Category Archives: Books

Book Reivew: Freedom, Like it or Not

Posted on January 19, 2009 by paul

With the inauguration of Barack Obama looming, and soon-to-be ex-president Bush embarking on a round of image rehabilitation and retroactive whitewashing, it seems as good a time as any to look back over the Bush legacy and look ahead–create a … Continue reading →

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William Least Heat Moon’s Long and Winding “Roads”

Posted on January 11, 2009 by paul

William Least Heat-Moon’s Roads to Quoz is subtitled “An American Mosey.” While that’s appropriate enough, it’s equally applicable to his previous offerings, Blue Highways, PrairyErth, and River Horse. And therein lies, or doesn’t lie, the problem, depending on your particular … Continue reading →

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Book Review: History Repeating?

Posted on January 4, 2009 by paul

Odds are better than even that neither Susan Quinn nor Nick Taylor thought, much less knew, that their respective books on the WPA and the Great Depression would end up being quite so topical. Inadvertently or not, though, neither Taylor’s American Made: … Continue reading →

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Studs Terkel, 1912-2008

Posted on November 7, 2008 by paul

For an idea of just what we lost when writer and broadcaster Studs Terkel passed on October 31, leaf through a copy of My American Century (1997), which cherry-picks the best bits from such earlier volumes as The “Good” War, Race, … Continue reading →

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Luis Alfredo Garcia-Roza: Blackout

Posted on October 4, 2008 by paul

If I were one of those people paid to write breathless accolades for things, I’d probably call Luis Alfredo Garcia-Roza’s Blackout, the latest installment in the Inspector Espinosa series, a “taut psychological thriller.” But I’m not one of those people, … Continue reading →

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Colin Grant: Negro With A Hat

Posted on August 17, 2008 by paul

“Marcus Garvey’s words come to pass Marcus Garvey’s words come to pass Can’t get no food to eat Can’t get no money to spend…” –Burning Spear, Marcus Garvey  So what and who, exactly, was Marcus Garvey? It all depended, apparently, … Continue reading →

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Magic and Loss: The Nick Hornby Songbook, Love is a Mix Tape

Posted on July 20, 2008 by paul

When is a music book not about music? It’s a valid question to ask if you stop to consider Nick Hornby’s Songbook, and Rob Sheffield’s Love is a Mix Tape. Both are ostensibly about music, and the role it plays … Continue reading →

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Jefferson’s Bible

Posted on July 11, 2008 by paul

I don’t remember quite how I came across this. As with so much else, I was probably looking for something else and came across it by accident. Oh, in case you were wondering what “it” is, it’s Jefferson’s Bible. A bit … Continue reading →

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The Rest is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century, by Alex Ross

Posted on July 10, 2008 by paul

Books on music are always a bit of a crapshoot. Even the best-intentioned authors can deliver works that sound flat and uninspired, struggling to bring to life on the page what would give you goosebumps if it came through a … Continue reading →

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Writing on Writing/Inspiration Index 6: The Library

Posted on July 4, 2008 by paul

Last week’s assignment was to shut off the computer and get yourself to a library. I’ve had a thing for libraries for almost as long as I’ve had a thing for books, which is a long time now. I feel … Continue reading →

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