Monthly Archives: February 2012

A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens (1854)

Posted on February 28, 2012 by tom

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens My rating: 4 of 5 stars In The West Wing episode “The Stackhouse Filibuster,” CJ asks Sam who his favorite writer is.”Toby.””Favorite fiction writer?”Sam looks at the TV. “You’re listening to him … Continue reading →

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Fanny Hill (Or Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure), by John Cleland (1748)

Posted on February 25, 2012 by tom

Fanny Hill, or Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure by John Cleland My rating: 2 of 5 stars I first encountered “Fanny Hill” in college, when an adaptation appeared on Cinemax After Dark. Recently, while searching through Kindle’s “free classics,” … Continue reading →

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Fool, by Christopher Moore (2009)

Posted on February 21, 2012 by tom

Fool by Christopher Moore My rating: 5 of 5 stars Imagine King Lear rewritten by the Shaun of the Dead team, Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg. That’s not quite Fool, but you get the idea. Fool takes King Lear, and … Continue reading →

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Wonder, by R.J. Palacio (2012)

Posted on February 20, 2012 by tom

Wonder by R.J. Palacio My rating: 4 of 5 stars What could possibly be worse than middle school?How about middle school after being home-schooled your whole life?Now, how about having a horrible facial deformity? So it is for 10 year-old … Continue reading →

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The Magnificent Ambersons, by Booth Tarkington (1918)

Posted on February 19, 2012 by tom

The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington My rating: 5 of 5 stars It was odd to read this novel of late 19th Century America so soon after finishing the dystopian, futuristic Hunger Games Trilogy. In many ways, this novel was … Continue reading →

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Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3), by Suzanne Collins (2010)

Posted on February 17, 2012 by tom

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins My rating: 5 of 5 stars The cliffhanger from “Catching Fire” is resolved, and Katniss and her family are safe…for a day or two, anyway. I loved “Mockingjay,” and thought it was a tremendous way to … Continue reading →

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Catching Fire (Hunger Games #2), by Suzanne Collins (2009)

Posted on February 17, 2012 by tom

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins My rating: 4 of 5 stars Sometimes, in trilogies, the middle book gets short shrift. The first introduces the characters and creates the world. The third (hopefully) provides enough payoff for the whole series. The … Continue reading →

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If I Die (Soul Screamers #5), Rachel Vincent (2011)

Posted on February 15, 2012 by tom

If I Die by Rachel Vincent My rating: 5 of 5 stars One day, Kaylee Cavanaugh has a conversation, in which she is told, quite matter-of-factly, that her name has appeared on “the list.” “The list” isn’t honor roll, a … Continue reading →

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My Soul to Steal (Soul Screamers #4), by Rachel Vincent (2010)

Posted on February 14, 2012 by tom

My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent My rating: 4 of 5 stars When last we left poor Kaylee, she’d found out her boyfriend was a secret demon’s breath huffer, and she’d put their relationship on hold over Winter Break. … Continue reading →

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Let's Get Lost (1988)

Posted on February 14, 2012 by tom

Blame Evan Rachel Wood for this. She tweeted that her song of the day, in honor of Valentine’s Day, is “My Funny Valentine,” by Etta James. My favorite version is by Chet Baker. I went on YouTube to find a … Continue reading →

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