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.
Historical novels can take us to the past
The best historical novels mesmerize readers. They cast their spell and whisk us out of the present and into the bygone days of the past.
A hero is found in an unlikely place
A friend offered me a book recently, one that I found mildly intriguing.
A love story from a more innocent time
Every once in a while, a novel hits me with a punch I never saw coming, perhaps even one unintended by its author.
David Joy’s novel explores important issues
This one’s going to be interesting. I’ve got a book whose author lives right down the road. David Joy and I both live in Tuckasegee, here in Jackson County, and his new novel “Those We Thought We Knew” (Putnam, 2023, 388 pages) takes place right here and with all the familiar places and faces — Pressley, Hooper, Allison, Dill, Luker, Darnell, Bates.
Sparks’ writing brings a measure of warmth
During the summer, dusk sometimes calls me to the front porch of the house where I live.
A deep dive into life’s important mysteries
Aware of a presence behind her, an X-ray tech from the old days looks over her shoulder in the darkroom and sees her deceased grandmother seated on a stool by the wall.
Truths of the imagination are still needed
“The Novel, Who Needs It?” (Encounter Books, 2023, 152 pages) is the latest work by Joseph Epstein, master of the essay, author of 31 books, 86 years old, and still going strong.
Exquisite writing and interesting stories
Imagine yourself at one of those jewelry counters that once adorned all American department stores.
An indigenous road map for all mankind
Sometimes a great book just falls into my lap, which is what happened recently with Sherri Mitchell’s “Sacred Instructions” (North Atlantic Books, 2018, 227 pages).