November 26, 2013

“The Time Keeper” by Mitch Albom – The Value of Time

The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom (Book cover)
No one goes through life knowing the concept of time without spending some time thinking about it. Does time truly exist, or is it merely a human construct which we use to measure our lives?

Because the question is rather philosophical in its nature, I have yet to find an answer which conclusively supports one side of the debate over the other.

November 25, 2013

“Agent Zigzag” by Ben Macintyre – Playing Both Sides of the Fence

Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre (Book cover)
The Second World War has given rise to countless tales of heroism that will hopefully be carried on for centuries and centuries to come. As a matter of fact, there are so many of them that one would be hard-pressed to discover them all in one lifetime.

At this point, those who studied the war know that a huge part of it was not fought with guns, but with information and espionage tactics.

November 24, 2013

“Sycamore Row” by John Grisham – The Power of Will

Sycamore Row by John Grisham (Book cover)
Sycamore Row is yet another legal thriller from John Grisham, and for this one we return to the courthouse in Clanton, previously seen in A Time to Kill. This time around, Jack Brigance finds himself in the middle of a rather peculiar case, certainly no less strange than the last one.

Everything began when Seth Hubbard, a wealthy man dying from lung cancer, decided to hang himself on a sycamore tree. It wouldn’t all be so bad if it wasn’t for the new will he hastily left behind in his departure.

November 21, 2013

"A Tale for the Time Being" by Ruth Ozeki – A Life in a Lunchbox

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki (Book Cover)
Though perhaps those who are used to the Western way of living sometimes crack jokes about the prevalence of suicide in certain Asian cultures, such as the Japanese one, the truth is that it is a very real problem on the other side of the pacific. 

Countless people of all ages and all types of lives put an end to their existence on a very regular basis, believing that it is by far the best solution to any problems they may be experiencing.

November 20, 2013

“The Light in the Ruins” by Chris Bohjalian – Desolating Beauty

The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian  (Book Cover)
The year is 1943, and the Rosati family is safely tucked away into their villa standing in the lush hills south of breathtaking Florence. The war is of no concern to them as the walls keep them protected and they are way out of harm’s way.

However, their idyllic life is soon ruptured as two soldiers approach and demand to use their villa as refuge. Needless to say, more Nazi soldiers start pouring in, and the villa slowly turns into a nightmarish prison from the safe haven it once was.

November 19, 2013

“Necessary Lies” by Diane Chamberlain – Fear of Difference

Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain (Book Cover)
In Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain we are introduced to a fifteen year-old girl named Ivy Hart, living on a tobacco farm in North Carolina during the 1960s. She lives in a shack, and what’s more, she must take care of her aging grandmother, her mentally ill sister, her small nephew, and all the while contend with her own epilepsy. 

Quite soon, Ivy realizes that her situation is simply overwhelming, and that’s where Jane Forrester, a recently-married social worker comes into play. 

November 18, 2013

“A Dirty Job” by Christopher Moore – Death’s Successor

A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore (Book Cover)
The story of Charlie Asher is a rather average one. He is a successful young man living with the love of his life, and he’s expecting his first child to pop out soon.

One day, however, a strange phenomenon manifests itself around Charlie, and simply refuses to leave: people around him simply start to drop dead without any reason.

November 17, 2013

“Good Omens” by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett – Rapture’s Mutiny

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (Book cover)
The Rapture is about to come to Earth, and everything is set in position, with the Antichrist being confided into the caring hands of Crowley and Aziraphale, a demon and an angel respectively.

However, what the forces of Heaven and Hell do not suspect is that across the eons, the demons and angels have gotten to know each other pretty well, and what’s more, they have come to care for the humans more than for their bosses.

November 15, 2013

“Winners” by Danielle Steel – No Quitting in Life

Winners by Danielle Steel (Book cover)
Statistically-speaking, it is safe to say that most of us will lead rather average and relatively easy lives, always being pestered by mild inconveniences and perfectly solvable problems.

However, there are also many out there to whom life gave the finger, encumbering them with greater challenges than a human can be expected to face.

November 14, 2013

“The Signature of All Things” by Elizabeth Gilbert – An Extraordinary Family’s Journey

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth GilbertWe may have the impression that our lives are long and full of adventure, the truth is that they are mere singular parts in comparison to the great journeys traveled by entire families throughout the centuries. 

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert is partly based on that concept, telling the story of the Whittaker family throughout two centuries (the 18th and 19th) and the journey they travel, going from rags to riches all while making countless extraordinary encounters and living through many historical events. 

November 13, 2013

“S.” by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst – The Unison of the Letter

S. by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst (Book cover)
S. by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst presents us with a rather simple premise which nevertheless has infinite potential. In this story, brought to life by the famous silver screen personality and a very talented short story writer, we are presented with three main “actors” so to speak: Jennifer (a college senior), Eric (a disgraced grad student), and the book which connects them, Ship of Theseus, written by the peculiar and enigmatic V.M. Straka.

Though the two students have no idea the other one exists, Jennifer one day picks up the book, only to find Eric’s notes, which seemingly indicate that he is enamored with it, its world and its characters. 

November 12, 2013

“Life Inside the Bubble” by Dan Bongino – Behind the White House Scenes

Life Inside the Bubble by Dan Bongino (Book Cover)
We, the normal folk, can only really imagine as to how things work on the higher echelons of politics, and how the decisions which guide the country are really taken. Are politicians just pushing their own agendas? Is it a power contest? A free exchange of ideas? Are they all in cahoots? 

The truth is that we can only keep guessing, and the more dedicated of us will simply jump on the opportunity to find out more on those rare occasions when someone from the inside goes out and tells us how it is. 

November 11, 2013

“E-Squared” by Pam Grout – Seeing Reality

E-Squared by Pam Grout (Book cover)
Out of all the mysterious and endless topics of discussion which philosophers have touched upon over the centuries, it can be argued that determining what is true reality is one of the most interesting ones ever brought to our attention.

There are countless theories as to how the world truly works and why, each one having its benefits, drawbacks and counter-arguments.

In the end, it seems that we are left with an undisputable answer and must search for it ourselves. E-Squared by Pam Grout would be best-described as an attempt to help us find that coveted truth.

November 10, 2013

“The Lost Years” by Mary Higgins Clark – Murder Sanctified

The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark (Book Cover)
With The Lost Years Mary Higgins Clark creates yet another addition to her vast repertoire of novels, and this time around she decided to try her hand at writing a serious historical crime fiction.

To give you a brief idea of what it’s all about, the story follows Mariah, the daughter of a biblical scholar, Jonathan Lyons. One day, Jonathan is found murdered in his study, with his Alzheimer’s-stricken wife hiding in the closet and holding the gun.

November 8, 2013

“The System” by Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian – The Rise of College Football

When it comes to how popular sports are, it was always assumed, at least by most people, that casual fans are only interested in the highest professional levels, while the more hardcore fans watch a sport at lower levels as well. Perhaps this was true for a while, but with the meteoric rise in popularity college football has seen in the United States, it no longer is.  

Hundreds of thousands of stadium seats are filled on Saturday college football games, with the final’s viewership only being trumped by the Super Bowl

November 7, 2013

“We are Water” by Wally Lamb – The Family Connection


We are Water by Wally Lamb (Book cover)
Anna Oh, mother of three and artist, has spent twenty-seven years in marriage, and has now fallen in love with a wealth art dealer by the name of Vivecca. Though it may be a bit late by some peoples’ tastes, Vivecca and Anna Oh decide to get married in her hometown of Three Rivers, Connecticut.

However, as the wedding starts the winds of change begin to blow. This rather unconventional marriage produces many mixed reactions from the family as well as the people, and what’s more, this turn of events inadvertently opened up the Oh family’s Pandora’s box, unleashing into the world all of their dreadful truths they have kept secret for so long. 

November 6, 2013

“Phantom” by Jo Nesbo – Innocence Lost

Phantom by Jo Nesbo (book cover)
It seems that there is no stopping Jo Nesbo, who has penned one Harry Hole after the next, encountering great success in the process of bringing to life one of modern literature’s most recognizable detectives.

Phantom is yet another chapter in Harry Hole’s legacy, this time around being centered on the death of Gusto, a local junkie, and perhaps more importantly, the man who was accused of the murder: Oleg, a boy Harry helped to raise a while ago.

November 5, 2013

“Wonder Boys” by Michael Chabon – The Thin Line Between Young and Old

Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon (Book Cover)
The world of literature is a complicated one to live in and navigate, mostly because one has to find his or her own direction autonomously. Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon explores that world through two quite unforgettable characters. 

First, there is Grady Tripp, a former prodigy in the world of publishing who spends his days in a hazy cloud of marijuana trying desperately to finish his interminable second book. 

November 4, 2013

“Songs of Willow Frost” by Jamie Ford – In Search of Hope

Songs of Willow Frost by Jamie Ford (Book cover)
Hope is perhaps one of the most powerful emotions we humans are capable of feeling, for it has helped countless carry on through conditions which they couldn't logically survive.

Songs of Willow Frost by Jamie Ford touches on that subject quite heavily, as it tells the story of a twelve-year old Chinese American orphan boy living in Seattle during the depression, who one day sees a woman by the name of Willow Frost on the silver screen.

November 3, 2013

“The Redeemer” by Jo Nesbo and Don Bartlett (translator) – Gun Salvation

The Redeemer by Jo Nesbo (book cover)
Christmas is on the horizon, and inspector Harry Hole is a bit weary of all the extraordinary cases he has been on recently, meaning he is looking forward to a bit of peace and quiet, at least for once.

However, it seems that the curse of all great detectives has now struck him too: rest is the last thing he will get.

November 1, 2013

“Dear Life: Stories” by Alice Munro – The Moment of Change

Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro (book cover)
Life keeps on going forward, and too often we find ourselves looking behind us for moments, days, weeks, months and years even, trying to find out how we got to where we are. In other words, we often try to reconstruct our actions to find out where we have crossed the point of no return, perhaps in hope of finding at least some kind of sense in a situation that makes none.

Dear Life: Stores by Alice Munro is a collection of numerous short stories which are, in one way or another, centered on the concept of the point of no return, that one moment where things became different.