Monthly Archives: September 2013

Schadenfreude: A Handy Guide to the Glee Found in Others’ Misery, by Lawrence Dorfman (2013)

Posted on September 15, 2013 by tom

(nb: I received an Advance Review Copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss) Schadenfreude is one of my favorite German words, one of those like Zeitgeist that just doesn’t sound as good if we translate it into English. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Humorous, Non Fiction and/or Commentary | 1 Comment

4 to 16 Characters, by Kelly Hourihan (2013)

Posted on September 15, 2013 by tom

Searching for Jane, Lost in The Internet Jane Shilling’s life is a mess. Her mother died a year ago in a car crash, and her father has spent the time in a mournful, alcoholic haze. Rachel is perky, funny, and … Continue reading →

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This Song Will Save Your Life, by Leila Sales (2013)

Posted on September 13, 2013 by tom

Achieving the Perfect Mix (nb: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley) Sixteen-year-old Elise Dembowski says she was born to be unpopular. She’s precocious and works hard. She’s not extremely beautiful, and she missed … Continue reading →

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Escaping Reality (The Secret Life of Amy Benson #1), by Lisa Renee Jones (2013)

Posted on September 12, 2013 by tom

Steamy Suspense Amy Reynolds is enjoying a fundraiser at the New York museum where she works. She goes into the ladies room, and there’s an envelope taped to the mirror. Inside is a key with a cryptic note. She’s in … Continue reading →

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The Shining Girls, by Lauren Beukes (2013)

Posted on September 12, 2013 by tom

It’s 1931 Chicago, and like so many Americans during the Great Depression, Harper Curtis has it rough. Harper lives in one of the many “Hoovervilles,” small villages of tarpaper shacks and tents where those with nowhere else to go try … Continue reading →

Posted in Best Books of the Year, Books, General Fiction, Mysteries/Thrillers, Paranormal | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Nazi and the Psychiatrist, by Jack El-Hai (2013)

Posted on September 10, 2013 by tom

(nb: I received an advance review copy from the publisher via NetGalley) Jack El-Hai’s latest book, “The Nazi and the Psychiatrist,” tells one of the lesser-known stories of post-World War 2: the psychological analysis of the infamous Nuremberg Trial defendants. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, History, Non Fiction and/or Commentary | Leave a comment

Last Night at The Viper Room, by Gavin Edwards (2013)

Posted on September 9, 2013 by tom

I remember watching the news on October 31, 1993. I didn’t usually watch the evening news—I was always either working or at happy hour—but this was a Sunday, so I was probably doing laundry and nursing a hangover. I remember … Continue reading →

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Skyway: The True Story of Tampa Bay’s Signature Bridge and the Man Who Brought it Down, by Bill DeYoung (2013)

Posted on September 9, 2013 by tom

(nb: I received an advance review copy from the publisher via NetGalley) The Bridge to Tragedy On Friday morning, May 9th, 1980, I was a student at Pine View School in Sarasota, Florida. School started at 8:15, and I think … Continue reading →

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A Time to Break Silence, by Dr. Martin Luther King (2013)

Posted on September 8, 2013 by tom

This is one of those books whose content is impossible to review. Martin Luther King stands as one of the greatest orators, social leaders, activists, and human beings this country has ever produced. His work from the Montgomery Bus Boycott, … Continue reading →

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Being Both: Embracing Two Religions in One Interfaith Family, by Susan Katz Miller (2013)

Posted on September 8, 2013 by tom

(nb: I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss) You finally meet “the one,” that person you love more than anyone else you’ve ever met. You finish each other’s sentences, love the same food, … Continue reading →

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