A modern twist on the ‘Christmas Carol’

Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is likely as familiar to Americans as any other story on the planet.

Rash takes care of business in ‘The Caretaker’

Ron Rash’s new novel “The Caretaker” (Doubleday, 2023, 252 pgs.) is much different than his previous novels.

The unfailing connection of a classic novel

I have always been a fan of old books. There’s a comfort I find in between the pages of a story written long ago, a sort of escape from my modern-day life.

Crime fiction with a satisfying depth

People who don’t like crime fiction should try Tana French. That’s what I’d heard, so when a copy of “The Searcher” (Viking, 2020, 464 pages) came my way, and a free weekend came as well, the two were a natural fit. 

Take a breather, read a book to a child

“Gloom, Despair and Agony on Me” was a song and a skit on television’s “Hee-Haw Show.”

Local tales are well told in this book

If you’re looking for a fun, yet informative read, then I’ve got one for you. Jim Buchanan’s “Historic Tales of Sylva and Jackson County” (The History Press, 2020, 125pgs).

Book suggests pathways to a better life

Every once in a while, readers come across a book that by itself constitutes a small library. Anthologies of history, art, children’s stories, poetry: open up those hefty tomes, some of which might serve as doorstops or as weights for light lifting, and you’ve got a smorgasbord of information at your fingertips. 

From Guthrie to Woodstock: politics and pop music

“The artist is first and foremost the reflection of his times, and his ability

to stay a few steps ahead of the rest of the society is his contribution to his society.” 

— Phil Ochs

Savoring the beauty of fine writing

“Where’s the rest of me?” cries out Drake McHugh (Ronald Reagan) when he awakens from surgery in the 1942 film “Kings Row” and finds an evil doctor has amputated both his legs.

Two men, two versions of faith and hope

Some writers put out shoot-em-up thrillers, like Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series. Some of us experience catharsis through such books by watching justice served up close and personal.

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