Shelter in Place IV: Pride Mid-Month Update
A few random updates. Happy Pride Month! Continue reading Shelter in Place IV: Pride Mid-Month Update
Category: books I’m reading
Ezra Pound: Poet: Volume III: The Tragic Years 1939–1972, by A. David Moody @ NYJB
“Ezra Pound: Poet: Volume III: The Tragic Years 1939–1972,” by A. David Moody chronicles Pound’s life from his Italian residency prior to the outbreak of World War II to his death. Continue reading Ezra Pound: Poet: Volume III: The Tragic Years 1939–1972, by A. David Moody @ NYJB
CCLaP Fridays: Zine, by Pagan Kennedy
This week Karl Wolff reviews ‘Zine, by Pagan Kennedy, a reissue of an influential autobiographical ‘zine. Continue reading CCLaP Fridays: Zine, by Pagan Kennedy
CCLaP Fridays: Red Fortress: History and Illusion in the Kremlin, by Catherine Merridale
This week at CCLaP, I review Red Fortress: History and Illusion in the Kremlin, by Catherine Merridale, about the history of Moscow’s most iconic structure. Continue reading CCLaP Fridays: Red Fortress: History and Illusion in the Kremlin, by Catherine Merridale
The NSFW Files: Story of O, by Pauline Reage
This week I continue my ongoing essay series, The NSFW Files, with the controversial classic, The Story of O, by Pauline Reage, about a woman who desires to be dominated. Continue reading The NSFW Files: Story of O, by Pauline Reage
CCLaP Fridays: Escape From Paris, by Carolyn Hart
Today at CCLaP, Karl Wolff reviews “Escape From Paris,” a romantic suspense novel about the early years of the Second World War and two sisters’ battle to save downed British pilots from Nazi menace. Continue reading CCLaP Fridays: Escape From Paris, by Carolyn Hart
CCLaP Fridays: The Blue Kind, by Kathryn Born
Today’s book review: “The Blue Kind,” a dystopian drug novel by Chicago-area author Kathryn Born, and put out by academic imprint Switchgrass. Says reviewer Karl Wolff, “More novelists writing in science fiction should take these kinds of chances.” Continue reading CCLaP Fridays: The Blue Kind, by Kathryn Born
Good Book on the Cold War Brainwashing Scare
I have recently been watching a lot of old cold war films, in which many of the plots revolve around the phenomenon of brainwashing. Films such as The Manchurian Candidate, Michael Caine’s early film, The Ipcress File, and The Mind Benders starring Dirk Benders are classic spy/science fiction films with brainwashing as a new form of scientific weapon which is central to the plot. After a brief bit of research, I found out several governments during the Cold War were interested in establishing their own brainwashing research and development programmes. Despite all the scientific work which was going on at the time, scientists have yet to … Continue reading Good Book on the Cold War Brainwashing Scare
What I’m Reading 2012 and Other Business
What I’m Reading 2012 Overview: I’m currently reading five books. Each poses certain challenges (in some cases, self-imposed challenges) to me as a reader, reviewer, critic, historian, and aesthete. While New Year’s Resolutions get broken seconds after they’re uttered, these challenges will form an informal backbone to my reading schedule. As it stands, I want to increase the frequency of my blog posts from bimonthly to weekly. (The same goes for my other blog, Coffee is for Closers.) The positive responses from readers has really inspired me to do more. As you’ll see with these challenges, I want to “raise … Continue reading What I’m Reading 2012 and Other Business
Critic’s Notebook: A Demanding Read, Part II (Non-fiction)
The act of reading can exact a demanding price from the reader. If one lacks preparation, he or she can be left in a wallow of ignorance. Certain titles exist that a reader approaches with caution. The Cantos of Ezra Pound, Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon, Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, and many others. Non-fiction works also intimidate potential readers. I am currently reading the second volume of Henry Kissinger’s memoirs, Years of Upheaval, and the first volume of Capital by Karl Marx. Each extracts certain demands from the reader in its own particular way. Yes, this book actually exists. … Continue reading Critic’s Notebook: A Demanding Read, Part II (Non-fiction)
The Driftless Area Review 