Monthly Archives: October 2013

Mortality, by Christopher Hitchens (2012)

Posted on October 30, 2013 by tom

Somehow, this is just the book I needed to read today. It’s like God made me buy it for my Kindle, which is ironic, since Christopher Hitchens was one of the more vocal of the latest guard of Atheists—his “God … Continue reading →

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

Merrick, by Ken Bruen (2013)

Posted on October 29, 2013 by tom

(nb: I received an advance review copy from the publisher via Edelweiss) So a Jewish guy and an Irish guy walk into a bar… And that is where Ken Bruen’s latest mystery “Merrick” begins. To be fair, the Jewish Merrick … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Mysteries/Thrillers, series | 2 Comments

The Possession: Writer’s Block Trilogy #1, by A.K. Kuykendaal (2012)

Posted on October 27, 2013 by tom

“The Possession” is a hard book to review. I just want to say that up top. For the first half, “The Possession” feels like a mash-up of “Rosemary’s Baby,” “The Dark Half,” and “Child’s Play.” It’s clunky and hard to … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, General Fiction, Horror, Paranormal | Leave a comment

Sixteen, Sixty-One, by Natalie Lucas (Kindle vers. 2013)

Posted on October 26, 2013 by tom

(nb: I received an Advance Review Copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley) It’s an interesting coincidence that I was IM-ing with a friend earlier. This young woman is a sweet soul, and I love her to pieces, … Continue reading →

Posted in Best Books of the Year, Books, Memoir or Biography, Non Fiction and/or Commentary | Leave a comment

Beatles vs. Stones, by John McMillian (2013)

Posted on October 24, 2013 by tom

(nb: I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss) Beatles or Stones? I can’t even ponder how many of those once-popular Internet memes have asked that question. Sure enough, though, there it is among … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Memoir or Biography, Music, Non Fiction and/or Commentary | Leave a comment

My Life with Deth: Discovering Meaning in a Life of Rock & Roll, by David Ellefson, w. Joel McIver, fwd by Alice Cooper

Posted on October 24, 2013 by tom

David Ellefson has had an incredible ride. He started as a pre-teen musical wannabe, practiced like crazy growing up on his parents’s farm, then moved to L.A. to try his luck. He’d studied jazz bass, and he’d practiced hard, so … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Memoir or Biography, Religion/Spirituality | Leave a comment

Life 2.0 (2010)

Posted on October 21, 2013 by tom

“Life 2.o” is a documentary look at people whose lives have been taken over by Second Life. Second Life is a free website that offers you the ability to create your own avatars, build posh homes, engage in friendships and … Continue reading →

Posted in Documentaries, Films | Leave a comment

(A MUST for fans of Kubrick’s “The Shining”) “Room 237” (2012)

Posted on October 19, 2013 by tom

I just reviewed Stephen King’s new sequel to “The Shining,” “Doctor Sleep.” It’s an excellent novel—five stars out of five. So this seemed like the perfect occasion to write a few words about “Room 237,” a documentary about various conspiracy … Continue reading →

Posted in Documentaries, Films | 3 Comments

Doctor Sleep, by Stephen King (2013)

Posted on October 19, 2013 by tom

Stephen King has created some amazing characters in his career, and in the process of creating them, I think he’s become a character himself, far more so than other equally prolific writers. King is the guy who doesn’t just write … Continue reading →

Posted in Best Books of the Year, Books, Horror, Mysteries/Thrillers, series | 2 Comments

The World Without US (2008);

Posted on October 13, 2013 by tom

“The World Without US” is a documentary asking a simple question: what if we pulled our military out of other countries, and used it only to defend ourselves? The filmmakers talk to a number of people, and they gather a … Continue reading →

Posted in Documentaries, Films | 2 Comments