Books

Book Review: “John Constable: A Portrait” — The Slow Triumph of a Great British Landscape Painter

March 20, 2023
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John Constable, Flatford Mill,

James Hamilton’s biography of British landscape painter John Constable is a highly accomplished, beautifully composed, revealing, and richly entertaining work of scholarship.

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Book Review: “Dirtbag, Massachusetts, A Confessional” — The Self-Indulgence of Victimhood

March 18, 2023
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Essayist Isaac Fitzgerald sees the world from the perspective of someone who was victimized — in his case, by a physically abusive father and a needy, emotionally abusive mother.

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Book Review: One More Round with Norman Mailer

March 18, 2023
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In his centennial year, it’s difficult not to see that Norman Mailer’s literary standing is at an inflection point.

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Book Review: “Dickens and Prince” — Together Again?

March 17, 2023
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The overall thesis of this short book/long essay is that both Charles Dickens and Prince embody a certain kind of rare genius combined with a freakishly inexhaustible work ethic.

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Children’s Book Review: All About You — Kids’ Books to Build Self-Esteem

March 15, 2023
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While you — as a parent, teacher, grandparent, aunt, or uncle, etc. — decide on your child-rearing approach, let’s help kids feel that they belong, that they are competent, and they have the courage and skills to succeed.

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Book Review: “Leon Russell: The Master of Space and Time’s Journey Through Rock & Roll History”

March 14, 2023
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Even more impressive than the sheer amount of raw knowledge Bill Janovitz puts on display is the way he expertly elaborates on Leon Russell’s familiar resume highlights to create a full, three-dimensional portrait of a very complicated artist (and person).

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Book Review: “Dave Brubeck and the Performance of Whiteness” — No Way Out?

March 10, 2023
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Dave Brubeck and the Performance of Whiteness has scholarly value but, given its diminution of human agency, it will not significantly impact real life public conversations about ending white privilege and dealing with the complexities of cultural appropriation.

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Book Review: “Epic Annette” — What is Heroism?

March 10, 2023
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Surely the selfless subject of Anne Weber’s Epic Annette qualifies beyond doubt as a true heroine of the twentieth century?

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Book Feature: An Excerpt From Roberta Silman’s “Summer Lightning”

March 9, 2023
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As Spring approaches, a treat. An excerpt from Summer Lightning, the latest novel by Arts Fuse critic Roberta Silman. It is a book that attempts to convey happiness.

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Film Commentary: The Books That Shaped My Film Aesthetic

March 8, 2023
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Here’s a personal list of the 25 most important, influential books about American cinema. Only one book per author.

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