by Barbara the Bibliophage | Feb 26, 2021 | RELAX: Mystery-Thriller
When the new book from Jean Hanff Korelitz, called The Plot, arrived on my doorstep, I dove right in. Even though it isn’t due to publish until May 2021, I just couldn’t wait. I have a thing for books about authors and the craft of writing. Especially when, like this...
by Barbara the Bibliophage | Jan 31, 2021 | RELAX: Memoir
Erin French details how she reached success in her upcoming memoir Finding Freedom: A Cook’s Story; Remaking a Life from Scratch. (Available early April 2021.) It’s not a straight A to Z path, but one that goes backwards, forwards, and even sideways. Of course,...
by Barbara the Bibliophage | Jan 14, 2021 | RELAX: Other Relaxation
Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour is many things—racial justice commentary, social satire about the sales industry, debut novel, and maybe even a morality play. But at its heart, it’s a good story with a compelling main character who indeed sold his ideas effectively to...
by Barbara the Bibliophage | Dec 16, 2020 | RELAX: Other Relaxation
In the debut novel from Rachel Mans McKenny, The Butterfly Effect, Greta Oto is more a spiny caterpillar than beautiful butterfly. Even though she’s an entomology graduate student, specializing in the winged creatures. She’s not socially comfortable in most...
by Barbara the Bibliophage | Dec 6, 2020 | RELAX: Historical Fiction
The Arctic Fury, the latest from Greer Macallister, is a hybrid of adventure and courtroom drama. The story centers around Virginia Reeve, who leads a group of women north into Canada and towards the Northwest Territories in 1853. If you look on a map today, you see...
by Barbara the Bibliophage | Nov 20, 2020 | LEARN: Everything Else
Julia L.F. Goldstein offers environmental research and information in her upcoming book Rethink the Bins: Your Guide to Smart Recycling and Less Household Waste. Her first book, Material Value covered a lot of manufacturing processes and a little household advice. On...
by Barbara the Bibliophage | Sep 1, 2020 | LEARN: Chronic Illness, RESIST: Politics
Our Malady: Lessons in Liberty from a Hospital Diary by Timothy Snyder is just under 200 pages. While it’s not long, it covers topics we all face daily whether we know it or not—our health and freedom. A Yale professor, historian, and writer, Snyder was not well at...
by Barbara the Bibliophage | Jul 8, 2020 | RELAX: Memoir
Caitlin Myer explores family, identity and the role of women in her upcoming book Wiving: A Memoir of Loving then Leaving the Patriarchy. The story starts in Provo, Utah where she’s the youngest child in a medium-sized Mormon family. And her Art Professor dad holds it...
by Barbara the Bibliophage | Mar 13, 2020 | RELAX: Mystery-Thriller
Back in the day, Susan Isaacs was an auto-buy author for me. But that was literally decades ago. When I happened to read an excerpt of her 2019 book, Takes One to Know One, I thought it was time to give her writing another try. And this was an enjoyable, if not...
by Barbara the Bibliophage | Feb 26, 2020 | RELAX: Memoir
Musician Mikel Jollett didn’t have an easy childhood. In his upcoming memoir, titled Hollywood Park, he tells his story. It’s a moving exposition of many topics, from cults to chronic depression, addiction, and the power of family to both hurt and heal. Jollett’s...
by Barbara the Bibliophage | Dec 5, 2019 | RELAX: Memoir
Good Boy, the latest memoir from Jennifer Finney Boylan, makes me want to go adopt a dog. And it also makes me glad I don’t have one. She tells a plethora of funny and poignant stories about dog ownership. Alternately, she tells about dogs who despise their owners and...
by Barbara the Bibliophage | Nov 13, 2019 | LEARN: Everything Else
Kate Murphy is a journalist who makes her living with her listening skills. No skills, no article. For the rest of us it’s not so straightforward. In her new book, You’re Not Listening: What You’re Missing and Why It Matters, she makes a case that listening is...
by Barbara the Bibliophage | Oct 31, 2019 | LEARN: Everything Else
Neil Pasricha followed a unique path to fame and fortune. He tells plenty of his own story in his latest book, which focuses on resilience. You Are Awesome: How to Navigate Change, Wrestle with Failure, and Live an Intentional Life was a mixed bag for me. Ultimately...
by Barbara the Bibliophage | Oct 30, 2019 | RELAX: Mystery-Thriller
Alexis Schaitkin unspools a story of that 18-year-old we all know. The one with buckets of confidence and virtually no experience. Who wants to be thought well of, while never giving their parents the time of day. Who rolls her eyes, shows off her body, and keeps...
by Barbara the Bibliophage | Oct 28, 2019 | RELAX: Historical Fiction
Phil Growick conceived and curated The Art of Sherlock Holmes – USA Edition. The premise is simple. Collect a group of Sherlockian tales by accomplished writers familiar with the genre. Then ask world-class artists to each create a work of art that reflects one...
by Barbara the Bibliophage | Sep 23, 2019 | RELAX: Mystery-Thriller
It’s a joy to revisit the world of Sherlock Holmes with author Richard T. Ryan and his latest novella, The Merchant of Menace. Holmes and Watson need to catch a thief who’s angling for priceless, one-of-a-kind items. And threatening the owners’ loved ones as he does...
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