Books

Book Review: George Scialabba’s “Only a Voice” — Time to Roll Up Our Sleeves

November 5, 2023
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It’s good to discover that George Scialabba is as lively as ever and that “Only a Voice” is filled with provocative arguments that make the reader want to argue right back.

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Book Review: “The House of Doors” — Changing Skies and Expanding Visions

November 2, 2023
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Against all odds, these characters test the limits of what were considered “normal lives” at that time. The testing is what gives “The House of Doors” its urgency and intimacy.

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Book Review: “Lena Horne — Goddess Reclaimed”

October 27, 2023
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One might conjecture that  Lena Horne’s career was something like a mink-lined minefield: the promise of wealth and fame went hand-in-hand with the possibility of annihilation.

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Book Review: “The Devil’s Treasure” — An Absorbing Exercise in Literary Self-Examination

October 25, 2023
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The takeaway from “The Devil’s Treasure” is that everything under consideration in this unique project is somehow beautiful, even when seemingly pained.

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Children’s Book Review: A Trio of Volumes Pay Homage to Special Gifts

October 24, 2023
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These three books celebrate different kinds of gifts: two from nature — and one that comes via the post office.

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Book Review: “The Final Witness” — Just the Facts

October 23, 2023
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Strangely, Paul Landis makes no acknowledgment of the implications of the evidence he attests to, namely that neither Lee Harvey Oswald nor any other single gunman could have acted alone.

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Book Review: “Lou Reed: The King of New York” — The First Monarch of Indie/Alt Rock

October 19, 2023
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Will Hermes reveres Lou Reed’s music, and he expounds on his love in this voluminous, well-researched biography.

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Book Review: “Pleading Out: How Plea Bargaining Creates a Permanent Criminal Class”

October 17, 2023
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Dan Canon provides not only the statistics but powerful stories to demonstrate the extent to which plea bargaining has bankrupted the justice system

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Book Review: “Satori in Paris” — A Minor Work From an Undisputed Alpha Beat

October 16, 2023
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Jack Kerouac’s best work is often driven by a hunger for spiritual nourishment: the soul food his protagonists occasionally find in friendships, in jazz, in oceanic moments of oneness.

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Book Review: Sofia Coppola’s “Archive” — An Invaluable Exploration of Feminine Creativity

October 11, 2023
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“Archive” sprung from Sofia Coppola’s desire to record what her mind’s organized chaos says about her and her films.

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