Book Reviews & Essays on Literature
It’s the end of the first half of the year, and so far my reading time has been reduced byContinue Reading
All the Aging Groovies like me out there would know the name Pete Townshend, the Pete Townshend – a.k.a. Peter DennisContinue Reading
Do you where Lampedusa is? Or what it is? Steven Price’s historical novel, Lampedusa, is not actually about the islandContinue Reading
If you enjoy poetry as well as Science Fiction, you will appreciate Dead Astronauts. The novel has elements of both.Continue Reading
Frankissstein (with 3 s’es) is a collection of interwoven love stories that takes place from the mid 1800s to theContinue Reading
Poor Elton John had to leave the stage during his show in New Zealand this week because he has walkingContinue Reading
Reading the screenplay of The Ballad of Buster Scruggs by Joel and Ethan Coen led me to the real artistContinue Reading
The Strange Bird is a little gem of a novel. Every carefully chosen word is just right. Each image isContinue Reading
Which Sci-Fi devotee is not looking forward to the debut of Star Trek: Picard? (Roll on, January 23, 2020!) IContinue Reading
After having enjoyed Patrick deWitt’s Undermajordomo Minor (2015) his most recent novel, French Exit, was a must-read. A “French exit” isContinue Reading
“Anonymous”, also known as “Hendrik Groen” (a pseudonym) is famous for his creation of a gang of crotchety old folksContinue Reading
When I read Denis Coupal’s thriller Blindshot, my overall impression of it was of competence – he had done allContinue Reading
There are authors whose restraint, clear vision and graceful expression make their novels a quiet joy to read. I haveContinue Reading
Some novels really lend themselves to being discussed in visual terms – either their subject or setting is dramatic orContinue Reading
Before you read White Out it is best that you know that this book is written somewhat in the styleContinue Reading
John Delacourt’s novel Butterfly is hard to read, not because of his writing style, but because of the subject matterContinue Reading
The Hod King, Bancroft’s third book in his Books of Babel tetralogy, is an exercise in exquisite torture through cliffhangers.Continue Reading
Writer Nicholas Tucker said about Richard Adams’ 50-hankie-bunny-weepie, Watership Down, “Adams … has bravely and successfully resurrected the big picaresque adventureContinue Reading
This is one those novels that will change the way you look at death and burial methods – and Beirut.Continue Reading
John Scalzi’s Science Fiction (SF) novel Head On was taken a step closer to being real when, in December 2018,Continue Reading
In a previous post, I commented on Helena Gunter’s recently published anthology of short stories called Tweespoor (meaning “Double Track”).Continue Reading
It seems to me that Hollywood film producers keep rehashing the same subjects and plots, which is why I rarelyContinue Reading
Helena Gunter’s skinny two-part work, with its dull brown cover featuring a faded-looking abstract drawing, looks harmless enough. What itContinue Reading
Recently my nose led me to a stall in down-town Vancouver where people were selling lavender products made in Provence,Continue Reading
Part 4/4 of The Long Read review of Codex 1962, by Sjón (Back to part 3/4 of the review) TheContinue Reading
Back to part 2 of the review of Codex 1962, by Sjón The parts of the Trilogy The three partsContinue Reading
Part 2 of the review of CoDex 1962, by Sjón (Back to part 1) Antagonist/Protagonist Sjón comes close to directlyContinue Reading
CoDex 1962 is Icelandic author Sjón’s first new novel since Moonstone – The Boy Who Never Was, published in translation inContinue Reading
I have never written an easier review of a novel, than this one. Why? Because it does not need reviewingContinue Reading
“Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” – “the more things change, the more they stay the same”, said by French critic Alphonse Karr,Continue Reading
Jo Nesbo is a masterful writer of crime fiction. In his particular niche, he is superb. That said, it probablyContinue Reading
The last novel by John Scalzi I read, before this one, was Agent To the Stars (Tor Books, 2008), andContinue Reading
Sjón: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Reader of Sjón. Her current mission: to explore strange new worlds,Continue Reading
What is the connection between Mining Engineering and writing fiction? None. In fact, the minds of Mining Engineers often workContinue Reading
Julian Barnes’ latest novel is called The Only Story and, despite the subject (the “scandalous” love affair between a manContinue Reading
Can the same subjects, settings and characters be successfully used in a podcast, and in published script format, and in aContinue Reading
Comment from Brian Bilston: Brian Bilston “What a lovely review. Thank you so much. I’m delighted you enjoyed it – andContinue Reading
Some writers write so clearly, elegantly and expressively that reading their words is like drinking a glass of the bestContinue Reading
“Borne” is the past participle of the verb “[to] bear”, which means to carry or transport, as in a weight orContinue Reading
I have long been an admirer of Monty Don, the horticulturist and garden expert. I love watching him on hisContinue Reading
Despite two trips to Australia, I have failed to figure out the archetypal Australian or the layout of the country.Continue Reading
Jo Nesbo’s famous “Harry Hole” detective novels, and his other works for adults, bear the marks of contemporary Scandinavian NoirContinue Reading
Any novel that has the words “pleasure model” in the title could be automatically relegated to the category of “chickContinue Reading
The mystery over who “Hendrik Groen” is, continues. Groen is the pseudonym of a Dutch author who has produced twoContinue Reading
Compact Crit. #9 – The Memory Palace, by Edward Hollis Since Edward Hollis’ book, The Memory Palace, is mostly aboutContinue Reading
When I studied Interior Decorating years ago, I didn’t have the foggiest idea about the real significance of interiors. YouContinue Reading
Compact Crits #7: 54-second review of Insomniac City, by Bill Hayes Read the whole story here. Make no mistake, thisContinue Reading
Compact Crits #5: 46-second review of The Last Kind Words Saloon, by Larry McMurtry
The title is probably one of the longest phrases in the novel, which is a mere 191 pages, including illustrationsContinue Reading
Compact Crits #4: 60-second review of Caroline, by Sarah Miller Here’s the long list of all the novels – apartContinue Reading
What is the appeal of the old-fashioned stiff upper lip? Of a person with backbone, inner strength, dogged determination? Caroline,Continue Reading
Compact Crits #3: Rhett & Link’s Book of Mythicality, by Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal
I have been watching Rhett and Link, a.k.a Rhett McLaughlin and Link (Charles) Neal, on their YouTube channel, Good MythicalContinue Reading
Compact Crits #2: 57-second review of Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders.
This is one review I composed carefully, as the novel is in a format I have never seen before, inContinue Reading
Taking a lesson from one of my favourite bloggers, Seth Godin, I am from now on going to compact myContinue Reading
The film adaptation of The Snowman by Jo Nesbø (Nesbo outside Norway) came out last year October. Directed by TomasContinue Reading
Tom Hanks’s debut work of fiction, a collection of short stories, came out on October 17, 2017. It has beenContinue Reading
Readers who can manage Afrikaans will get a real kick out of reading Die Onaantasbares (“The Untouchables”) by South African authorContinue Reading
Prue Leith, as Anglophiles and food show fans would know, replaced Mary Berry as the co-judge with Paul Hollywood whenContinue Reading
In popular author Kathy Lette’s latest novel, Best Laid Plans, her writing style is a torrent of words, which you eventuallyContinue Reading
Izak du Plessis’s non-fiction dive into the fascinating if mortifying world of Afrikaans scoundrels, crooks and high rollers should alsoContinue Reading
There is a current trend for novels with long titles about eccentric old people: The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed OutContinue Reading
It says on the cover that The Family Fang is a comedy – but I did not find it funny.Continue Reading
At the 75th World Science Fiction Conference (Worldcon 75) held in August 2017 in Helsinki, Finland, the bag of goodiesContinue Reading
It has been said that many authors seem to be unable to grasp or describe how big outer space is.Continue Reading
Sci-Fi and Fantasy writers often present original concepts in their novels, but Cory Doctorow and Charles Stross not only inventedContinue Reading
If I can use one term to describe All the Birds in the Sky it would be “uneven”: uneven inContinue Reading
This novel is on the shortlist for the 2017 Hugo Awards which will be handed out at Worldcon 75 inContinue Reading
Update: On Dec. 18, 2017, the New York Times reported that Sheila Nevins is exiting HBO after 38 years. TheContinue Reading
I imagine a woman must’ve sat Kevin Wilson down and explained to him in excruciating detail what pregnancy, childbirth, breast-feeding andContinue Reading
Sometimes you have to admit you don’t know enough to give an opinion. For Appetites – A Cookbook, I askedContinue Reading
I did not like Backman’s previous novel, A Man Called Ove, but was spurred on to buy book no.3, Britt-MarieContinue Reading
Ben H. Winters wrote the acclaimed, award-winning Science Fiction series, The Last Policeman. I called the hero of the series,Continue 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
This important novel about two families of brilliant musicians in China during the “Great Leap Forward” (1958 – 1961), the “Cultural Revolution” (1966 –Continue Reading
Some magazines don’t publish negative reviews because they want to review books that people will buy. The problem with that argument isContinue Reading
To give some background on this peculiar novella, The Last Days of New Paris, consider this: No dedicated Science FictionContinue Reading
Julian Barnes is a writer who does not waste words. While his subjects are often difficult and his novels contain references to specializedContinue Reading
The Heart Goes Last held no surprises for me. Dystopia set somewhere in the future? Check. All doomed to implode due toContinue Reading
Paul Auster has been one of my favourite authors for many years, but not one whose name would come directly toContinue Reading
There is a lot of tango-ing in this novel, The Gods of Tango, as well as an eyebrow-raising amount ofContinue Reading
Let’s just get one thing out of the way: the title of the book and the setting: First, there areContinue Reading
Not worth the effort, frankly This is part two of the essay about “readability” that I published yesterday. This timeContinue 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
I have found that truly memorable books have something in common: they make you think. As Science Fiction author Neil Gaiman says of KazuoContinue Reading
Like it says on the title page, this novella is mystery fiction. I could not figure out, even though IContinue Reading
I read Jenny Lawson’s first autobiography Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, with a sense of having made a happy discovery,Continue Reading
Murder on an imaginary mountain I wondered, when I read this, how Cecilia Ekbäck came to know Blackåsen Mountain inContinue Reading
Today I added the 153rd author to my list of reviewed authors. Only a few stand out, and here is one:Continue Reading
Two days ago, 19 February 2016, both Umberto Eco and Harper Lee died. Both their names were probably in theContinue Reading
Laura Ingalls Wilder – Pioneer Girl, the Annotated Biography by Pamela Smith Hill, et al I grew up with the LauraContinue 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
This year I’ve read highly forgettable, beautifully written, distressing, hilarious and puzzling books. For me, S., by Doug Dorst and J.J.Continue Reading
In part 2 of good reads for the festive season, my choice is Island of Wings, by Karin Altenberg, which hasContinue Reading
Let’s pretend this never happened by Jenny Lawson I laughed ’til I cried when I read this book. I reallyContinue Reading
The fatal problem with poetry: poems Poetry is everywhere. Just when you think poetry is dead, there is rap. IContinue Reading
A nocturne, as in the title of this novel, is a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of,Continue Reading
Recently, while PBS was airing the documentary The Dust Bowl by Ken Burns, I bought Mary Coin by Marisa Silver. IContinue Reading
The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook Considering the quality and quirkiness of books published by Quirk Books, I was expecting somethingContinue Reading
Terry Pratchett (Sir Terence David John Pratchett, OBE) died on 12 March 2015. Last week Thursday. He was only 66Continue Reading
In Peter Carey’s new novel, Amnesia, the subtext of press freedom is woven through a plot about hacking, love, eco-terrorism,Continue Reading
Even if you know nothing about Jane Austen, never read one of her novels, and never seen a movie adaptationContinue 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
A Google Doodle for First Day of Autumn I love Autumn – it’s a beautiful season. Today is the firstContinue 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
Update, Jan. 7, 2017 Corrected spelling of “[en] plein air”, French pronunciation: [ɑ̃ plɛn ɛːʁ], which is from the FrenchContinue Reading
“Ron Burgundy” is of course not the actual author of this book – it was penned by Will Ferrell andContinue Reading
(Bloomsbury Publishing, 2012) You have to be determined to finish Umbrella. It’s 379 pages of text with no line breaks.Continue 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
Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam Trilogy – coming up – will be the subject of the 100th book review I’ve written inContinue Reading
This is a New Weird novel/thriller/sociological discourse (?) about Linguistics in society, or to be more precise – Semiotics – andContinue Reading
(Penguin Group, 2013) Introduction Khaled Hosseini’s latest novel has made me cry and made me miss my family. I knew,Continue Reading
Day of the Oprichnik gave me nightmares – literally. The cover shows a bear, with a dagger and a watchContinue 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
An autopsy is an examination to find the cause of death. From the title, you can assume the subject, Detroit,Continue Reading
Bike Snob – Systematically & Mercilessly Realigning the World of Cycling, by Bike Snob NYC (Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 2010)Continue Reading
