In the marshlands of North Devon, along a neighboring beach, the body of a man has been found. The cause of death is a stab wound to the chest. There’s little on his carriage for positive identification, except for one unique physical marker: a tattoo of an albatross on his neck. This was a manContinue reading “Ever-So-Slightly Condensed Book Review Time (because not everything needs to be written in 500 or more words): The Long Call”
Category Archives: Book Review Time
Book Review Time: Aftershocks
As we find ourselves firmly planted in the 21st century, our ideas about how we identify ourselves, and concepts concerning interpersonal relationships have evolved and diversified. Nowhere can this evolution be seen better than in the model of the nuclear family. In spite of resistance from darker, more sinister sources, what makes a “real” familyContinue reading “Book Review Time: Aftershocks”
Book Review Time: Friday Black
Hello, my fellow bibliophiles. You may have noticed I took a brief hiatus. No need for concern. Reading is ingrained in me. I read every day. Yet for whatever reason, the writing wasn’t coming along as easily. I’m still trying to uncover the “why” behind that. Maybe the exhaustion and frustration of 2020 finally caughtContinue reading “Book Review Time: Friday Black”
Book Review Time: A Confederacy of Dunces
A Confederacy of Dunces is a full-on comedic assault in the best possible sense. It bursts from the seams with the most absurdly uproarious episodes of complete ridiculousness and it never lets up. Not even for a second. With intersecting plots that criss-cross each other through New Orleans’ French Quarter, ACD follows a cast ofContinue reading “Book Review Time: A Confederacy of Dunces”
Book Review Time: Piranesi
Piranesi resides in an alternate reality. A world within a rather expansive house. There are endless corridors and vestibules. Vast rooms with towering statues capturing a variety of scenes- a formidable gorilla, a king holding court, a gardener pruning. This world is filled with mysteries and hidden dangers. Galleries obscured by mist and clouds. AtContinue reading “Book Review Time: Piranesi”
Book Review Time: The Yellow House
The complex and pervasive realities of systemic racism are laid bare in the stunning memoir, The Yellow House. Sarah M. Broom candidly recounts the story of her upbringing and her subsequent journey of self-discovery. She provides a richly layered history of her expansive family through exacting research as well as vivid character descriptions; often usingContinue reading “Book Review Time: The Yellow House”
Book Review Time: Transcendent Kingdom
I posted a review of Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing earlier this year. I tried my best to express how deeply I was impacted by the novel. Homegoing is grand in scope-a multi-generational, trans-continental, saga. It explores the African and diasporic experience, examining the atrocities of tribal strife, colonialism, slavery, and institutionalized racism. It’s painful in itsContinue reading “Book Review Time: Transcendent Kingdom”
Book Review Time: News Of The World
I first read Paulette Jiles’ News Of The World a few years ago. I remember at the time thinking how much my dad would enjoy the story. He’s not a bookish man, but he is one of the best story-tellers I know. Engaging and comical, with spot-on timing. He has a bit of the entertainerContinue reading “Book Review Time: News Of The World”
Book Review Time: The Study of Animal Languages
I’ve been avoiding writing this review. With each passing day, yet another opportunity lost to procrastination. But it’s time to buck up and get it over with. It’s not that The Study of Animal Languages is a bad book, quite the contrary. It’s well-written, smart, and at times, unexpectedly comical. And it is anchored byContinue reading “Book Review Time: The Study of Animal Languages”
Book Review Time: Ehrengard
Once upon time there lived a young maiden called Ehrengard. She came from a warrior clan. Her carriage–steely, as was her resolve. A Valkyrie, Ehrengard was. One day she was called upon to assist in an act of royal intrigue. A pampered princess with child and a delivery date that doesn’t quite square with herContinue reading “Book Review Time: Ehrengard”