Scathing Book Reviews of Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris is a book that I never plan to read. Why? Well, I find his NPR stuff a bit too smug, which I know is like complaining about finding books in a bookstore. I was not surprised, although a bit dismayed, to find David Sedaris [...]

Scathing Reviews of Hamlet, by William Shakespeare

My first introduction to Hamlet by William Shakespeare was, like millions of other kids, from that redoubtable source of literary insight, Gilligan’s Island.
No, I’m serious… There was an episode guest starring Phil Silvers as a Hollywood Producer who came to the Island to get away from it all. The castaways put on a [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck has shaped the way that generations have thought about the Great Depression. The book itself is a classic, but the 1939 film adaptation by John Ford, starring Henry Fonda, solidified its position in American culture. Some have questioned the book’s veracity in portraying the actual conditions [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of No Country for Old Men, by Cormac McCarthy

After the 2008 Oscars, No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy will forever be associated with the Coen Brothers, Javier Bardem, and one bad haircut. The books stands on its own, however, and friends of mine tell me its even better than the movie. However, these critical reviews of No Country for [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of Battlefield Earth, by L. Ron Hubbard

Battlefield Earth by L. Ron Hubbard is a book that I confess, I read back in High School, lo these many moons ago. I recall thinking of it as “entertaining pulp”. At that time, Scientology had yet to make any headway in Hollywood, so buying the book had no undertones of furthering a [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy is probably the most famous book that the fewest have ever read. To rephrase, we’ve all heard of it. Most of us haven’t read it.
Why? Its reputation for complexity and for length (although it’s 2 places behind Atlas Shrugged in the list of longest novels.) [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of The Davinci Code, by Dan Brown

The Davinci Code by Dan Brown is one of those books that jumps the literary fence into “pop culture phenomenon”, with the requisite movie adaptation and Cryptex for sale in Skymall. and was for a time, the only thing that people on airplanes seemed to read.
While it’s hard to take The Davinci Code’s [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe is a book that in the 20th and 21st century is more “heard of” than read, or even seen onscreen in movie form. Practically every history of the Civil War makes reference to it, and every American history class includes it as a test question. Boiled down, it [...]

Scathing Reviews of Love Story, by Erich Segal

Just in time for Valentines day, some tough love here for Love Story by Eric Segal. It’s a book that has been overshadowed by the 1970 Movie Adaptation starring Ryan O’Neal and Ali McGraw, who famously got more beautiful as her character got SPOILER WARNING closer to death. Its most famous line – “Love [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert Pirsig

Zen and the Art of Motorcyle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig is a book that I read on a beach in Italy, drinking a lot of jug wine, at the age of 18. (No, I wasn’t rich – I was in the Army, stationed in Germany and on leave.) That’s probably the ideal age, location and [...]