Scathing Book Reviews of Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Slaughterhouse Five, by Kurt Vonnegut is a book that I read by choice, and after I read it, I had two reactions.  The first was “huh?” and the second was, “I’m only 18.  I guess I’m not mature enough to appreciate it.  Well, I reread it recently, and while my first reaction was still “huh”, [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of Eragon (Book 1 of the Inheritance Cycle), by Christopher Paolini

I remember when Eragon, by Christopher Paolini first gained media attention. It was back in 2003 when all things Harry Potter dominated the book publishing world and news, and the idea of yet another unknown author creating a breakout book just seemed made for the news cycle. Plus, the fact that Paolini was [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of God is Not Great, by Christopher Hitchens

God is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens is the kind of book that a person can write only when you are so inexperienced in life and judgement to think you know everything, or old enough to have seen too much. I say that with all sincerity, as anyone that has experienced the inevitable [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of the Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien is many things to many people. To some, a fun fantasy. To others, the cornerstone of their reading list. To an unfortunate few, a way of life, and to Peter Jackson, an admirable achievement and cash cow.
I read the Lord of the Rings for the first time [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose, by Eckhart Tolle

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purposeby Eckhart Tolle is yet another in a long line of “Success Literature”, – a book genre which has got to be an American original (don’t tell me if I’m wrong). The seeming promise of success literature to its readers is “Read the book, and your life [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare

Romeo and Julietby William Shakespeareis certainly a story you can’t avoid. They say the story of star-crossed lovers was old even when Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, but even if its true, its never been done so indelibly.
Take Romeo and Juliet away and you also lose West Side Storyand a good hunk of Shakespeare [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of Twilight (Book 1, the Twilight Saga) by Stephanie Meyer

The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer is one of those success stories that every publisher dreams of, and that every writer dreams of as well. One indicator of success? Over 1,800 book reviews of Twilight as of July 2008, for crying out loud! That’s 9 times as many as “The Sound and the Fury”.  If [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of “Faith of My Fathers” and more books by John McCain

Faith of My Fathers(2000) by John McCainmade a splash when it was originally published, but nothing to compare to The Audacity of Hope. On the other hand, Barack Obama’s book has yet to be turned into a TV Movieso I guess that means that John McCain, by the Kevin Bacon rule, has closer connections to [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama

“Don’t talk about politics!” is usually good advice, but in the case of Political Books, the book reviews are so juicy that heck, why not? Today I”ll do The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama. Tomorrow I’ll do books written by John McCain. Dennis Kucinich? Uh, maybe later. Much later.
The Audacity of Hope by Barack [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is one of those books that hovered about the edge of my male consciousness, vaguely associated with “Wuthering Heights”, men in Top Hats and PBS.
Then my wife and I somehow got into a “Jane Austen movie” viewing jag, or let’s say she did and I was along for the [...]