This was a fascinating read about the earliest investigative reporters ("muckrakers"), the pressing topics of the time, and the turn of the 20th-century publication, "McClures" conceived and established by S.S. McClure. Over the years, Ida Tarbell turned up as a character in historical fiction I read. I welcomed this chance to learn about her in … Continue reading Citizen Reporters: S.S. McClure, Ida Tarbell, and the Magazine that Rewrote America – Stephanie Gorton (Listened on Audible Audio)
Category: Book Reviews
Pastors and Masters – Ivy Compton Burnett (1925)
I came to this 1925 book because of John Waters' description of Compton-Burnett's writing in his 2010 book, "Role Models." He said to read any of her books and that they are a hard read, but witty and worth the effort. I went to Internet Archive and read her first. Waters and reviewers on Goodreads … Continue reading Pastors and Masters – Ivy Compton Burnett (1925)
Role Models (Audio Read by Author) – John Waters
What can I say? I'm a fan and John Waters lets us into his brain here, describing his favorite people and sometimes the things his favorite people created (art, literature, pornography, music). I'm very happy I chose the audio CD. Prior to hearing Waters present at one of his spoken word events, I read a … Continue reading Role Models (Audio Read by Author) – John Waters
Stan Lee: How Marvel Changed the World – Adrian Mackinder
This is a highly readable account of Stan Lee's involvement in the rise of comic books in the 20th century to superhero movies in the 21st century. Stan Lee lived from 1922 to 2018, carving out a highly visible role in comic book mythology. I am casually interested in Marvel and Stan Lee. The various … Continue reading Stan Lee: How Marvel Changed the World – Adrian Mackinder
The Sundown Motel – Simone St. James
Carly is drawn to Fell, NY. Her 20-year-old Aunt Viv disappeared from there 35 years ago but her family would not talk about it. Viv was gone. Now Carly's mother has died and her restless curiosity takes her to Fell, where she gets a job at the never-changing Sun Down Motel, working the night shift … Continue reading The Sundown Motel – Simone St. James
A Stranger at the Door – Jason Pinter
This is the strong second entry in the Rachel Marin series. DO read the first, "Hide Away" before you read this! In "Hide Away", Rachel, a brilliant mother of two, recalls what she did after her husband's gory murder and the ongoing danger to her family. To protect them she learned extreme self-defense, set up … Continue reading A Stranger at the Door – Jason Pinter
The Story Collector – Kristin O’Donnell Tubb
A sweet historical fiction mystery that will capture any young bookie-monster's attention. We read this at story time to a very enchanted 7-year-old. Viviani Joffre Fedeler is 11 years old and lives in an apartment in the New York Public Library. It's 1917 and her father is the superintendent of the building with a ten-room … Continue reading The Story Collector – Kristin O’Donnell Tubb
The Black Swan of Paris – Karen Robards
The Black Swan of Paris is Genevieve Dumont, a French singer based in Paris, who is the toast of Europe-- including the Nazi occupiers. Her manager Max, a Brit who speaks fluent French, also serves as the head of a cell of the French Resistance. Max has drawn Genevieve into this work through some subterfuge … Continue reading The Black Swan of Paris – Karen Robards
BLIND PONY As True a Story as I can Tell – Samantha Hart
I almost didn’t get into this book. At first, Sam Hart’s writing, in two or three sentence paragraphs, jarred me. I didn’t know if there would be a story, yet what she was saying in bits and pieces engaged my attention. I read some reviews – both positive and negative and decided to read on. Now, I cannot … Continue reading BLIND PONY As True a Story as I can Tell – Samantha Hart
Plunder: A Memoir of Family Property and Nazi Treasure – Menachem Kaiser
Menachem Kaiser was raised in a close-knit Orthodox Jewish American-Canadian family. His grandfather, a holocaust survivor from Poland died before he was born. Kaiser is named for him. When, in the course of a routine visit to Poland, he has occasion to visit Sosnowiec, his grandfather’s hometown, he secures an address from his father of … Continue reading Plunder: A Memoir of Family Property and Nazi Treasure – Menachem Kaiser
They Called me Bookworm 