By an acclaimed writer at the height of his powers, The Sense of an Ending …
Would have been boring but so well written
4 stars
I read most of this story thinking about how boring it was. Nothing fun or exciting happened. And yet it was so well written that I kept reading for the perfect descriptions of everyday feelings and events that I wish I had the words for. And the ending was powerful
It’s been two years since Injustice aired and Detective Daniel Hawthorne needs cash. Having gotten …
Almost Perfect
4 stars
I loved this book. It's a modern mystery In the style of a Sherlock Holmes story, but the Watson character is actually the author, making this book somewhat autobiographical. There is enough of the author's real life in the book to keep me Googling to find out what in the book is real and what is fiction. The Holmes character, Detective Hawthorne, is (apparently) fictional.
My biggest problem is Hawthorne has an unsavory characteristic, and while that characteristic was condemned, I felt it should have been given more attention.
We live in an interesting time. Materially, everything is the best it’s ever been—we are …
The title is a good indicator of the writing style
5 stars
It's relaxed and humorous and peppered with enough street language to make reading it seem like talking with a friend who makes you laugh. There is a point to the book beyond the reading experience, which is the author's view on hope. I don't know how well I agree with it, but it's extremely thought provoking. I gave it five stars but it's not perfect. There are long-winded sections that don't seem to advance the story, but four stars wasn't good enough
Congressman Jamie Raskin's account of trying to hold Donald Trump accountable for inciting the January …
Heartbreaking but hopeful
4 stars
he book is about the attempt to hold Donald Trump accountable for his incitement to insurrection, and about Jamie Raskin’s son, Tommy. Tommy was a visionary who lost his fight with clinical depression while in his second year at Harvard. He committed suicide on December 31st 2020, one week before the insurrection.
The cliche, “too good for this world” came to my mind while reading about Tommy Raskin, but Tommy wasn’t the reason I read the book.
The book describes the evidence for, legal arguments about, and purpose of trying to hold Trump accountable. The evidence is clear, the legal arguments were sound, and the purpose was to prevent the destruction of our democracy by Donald Trump, his delusional followers, and cowardly politicians who would rather ride the coattails of a populist than risk their careers to stand up for the truth.
I recommend the book for anyone who has …
he book is about the attempt to hold Donald Trump accountable for his incitement to insurrection, and about Jamie Raskin’s son, Tommy. Tommy was a visionary who lost his fight with clinical depression while in his second year at Harvard. He committed suicide on December 31st 2020, one week before the insurrection.
The cliche, “too good for this world” came to my mind while reading about Tommy Raskin, but Tommy wasn’t the reason I read the book.
The book describes the evidence for, legal arguments about, and purpose of trying to hold Trump accountable. The evidence is clear, the legal arguments were sound, and the purpose was to prevent the destruction of our democracy by Donald Trump, his delusional followers, and cowardly politicians who would rather ride the coattails of a populist than risk their careers to stand up for the truth.
I recommend the book for anyone who has slipped into numbness and defeatism after January 6th. This book is about fighting for what’s right even while dealing with tragedy, and it’s about maintaining hope even when danger looms.
Bloodchild and Other Stories is the only collection of science fiction stories and essays written …
This book is a collection of stories and two essays. While not all of the stories were equally fascinating and there was one I still don't quite get the point of, the book, in general, was terrific and I highly recommend it.
Bloodchild and Other Stories is the only collection of science fiction stories and essays written …
Creepy, Thought-Provoking, and Fascinating
No rating
I've only read the first three stories so far but even if the rest of the book is duds, I still recommend it. The stories are creepy - which I personally like but you might not -, but their thought-provoking and fascinating
Although the target audience is Australians, this book is very much about what happened and is happening in the United States, and is an excellent resource for anyone looking to fight disinformation. Importantly, this book explains what to do and what not to do when encountering disinformation, and why what comes naturally, like pointing out facts, usually doesn't work
When Colorado carpenter Gary Adams spots two mysterious creatures in the woods near his house, …
Review of 'Breathless' on 'Goodreads'
1 star
One star seems unfair but Goodreads's "two stars" rating is described as "it was ok", and this book was not ok. The worst part about the book is that the worst part is the end, so you have to read the whole thing to realize how bad it is. The rest of the book is ok. The characters are cliché - even caricatures of clichés, but the story is exciting enough to keep the pages turning while the reader anticipates what must be a breathtaking ending. The title must refer to something, right? But the title doesn't refer to anything and there is no breathtaking ending. It's like the author is a parent telling an exciting story to his child, but just when they get to the good part they realize it's past bedtime and say, "And then the knight escapes with the princess and they live happily every after. …
One star seems unfair but Goodreads's "two stars" rating is described as "it was ok", and this book was not ok. The worst part about the book is that the worst part is the end, so you have to read the whole thing to realize how bad it is. The rest of the book is ok. The characters are cliché - even caricatures of clichés, but the story is exciting enough to keep the pages turning while the reader anticipates what must be a breathtaking ending. The title must refer to something, right? But the title doesn't refer to anything and there is no breathtaking ending. It's like the author is a parent telling an exciting story to his child, but just when they get to the good part they realize it's past bedtime and say, "And then the knight escapes with the princess and they live happily every after. The end."
Puts in perspective America's cause and reaction to the growing authoritarianism around the world. A little long in parts but well written and truthful.