Diane Plumley Have we as a working nation learned nothing from the past? Are we all so self involved, that when a news story reports a company is mistreating workers, treating them as disposable objects, and subjecting them to inhuman heat indexes, we respond by calling the workers ‘wimp’s’ ‘whiners’ ‘commies’? We side with the huge corporation … Read more
The Almost Moon–Alice Sebold–2007-Little Brown-IP One may have assumed that if I were to choose something from this author to be on my best list, it would be her major seller, The Lovely Bones. Made into a film, and heralded by one and all, it would seem to be a natural fit. And the book … Read more
Sometimes subjects and ideas for articles are slim, and I struggle to come up with something meaningful, challenging, and pithy. Well, this is not a pithy one. It’s more of a dreamy reminiscence. About one book that trumps all others in my life. Mother Goose rhymes, nursery rhymes, captured me as a little tyke, and … Read more
How do you decide what book to purchase? Does your selection process change if in a small independent bookshop, or a large supermarket store, or online with the same–small, big, and virtual–amazon? Do you have a specific genre in mind? Author? Many authors? If needing a reference book, which will you choose? How do you … Read more
Mr. Smith’s Hat––Helen Reilly-1940-Doubleday Crime Club–used I kept struggling with which title of Helen Reilly’s I wanted on the list, then if I wondered if she should be on the list at all, then if she should be lower on the list or higher on the list, until I just said, enough already, and … Read more
From time to time I reflect on the number of famous, not so famous, and fantastic writers I’ve been privileged to meet over the years. Some I met when they promoted their first book, and have either dropped from publishing sight, or become bestsellers, or the between–the midlist author who continues to be published and … Read more
You’ve heard that term before, right? Any time someone says anything contrary to the established beliefs of small vocal radical conservative groups, and they are on the East coast–heck, even if they’re in downtown Chicago–the perception these people give is that any one who disagrees with them are “elitists.” I doubt most understand what the … Read more
Haunt of the Nightingale—John R. Riggs–1988–Dembner Books–used Ok, before you start thinking, ‘oh no, another obscure title from a small press no one’s ever heard of,” let me give you some quotes: “When it is all over, the situations and characters linger in the mind, which means that The Last Laugh is the work of … Read more
