Steven E. Wedel's Blog, page 20
December 17, 2014
Review: Face the Music: A Life Exposed
Face the Music: A Life Exposed by Paul Stanley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Starchild of KISS finally tells his side of the story in what is really the most readable of the four (co-authored) autobiographies by the band’s original members. While I’ve enjoyed all four books, Paul’s is the one where I constantly found myself saying, “Just one more chapter” every night before closing it.
The transformation of Stanley the One-eared Monster to the Starchild of the 1970s biggest and most outrageous...
November 30, 2014
Review: Stoner
Stoner by John Edward Williams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Having just now finished John Edward Williams’ Stoner, I’m almost at a loss as to what to say about it. The novel may be the most pleasant kick in the teeth you’re ever likely to get.
William Stoner may be the saddest character in American literature. In any other story, such a passive character might elicit anger or apathy, but somehow I couldn’t stop wanting to know more about Stoner, about his struggles, about how he was going to be th...
November 20, 2014
Review: Cloud Atlas
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Brace yourselves. This could be the sappiest book review I’ve ever written.
It was hard to choose categories for this novel. Adventure? Mystery? Science fiction? Historical drama? It’s a little of everything. The novel is divided into sections that barely connect, but each one is compelling and, in the first half of the book, maddening in the way it cuts off to switch to something completely different.
After reading some other reviews on Go...
November 17, 2014
Review: Tortilla Flat
Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this one. For The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden John Steinbeck is one of my favorite authors. Some of his shorter books, though, are hit or miss. I’d heard good things about Tortilla Flat and how Steinbeck incorporated Arthurian myth into the novel, so I figured it was high time to give it a read. (The movie came on TMC while I was reading and I watched it; it sucked and was vastly different th...
November 3, 2014
Review: Razor’s Edge, The
Razor’s Edge, The by Michael Page
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
My journey through books about the meaning of life continued with W. Somerset Maugham’s The Razor’s Edge. While not as enlightening as Hesse’s Siddhartha, it was a solid, entertaining book, particularly for fans of Victorian British literature. Yes, I realize it was written after the Victorian era, but it nonetheless felt very, very Victorian.
It took me a little while to get into the book. For most of the story I simply didn’t care ab...
October 17, 2014
My Books Withdrawn from Permuted Press
Well, that didn’t take long. Sorry, folks. My bad. Yes, it seems every time I get involved with a small press publisher things go into the crapper.
3F Publications? Gone.
Scrybe Press? Gone.
Graveside Tales? Gone. (Yes, the Web site is still there, but check the dates.)
Stone Thread Press? Closed up shop just before Inheritance was released, so … Gone.
Fine Tooth Press? They seem to be gone, too, though the publisher is active as an individual on Facebook; the Web site is gone and no word about Da...
October 7, 2014
My AP Reading List
For the first time since I began teaching AP English Literature and Composition back in 2008 my reading list is the same for two consecutive years. I’ve finally found a year-long schedule of longer works that I really enjoy, that are of high literary merit, and that the majority of my students don’t complain about (too much). So I thought I’d share.
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster — This is the first book my senior students read during the summer. It is our bible, t...
September 25, 2014
Review: The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’d give this one a 4.5 if Goodreads allowed half stars. I’m very tempted to give it a five. Normally, any book that is able to evoke so much emotion would be a sure five, but there were a few nit-picky little things about this one that held it back just a bit.
If you love books, you’ll love this book. If you love curmudgeonly characters who undergo a deep and believable transformation, you’ll love this book. If the th...
September 17, 2014
More baby mamas than switches: Or, how Adrian Peterson screwed himself while making babies across America
Yes, after months of not blogging, of my only updates being book reviews, I’m going to write about the Adrian Peterson drama. But I’m going to write about something I’ve not seen covered yet. First, though, a possible disclaimer: I was horrified in 2007 when Peterson announced he was leaving my Alma mater, the University of Oklahoma, for the NFL draft. Then I was elated when my favorite pro team, the Minnesota Vikings, chose him with the seventh pick of the first round. It’s been a pleasure t...
Review: The Alchemist
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I was in the mood for another meaning-of-life book, so did some searching and The Alchemist came up on several lists. I saw reviews on Goodreads from people who found it life-changing and from people who hated it. I guess I’m in the middle. It wasn’t horrible, but I didn’t really learn anything, either.
The constant references to “personal legend” and “treasure” came to seem like prayer beads Coelho was clicking off in my mind, as if sayin...
