Book News and Reviews on Monsters and Critics

21. Aug 2008

A year in books: recap

I thought I’d do a recap of the year’s worth of books I’ve selected for ...more

Perhaps for sake of utility, a notional separation of the corporal activities traditionally divided into mind and body has practical benefits. For instance, the distinction supports eschewing a podiatrist for treatment of your visceral fear of breakfast cereal. ... more

John Donlan & The Dames by Judith Fitzgerald

Jul 21, 2008, 17:29 GMT

If poetry eases the anguish of the actual, a trio of high-flying (yet decidedly uneven) débuts from Canadian dames may satisfy readers seeking solace in the (sometimes) sublime. (On the other hand, John Donlan's accomplished Spirit Engine, without a doubt one of the finest collections created in this country, most assuredly will.) ... more

Featured Book Review: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Jul 14, 2008, 16:06 GMT

There is little denying that multicultural fiction is hot, for when Khaled Hosseini’s mediocre novel The Kite Runner hit the shelves, its Afghani perspective was enough to propel an ungainly plot into a bestselling sensation. Unfortunately, this book does not live up to the A-list hype.
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Original Writing

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Points Elsewhere by Judith Fitzgerald

May 27, 2008, 10:53 GMT

The ocean a ghost
mirror in denial roaring its growling stamina —
its inexorably seductive pull embattling ... more

Short Story: Maps of the Bible by Jason Sanford

Apr 25, 2008, 14:56 GMT

A dead man's Bible. My Bible. Jedediah holds it to his nose as if the acid paper crisp and saddle-stitched decay still keeps me alive.
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Short Story: Little Pixie by Seamus Kearney

Jan 31, 2008, 10:07 GMT

When Thomas arrived at his usual place on the café terrace, he still hadn’t decided whether to say anything to the others about the death of his wife. Why didn’t I ever bring her here? Would it have been such a big effort? My darling, impossible Valerie... ... more

News

In-depth interview with philosopher Mark Rowlands

Mark Rowlands, who is the author of titles such as Sci-Phi: Philosophy from Socrates ....more

Latest

New book: The Anglo Files

Aug 21, 2008, 12:05 GMT

This latest title, called The Anglo Files A Field Guide to the British is what USA Today describes as: ... more

Some ‘notable’ books this fall

Aug 21, 2008, 10:57 GMT

Well, one might say it depends on how one defines “notable” but alright. ... more

New Michael Moore book

Aug 20, 2008, 14:50 GMT

Mike's Election Guide 2008 is the title of Michael Moore’s latest book project. ... more

New Woodward book announced

Aug 20, 2008, 10:45 GMT

The AP notes that Bob Woodward will have a new book this September called The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006-2008.
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In-depth interview with philosopher Mark Rowlands

Aug 20, 2008, 5:35 GMT

Mark Rowlands, who is the author of titles such as Sci-Phi: Philosophy from Socrates to Schwarzenegger, Everything I Know I Learned from TV: Philosophy for the Unrepentant Couch Potato, and Body Language: Representation in Action, now has an in-depth interview online. ... more

Titan Books releases Torchwood series

Aug 19, 2008, 12:48 GMT

According to the product description:
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An assessment on the American Dream

Aug 19, 2008, 10:44 GMT

In this new book, John Zogby attempts to tell us the way it will be in the future. Publishers publishing way too many crappy books for anyone to ever care about or read? Oh wait. ... more

Washington and the Politics of Change in the 1960s

Aug 18, 2008, 14:36 GMT

The full title to this latest book by G. Calvin Mackenzie and Robert Weisbrot is called The Liberal Hour: Washington and the Politics of Change in the 1960s. ... more

Two writers with nothing in common are soul mates?
Barnes & Noble will not bid for Borders
All about Nelson Mandela
Rushdie won’t shut up
New novel by two authors is supposed literary hit
Le Corbusier Le Grand is alive with illustrations
My life with a mass murderer
Publishers Weekly best sellers

Interviews

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Jess’s Book Club Pick for June: I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Jun 1, 2008, 6:11 GMT

Yes I know this has been made into a very popular film, one of which I’ve not seen. But here’s the thing: the book the film is taken from is a great book. ... more

Jess’s Book Club Pick for May: Dubliners by James Joyce

May 1, 2008, 10:02 GMT

If you are groaning, just wait. Let me begin by saying that if you’ve never gotten around to reading James Joyce, and you’ve had an inkling to do so, Dubliners would be the pick for you. ... more

Jess’s Book Club Pick For April: US Guys: The True and Twisted Mind of the American Man by Charlie LeDuff

Apr 1, 2008, 11:00 GMT

This month I decided to go with Charlie LeDuff’s US Guys: The True and Twisted Mind of the American Man. ... more

Comics/Graphic Novels

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Ron Lim's Anita Blake Zombie variant revealed!

Oct 22, 2007, 19:01 GMT

Marvel is proud to unveil fan favorite artist Ron Lim's exciting new Zombie variant cover to Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake: The First Death #2 (of 2). This not only marks the first time that Anita Blake has appeared with other Marvel characters, but also introduces the first piece of published Anita Blake art by Ron Lim! ... more

Blood runs again this January when Youngblood returns as an ongoing series

Oct 22, 2007, 18:55 GMT

Rob Liefeld's return to Image dominated the buzz this past summer and now you can finally see the results in this January's Youngblood #1! ... more

Captain Marvel returns to action

Oct 22, 2007, 18:38 GMT

Spinning straight out of his shocking return in Civil War, Captain Marvel's new life begins in Captain Marvel #1 (of 5)! He's been plucked out of time before his death, but can the Kree soldier known as Mar-Vell make a difference with the scant time he's got left? ... more

Reviews

Featured Book Review: The Naked Ape by Desmond Morris

Every human on the planet should at one time take a ....more

Latest

Book Review: Marsbound

Aug 20, 2008, 1:48 GMT

When the Dula family won a lottery trip to Mars, nineteen-year-old Carmen knew the five years spent in the colony would likely change their lives but she couldn’t possibly have imagined how profound those changes would be. A year of pretrip training, testing and evaluation were a prelude to...

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Book Review: Ary Stillman from Impressionism to Abstract Expressionism

Aug 20, 2008, 1:42 GMT

This first major monograph devoted to Russian-American Ary Stillman is an unabashed celebration of his enormous body of work and evolution from impressionist to abstract artist. Seven authors including art historians and curators cover the scope of...

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Book Review: Beyond the Basics: Gourd Art

Aug 20, 2008, 1:34 GMT

Creating beautiful works of art from dried gourds is an ancient practice that is enjoying resurgence thanks in part to the wide variety of tools now available. After a brief overview of selecting, cleaning and cutting gourds...

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Book Review: Stalking the Vampire

Aug 20, 2008, 1:27 GMT

It’s All Hallows’ Eve, the biggest night of the year in Resnick’s alternate Manhattan populated by a host of goblins, ghosts and zombies and home to private eye John Mallory, a former resident of this dimension. When Mallory’s partner, Winnifred Carruthers drags...

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Book Review: Doomwyte

Aug 20, 2008, 1:21 GMT

Master storyteller Jacques returns to the small, magical world of Redwall with a tale of stolen treasure. Long ago, Gonff the Prince of Mousethieves crept into a dark cavern and discovered...

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Book Review: The Last Unicorn Special Anniversary Edition

Aug 20, 2008, 1:15 GMT

One of the all-time classic works of fantasy has been re-released in a special 40th Anniversary Edition of Peter S. Beagle’s The Last Unicorn including illustrations by Mel Grant. For those who have been living under a rock or new to the genre...

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Book Review: Vicious Circle

Aug 11, 2008, 3:22 GMT

Felix Caster has an unusual job, with the aid of his trusty tin whistle, he performs exorcisms on London area ghosts. It’s a modest living supplemented by the occasional consulting job with the local, pain-in-the-butt police department which is why...

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Book Review: Dog Eats Dog

Aug 11, 2008, 3:15 GMT

Ex-con Philip Dixon knew the bank heist was doomed to failure from the start, that’s why he had a fallback plan, independent from his bungling associates. What he hadn’t counted on was getting shot, covered in gas and being spotted by...

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Book Review: The Last Unicorn Special Anniversary Edition
Book Review: Vicious Circle
Book Review: Dog Eats Dog
Book Review: The Sacred Book of the Werewolf
Book Review: Vampyres of Hollywood
Book Review: Blue Ribbon Quilts
Book Review: Underground
Book Review: Creative Beading Vol. 3

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