Book Review: “The Guinea Pig Diaries” by A.J. Jacobs
Published Monday, Oct. 5, 2009
It’s safe to say that A.J. Jacobs routinely goes places where no one has gone before. In his first book, “The Know-It-All,” he read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica in a little over a year. He followed that up with “The Year of Living Biblically,” in which he attempted to live by the rules and regulations of the Good Book (both Testaments). Now he gives us appetizer-sized versions of his more recent experiments in human behavior, each one just as illuminating (and irritating to his long-suffering wife) as his previous endeavors. Read More |
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Book Review: “The American Future: A History”
Published Thursday, June 18, 2009
A wise man once said those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Of course, those who know their history might not be able to avoid the mistakes of the past anyway, either because of ideology or the cruel twists of fate. In the context of the historic 2008 election, it’s important not just to re-examine our history and see how we got to this point, but also to see where we might be going. Read More |
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Attica Locke's debut is good summer read
Published Friday, June 12, 2009
"Black Water Rising" (HarperCollins, 448 pages, $25.99), by Attica Locke: Jay Porter, an overworked attorney with a foundering practice, wants to surprise his pregnant wife on her birthday with a private, romantic moonlight cruise. Read More |
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Book Review: The Chase
Published Friday, May 29, 2009
When I’m not boating, reading ranks high among my favorite activities. Mostly fiction satisfies the literary diet, and high on my list of authors is Clive Cussler. A very prolific writer is Mr. Cussler. Most of his novels deal with tales of the sea. They include some non-fiction, and among those is the description of the search for the Hunley (a Confederate submarine which was the first ever to sink a surface vessel). Cussler financed that expedition. The majority of his works are fiction, and most of his earlier books featured “Dirk Pitt,” a larger than life hero whose adventures provided Skipper with many hours of enjoyment. Read More |
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Book Review: Reacher's at it again
Published Thursday, May 21, 2009
"Gone Tomorrow" (Random House, $27.00, 432 pages), by Lee Child: Like his hero Jack Reacher, Lee Child seems to make no wrong steps. Read More |
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Book Review: “George,” by Peter Golenbock
Published Thursday, May 14, 2009
When he first bought the New York Yankees in 1973, Cleveland shipbuilder George Steinbrenner promised to be a hands-off owner. He then spent the next 35 years as anything but, meddling in all aspects of the team from hiring and firing managers to regulating hair length. Like Al Davis of the Oakland Raiders, King George is linked to the team that he helped build and destroy on numerous occasions. His retirement in 2008 amid the onset of Alzheimer’s disease makes the time right for a full-scale assessment of the man and his era, and veteran sportswriter Peter Golenbock comes closer to the real man behind “The Boss” than anyone has previously. Read More |
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Book Review: 'Winner Stands Alone' thrills with a serial killer
Published Thursday, April 16, 2009
"The Winner Stands Alone" (Harper, 345 pages, $25.99), by Paulo Coelho, translated from Portuguese by Margaret Jull Costa: He's a serial killer running loose at the Cannes film festival, but he's convinced himself that he has a good motive: love. Read More |
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Book Review: “When March Went Mad”
Published Friday, April 3, 2009
When I was growing up in the ’80s, everyone knew whom Bird and Magic were. The dynamic basketball players who revitalized the sport with the Celtics and Lakers (respectively) set the template for all those who would follow, from Michael Jordan on down to LeBron James. What a lot of people didn’t know (myself included) was how good Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were while still in college, a fact borne out by their legendary showdown against one another in the 1979 NCAA Championship Game. Read More |
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Book review: 'Life Sentences' loosely based on real case
Published Thursday, March 26, 2009
"Life Sentences" (William Morrow, 344 pages, $24.99), by Laura Lippman: Laura Lippman earned her fame with a series of books about a fictional Baltimore private detective named Tess Monaghan. But in recent years, she has written several stand-alone novels that have incrementally strayed from her mystery writing roots. Read More |
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Book review: “The Will to Whatevs”
Published Thursday, March 19, 2009
Modern life is so confusing sometimes that it’s nice to have a thorough, well-written and completely demented guide to rely on. Eugene Mirman provides that with his all-encompassing new book, chock full of all the guidance you didn’t know you needed. From helping you get through school to revealing what happens in the afterlife (hint: It’s a mish-mash of every major religion’s views on what lies beyond), Mirman provides answers to questions that you might ask, if you’re drunk enough. Read More |
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