Michael Thomas Barry's Blog, page 3

Review of Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak

Author: Markus ZusakRelease Date: October 9, 2018Publisher: KnopfPages: 544Buy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Clay-Signed-Markus-Zusak/dp/0375845593/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539960078&sr=8-1&keywords=bridge+of+clay“In the beginning there was one murderer, one mule and one boy, but this isn’t the beginning . . . Yes, always for us there was a brother, and he was the one—the one of us amongst five of us—who took all of it on his shoulders.”The five Dunbar brothers are living with their menagerie of pets in the perfect chaos of a house made by their own rules. Today, the father who walked out on them long ago walks back in. And so, the life of Clay, the quiet one with a harrowing secret, is about to change forever. He is the one who will build a bridge, for greatness, for his sins. A miracle and nothing less. From a grandfather, whose parents’ passion for the ancient Greeks still lights up their lives, to a mother and father who fell in love over a mislaid piano, to the present day, where five sons laugh and fight and reckon with the adult word.Bridge of Clay is an extraordinarily brilliant but tragically poignant tale of family secrets and how one boy risks everything to save it all. New York Times bestselling author Markus Zusak makes his much-anticipated return with this powerful and deeply genuine story. He is the author of six novels including The Book Thief and I Am the Messenger. “Let me tell you about our brother. The fourth Dunbar boy named Clay. Everything happened to him. We were all of us changed through him.”Bridge of Clay is an enormously ambitious undertaking and Zusak’s views about the power of love are refreshing and inspiring. A novel of contrasts, it shows a world that is both kind and loving but also cruel and hateful. The character development is intricate and extraordinary, allowing for a deep understanding of all that is possible within the realm of the human spirit—an animated and heartfelt journey that is filled with moving descriptions of family and loss and the quest for a miracle.Be advised this novel is not an easy book to read and takes a tremendous amount of effort and stamina, but the completion is phenomenally rewarding. Interwoven with touches of romance and wit: it is obvious that Zusak was bound and determined to celebrate the quirks and idiosyncrasies of flawed people living in an imperfect world. Beautifully written and thought provoking, Bridge of Clay will tug at your heart strings; and at the essential core of the novel is the delightfully uplifting message that life tends to find a way to make things right in the end.Michael Thomas Barry is a staff reviewer for the New York Journal of Books and the award winning author of eight nonfiction books. This review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on October 19, 2018 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/bridge-clay

Review of No Good Deed by Victor Gischler

Author: Victor GischlerRelease date: September 4, 2018Publisher: Tor Forge BooksPages: 256Buy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/No-Good-Deed-Victor-Gischler/dp/1250106699/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536762414&sr=8-1&keywords=victor+gischler"Francis could see only the vague outline of her in the darkness, but it seemed as if her head was cocked, listening. A few seconds later, she blew out a sigh, seemed satisfied, and flipped on the light switch. ‘I need my suitcase.’ She wasn’t what Francis had pictured.”Francis Berringer is a minor cog in a corporate machine. His girlfriend just left him. He can’t tie his tie straight. His life takes a sudden turn when he’s running late for work one morning and stumbles across a suitcase full of women’s clothes and an odd business card with only an email address on it. He knows he shouldn’t get involved but can’t resist. He sends a message to the email address and arranges the return of the suitcase. The way Francis’ life is going, he could use a little karma, so why not do a good deed?“A blinking red flag on his computer monitor caught his attention, a message in his in-box. I have your office address. I’m coming for the suitcase. Do not contact me via this email again. Ghost Girl. He sighed. You have a way with the ladies, Francis.”And then the girl shows up, a slender good looking blond, nose ring, tattoos, bomber jacket, army boots, and all. Berringer is intrigued by the attractive stranger and soon finds himself dodging bullets and doing his best to stay alive, wishing he’d never bothered with that suitcase in the first place. A muscle car, automatic pistols, and a girl with a secret. Francis doesn’t have a lot of experience with these things, and all he knows is that the bad guys are after him and the good guys are, too.Victor Gischler’s writing spans multiple genres—crime thrillers, satirical science fiction, and epic fantasy. Gischler’s debut novel Gun Monkeys (2001, Dell) was nominated for the Edgar Award, and his novel Shotgun Opera (2006, Dell) was an Anthony Award finalist.No Good Deed tells the story of a regular guy who tries to do the right thing but finds himself in an unexpected situation. Who doesn't root for a down-on-his-luck, reluctant good guy protagonist who’s unwittingly mixed up in a mystery? Toss in a good-looking woman who’s filled with secrets, throw in a gang of criminal hooligans, and a cold-hearted antagonist government agent and you’ve got the recipe for a fun and rewarding read.“The squeal of tires and the roar of an engine drew Francis’s attention. His head snapped around to see a black sedan rounding the corner behind him. It gunned the engine again, bearing down with alarming sped. ‘Run!’ The girl sprinted ahead, not even waiting to see if Francis followed.”Overall, Gischler’s writing style is fast-paced, humorous, and loaded with thrills and chills. The plotline is dynamic and chock full of edge of your seat surprises. This gripping, free-wheeling joy ride of a whodunnit invariably leaves the reader unabashedly cheering for the heroes and jeering the villains.Michael Thomas Barry is a staff reviewer for the New York Journal of Books and the author of eight nonfiction books.This review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on September 10, 2018 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/no-good-deed

Review of Monster City by Michael Arntfield

Author: Michael ArntfieldRelease date: September 4, 2018Publisher: Little APages: 300Buy from Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Monster-City-Murder-Mayhem-Nashvilles/dp/1503952886/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=“When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe.” —Henry Davis Thoreau, “Winter”Nashville is a hub for hopeful musicians and a magnet for country music fans. It’s often referred to as Music City, and by the time Pat Postiglione arrived there in 1980, it had already borne witness to a string of brutal unsolved sex slayings. These murders would serve as a portent to worse things to come. As Postiglione was promoted from Metro beat cop to detective sergeant in the elite cold-case unit “Murder Squad,” some of America’s most heinous, elusive, and violent serial killers were calling Nashville home. Over the next two decades, the body count continued to climb.From Vanderbilt University to dive bars and out-of-the-way motels, Postiglione followed the blood-stained tracks of these ever-escalating crimes—each perpetrated by a different killer who had one thing in common: the intent to murder without motive or remorse. But of all the investigations, of all the fiends Postiglione hunted, few were as frightening, or as game changing, as the Rest Stop Killer: a homicidal trucker who turned the interstates into his trolling ground. His next stop was Nashville, but Postiglione was waiting.“. . . he hadn’t returned to Music City for the pedal steels, fiddles, or line dancing . . . He was awake now. His eyes wide open. When it was all over, they would use newfangled terms like activated psychopath and malignant narcissist to try to capture the essence of his malevolence—to clinically classify and quantify his pure evil . . . He’d inevitably fooled just about everyone . . . But there was one person he couldn’t fool. It was the one cop who’s caught him—the same cop who’d solved his first murder and who’d lock him up . . .”Michael Arntfield is a true crime broadcaster, university professor, former police detective, and author of over a dozen books and articles that include the bestselling Murder City: The Untold Story of Canada's Serial Killer Capital, 1959–1984 (2015, Friesen Press). In his captivating new book, Monster City: Murder, Music and Mayhem in Nashville’s Dark Age, Arntfield examines the true accounts of the serial killers who terrorized Nashville during the last decades of the 20th century and the elite police squad that was determined to bring them to justice. In it he contends that the characteristics of the serial killings committed during this time frame were perpetrated by “the hedonistic-thrill killer . . . a special breed of psychopath with an insatiable desire for stimulation.”Throughout Monster City Arntfield does an excellent job of detailing the investigations, forensics, and theories behind the motivations of these brutal murders. It is a powerful expose that studies the deep dark nature of the criminal mind.Although at times Arntfield’s writing style tends to be a little bit sensational and there’s some repetition, overall this book is informative and shines a spotlight on some of Nashville’s most brutal and long forgotten crimes. It also does an excellent job of describing the heroic police detectives who put themselves in harm’s way. These brave men and women through countless hours of self-sacrifice to pursue these heinous criminals to make our streets safe for everyone. Their steadfast resolve and persistence must be honored and applauded. Monster City will make an excellent addition to any true crime enthusiast's library.Michael Thomas Barry is the author of eight nonfiction books and a staff reviewer for the New York Journal of Books.

This review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on September 7, 2018 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/monster-city

Review of The Other Sister by Sarah Zettel

Author: Sarah ZettelRelease date: August 28, 2018Publisher: Grand Central PublishingPages: 380Buy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Other-Sister-Sarah-Zettel/dp/1538760908/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535469171&sr=8-1&keywords=the+other+sister+by+sarah+zettel“There’s a misconception that the woods are the destination in a fairy tale. The woods are just something to get through. Scary, yes. Necessary, of course. But it’s when you finally get to the castle that the real trouble starts.”Geraldine Monroe is the bad sister. Reckless and troubled, she ran away shortly after the mysterious death of their mother 20 years ago. Marie, on the other hand, has always been the good sister. She is the obedient daughter and a loving mother to her son.Now Geraldine has come home, for good it seems, and no one, not the aunts or uncles or cousins really knows why. The most suspicious of all is Martin Monroe, the father who rules the extended family and their small town with a toxic combination of money and cold-heartedness. But even he doesn't realize what the truth is: that the sisters have become allies in a plot to murder him.Bound by blood and a need to right the past, Geraldine and Marie set their plan in motion. When old secrets and new fears clash, everyone is pushed to the breaking point . . . and the sisters will learn that they can't trust anyone, not even each other.The Other Sister by Sarah Zettel is a quasi-fairy tale type murder mystery that features two sisters—one perceived as good, one bad. Geraldine Monroe is the bad sister, an irresponsible and troubled soul. While Marie Monroe is the good sister, always the obedient daughter and responsible mother, she stayed in the family home and cared for their father.Zettel is the critically acclaimed author of more than 18 novels and many short stories, spanning the full range of genre fiction. Her debut novel, Reclamation (1996, Aspect Books), won the Locus Award for Best First Novel. Her second release, Fool’s War (1997, Aspect Books), was a 1997 New York Times Notable Book.Now 25 years later, Geraldine has apparently come home for good and no one knows why. The most suspicious of all is her father, a manipulative and controlling man who might have been responsible for his wife’s death and possibly others. When Geraldine and Marie set their plan into motion dark secrets begin to emerge that call into question their sisterly bonds and push everyone to the breaking point.“Fairy tales are not big on second chances. The wicked sister never gets to turn and say, you know, that thing where I tried to kill you and marry your husband? That was a mistake. I have reconsidered my life choices. In the stories, redemption can only come from the hand of God, and God is a tight-fisted old bastard.”In this often disturbing and distressing tale of family loyalty and deceit, Zettel does an adequate job of mixing humor and wit into an unsettling plotline that alternates between the past and present viewpoints of narrators Marie and Geraldine. Unfortunately these switches are often hard to follow and tend to confuse the story.But if the reader is able to stick it out despite these pitfalls they will be rewarded with an excellent psychological thriller that’s filled with dark family secrets and plenty of intrigue.Michael Thomas Barry is a staff reviewer for the New York Journal of Books and the author of eight nonfiction books. This review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on August 28, 2018 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/other-sister

Review of Chopin's Piano by Paul Kildea

Author: Paul KildeaRelease date: August 14, 2018Publisher: WW NortonPages: 288Buy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Chopins-Piano-Search-Instrument-Transformed/dp/039365222X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534348407&sr=8-1&keywords=paul+kildeaIn November 1838, composer Frédéric Chopin, French novelist George Sand (Amantine Lucile Dupin), and her two children sailed to the Spanish Island of Majorca to escape the cold damp Parisian winter. They settled in an abandoned monastery at Valldemossa in the mountains above Palma where Chopin finished what would eventually be recognized as one of the great and revolutionary works of musical Romanticism: his 24 Preludes. There was scarcely a decent piano on the island, so Chopin worked on a small pianino made by a local craftsman, which remained in its monastic chamber for the next 70 years.Chopin’s Piano: In Search of the Instrument That Transformed Music by Paul Kildea traces the history of Chopin’s compositions through the instruments on which they were written, the musical historians who interpreted them, and the traditions they have come to represent. Kildea is a composer, pianist and the author of Benjamin Britten: A Life in the Twentieth Century (2013, Penguin Global). He was formerly the head of music at the Aldeburgh Festival and artistic director of the Wigmore Hall in London.Chopin’s Piano begins and ends with the Majorcan pianino, and is organized in two parts, the first examines Chopin's 24 Preludes; the studies the critical responses to this composition, the composer himself and the history of the diminutive piano on which it was written.Most of the second portion concentrates on Wanda Landowska, a legendary harpsichordist, who in 1913 rescued Chopin’s pianino from its monastic cell. After she fled France for the United States in late 1941, all of her possessions—including rare music manuscripts and beloved instruments—were confiscated by the Nazis. Only a small portion of her possessions managed to survive the war and were eventually returned. The pianino would attain an astonishing level of cultural symbolism during the Second World War as a representation of Chopin and his music of which the Nazi regime was determined to use for propaganda and ideological purposes.“The looting never seemed to stop. In the summer months of 1943 two freight trains containing 120 upright and several grand pianos left France for Germany . . . Some of the most notorious instances of plunder and redistribution of instruments . . . were carried out on behalf of the Reich’s Bruckner-Orchester, which was dreamed up by Hitler . . .”While it is assumed that most readers are aware that the Nazi’s looted art, what isn’t as well known is the theft of other cultural symbols such as musical instruments. Kildea does an excellent job of tracing and attempting to solve the mysteries of what happened to one of these iconic symbols.The author’s enthusiasm for the subject is very apparent and he expertly and effortlessly illustrates how Landowska’s trials and tribulations relates to Chopin’s, a saga which redefined portions of the cultural and political history of mid-20th century. Captivating and intriguing, Chopin’s Piano will most certainly entertain both novice and hardcore music historians.Michael Thomas Barry is a staff reviewer for the New York Journal of Books and the author of eight nonfiction works.This review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on August 13, 2018 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/chopins-piano

Review of Fare Thee Well by Joel Selvin

Author: Joel SelvinRelease date: June 19, 2018Publisher: Da Capo PressPages: 308Buy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fare-Thee-Well-Chapter-Grateful/dp/0306903059/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529688208&sr=8-1&keywords=joel+selvinWhen the Grateful Dead convened on December 7, 1995, four months after bandleader and guitarist Jerry Garcia’s death, the remaining “core four” members decided to bring their collaboration to a close. Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann had their publicist draft a press release announcing the end of the band. But as we know, the story did not end there.In the months and years to follow, they each embarked on new music and business ventures: Weir toured his band RatDog; Hart released an album, Mystery Box; and Lesh fronted a rotating cast of musicians in the group Phil and Friends. But tensions persisted—Lesh in particular became increasingly absent from Grateful Dead business meetings—as the core four struggled with defining their legacy.“It seemed almost sacrilegious to consider replacing Garcia, but there was a need among the band to come to some decision. These men were tired, bereaved, frustrated, and scared, with the enormous weight of the massive Grateful Dead organization on their shoulders and, without Garcia, no idea how they were going to hold it up . . . There were many items on the agenda, but staring everybody in the face was the most basic decision that needed to be made about the band’s future—how they would continue.”Fare Thee Well: The Final Chapter of the Grateful Dead’s Long, Strange Trip by Joel Selvin takes readers on a turbulent behind the scenes journey as the surviving members of this iconic rock band struggle through two decades of petty squabbles and bickering that eventually led to a fragile compromise and reunion tour in 2015.Joel Selvin is an award-winning journalist and San Francisco based music critic, who is best known for his weekly column in the San Francisco Chronicle that ran from 1972 to 2009. His books have covered various aspects of pop music and include the New York Times bestseller, Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock with Sammy Hagar (2011).Fare Thee Well is a comprehensive and thorough tell-all biography; Selvin does an exceptional job of conveying the struggles and emotions that gripped members of the band in the years that followed the untimely death of Jerry Garcia. Without his leadership and Zen like approach to business and life, surviving members were left rudderless, descending into a pit of despair and petty disagreements that often led to deep wounding personal hurts and grudges.Selvin explores in great detail almost every dispute and jubilantly concludes the narrative with the bands all too brief 50th anniversary reunion tour. The five concerts were billed as "Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Dead.” The shows were performed on June 27 and 28 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, and on July 3, 4 and 5 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The band stated that this would be the final time the core four would perform together. Demand for tickets was high and anticipation from rapid fans was feverish.“Signs hung from practically every bar, ‘Welcome Deadheads.’ Next Soldier Field, the Field Museum of Natural History got into the act, draping the entrance with three giant banners of dancing tyrannosaurs wearing crowns of roses by psychedelic poster artist Stanley Mouse, who created the original skull and roses for the Dead.”Overall, Fare Thee Well is a passionate and well-written exposé of the behind the scenes action of one of rock and roll’s most iconic bands and a must read for all “Deadheads” and casual rock historians. Oh, what a long, strange trip it has been.This review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on June 21, 2018: https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/grateful-deads

Review of Autumn in Venice by Andrea di Robilant

Author: Andrea di RobilantRelease date: June 5, 2018Publisher: AA KnopfPages: 352Buy from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Autumn-Venice-Ernest-Hemingway-Last/dp/1101946652/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528837601&sr=8-1&keywords=autumn+in+venice
In the fall of 1948 Ernest Hemingway and his fourth wife Mary traveled to Europe, staying in Venice for a few months. He was a year shy of his 50th birthday and hadn't published a novel in nearly a decade. During a hunting expedition he met and fell in love with 18-year-old, Adriana Ivancich, a strikingly beautiful Venetian girl just out of finishing school.“Lovely, seductive, mischievous Adriana became Hemingway’s muse in the most classical sense. She brought joy to his life, inspired him, made him feel young again . . . her presence helped to fill the dried-up well of his creative juices, leading to a remarkable literary flowering in the late season of his life.”It has been alleged that he used her as the model for Renata in Across the River and Into the Trees and that she traveled to Cuba to see him as he wrote, The Old Man and the Sea. Nearly six decades after Hemingway’s suicide, Andrea di Robilant attempts to reconstruct this rarely written about and mysterious relationship in his new book, Autumn in Venice: Ernest Hemingway and his Last Muse. Robilant is the author of several books that include A Venetian Affair (2005), Lucia: A Venetian Life in the Age of Napoleon (2008), and Chasing the Rose: An Adventure in the Venetian Countryside (2014). The author claims that his great uncle was part of Hemingway’s social circle in Venice.Generally regarded as past his prime, Hemingway at the time had been suffering from writer’s block and hadn’t published a book in nearly a decade. One day, he is introduced to Adriana Ivancich and is immediately smitten with the naïvely attractive young woman. According to the author, this relationship “took over his life” and she became his muse. They spent countless hours together in Venice and Cuba, all under the watchful eye of Hemingway’s wife. Meeting his muse around town, Hemingway seemed unaware of the nasty chatter he was generating for Adriana. While his wife, Mary was tolerant of his crush as long as it remained nonsexual and it made him happy.In this methodically researched account of Ernest Hemingway’s obsession with a much younger woman, Robilant draws heavily on previously unpublished letters and journals. He alleges that this relationship helped to produce some of Hemingway’s best works including The Old Man and The Sea, stating “Adriana made all this possible . . . No question in my mind, she revived Hemingway’s writing.”Autumn in Venice effortlessly and expertly explores the secret desires, successes, and depressive obstacles that shrouded Ernest Hemingway’s final productive years. It ultimately falls short of fully answering the basic premise of whether or not Hemingway and Ivancich’s relationship remained purely platonic. In the end, Robilant does succeed in acknowledging that the malicious rumors of the affair did severely impact Adriana and because of such treatment (fairly or unfairly), she suffered years of depression that ultimately led to her own suicide.Review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on June 11, 2018 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/autumn-venice

Review of Alone Time by Stephanie Rosenbloom

Author: Stephanie RosenbloomRelease Date: June 5, 2018Publisher: Viking BooksPages: 288Buy from Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Alone-Time-Seasons-Pleasures-Solitude/dp/0399562303/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1528496205&sr=8-2&keywords=alone+time
“Alone time gives us permission to pause, to relish the sensual details of the world rather than hurtling through museums and uploading photos to Instagram.”In a society that is becoming more and more distracted, many people are genuinely fearful of the prospect of solitude but being alone can have its benefits, especially when traveling. Solo travel is becoming increasingly popular. Intrepid Travel, one of the largest adventure travel companies in the world, reports that half of its guests—some 75,000 people a year—are now traveling by themselves. Airbnb is seeing more solo travelers than ever. The number of searches on Google shows that solo travel is twice as popular as it was three years ago. But for many people, solitude is something to be avoided at all costs and associated with problems such as loneliness and depression.“Solitude and its perils is an ancient and instructive story. But it’s not the whole story. The company of others, while fundamental, is not the only way of finding fulfillment in our lives.”In Alone Time: Four Seasons, Four Cities, and the Pleasures of Solitude, New York Times travel staff columnist Stephanie Rosenbloom delves into the health benefits of traveling alone. The book spans one year and is divided into four parts with each section set in a new city during a different season. Sections include Paris, Istanbul, Florence, and New York. All are walking cities and people friendly and the text includes topics such as dining alone, learning to savor, discovering interests and passions, and finding or creating silent spaces.Through on the ground reporting, insights from mental health and social science professionals and recounting the experiences of artists, writers, and innovators, Rosenbloom considers how traveling alone helps deepen the appreciation for everyday beauty, bringing into sharp relief the sights, sounds, and smells that one isn’t necessarily attuned to in the presence of company.“Alone time is an invitation. A chance to do things you’ve been wanting to do. . . . You need not carry on polite conversation. You can go to a park. You can go to Paris. You’d hardly be alone.”As someone who’s a string believer in the healing power of alone time, this book is personal and thought-provoking. As Rosenbloom writes, “Time spent away from the influence of others allows us to explore and define who we are.”Overall, Alone Time is an excellent blend of intimate, in depth recollections of traveling alone as well as a self-help guide to mindfulness. It is a fascinating, light read and highly recommended for anyone planning on visiting the cities discussed. But be warned there is some repetitiveness in phrasing that is somewhat distracting, but with that aside, the pure joy of reading about these delightful cities negates any pitfalls. Overall, Rosenbloom’s writing style is warm and engaging and will most definitely have readers eager to set off on their own solo travels.Michael Thomas Barry is a staff reviewer for the New York Journal of Books and the author of eight nonfiction books.The review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on June 7, 2018 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/alone-time

Review of Fall of Angels by Barbara Cleverly

Author: Barbara CleverlyRelease date: May 15, 2018Publisher: Soho PressPages: 368Buy from Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Fall-Angels-Inspector-Redfyre-Mystery/dp/1616958766/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526572966&sr=8-1&keywords=fall+of+angelsGreat Britain, 1923: Detective Inspector John Redfrye is a blessing to the Cambridge CID. A handsome young veteran bred among the city’s educated elite, he is no stranger to the set running its esteemed colleges and universities—a society that previously seemed impenetrable to even those at the top of local law enforcement, especially with the force plagued by its own history of corruption.When Redfrye in invited to attend the annual St. Barnabas College Christmas concert in his Aunt Henrietta’s stead, he is expecting a quiet evening, though a minor scandal: Juno Proudfoot, the trumpeter of the headlining musical duo, is a woman, and a young one at that—practically unheard of in conservative academic circles. When she suffers a near-fatal fall after the close of the show, Redfrye must consider whether someone was trying to kill her. Has her musical talent, her beauty, or perhaps most importantly, her gender, provoked a dangerous criminal to act? Redfrye must seek advice from and keep an eye on an old friend to catch his man before more innocents fall victim.Fall of Angels is the series debut from bestselling author Barbara Cleverly, who is a graduate of Durham University and a former teacher who has spent her working life in Cambridgeshire, England. She is the author of 13 books in the successful Joe Sandilands and Laetitia Talbot mystery series.In this inaugural installment, Cleverly introduces an interesting new investigator to the mystery-thriller genre. A classic detective novel set in 1920s England, the story centers on the fight for women’s rights—a battle that proves to be deadly for some of those involved. Fall of Angels has all the customary elements that devotees of Barbara Cleverly’s other writings have come to expect: excellent historical detail, humorous dialogue, intriguing characters, and a whodunit that will keep readers on the end of their seat until the very end. Her writing style is reminiscent of a bygone era that pays homage to the Golden Age of mystery writing.“Redfrye would never rightly know what instinct, what subliminal sound had triggered his reaction . . . The two players would at any moment now be attempting to come down those high, narrow stairs in pitch blackness . . . The thud and the screams from the stairs rang out as he threw the door open and stood in alarm, trying to penetrate the darkness and make sense of the series of bumps and jagged cries cascading towards him. He rushed at the staircase, blindly reaching out his hands to break the momentum of whatever alarming avalanche was about to engulf him.”In Fall of Angels, Cleverly capably provides the essential historical background and prerequisite elements necessary for any successful mystery story. She always excels at weaving these fundamentals into her narratives, and this new novel is no exception to the established pattern. Although the mystery itself is sensibly conceived its plotline is not particularly unique, although this doesn’t take anything away from its general readability. Overall, it is a fine series debut that is well worth checking out.Michael Thomas Barry is a staff reviewer for the New York Journal of books and is the author of eight nonfiction works.The review first appeared at the New York Journal of Books on May 16, 2018 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/fall-angels-inspector-redfyre-mysteryand at the Orangecountybookreview.blogspot.com (May 17, 2018) http://orangecountybookreview.blogspot.com/2018/05/review-of-fall-of-angels-by-barbara.html

Review of Tyrant: Shakespeare on Politics by Stephen Greenblatt

Author: Stephen Greenblatt
Release date: May 8, 2018
Publisher: WW Norton
Page: 208
Buy from Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Tyrant-Shakespeare-Politics-Stephen-Greenblatt/dp/0393635759/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526059320&sr=8-1&keywords=stephen+greenblatt

As Queen Elizabeth I’s 50-year reign over England entered its latter years, a controversial and gifted playwright entered the theater scene and dove head first into the social causes, psychological roots, and cruel consequences of tyranny. In plays like Richard III, Macbeth, and King Lear, William Shakespeare probed the psyche of his characters rampant lust for absolute power and the long-term effects on its calamitous execution.

He asked himself, “How is it possible for a whole country to fall into the hands of a tyrant?” Under what circumstances . . . do such cherished institutions, seemly deep-rooted and impregnable, suddenly prove fragile?
Esteemed traditions were crumbling, political loyalties were blurred, severe economic woes fueled anti-elitist resentment, average citizens willingly allowed wanton lies and partisan vindictiveness to permeate everyday life. Shakespeare was captivated by all aspects of these societal crises and calamities. With intelligent, clever and poignant awareness, Shakespeare zeroed in on the childish mindsets and ravenously egotistical desires of these firebrands—and the cynicism and unscrupulousness of the numerous enablers and associates who surrounded them. Any of this sound familiar?

In Tyrant: Shakespeare on Politics, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winning author Stephen Greenblatt explores the legendary playwright’s unique perceptions and insights of wicked and immoral rulers. A world renowned Shakespearian expert, Greenblatt is a professor of Humanities at Harvard University and has written numerous books that include The Swerve, Will in the World, and The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve.

Greenblatt’s perceptive analysis and expert examination of the various tyrannical figures in Shakespeare’s works has an eerie parallel and peculiar familiarity to current political trends. Using the central characters of Shakespeare’s plays the author compellingly and captivatingly scrutinizes the conditions that permit the rise of despotic, dictatorial, and high-handed leaders.

Through skillful and knowledgeable use of quotes and excerpted passages, he provides a brilliant illustration of how intimidation and strong-arm tactics can suppress any political resistance and why anyone would “be drawn to a leader manifestly unsuited to govern, someone dangerously impulsive or viciously conniving or indifferent to the truth.”

Although Greenblatt does not specifically name or discuss any current political personalities, it can be naturally implied that contemporary figures are the main target of comparisons. But make no mistake, this book is essentially about President Donald J. Trump and his brand of populism, or at least what the author believes Shakespeare would have thought about him personally and his political movement.

Tyrant is a clever and well written interpretation of how our current political environment compares to Shakespeare’s most controversial and legendary works. Truth be told, Trump is no tyrant like Macbeth or Richard III, but Greenblatt’s compelling conversations on those who assist and are complicit to dictators is particularly illuminating.

Overall, this book is full of surprising and shocking insights that examine character politics and the exploitation of authoritarianism as it pertains to literary criticism. A must read for any student of classic literature, history, and politics.

Michael Thomas Barry is a staff writer for the New York Journal of Books.

This review first appeared at the New York Journal of Booms on May 8, 2018 - https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/tyrant