Finished in July 1. White Tears by Hari Kunzru A sort of murder-mystery ghost story that probes the deep wounds of race as played out in the appropriation and theft of African American music by white musicians and record companies. Two music-geek misfits became friends and partners in college and subsequently move to New York. […]
Book Review: If You Can Get It by Brendan Hodge. The man who only lives for making money Lives a life that isn’t necessarily sunny; Likewise the man who works for fame There’s no guarantee that time won’t erase his name The fact is The only work that really brings enjoyment Is the kind that […]
Invocation –for Kyra The open window admits the last light of a long summer day. No breath of breeze stirs the curtain’s gauze. All is still but sounds creep in, cars and children cicadas and leafblowers like roaring lions. Gold limns the curtain and the tree tops gilded and the sky’s golden glow gashes her […]
Three old favorites that I’ve recently read with Lucy. 1. Dahlia by Barbara McClintock This story about a girl who gets a new doll remains one of my all-time favorite picture books. I wrote about it in 2009, and still stand by every word of that review. But the more I think about it, the […]
What I’ve been reading. Well, my book notes posts pretty much dried up this year. Like so many things. I’m gonna blame the pandemic, because: why not? Anyway, a quick overview of what I’ve been reading and enjoying, as far as I can remember, in the second quarter of the year. Books I’ve Finished 1. […]
“. . . ever since that day in Falmouth, I could only find that God gave us the natural liberty to err or do well but did not play with us like dolls and carved toys. Why some faithful prayers are answered and others not was a mystery. Nor could I yield to the thought […]
Hardly a day goes by when I don’t find myself suggesting books on social media. Evidently I’m getting a name for it. Today when a woman in a group asked for a suggestion and I leaped in she said she was hoping I might have some suggestions. It has been suggested to me that I […]
Cecil picked out a little flat box and opened it. Inside was a circle of wax. There was an impression on it but the wax, held together by a frame, was broken across. It looked like an animal with a stick between its hoofs. “What’s this? she asked. Ambrose Morne screwed in his eye-glass. “I […]
A friend asked for suggestions for beautiful books about the Middle Ages that don’t make it sound like a sad, terrible time for humanity with no ideas or beauty, only darkness. And I realized when I was trying to find suggestions on my blog that it’s time to update my book list. We’ve discovered some […]
Dawn Wind by Rosemary Sutcliff is a historical novel that takes place in the years after the British have lost a decisive battle to the Saxon at Aquae Sulis. The novel ends as Aethelbert consolidates his power as king of the Saxons in the south and the monk Augustine arrives as a missionary from Pope […]