Book Reviews & Essays on Literature
A few months ago, I wrote a piece about three novels that have as their subjects the former President ofContinue Reading
If you look up Paraguay on a map, like I had to, you will see that it is a countryContinue Reading
What is Stephen King known for? Horror Fiction. Suspenseful mysteries. I bought If It Bleeds in the hope that IContinue Reading
In this post I continue looking into the subject of factual accuracy in Fiction, and specifically Realistic Fiction and theContinue Reading
In this post I continue looking into the subject of factual accuracy in Fiction, and specifically Realistic Fiction and theContinue Reading
To alleviate the “morbs” that might have descended on you from reading those books with pandemic and epidemics as themes,Continue Reading
Frankissstein (with 3 s’es) is a collection of interwoven love stories that takes place from the mid 1800s to theContinue Reading
Reading the screenplay of The Ballad of Buster Scruggs by Joel and Ethan Coen led me to the real artistContinue Reading
Which Sci-Fi devotee is not looking forward to the debut of Star Trek: Picard? (Roll on, January 23, 2020!) IContinue Reading
LIU Cixin, or Cixin Liu as he is known in English, is the author of the famous Science Fiction trilogyContinue Reading
Before you read White Out it is best that you know that this book is written somewhat in the styleContinue Reading
Here’s something entertaining: the appearance on The New Yorker magazine’s video channel of my favourite You-tubers, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal,Continue Reading
Jo Nesbo is a masterful writer of crime fiction. In his particular niche, he is superb. That said, it probablyContinue Reading
This is the Icelandic version of Bram Stoker’s famous Victorian Gothic novel, Dracula. Powers of Darkness, called Makt Myrkranna, “the powerContinue Reading
Some writers write so clearly, elegantly and expressively that reading their words is like drinking a glass of the bestContinue Reading
At the 75th World Science Fiction Conference (Worldcon 75) held in August 2017 in Helsinki, Finland, the bag of goodiesContinue Reading
This is a stylized, studied novel, about a stylish gentleman, written in elegant style. It has a fin-de-siècle feel to it,Continue Reading
Hard to read but worthwhile reading Some books are hard to read and hard to finish. It could be becauseContinue Reading
The Piano Maker could have been so much less, and in that way, been so much more. I thought that the author,Continue Reading
Two days ago, 19 February 2016, both Umberto Eco and Harper Lee died. Both their names were probably in theContinue Reading
Welcome to Marwencol, by Mark Hogancamp and Chris Shellen Mark Hogancamp is a celebrity – and for good reason. Obscure peopleContinue Reading
For New Year 2016 I engaged my brain to delve into some interesting new non-fiction. These are not obvious choicesContinue Reading
For the last in my series of festive season books, the theme is romance and erotica, and I have someContinue Reading
In part 2 of good reads for the festive season, my choice is Island of Wings, by Karin Altenberg, which hasContinue Reading
For the festive season reading list, I’d like to get back to books that can stand up to frequent re-readings.Continue Reading
The fatal problem with poetry: poems Poetry is everywhere. Just when you think poetry is dead, there is rap. IContinue Reading
This novel cannot be discussed without reference to Lee’s first and famous novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. However, as Go SetContinue Reading
Remembrance of horrors past Here are two novels suitable for Halloween – the real Halloween: The Fat Years by Chan KoonchungContinue Reading
Reading Chinese novels in English After many years of being tasked to read and review novels (translated into English) by Chinese authors, IContinue Reading
Last year I wrote about why old books, long-playing records and other non-digital media are gaining value, and why some unlikelyContinue Reading
Books for Summer road trips This past month I travelled south into the USA, down through Washington State, into Oregon, turningContinue Reading
Here’s a prezi for you – “Prezi HOTSHOT”, by Hedwyg van Groenendaal Everyone who’s up-to-date with apps for business knows ofContinue Reading
Manly books about famous men In celebration of Father’s Day coming up, here are some books about men I admire thatContinue Reading
South African author, poet, lyricist and playwright Hennie Aucamp died on 20 March 2014, aged 80 years, from a heartContinue Reading
“Ron Burgundy” is of course not the actual author of this book – it was penned by Will Ferrell andContinue Reading
TWO “DEAR LIFE” TITLES The other day, I was rereading one of my favourite short story compilations, My Uncle Silas,Continue Reading
Man Booker Prize winner Margaret Atwood is famous, celebrated, much awarded, and justly so. One comes to expect that everythingContinue Reading
This is a New Weird novel/thriller/sociological discourse (?) about Linguistics in society, or to be more precise – Semiotics – andContinue Reading
The best way to express my best wishes to my family, friends, followers and fellow book lovers for the newContinue Reading
Update on this post: Here is an excellent analysis in the New Yorker of P.L. Travers’ youth, development as anContinue Reading
Skip the poetry, go to the Full review A Review of This Fine Tale, in Blank Verse and A HeroicContinue Reading
– (Penguin Books Canada, 2012) The significant moments in Alice Munro’s latest collection of short stories tend to creep upContinue Reading
Overview I initially liked this novel, written from the point of view of a man who shows quite a fewContinue Reading
