A Cineaste’s Bookshelf
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REVIEW: THE STARLITE DRIVE-IN by Marjorie Reynolds
Set in 1950s rural Indiana, this debut novel is told from the first-person by Callie Anne, primarily in flash back. Now an adult, she is drawn back to the summer she turned 11. Her memories are recalled in the mindset of a child who now has an adult perspective. Her father is the manager… Read More »
REVIEW: THE APOTHECARY by Maile Meloy
With illustrations by Ian Schoenherr Normally I don’t read young adult books for review. I think this is due mostly to the fact that I never really read them when I was a young adult. I sort of skipped that and went straight on to adult titles (The most notable exception being the… Read More »
READING CHALLENGES for 2012
Last year, the only challenge I entered myself in was a goal of 50 books, tracked by Goodreads. I hit my goal, but this year I wanted to mix things up a little and give some props to other book bloggers. I found a great list of options at Novel Challenges. It’s searchable by keyword… Read More »
INSPIRATION FROM CHRONICLE BOOKS
Just received this email from Chronicle Books. Refreshing and inspiring indeed!Read More »
REVIEWS: BOOKS THAT DIDN'T QUITE FLOAT MY BOAT
I try to give every book the same consideration, particularly when it’s in the review pile. As a (wannabe) writer myself, I can understand the toil that an author went through. I respect that. But there are still some books, that no matter how much I should have liked, and thought I would enjoy, I… Read More »
A Very Merry Christmas
Wishing you a very merry Christmas, and hoping there are many book under your tree this year! Thanks for reading.Read More »
GIVEAWAY: A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES
Christmas hustle and bustle got you harried? Want to win something? For yourself? You don’t have to tell… just leave a comment below and you’ll be entered to win a copy of A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES, out in paperback this December 27. Easier than reciting a magic spell! Here’s a bit about the book: –… Read More »
REVIEW: THE TINY BOOK OF TINY STORIES
Volume 1 by hitRECord & Joseph Gordon-Levitt This book is pure joy. Short, succinct thoughts and ideas with curious and thoughtful illustrations are compiled in this small tome. But don’t let the size deceive you; as William Blake wrote, “One thought fills immensity.” Some stories garner a chuckle. Some make you feel like you’ve been… Read More »
REVIEW: THE VICES by Lawrence Douglas
Ah, the holiday season… Time to gather with family and surround oneself with warm, comforting memories. Or, more realistically, subdue rising anxieties about the perfect meal, dodging insults about your housekeeping abilities, the way you are bringing up the kids, avoiding this year’s taboo topic, and desperately hoping your gift will meet with a less-whithering… Read More »
REVIEW: GOOD NEIGHBORS by Ryan David Jahn
It’s called the “bystander effect” and its real. It’s been proven time and again by psychologists. And it has been under discussion again with the Penn State scandal. (Read about it here from NPR) Most people think they would intervene if they saw a crime happening in front of them. They would either step in,… Read More »
REVIEW: THE SCRAPBOOK OF FRANKIE PRATT by Caroline Preston
I adore this book. It’s a completely individual way to tell a story. It’s a novel masquerading as a scrapbook — or perhaps it’s the other way around. Author Caroline Preston says of taking on this project, “I spent an unhealthy portion of my childhood rooting around in the boiling-or-freezing attic of my parent’s house… Read More »
REVIEW: FOREVER RUMPOLE by John Mortimer
It’s going to be impossible to review this book without comparing it to the works of PG Wodehouse. The writings share a number of attributes — silly surnames, ridiculous situations, and even more unlikely solutions. Barrister Horace Rumpole tells stories from the first person, much like Bertie and Mr. Mulliner, but his are from the… Read More »
