The Cowboy Girl by John Clayton “Clayton not only offers a thorough assessment of the life of a fascinating and underrated woman novelist but also delves deeply into the appeal of the American West. . . . It is puzzling that Lockhart is not well known. . . . [S]he is the sort of American literary figure who would seem to invite any number of scholarly and popular studies. Luckily for her, Clayton knew a good story when he found it and has given Lockhart the absorbing biographical treatment her remarkable life deserves.”—Booklist “In The Cowboy Girl, author and essayist … Continue reading Praise for The Cowboy Girl

Shantytown Kid by Azouz Begag “As an adult writer, Begag’s attention to linguistics persists—his original French version drew much praise for its exploration of colloquial Arabic expressions in France. . . . [T]his book’s translators strive to preserve and explain the most salient uses of such slang. An important look at Algerian ethnic identity in France, this discussion will also attract readers generally interested in immigration issues.”—Booklist “[T]his autobiographic novel both charms and informs. . . . Strongly recommended.”—KLIATT Continue reading Praise for Shantytown Kid

Branch Rickey: Baseball’s Ferocious Gentleman by Lee Lowenfish “Lowenfish . . . meticulously researches Rickey’s life and presents a three-dimensional portrait of a man who, in addition to his baseball acumen, was a highly religious, socially conscious visionary. . . . Though much has been written about Rickey, the depth and thoroughness of Lowenfish’s research make this the definitive biography of baseball’s most influential executive.” —Booklist Read more praise on Branch Rickey Continue reading More Praise for Branch Rickey

Into That Silent Sea by Francis French and Colin Burgess “French and Burgess’s history will engage the space-program audience.”—Booklist “Into That Silent Sea is an excellent reminder of just what Gagarin and other trailblazers did and how they became international celebrities in their own right. We seem to have forgotten just how new the frontier of space was. . . . Many people today seem to view space programs as an extravagance or with disinterest. For those who remain interested in those programs and have read the prior histories and memoirs, it never hurts to be reminded of just how … Continue reading Praise for Into That Silent Sea

What Becomes You by Aaron Raz Link and Hilda Raz “This deeply personal collaborative memoir details the multiple layers of the journey Child and Mom take on the road to Sarah becoming Aaron. This book can’t help but challenge the readers to rethink what they know about gender, sex, family relationships, and themselves. A compelling narrative, this is the best book I’ve read this year.”—Angel Curtis, OutSmart “Scientist Link begins his fascinating account of gender reassignment by explaining scientific classification. . . . Raz writes of her child with rare and moving candor. . . . Mother and son’s poignant … Continue reading Praise for What Becomes You

What Becomes You by Aaron Raz Link and Hilda Raz “A blend of essay, memoir and intergenerational dialogue, this title is stranger—and smarter—than the average transsexual memoir. . . . Link narrates his transition from female to male over the first 200 pages. His writing is hilarious, thoughtful and often poetic. . . . Link’s mom, Raz, takes over for the next 100 pages. . . . [An] oddly moving, more illuminating and memorable than a straightforward memoir could have been.” —Publishers Weekly Web-Exclusive Read More Praise for What Becomes You Continue reading More Praise for What Becomes You

Into That Silent Sea by Francis French and Colin Burgess “Into That Silent Sea is an excellent reminder of just what Gagarin and other trailblazers did and how they became international celebrities in their own right. We seem to have forgotten just how new the frontier of space was. . . . Many people today seem to view space programs as an extravagance or with disinterest. For those who remain interested in those programs and have read the prior histories and memoirs, it never hurts to be reminded of just how pioneering the first steps were.”—Tim Gebhart, Blogcritics.org, Boston.com Read … Continue reading More Praise for Into That Silent Sea

just saw this movie this week.  It was written by one of the most popular and award winning speculative fiction authors working today–Neil Gaiman.  Mr. Gaiman has been nominated for Hugo again for his short story "How To Talk To Girls At Parties" and has won just about every other award under the sun for his novels (especially American Gods) and his comic book series, Sandman.  So you can understand why anyone would come into this movie with high expectations.

MirrorMask was okay.  It had all the right things: character conflict, a world to save, a bit of character growth, giants, libraries, a betrayal, a good queen and a bad queen, not to mention beautiful scenery, and marvelous acting (I can’t wait to see more of Gina McKee and Stephanie Leonidas).  But I don’t think it is going to become for the generations what The Princess Bride or Dark Crystal or even The Neverending Story became.  Neverending Story was so badly acted in places it made you want to pull out the actors and insert a water buffalo because clearly the buffalo would have read the line better.  Doesn’t matter.  It is the world that makes the movie.

Continue reading “MirrorMask”

What Becomes You by Aaron Raz Link and Hilda Raz “Scientist Link begins his fascinating account of gender reassignment by explaining scientific classification. . . . Raz writes of her child with rare and moving candor. . . . Mother and son’s poignant account becomes one of steadfast maternal love in the midst of changes only partly physical. Both knowingly return, always, to the terrain of the heart.”—Booklist See previous praise for What Becomes You. Continue reading More Praise for What Becomes You