I read this on a whim, based on location and because I like the "closed in" sort of murder mystery. But I found it dull, to the point that I stopped rI read this on a whim, based on location and because I like the "closed in" sort of murder mystery. But I found it dull, to the point that I stopped reading and just thumbed through to the end to see who did it....more
I love Field of Dreams yet somehow had never read the book. People who do not like it seem hung up on similes, which worked just fine for me. The storI love Field of Dreams yet somehow had never read the book. People who do not like it seem hung up on similes, which worked just fine for me. The story deviates from the movie, with the latter removing characters, and both work in their own way, though the movie's end is definitely superior. I do wish Annie's character was less one-dimensional--she really has no depth....more
Tremendous political and psychological thriller. The pace shifts as well, from frantic running to calm plotting and back again. The ways in which AndyTremendous political and psychological thriller. The pace shifts as well, from frantic running to calm plotting and back again. The ways in which Andy's "pushing" causes ricochets in people's minds is especially effective and creepy. Unlike 'Salem's Lot, the characters have depth and back story, which helps make a way-out-there story more believable....more
This is a powerful book with so many parallels to the present day that they practically slap you in the face. Entitled racists make up stories about BThis is a powerful book with so many parallels to the present day that they practically slap you in the face. Entitled racists make up stories about Black violence and use them as a justification for murder and violent overthrow; laws are openly used to block Blacks from voting; racist press defends it all.
In a sense, the very end of the book, where Zucchino fast forwards to the present, is even more infuriating. 100 years after the event, when there centennial discussions, whites in Wilmington weren't ready to admit any wrongdoing, and it took a long time to stop publicly honoring the horrible people who led the massacre and coup. Worse, even up to today they would not engage with the idea that their privileged positions were based on murder. Being a descendant of a killer or a victim had a huge impact on generations to come....more
This is one of several King books I read as a teenager, and I remembered bits rather than the full plot. It's a tremendous read that shifts from sci fThis is one of several King books I read as a teenager, and I remembered bits rather than the full plot. It's a tremendous read that shifts from sci fi-ish narrative to political thriller, with an unexpected (and to my mind) satisfying end. The main characters are well fleshed out, and I believe them even when I don't necessarily like them. It's a page-turning novel.
From this distance, some of the fun from 1970s King novels are the anachronisms. Dr. Weizak marvels at calling long-distance direct. Johnnny's father Herb laments the new development of being put on hold. Sarah's Ford Pinto gets mentioned numerous times. Yet the Greg Stillson character is sadly evergreen. We all know the bully turned populist politician....more
These books are always a good read, with even more connection to real historical figures (which also prompts a brief afterward to discuss one such perThese books are always a good read, with even more connection to real historical figures (which also prompts a brief afterward to discuss one such person). There are a few twists with Ida that will lead to more story lines in the future as well. I did a double take when at one point Stephen said, "It is what it is," which I tend to doubt was used at the time!...more
Reading this again after many years, I was underwhelmed. The bulk of it is not suspense or anticipation, but rather a catalog of every horrible thing Reading this again after many years, I was underwhelmed. The bulk of it is not suspense or anticipation, but rather a catalog of every horrible thing high school kids can do. The excerpts of books and new stories mean that you already have a general sense of what is going to happen. The climax happens quite a while before the book ends, so there is a lot of wandering around in the last pages....more
On the one hand, this book is well-written and well-paced, with an intriguing Heart of Darkness-type story. There is no boredom in this book, and a loOn the one hand, this book is well-written and well-paced, with an intriguing Heart of Darkness-type story. There is no boredom in this book, and a lot of mystery.
On the other, there is no character development anywhere. Butler makes important decisions (especially one at the end) without any reflection, and the other characters are all personalities without much depth. We never get a sense of why they're doing what they do. This is especially important because the entire context is, as with Heart of Darkness, violent imperial control over natives. Butler is there to protect that system, which along with his lack of self-awareness left me not ever feeling sympathetic to him. He constantly drinks alone to the point of having a hangover, as if he's troubled by something, but he never even seems to wonder why....more
I hadn't read this book since I was 12 or something, and it still is very scary. It begins as a mystery, setting up the town and a lengthy list of chaI hadn't read this book since I was 12 or something, and it still is very scary. It begins as a mystery, setting up the town and a lengthy list of characters, and we don't know what's going with the Marsten House. Eventually we learn more, the vampire aspect of the book become clearer, and people start getting attacked. King plots this brilliantly--I was almost literally pulled along and read it quickly.
If you're interested, I enjoyed this podcast about the book: http://rangedtouch.com/just-king-things/. They make the good point that characters often don't have much interiority (e.g. why is Miranda important? We don't end up knowing anything about her). This is true, though they're still interesting as they work together. And he's very good at portraying people who are scared.
From a 2021 perspective, the downside is the fact that the book was written in the early 1970s by a young man. Not much empathy or self-reflection in there. As such, there are repeated references to revulsion of being overweight, and an obsession with masculinity (which also manifests itself in homophobia). Some of these are attributed to some pretty nasty characters, but they come up enough that it is noticeable and annoying....more
Well-written and sobering look at the common playbook of personalistic leaders over roughly the last century. There are some universal characteristicsWell-written and sobering look at the common playbook of personalistic leaders over roughly the last century. There are some universal characteristics, though generalizing this much does obscure some core differences. Dictatorships and electoral authoritarianism are not the same thing, for example, and so leaders in such systems don't behave in the exact same way....more
Really enjoyed it, a good, well-paced and pretty action-packed narrative. The changes in the Clarissa character could've used some more explanation, bReally enjoyed it, a good, well-paced and pretty action-packed narrative. The changes in the Clarissa character could've used some more explanation, but I really got into it....more
What a trippy book. You can get confused easily, and I found myself going back to the character list frequently, but it was worth the effort. The GrouWhat a trippy book. You can get confused easily, and I found myself going back to the character list frequently, but it was worth the effort. The Groundhog Day aspect is really fun, and there is probably no way of doing it that isn't fairly confusing. The end does conclude the story in a satisfactory way, but still leaves quite a few questions--even ethical ones--unanswered and mostly unaddressed. This takes the Agatha Christie setting to a whole new level....more
Such a readable, compelling, and thought provoking book. It took me a few chapters to get the book's rhythm, which is alternating between the two sideSuch a readable, compelling, and thought provoking book. It took me a few chapters to get the book's rhythm, which is alternating between the two sides of the original sisters, and then I could not put it down. It is so relevant to everything happening today.
"How could he explain to Marjorie that he wasn't supposed to be here? Alive. Free. That the fact that he had been born, that he wasn't in a jail cell somewhere, was not by dint of his pulling himself up by the bootstraps, not by hard work or belief in the American Dream, but by mere chance."...more
Very funny and poignant look at life as a junior doctor in the NHS, by someone who clearly loved the ideals of the system but felt ground down by the Very funny and poignant look at life as a junior doctor in the NHS, by someone who clearly loved the ideals of the system but felt ground down by the job requirements (e.g. overworking) and wishes it could be reformed. I laughed out loud numerous times. Negative reviews seem to revolve around crude language and not liking someone complaining about their job. The former didn't bother me and the latter just seems natural....more
A bit slow at times, but overall a good story that brings in a number of new characters, which is how she keeps this series so fresh. Mark Vorkosigan A bit slow at times, but overall a good story that brings in a number of new characters, which is how she keeps this series so fresh. Mark Vorkosigan continues to be a great addition and I could see him being a link with the whole cryo industry. Also, I realized I had been mispronouncing "Vorkosigan" this entire time. I don't think it had ever come up in the novel before....more
Being a M*A*S*H fan and having read the original book, I picked this up used on a whim. It's not very good. It's an unrealistic story intended to be fBeing a M*A*S*H fan and having read the original book, I picked this up used on a whim. It's not very good. It's an unrealistic story intended to be funny, where the characters we know are actually often in the background....more
Great second installment in the series. The new characters are just as interesting as those in the first. Yes, the alien does still seem a bit like AlGreat second installment in the series. The new characters are just as interesting as those in the first. Yes, the alien does still seem a bit like Alien, but there is enough complexity that it's not overly derivative. The Avasarala character is great, though the swearing gets a bit old--but all the political maneuvering is a good story....more
Interesting, well-written, and even-keeled. The best part is that he has no interest in promoting a particular reinstatement/Hall of Fame perspective.Interesting, well-written, and even-keeled. The best part is that he has no interest in promoting a particular reinstatement/Hall of Fame perspective. It's clear that Joe Jackson knew exactly what he was doing, likely helped to throw games despite his denials, and his main regret was only getting $5,000 instead of the $20,000 he demanded (and not getting it up front like Eddie Cicotte).
It's amazing to think of an illiterate superstar player--he had multiple offers of tutoring but turned them all down. He had his wife Katie read at least most things (though famously not his final contract with the hated 10-day clause in it). Overall, he likely would've done better if he had consulted with her first......more
We know that the central thesis of the book, that the players threw the series because they were underpaid, is empirically wrong, and that other detaiWe know that the central thesis of the book, that the players threw the series because they were underpaid, is empirically wrong, and that other details are similarly off. And there are no citations, which can be frustrating.
But I still give it 5 stars because those errors do not in fact detract from the story, which Asinof tells with verve, though perhaps occasionally with too many exclamation marks. The gets the personalities involved, the high drama, and the broader context of corruption in baseball. It's truly a tragic story. And even if the narrative about Charles Comiskey being a cheapskate isn't hold up, all players were drastically underpaid, so the overall point is true. You risk your career because you need the money. Eddie Cicotte had a farm mortgage and a big family, and there is no free agent payoff....more
I found this a highly entertaining book. Yes, it was openly derivative--the author(s) interview at the end brings up noir (i.e. the Miller character, I found this a highly entertaining book. Yes, it was openly derivative--the author(s) interview at the end brings up noir (i.e. the Miller character, who is like many private eyes we've seen in movies and novels) and Alien, and to that you can add Blade Runner. And there are times the narrative stretches (the ending being one example). But those don't at all take away from the fun. The characters are nicely drawn, and the book is longish without dragging. The political descriptions (Earth vs. Mars vs. "Belters") are believable. I'll definitely check out the next book in the series....more
I enjoyed it! This is an excerpt from a review I am writing for a journal.
The focus on Latin American agency in international relations, both in histoI enjoyed it! This is an excerpt from a review I am writing for a journal.
The focus on Latin American agency in international relations, both in history and political science, has been a welcome development. Thomas C. Field Jr., Stella Krepp, and Vanni Pettinà’s edited volume Latin America and the Global Cold War gathers scholars from 16 countries to move us away from the common U.S.-centric perspective of Latin America’s role in the Cold War. Importantly, it expands the analytical perspective to include critical Latin American relations with the Global South. Latin American leaders viewed the Cold War in truly global terms, and so should we.
The chapters are admirably tight, no easy task in a volume with this many authors. The book is divided into two parts: nationalism and internationalism. There is much overlap, but the conceptual point is that in some countries, nationalism made elites cautious about their international outreach to the Soviet Union and the Global South. ...more
This is a clever murder mystery with clues all over the place. Inserting himself as a character worked fine for me, though clearly it bothers a lot ofThis is a clever murder mystery with clues all over the place. Inserting himself as a character worked fine for me, though clearly it bothers a lot of people. The way the killer is revealed and all the details laid out is pretty cliché, though, as the person says everything in detail in a way that is common on TV but I think rare in real life. I can't say I was particularly drawn to Hawthorne, but Horowitz is so good at this genre that I'll probably read the next one at some point regardless....more
Hugely entertaining. These days it's perhaps even more fun to read about "normal" political backstabbing. Francis' wife (Mortima, a bit cheesy there) Hugely entertaining. These days it's perhaps even more fun to read about "normal" political backstabbing. Francis' wife (Mortima, a bit cheesy there) is not very well-developed, though maybe that grows in the subsequent models. But, as in the TV show, she is clearly amoral and wants Francis to go as high as possible.
1980s British parliament is absolutely soaked in alcohol, obscured by cigarette smoke, and both sex and sexism are rampant. The path to power is an ugly one....more
I found this book interesting to read as baseball history, but much less so on its own merits. It's neat to have a close look at what baseball was likI found this book interesting to read as baseball history, but much less so on its own merits. It's neat to have a close look at what baseball was like in 1959, but the pace is awfully slow and there is a lot of pitch-by-pitch discussion that gets old. There were three points of particular interest for me:
First, Brosnan unwittingly sees how sabermetrics will eventually be important. He talks about the problems of standard statistics while remaining tied to them (because they meant salary). And he actually has a coach suggest looking at old issues of baseball magazines to see how opposing players have done, which makes it amazing that no one really bothered.
Second, some things truly never change. As a pitcher, Brosnan thinks the ball is juiced. He makes fun of old-time players (like Rogers Hornsby) who insist the game was better in the past. You could picture much of the action taking place in any number of baseball movies you've seen.
Third, the casual racism is even starker because Brosnan, who analyzes everything, never bothers to ask himself about it. He thinks of an African American player, "Best to find out if he was stuffy about being a Negro. Some of them are" (179). He refers to teammate Orlando Peña (though never actually using the tilde) as a "bean bandit" and even puts that term in his glossary in the back as a "Latin-American player."...more
This is an enjoyable second installment in the series. She develops the characters of Bascot and Gianni, with the latter even becoming more central asThis is an enjoyable second installment in the series. She develops the characters of Bascot and Gianni, with the latter even becoming more central as the novel goes on. Since the narrative has a lot of do with Sherwood Forest, and there is even an outlaw named Green Jack who is resentful of the rich, it's like a counter to the clean, sanitized Robin Hood image. Beyond the specifics of the murder mystery, there is the bigger question of what career Bascot will ultimately choose....more
I recommend Vincent Bevins' recently published The Jakarta Method: Washington's Anticommunist Crusade & the Mass Murder Program that Shaped Our World.I recommend Vincent Bevins' recently published The Jakarta Method: Washington's Anticommunist Crusade & the Mass Murder Program that Shaped Our World. It starts with an extended discussion of Indonesia and then looks at how Suharto's brutality (the word "Jakarta" became a synonym for mass political murder) was copied elsewhere, with the U.S. government deeply involved everywhere. He uses interviews with those who suffered (and often emigrated) to show how people were affected and felt at the time.
From my perspective as a Latin Americanist, the book's global perspective makes it especially interesting. Events in one part of the world affect others. Revolutionaries and reactionaries alike are reading the news, and trying to glean lessons. Che Guevara and Fidel Castro famously decided from the 1954 Guatemala invasion that the electoral path was suicidal, but Indonesians were learning from Central America too. We know the U.S. government viewed Latin America in global terms, but we talk far less about how places like Indonesia resonated. Because of language barriers, those of us who study Latin America don't tend to do fieldwork in Asia.
The 1960s-1980s in particular was a time of wanton anti-communist slaughter. It was calculated, strategic, and entirely supported by the U.S. government. As he notes, the living carry psychological scars with them, and in Indonesia people still do not feel comfortable discussing it. Those labeled "communist" are still stigmatized, unlike Latin America where they're even becoming presidents of countries. Using the stories from this interviews, he traces the shift from hope and pride during the Sukarno government to fear after Suharto took over and killed roughly a million people.
Although it's not really a theme of the book, his interviews also show the global migratory impact of mass murder. His interviews, which are in different continents, show people fleeing in all directions, not even necessarily settling in the first country that will take them. I always talk about this in the Central American context in my U.S.-Latin American relations class. But I also lived it while being entirely ignorant of the causes at the time--Bevins mentions the so-called "boat people," some of whom ultimately ended up in the public schools I attended.
If there is an overarching political lesson in the book, sadly it is that mass murder worked amazingly well for U.S. political elites. The Cold War was "won" by preserving global capitalism and asserting U.S. hegemony. The average person in the United States is considerably wealthier than most people on the planet. And they are either unaware or uncaring about the violence that contributed to getting them there.
This was a good one in the series, both because there was a bit more action and because Bujold did a nice job with the Ivan Vorpatril character, who wThis was a good one in the series, both because there was a bit more action and because Bujold did a nice job with the Ivan Vorpatril character, who was pretty one-sided up to this point. I got into the series because of Miles, but she is able to make the other characters come to life rather than simply to keep doing him over and over. She does push the limits of believability (the Ivan-Tej instant happiness and the incidents surrounding the Imp Sec building) but it works....more
After many years, I reread George Orwell's Animal Farm (I think it was assigned to me in high school at some point). It is, of course, an allegory of After many years, I reread George Orwell's Animal Farm (I think it was assigned to me in high school at some point). It is, of course, an allegory of the Soviet Union, with Stalin (Napoleon the pig) gradually subverting a revolution for his own power, eventually becoming indistinguishable from those who ran things in the past.
As we listen to an administration that lies in precisely the same ways as the ruling pigs in the novel, who changed the revolutionary commandments while pretending they remained the same, Orwell reminds us that this isn't about communism, or even necessarily the Soviet Union. It's about power-hungry leaders. For Orwell, the communal farm run by the animals together remained a desired goal. He was all for socialism. He disliked both capitalism and communism--in the end, both result in a small elite that lies and uses force to keep itself in power at the expense of everyone else.
I can't think of this novel without also thinking of Pink Floyd's Animals album. The song "Sheep" is great, though different from the novel, where the sheep don't overthrow anything. I doubt Orwell could imagine the sheep killing the dogs. Actually, Orwell never presents any answers--he just warns....more
I read Jorge Castañeda's America through Foreign Eyes, and since I was asked to review it, I will keep this brief and let you click on that when it's I read Jorge Castañeda's America through Foreign Eyes, and since I was asked to review it, I will keep this brief and let you click on that when it's ready for clicking. Castañeda knows the U.S. very well, and is in a good position to tell us something about ourselves. And he clearly likes the U.S. a lot.
The one point that the average American would do well to take from this book is the dangerous absurdity of exceptionalism. We think we're exceptional when we're not, often creating our beliefs by conveniently leaving out key facts. I mean, don't talk about democracy and equality unless you explicitly say you mean only whites. Castañeda, like so many others, is frustrated by these beliefs and sees them as an obstacle to Americans themselves.
I will also say that Castañeda is optimistic about how we can change. He often seemed more optimistic than me. So I hope the outsider view is getting something I am missing.
I read Kirk Tyvela's The Dictator Dilemma: The United States and Paraguay in the Cold War am writing a review for The Latin Americanist. I really likeI read Kirk Tyvela's The Dictator Dilemma: The United States and Paraguay in the Cold War am writing a review for The Latin Americanist. I really liked it.
The “dictator dilemma” was often at the core of U.S. policy toward Latin America during the Cold War. U.S. policy makers professed commitment to democracy, yet commonly supported pro-U.S. dictatorships to advance U.S. security interests. The dilemma played out clearly in Paraguay, where dictator Alfredo Stroessner ruled by force and won elections with around 90% of the vote from 1954 to 1989. Kirk Tyvela’s book is a deeply researched and compelling addition to the literature on U.S.-Latin American relations.
You'll have to wait until later in the year to read the rest. But it's a great read.
One thing I liked in particular was his attention to Paraguayan sources. He used Paraguayan archives but only to the extent that they exist, which is minimal. That is the big challenges for future scholars, which will require close consultation with local experts of whatever country (and hopefully publishing collaboration as well). Are there untapped primary sources? The literature on U.S.-Latin American relations cries out for it.
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