Stephen King sits down to share his thoughts on the writing process. No matter what you think of his books personally, you have to admit that he’s a master at drawing in legions of fans. He prefaces his work with an explanation of what prompted him to write it. He was talking with author Amy […]
Watchers by Dean Koontz: Book Review
Travis Cornell is a man for whom life has lost all meaning. But on a hike one day, he runs into a golden retriever, somewhat battered, obviously friendly, but determined to protect him from something. Travis, a former member of the elite Delta Force, finds himself running in a blind panic with the dog. He […]
Footsteps in the Dark by Georgette Heyer: Book Review
Peter, Celia, and Margaret have inherited a country estate, complete with an old priory and chapel. The house has been uninhabited for years, but the group, along with Celia’s husband Charles; their aunt Mrs. Bosanquet; and their loyal retainers, move in to have an adventure. They get more adventure than they expected. The locals believe […]
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon: Book Review
Joe Kavalier is a Jew living in Prague just as the Nazis are taking control of the city in the late 1930’s. With the aid of his escape artist teacher, Joe smuggles himself out of the country and all the way to New York City. Joe is just what his cousin, Sam Clay, has been […]
Room by Emma Donoghue: Book Review
Five-year-old Jack has lived his entire life inside Room with his Ma. At night, Old Nick comes to visit while Jack sleeps in Wardrobe. Jack’s life is strictly regimented. Breakfast, Lunch, Phys Ed, TV, and Screaming are at certain times throughout the day. In his world, there’s himself, Ma, and Room and that’s pretty much […]
The King of Elfland’s Daughter by Lord Dunsany
The twelve men making up the parliament of Erl go to their ruler one day and ask for a magic lord. The ruler agrees to grant their request and sends his son to steal and marry the King of Elfland’s daughter. But of course finding her and keeping her can’t be that easy. In the […]
The Bookseller of Kabul by Åsne Seierstad: Book Review
After following the Northern Alliance troops around Afghanistan and reporting on the fall of the Taliban, journalist Åsne Seierstad finds herself in Kabul. She stumbles upon a bookshop and goes in. She and the proprietor, Sultan, hit it off at first and she is invited to spend a little time with his family. She thinks […]
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami: Book Review
There’s a lot going on in this book. Basically, Toru Okada has just quit his job in Tokyo and all kinds of strange people enter and leave his life while all kinds of strange things happen to him. To say more would give away some things. I finished this book, put it down, and told […]
Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes: Book Review
After many years vacationing in Italy, Frances Mayes and her–husband? I don’t think that’s ever clarified–decide to buy a home in Tuscany. They search for a while, but nothing really calls to them. Then they stumble upon a home called Bramasole in the town of Cortona. It’s a wreck, but they can’t get it out […]
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: Book Review
“The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.” Two rival magicians agree to bind their students to a challenge. Hector will teach his daughter, Celia, and Alexander will teach a student of his own choosing. When the students are older, they will face each other […]
Ghost Riders by Sharyn McCrumb: Book Review
This is a story told from many points of view. First is Zebulon Vance, the real life Civil War governor of North Carolina. We follow him from his days as a hotel porter fresh off the farm until his rise to governor. Next is Malinda Blalock, a tough mountain woman who follows her husband to […]