Tamsen Donner: Heroic Mother, Tough Lady

The marvelous novel, Impatient with Desire, written by Gabrielle Burton, will be…

G.K. Chesterton and his Unstoppable Father Brown

Yes, I finally finished reading the complete collection of Father Brown Mysteries written by G.K. Chesterton over a period of twenty-five years. I downloaded the collection onto my Kindle and over the past two months have been dipping in and out…

Growing Up In War: My Berlin Child, by Anne Wiazemsky

Parasite Eve: Evolution Threatens

Parasite Eve by Hideaki Sena is a bizarre and utterly mesmerizing book of science fiction horror. I never would have found it, much less read it, without being pointed in the right direction by a good friend with a unique taste in books. I am now pointing anyone I know…

Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: “Outstanding” Debut

Surrounded by Life: Emily, Alone by Stewart O’Nan

Emily, Alone by Stewart O’Nan, is a book of quiet yet stunning beauty; steady and trim from the outside, like its protagonist, and, just like her, stirring inside with deep longings, intense observations, and a strong attachment to living…

The Passions of Matt Roeser: Reading and Imagining New Covers for Beloved Books

The graphic artist Matt Roeser has one passion I can identify with — reading — and another I wish I could emulate: creating beautiful new cover art for great books. With my artistic skills, I…

Longtime Favorites Hold Me Hostage in My Purple Chair, Once Again

Time Machine: The Travel Books of H.V. Morton

I love the travel books of H.V. Morton. Not only because of the fascinating tidbits of folklore, local history, and personal experience that he added into every book he wrote (and he wrote fifty books and pamphlets about his travels, starting with…

Spreading the Love: Book Reviews, Good and Bad

I’ve received a number of emails and comments lately, with various undertones of censure, stating that I only write good reviews. “Don’t you have anything bad to say?” is the implied question. Sure, I have plenty bad to say. But when it comes to…