A Cineaste’s Bookshelf
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REVIEW: The Cat Who Saved the Library
The Cat Who Saved The Library is a worthy volume in this delightful series. Tiger the talking tabby cat is back with a teammate to rescue stolen books from oblivion.Read More »
REVIEW: I Live Underwater
Nohl was a pioneer in underwater apparatus, an adventurer, a treasure-hunter, an inventor, and thrill-seeker. He and his friends dove a few wrecks, looking for valuable cargo or safes rumored to be full of cash, but his most remarkable contributions to diving were his innovations and experiments.Read More »
ACCENT: V is for Venom
Many of Christie's devotees are aware that she worked in a chemist's shop during WWI. They might not realize she was a quick study and learned a great deal about the chemistry and compounding of different medicines.Read More »
REVIEW: A Case of Mice and Murder
Owing to its ancient rules, and the fact that Inner Temple is even older than London itself, police authorities need permission to enter the grounds. Gabriel's superiors decide he is the man for the job and give him the task of investigating the mysterious death of the Lord Chief Justice. Read More »
ACCENT: The Farmhouse
This is a much better than average thriller, with strong storytelling that holds together from beginning to end. The mystery is solid, her unraveling of it is realistic, and if one chooses to believe in spirits, their assistance is unwavering.Read More »
Books for May
Yes, I will spend the livelong day / With Nature in this month of May; / And sit beneath the trees, and share / My bread with birds whose homes are there ~ W.H. DaviesRead More »
REVIEW: How To Seal Your Own Fate
How To Seal Your Own Fate is a worthy follow-up to the first novel. It brings the reader back to the cozy village of Castle Knoll to visit with its eccentric characters. And as ever, the lovely Gravesdown estate sounds just like the kind of place so many of us dream of inheriting one day. Minus, the murder, of course. Read More »
REVIEWS: Very English Murders
Two infamous murder cases get reexamined by the best true crime writers working today. Hawley Harvey Crippen and John Reginald Christie each committed homicides that stunned their neighbors, captivated a nation, and overshadowed the lives of the victims at the time. These books seek to train the spotlight back on those that were lost rather than revel in the gory crimes themselves.Read More »
REVIEW: The Hymn to Dionysus
Natasha Pulley is one of the best and most consistently stunning novelists of our time. Just as The Iliad isn't (really) about the Trojan war, The Hymn to Dionysus is not about an endangered kingdom. It's about looking at oneself and finding the divine heroism within.Read More »
ACCENT: The Wheel Spins and To Catch a Thief
There are plenty of reasons Hitchcock's films are considered classic, even genius. But often overlooked is the fact that they were nearly always based on books. Two are again available in print.Read More »
REVIEW: The Undoing of Violet Claybourne
Set in 1938 England, the story is steeped in the very particular interwar setting, with dozens of connotations. Crucially, it's the year Rebecca was written (and set). Like the classic Du Maurier novel, this book focuses on a shabby manor house, a young woman who struggles to fit in, and a crumbling aristocracy intent on covering up dark secrets. Read More »
REVIEW: The Sinners All Bow
On a freezing morning in December 1832, a woman named Sarah Maria Cornell was found dead on a local farm. The mystery was covered by Catharine Williams, a contemporary who became convinced it was murder. Kate Winkler Dawson takes another look at Williams' work and brings modern technology to the case. Read More »
Books for February
One strong, one strange, and three duds for this month's round-up of new and forthcoming books. Read More »
REVIEW: Bibliophobia
Believe it not, bibliophobia is a real thing. The fear of books, or the fear of words and reading, is a psychological condition that disrupts people's ability to enjoy a book or even a visit to the library. Author Sarah Chihaya recounts her bout with it as well as exploring how we absorb and tell stories.Read More »
REVIEW: Her Lotus Year
It's hard to find anyone who doesn't have an opinion about Wallis Simpson -- even harder to find someone with a good opinion of her. This is a new look at a famous figure, set against a very specific time and place. It brings new perspective to both Wallis Simpson and 1920s legation Peking.Read More »