued to write the author’s name down and Wikipedia him later. That was enough to send me to my library’s website and reserve the book. A few days later, it was ready […]

Neither Vicodin nor Adders

Saturday, March 15th, 2008

BOOK REVIEW: ‘THE GUN SELLER’ by Hugh Laurie 368 pages Published by Washington Square Press, 1998. I don’t know why I have such difficulty writing book reviews. Maybe it’s because I don’t have a mind for details. I do tend to notice things; I just forget them very quickly afterwards. Maybe it’s because I spent […]

I Run, Therefore I Justify Subsequent Tomfoolery

Friday, September 28th, 2007

BOOK REVIEW: ‘I RUN, THEREFORE I AM… NUTS’ by Bob Schwartz 244 pages Published by Human Kinetics. Bob Schwartz is the so-called “Dave Barry of Running.” Anyone who writes non-fiction columns in a humorous vein is the “Dave Barry” of that thing. I think it would be great if someone reviewed all of these Dave […]

A Year In the Life of a Boy

Friday, August 3rd, 2007

BOOK REVIEW: ‘BLACK SWAN GREEN’ by David Mitchell 294 pages Published by Random House. I came across David Mitchell when I was browsing a bookstore and picked up Cloud Atlas. I don’t know why I end up drawn to British writers, or why I’m so motivated by the Booker Prize nominees. One assumes a sameness […]

The End, Thank God, of an Era

Monday, July 30th, 2007

BOOK REVIEW: ‘HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS’ by J.K. Rowling 759 pages Published by Scholastic, Inc. This is going to be tough. You already know about Harry potter, so I can’t waste a portion of these 500 words on telling you who he is and where he’s from. And since The Deathly Hallows is […]