shocking and sobering historical journalism

Blood Done Sign My Name: A True Story by Timothy B. Tyson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

We ran across this book at a local library sale. I was interested in reading this account of recent history to learn a bit more about the place and people we chose to call home 33 years ago. The events recounted here took place about 30 miles from our home, in 1970, a mere 16 years before we moved here. This account is both shocking and sobering as it reveals the purposely hidden facts about the murder of a black man in Oxford, NC, the subsequent cover-up and the sham of trial that let the murderers go free. As an isolated event, it is shocking enough. But this well written historical and journalistic research shows how the horrific events in Oxford NC were part of a larger systemic culture that were and to some degree, still are, widespread throughout the US, especially in the US South. The facts are well presented and documented. In addition, the author adds his family's intersection with the story, which provides a nice personal feel. This is a great book, and conveys many facts missing from the accepted mainstream version of the struggle for civil rights in this nation. I am anxious to read more of this author's excellent work.

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moving and heartwarming memoir - BRUUUCE!

Greetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion and Rock 'n' Roll by Sarfraz Manzoor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Greetings from Bury Park is a moving and heartwarming memoir of friends, family, race, politics, religion, and music - especially the music of Bruce. When it comes to Springsteen fandom, it is amazing how many parallel life experiences have come under the healing and inspiring influence of Bruce's music. This story, although set in another continent and culture, and about people of another skin color and religious tradition, bears such a close parallel to my story and the story of so many others who, in their journey growing up and through life, have found inspiration and personal peace through the music of Springsteen. Even with all the obvious differences in place and culture, i felt the author was describing much of my own life's story. This is a great story to read, regardless of the reader's relationship with Bruce's music. It is a wonderful story of Growin' Up and the journey to The Promised Land. :)

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a must-read for all fans of the Wheel of Time

Warrior of the Altaii by Robert Jordan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is not a story type that i usually read, but being by Robert Jordan, i grabbed it as soon as it became available at our local library. This tale, completed in 1978, is one of the first Jordan wrote. But after publishing rights changing hands several times, was never published until now. The Forward is by his widow Harriet, and contains some back story not only to this book but also to their meeting. As Harriet mentions in the Forward, this tale contains many characteristics and concepts that foreshadow the classic and epic Wheel of Time series, which is second to none among fantasy epics. I really enjoyed this story, the character development, and the multiple dimensions to many aspects. After completing the book, i can see many Wheel of Time concepts that were explored and foreshadowed in this tale. I would say that this is a must-read for all fans of the Wheel of Time.

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great space saga continues

Cibola Burn by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A great space saga continues - this installment not as compelling as the previous ones, but still action packed, full of suspense and plot twists and turns and fairly interesting characters. Time to return to the TV series to catch up with the books.

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A breakthrough book

O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A breakthrough book for Willa Cather, O Pioneers! is rooted in the land and people of the northern plains of Nebraska. Bold topics and strong characters, especially the heroine of the story, shine in this revolutionary and grounded book published in 1913! Ms. Cather was certainly ahead of her time as a writer and advocate of gender roles and rights. I am looking forward to reading more of her celebrated works.

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precious jewels

Black Elk Speaks by Black Elk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Black Elk Speaks is several books in one.

On one hand, it is a personal history of man living within a society and culture under siege and risk of extinction by the self appointed heirs of the North American continent. Through the "words" of Black Elk, a Oglala Lakota medicine man, as written and felt by John G. Neihardt, a dedicated poet historian and mystic, we are able to see and feel what it was like being the last generation of a great and noble people to live in freedom in their homeland. We also experience, just a little, being the targets of a genocide both of our people and of our culture and environment. It is refreshing and sobering to be able to learn and feel a little of what it was like to be the victims of our European descended ancestors.

But Black Elk Speaks is also a philosophical and spiritual glimpse into the Great Vision that Black Elk was given as a child that defined his purpose for most of his life, and of his "brother" from outside his race and culture who was able to bond and translate more than just words, but a life and people's philosophy into a language we can experience and try to understand.

At times the book was beyond my grasp as a 21st century skeptical reader and thinker, but the story and meaning inside are precious jewels and we are lucky that they were captured for us before they were lost forever to our own peoples acts of genocide and destruction.

We discovered this author and book because of his connection to the University of Missouri, and of his influence on another excellent and loved author William Least-Heat Moon, the author of Blue Highways.

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suspense and tension right to the very end

Bright's Passage by Josh Ritter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

We just recently heard Josh Ritter and his band in concert for the first time, and fell in love with his music and lyrics. Doing some homework after the show, not only do we discover many great CDs, but we also find out that Josh had written and published this book! Given the depth and richness of his lyrics, we immediately picked this book up at our local library.

Bright's Passage is a beautifully told tale that is rich in imagery and feeling. The method of story telling makes it difficult to put the book down until finished, and maintains the suspense and tension right to the very end. The story opens with both drama and mystery, and then fills in details little by little as the story progresses. The chapters jump around in space and time to gradually paint a complete picture of the characters and situations, right on through to the uncertain conclusion of the story, and at the same time leaves an open path for our hero to walk on. Excellent story and writing!

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critique of our culture and society

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This one was a little too over the top for me. It swung between totally outrageous and a true representation of our culture and society. I didn't mind the swings so much as the rate of the swinging. Certainly, the reader is left with many points to ponder, and as outrageous as a literal reading is, it is a valid and biting critique of our culture and society. Definitely worth reading.

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three travelogues in one

A Little House Traveler: Writings from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Journeys Across America by Laura Ingalls Wilder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

this book is three travelogues in one, spanning the time between 1894 and 1930. All three accounts are quite interesting, but especially interesting is the detailed description of the city of San Francisco in 1915. Lots of fascinating details, as seen through the eyes of a country woman visiting. I really enjoyed these accounts of traveling in the late 19th and early to mid 20th century.

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very interesting reading after watching the series

The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Re-read with three seasons of the Amazon video series based upon this story under my belt. The series is a significant embellishment and somewhat divergence from the plot of the book, although anchored in the same "world reality".  It was very interesting reading after watching the series. I got more from the book, and it made a lot more sense, even with the vast differences. I tired of the emphasis on the Oracle however. It is hard to believe that it could play such a widespread role in the culture.


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The Wheel of time turns once again

The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my 3rd reading - hoping to finish the series again. On to book 3 :)

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outrageously zany and great fun

Mort by Terry Pratchett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mort is outrageously zany and great fun! If you loved Hitchhikers Guide, you'll love this one!

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a very special collection

Burning Bright by Ron Rash
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A really nice collection of short stories that portray real people and their lives set in the mountains of Appalachia. The tales cover a range of topics and time periods, but portray in gritty and sometimes gruesome detail life as it really goes down. This is a very special collection, i heartily recommend it.

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realities of life at the margins

Above the Waterfall by Ron Rash
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is another beautifully told story of the realities of life at the margins. Told from the POV of the two central characters, we experience the paradoxes of good and evil, right and wrong, and how life seems to settle out somewhere in between. The word imagery the author uses, especially in Becky's account, is top shelf. Wonderful writing and reading, one can't help but feel the story as if living it.

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great conclusion!

The Graveyard Book Volume 2 by P. Craig Russell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great conclusion to Neil Gaiman's first volume of this graphic novel format of his Graveyard Book. Now i find out that these two volumes are based on a novel by Mr. Gaiman, which i will soon obtain and read. I'm sure it will not disappoint!

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America and Americans

America and Americans by John Steinbeck
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

America and Americans is an interesting and nicely written collection of essays on topics related to . . . America and Americans. Steinbeck displays his wisdom and knowledge on a range of topics and discusses how the current events and issues of the 1960's are related. It is fascinating (as always) to read Steinbeck's insight and thoughts, but the context of the 60's should be kept in mind when reading them today, in the 21st century. While some of his views are somewhat dated, those are the exception to the mass of wisdom and intelligence that are conveyed as he works through each topic. The book's pages are the majority photos from famous photographers, but aside from the photographer credits in the back of the book, there are no captions or descriptions of any kind, which is frustrating when viewing the pictures for content and context, etc. This is a great read for Steinbeck fans and Americans alike.

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thoughtful and accessible form of an important story

March: Book One by John Lewis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book relays some of the history and events of the civil rights movement in the US as experienced by John Lewis. The graphic novel format is a thoughtful and accessible form of an important story. I am looking forward to continuing with the next installment of this series.

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the classic dystopian trifecta

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I finally got to read the remaining novel of the classic dystopian trifecta "Brave New World, "Nineteen Eighty-Four" and "We". This is a nicely written, visionary, and insightful novel that was written in Russia in 1922, after the Bolshevik Revolution, and banned from publication there until 1988! The writing uses creative and compelling imagery as it tells the tale of a Utopian society of the future where happiness mandated and not a choice. It creatively weighs the tension between technology and humanity, and offers wisdom related to the dangers of having one without the other. Though not published in Russia, it was published in 1924 in New York, and as can be seen, was influential to both Huxley and Orwell in their classic works mentioned above. This one was worth the searching and waiting to get to read, i recommend reading it to complete the dystopian trifecta.

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blockbuster movie in book form

Abaddon's Gate by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This third installment of the Expanse saga is fast moving, engaging, with great story telling and character development. I will definitely be proceeding on in this series. Like a blockbuster movie in book form.

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smack dab in the middle of disfunction junction

Oral History by Lee Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A tale of generations of mountain folk, told in multiple character point of view and using the narrative style of Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury. Interesting inside insights into a family living pretty much smack dab in the middle of disfunction junction. This story has the feel of authenticity and real family history, and with some name changes, probably applies to a multitude of families, including my Missouri roots. A good read.

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fascinating behind-the-scenes look

Casablanca: Behind the Scenes by Harlan Lebo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow - it is a wonder that Casablanca, one of my top favorite movies, ever got made! This is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the making of arguably one of the best films of the 20th century. We get lots of fun and interesting facts about the script, the players, the filming, the drama and politics with the directors and producers, and the wheeling and dealing of Warner Bros management. This book gives a detailed look into movie making in the context of the studio system that was in play in the 1940s. It also gives surprising insight into the constraints put upon the movie making process during the early days of WW-II. All in all, the odds were stacked against Casablanca, yet the resulting film is one of our finest. I can't wait to watch it anew with this collection of facts in my memory. A great book!

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clarity to the M.A.G.A. mantra

White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well . . . this is one of the more disturbing books i've read in a while. It is disturbing because it is well documented U.S. history and i don't like what it says about us as a people and as a nation. The romantic image of our founders and their founding philosophy that we have come to believe in and aspire to is largely myth and political spin. This book details the role that class and privilege (and lack thereof) has affected and shaped all the people of the U.S. over the last 400 years. It also examines how class and privilege have been used to define policy and laws, and maintain control and power over those without. Be ready for a lot of eye-opening documented historical facts that lower the bar of who we as a nation are, and what motivates and drives us. This gives great clarity to the M.A.G.A. mantra being flung around by neo-cons in the 21st century. Knowing the facts behind the role class has played over our history as a colony and nation sheds frightening light on what "great again" really means to the privileged powers that be.

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great story telling and character development

Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OK, I'm sold on this series, and giving this book 5 stars. This installment 2 of the Expanse saga is again fast moving, engaging, and great story telling and character development. I will definitely be proceeding on in this series. I have not yet picked up the TV series based on it, but will this summer. I heartily recommend this series to all sci-fi and fantasy fans.

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someones laundry list

The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye by David Lagercrantz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not even the seriously bad-ass Lisbeth Salander could save this story. To me, this felt like someone's laundry list of topics with a Millennium based story forced upon them. This novel did not measure up. The only thing saving it from less than 3 rating was a conclusion that was a surprise, some amount of suspense along the way, and of course our beloved hero Lisbeth. I don't know if the topics in this story were left pending in whatever notes Stieg Larsson left behind, or if they were introduced by Mr. Lagercrantz, but either way, they were not executed well in this story. Being a dedicated fan of Ms. Salander, i was compelled to complete the book. Otherwise, i probably would have moved on to something better, like Expanse #2 or Altered Carbon #2 :)

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a wild, breathtaking and fun ride

Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This, the first installment in the "Expanse" series, is described as a space opera, a term which i've heard but had never looked up ( per Wiki). After reading Leviathan Wakes, i concur that this engaging and fast paced tale has most if not all the characteristics of the definition. I teetered toward giving this one 5 stars because frankly, i had a hard time putting it down. Unexpected action and peril waited at nearly every turn, and i wanted to know what was next and how it would "end". I was thoroughly engaged for the entire story. I appreciated the character development, the reasonably believable and consistent technology and setting within our solar system. It had a feeling which i appreciate in SciFi, that is it felt like it could happen someday. I enjoyed this book very much, and look forward to continuing the series, as well as watch the TV series on Amazon, which has been recommended to me by several people i know. This was a wild, breathtaking and fun ride.


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tale with a Japanese flavor

The Sandman: The Dream Hunters by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Dream Hunters is a beautifully told and illustrated tale with a Japanese flavor. The King of Dreams fits in perfectly with this thoughtful and moving story. Nice!

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nice

Death: The High Cost of Living by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Death: The High Cost of Living" is a nice sort of back story to one of my favorite of the Endless. Nice.

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Excellent storytelling

The Graveyard Book, Volume 1 by P. Craig Russell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Neil Gaiman is such a creative writer. This graphic novel adaptation of his "The Graveyard Book" is really well done, and has me wanting to read Volume 2 as well as Neil Gaiman's novel on which it is based. Excellent storytelling!!

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moving and inspirational memoir

The Water is Wide by Pat Conroy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

We recently saw the movie entitled "Conrack" starring Jon Voight which is based on this book. The Water is Wide is a moving and inspirational memoir of Pat Conroy, a young and idealistic teacher, and his mission to rescue a classroom of children who were all but forgotten by the school system in South Carolina in the contentious environment of the late 1960's school desegregation. The setting is Daufuskie Island (called Yamacraw Island in the book), off the coast of Beaufort SC. The children were direct descendants of slaves, and had never been off the island, living frozen in the past. Mr. Conroy encounters resistance immediately and throughout the tale's approximate timeline of one year. As he fights to break through and reach the children, their families, the island community, and even the segregationist status quo county school administration, he encounters hurdles of all kinds, social, religious, cultural, historical, personal, etc. This is a great story, a true story, and i recommend it to all who care about education, equity, and humanity. Sadly, the struggles of this isolated island school, were not unique, especially in the US South, but are still going on today, 50 years later.

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political and magical intrigue in the D-town!

The Fever King by Victoria Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What did they say in Victor, Victoria? BRAVA! Well done! The Fever King is an engaging tale of political and magical intrigue set in our very own hometown of Durham, about a century hence. Starting from my initial elation at finding out that one of the main characters in the story lived in the very bookshop in which i purchased my copy (The Regulator Bookshop on Ninth St!), this book builds and builds to a somewhat unexpected but thoroughly exciting conclusion! It is not really a conclusion, but rather a segue into the next installment of this exciting tale. Not only did the plot and action build as the story progressed, but i also enjoyed seeing Noam grow from a moody impulsive young person into the beginnings of a maturity that will serve him well as this series unfolds (how long until Book 2, Victoria?). I really enjoyed this tale and am looking forward to its journey continuing! Hope to see you and get you to sign my copy at The Regulator in Durham!!! :) :) :)

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an amazing tale

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, what an amazing tale. The Blind Assassin is a story within a story within a story. It is a tale of the love and hate, joy and pain, of family, politics, big business, greed and envy, of regrets, and of cherished moments. Ms. Atwood writes with such realism, depth, and feeling that this tale could really have happened, even with all its twists and turns to the very end. But as with any excellent book, it DID happen, it was beautifully created for the reader to experience his or her self. I understand now why this novel won the Booker Prize and is on the Time Magazine 100 best list of the 20th century. An excellent book.

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excellent cyberpunk adventure

Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

OK, now i'm ready to watch the Netflix series based on this book! Altered Carbon is a fast moving murder mystery / action cyberpunk adventure set in a complex and imaginative future in which technology has made immortality a reality - if you have enough money and power to afford it. (sounds a lot like present day healthcare in the U.S.). The future portrayed is both believable and well thought out, and in the style of William Gibson, one of my favs, the reader hits the ground running. Richard Morgan's writing style is engaging, fast moving, and fully immersed in the cyberpunk world he has created. Not only am i looking forward to the Netflix series, but i am looking forward to reading more from this excellent author. I see on Goodreads that there are two more adventures in the Takeshi Kovacs series of books: Broken Angels (Takeshi Kovacs, #2) and Woken Furies (Takeshi Kovacs, #3) .

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thoughtful, informed, passionate and grounded

Small Wonder by Barbara Kingsolver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A thoughtful, informed, passionate and grounded collection of essays by Ms. Kingsolver, created in the aftermath of and as a response to events of Sept 11, working through the impact and causes of the attack, as well as reflecting on what has real, lasting value in our lives as humans on planet Earth. This is a collection well worth the time to read and reflect upon.

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A Clockwork Orange

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I would not have predicted giving 5 stars to this gruesome tale, but i think it is truly a classic. The broad and deep questions that are posed over the arc of this outrageous story are significant and still relevant today. And it is really amazing that the reader is thrown head first into the Nadsat slang language of about 250 words that are defined only and entirely by context, yet the after a few chapters of reading, the meaning is understood and clear. A Clockwork Orange is a book that can't be reviewed, it must be experienced. This is a great novel, a classic.

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fascinating, deeply researched, and extremely well written work of historical science

Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" has been on my to-read list for quite a while so i decided to read it this year. My daughter has read it and highly recommended it to me several years back. The fact that it won a Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction is not at all surprising after completing this fascinating, deeply researched, and extremely well written work of historical science. Using scientific method, Jared Diamond digs back over 13,000 years of human history and pre-history to sort out the specific and basic causes for the evolution and development (and in some cases destruction) of human societies over those 13,000 years. There is not room to summarize this book here, except to say this work is brilliant, immensely credible, and presented in such a clear and organized manner that it is accessible to a broad range of readers. This book is a significant accomplishment and contribution to the understanding of human history and even of our own future as a species. This book IS a must read. I'll probably re-read it in the future, and in the mean time, am searching for a copy of his previous highly acclaimed work "The Third Chimpanzee" to read. Wow, what an excellent work!

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great little reference book

Food Rules: An Eater's Manual by Michael Pollan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great little reference book that has whet my appetite to eat smarter and also to read "The Omnivore's Dilemma".

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once again burned

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Here I am, once again burned by reading a book included on "must-read" lists! I am a reader, not an author or a writer. I do not know or understand the various goals and objectives of writers and authors, particularly those of critical acclaim such as Mr. Faulkner. Being a reader who is not a literary scholar or critic, when i read a book, particularly a novel, i am seeking a compelling and well told story. In my opinion, Mr. Faulkner delivers neither in "The Sound and the Fury". The narrative method he uses is confusing and difficult to follow, much less understand. With the help of some comments found on various internet reviews, i was able to struggle my way through this tale. Upon finishing the book, i look back seeing a story that could have been both compelling and deeply interesting if it had only been made accessible to the reader. Instead this is a book studied by literary scholars, searching for the meaning hidden inside like some cruel riddle or trick played on the reader. I am not impressed with this book, and if Faulkner's other books are written in a similar way, i have no interest reading any more. :(

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Goodreads not too hip on their recommendations

fast moving and interesting

Archangel by William Gibson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this tale from one of my favorite authors, William Gibson! It is an interesting take on sci-fi, time travel, and alternative history. Plus it is in a new format for him, a graphic novel! The tale is fast moving and interesting, but i found myself not wanting it to end so soon, and left wanting more! That being said, i am looking for more from Mr. Gibson in the near future, as well as discovering some of his earlier works that i have missed. A Great story.

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