Michael Crichton told the kind of stories that grabbed us as readers and that drew us to the big screen. Pirate Latitudes, unpublished at the time of his death in 2008, is just that sort of story — a big, exciting tale of a handsome pirate, a woman scorned, impossible odds and a fortune in gold. You can almost imagine… Read more
Have you ever wished that you knew a little more about football? You’re watching with friends, everyone is yelling about the lousy blocking or the zone defense and you wish you knew what they were talking about? Or maybe you wish your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse could get as excited about the pass coverage as you are? This may be just the book you… Read more
This isn’t the first time I’ve reviewed a cookbook here, but Michael Symon’s Live to Cook: Recipes and Techniques to Rock Your Kitchen is kind of special. I grew up in Ohio and I was a frequent guest at Lola long before I ever saw its owner on TV Food Network. That face, that laugh…and that food! As often as… Read more
Who better to talk about celebrities than Dr. Drew? For more than 25 years he has co-hosted Loveline on the radio and, for 4 years, on MTV. On VH1, he produces and hosts Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew and Sober House. He is definitely an expert on celebrity behavior, and this book is full of anecdotes and descriptions of the… Read more
Paul Rudnick is one of those names that I was complete unfamiliar with, until I read his book. As he told his stories, I kept thinking “oh! I remember Sister Act!” “I’ve heard of Allan Carr!” “He wrote The Addams Family? I never knew that!” It was part discovery, part reunion, full of funny bits, a little gossip, and some… Read more
The Book of Lies is a tough review to write. There is so much going on, so many interesting side stories that I want to tell you about, but I don’t want to spoil the surprises you have in store. There’s Cain and Abel, a kid named Jerry Siegel, a dog named Benoni, a tractor-trailer full of melting shrimp, and… Read more
It’s finally here! The Green Books campaign: 1 Day, 100 bloggers, 100 green books, 100 reviews!Today, there are 100 books being reviewed on 100 blogs around the web, promoting good books and good environmental policies. The boooks are printed on 100% recycled paper. Eco-Libris encourages readers to “balance out” their books – plant a tree for every book you read.… Read more
I swear, this is the last Jane Austen mash-up I’m going to read. I also swear that I will not break out into Dear Jane letters, as Elizabeth is inclined to do at critical junctures of the book. The Postal Service could not be terribly reliable in Europe in her day, but the letters provide an easy way for Elizabeth… Read more
Green Eyes in the Amazon is a very timely book — almost too timely. Fundamentalist religious groups are conspiring to control society and stifle scientific advances by any means necessary, including violence. It is set in a hazy but not-too-distant future. No more cellphones and SUVs, now we all have vidcoms and autopiloted cars. Central America is a Dead Zone,… Read more
Vampires are all the rage these days. True Blood on HBO, the Twilight series and movies, Being Human on BBC America has a vampire, even the recently (and sadly) departed Blood Ties on Lifetime (and the books by Tanya Huff) – those bloodsuckers are everywhere. (I’ve even got a giveaway featuring vampires!) And for the modern woman who can’t resist… Read more