Steven E. Wedel's Blog, page 15
March 2, 2016
Going Viral
Talk about intimidating! Sitting down here to write a new blog post after my “Open Letter to Oklahoma Voters and Lawmakers” exploded over the Internet and across the country and around the world is the most intimidated I’ve ever been when it comes to writing. How do I follow up on that?
The truth is, I don’t think I can. Probably never will. So it’s either abandon my blog, or go on as if that post was only seen by the dozen or so people who would typically read what I post online. That means...
February 26, 2016
Open Letter to Oklahoma Voters and Lawmakers
I am a teacher. I teach English at the high school of an independent district within Oklahoma City. I love my job. I love your kids. I call them my kids. I keep blankets in my room for when they’re cold. I feed them peanut butter crackers, beef jerky, or Pop Tarts when Michelle Obama’s school breakfast or lunch isn’t enough to fill their bellies. I comfort them when they cry and I praise them when they do well and always I try to make them believe that they are somebody with unlimited potenti...
February 15, 2016
Little Graveyard for FREE
Starting today, you can get my ghost story novella Little Graveyard on the Prairie for free on your Kindle or device with the Kindle app. This free promotion is good for three days, Feb. 15-18. Click here to take advantage.
I would greatly appreciate it if you leave a review of the book after reading it. Books need at least 25 reviews before Amazon will start recommending them to readers.
Dead ain’t gone, and gone ain’t dead.
Harley Shaw’s life is falling apart around him. His best pasture is...
February 13, 2016
Review: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I read this book in high school over 30 years ago, then faked it twice more in college. I didn’t like it much in high school. The main thing I remembered was hating the ending.
This time, I was really enjoying the beginning of the book as Huck escaped his Pap, found Jim, and together they were idling down the Mississippi River. Then the King and Duke showed up, and that part dragged it down, just as I remembered it had...
February 9, 2016
Review: The Spectator Bird
The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
This is a hard one to review. While I was actively reading the book was pretty good. After I closed it for a while, I’d ask myself what happened in that last chapter. The answer was usually, “Nothing.” There were instances of nice character development, but overall it was rich Americans recount a trip to Denmark in the 1950s, where they met an eccentric, fallen countess that our protagonist may or may not fall in love with despit...
January 31, 2016
Review: Norwegian by Night
Norwegian by Night by Derek B. Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Norwegian by Night Wow! What to say about this book? How to define it, even? When I chose it I was just hoping for a decent read set in the land of the Vikings. A literary novel. I didn’t have high expectations. So it’s all that much better than Norwegian by Night took me by surprise and completely blew me away.
This is the story of Sheldon Horowitz, a Jewish American Marine sniper, Korean War veteran, who is now 82 years old and...
January 19, 2016
Review: John Steinbeck Was Wrong About Oklahoma !
John Steinbeck Was Wrong About Oklahoma ! by Bob Burke
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Oklahoma City attorney Bob Burke continues 70+ years of ignorant knee-jerk reaction to John Steinbeck’s masterpiece work of literature. One wonders how Burke could ever win a court case if he prepares his cases like he does the “research” for this short book.
I would like to write a full rebuttal to this ridiculous book, but this isn’t the place for that. Let me just point out that Burke offers only three quotes...
January 18, 2016
Review: The Book Thief
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Review Upon 2nd Reading, Jan. 18, 2016
The experience wasn’t quite as magical the second time around. It never is. The book holds up well and I saw things I missed the first time, had a new perspective on others. It’s still a beautifully told story full of rich, vivid images and phrases that will make you re-read them over and over to drink in their beauty. The Book Thief remains among my absolute favorite books.
Since originally readin...
December 30, 2015
Books of 2015: The Year of the Western
I read 32 books this year, which happens to be the same number as last year. There were some really, really good books, and some stinkers. Some were re-reads for school, but most were first-timers. And the majority of the reading I did on my own seemed to be novels set in the Old West. So let’s look back, shall we?
The Lonesome Dove Saga, by Larry McMurtry — This was a giant undertaking. Okay, notA Song of Ice and Fire giant, but still, pretty big at four brick-sized books. Mostly it was wort...
December 25, 2015
Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
As a teacher, it’s my job (and my privilege) to assign great literature to my students. They don’t always appreciate what I assign. But sometimes something clicks with them. When that happens, they often return the favor by suggesting one of their favorites to me. When the student is the one who keeps my desktop visible and leaves me notes about things I need to remember to do, her suggestions go to the top of the li...
