A number of years ago I stumbled across Brian Earl's podcast CHRISTMAS PAST during my seemingly never-ending search for additional Christmas content. A number of years ago I stumbled across Brian Earl's podcast CHRISTMAS PAST during my seemingly never-ending search for additional Christmas content. Brian's podcast explores the long-standing traditions which make up the holiday seasons while also trying to uncover their often elusive origins. The episodes are pretty short, usually under fifteen minutes each, but pack in a wealth of information. Somewhere along the way, Brian had the idea to compile some of his research into a book. Thus, CHRISTMAS PAST: THE FASCINATING STORIES BEHIND OUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY'S TRADITIONS was born.
Like the podcast, Brian doesn't overstay his welcome. Contained within are twenty-five short chapters exploring the backstories of everything from wassail to classic Christmas movies to poinsettias and so much more. Brian does a great job in laying out each topic and through interviews with specialists, provides a broad look at each topic. Given that he has six years of work under his belt with the podcast, the book only scratches the surface of what Brian has uncovered over the years. That's not a knock on the book's depth; there is much here to learn.
For my experience, I opted for the audiobook as it seemed like the best way to experience Brian's work. It's a brief listen clocking in under five hours and one you can enjoy in bite sized sessions while doing your holiday shopping, baking or gift wrapping.
I've struggled over the years to find something like this book, one that explored the history behind my favorite time of year. Brian Earl has definitely knocked it out of the park with his book. I can only hope that given the breadth of Brian's knowledge, he opts to put out a second volume at some point in the future....more
Continuing in the vein of his Obama/Biden mystery series, author Andrew Shaffer takes democratic socialist and Vermont senator Bernie Sanders into theContinuing in the vein of his Obama/Biden mystery series, author Andrew Shaffer takes democratic socialist and Vermont senator Bernie Sanders into the realm of the cozy mystery genre.
Sanders and political intern Crash Robertson arrive in Eagle Creek as Bernie is set to take part in several events surrounding one of the town’s annual festivals. Unfortunately for the pair, plans are altered when Crash stumbles upon the body of the community’s banker who, following an autopsy, is revealed to have drowned in maple syrup.
Can “Crash and Bern” uncover the mystery of the maple murder?
I am a big fan of Shaffer’s Obama/Biden mystery novels. Sure, they have a gimmick that obviously relies on parody, but they’re also solid whodunnits. When I heard Shaffer was targeting the mitten-wearing octogenarian politician as his next novel’s hero, I was all in.
While I did enjoy this for the most part, I did find that the maple syrup references and puns got a little tired after a while. There is only so much a man can take! That being said, there were still moments that made me laugh out loud like when Bernie stopped Crash from swatting a bee by offering a grim warning of the decreasing honeybee population as well as Crash believing her death was not imminent for the simple reason she still had unpaid student debt.
I will say that while I’m not well versed in the cozy mystery genre, this was more or less what I expected it to be. Shaffer has really carved himself out a niche in his politician-led amateur detective novels. Bring on the next one!...more
SMASH follows author Ian Winwood through years of research, writing and interviews surrounding the 90s explosion in punk music.
Earlier this year, I reSMASH follows author Ian Winwood through years of research, writing and interviews surrounding the 90s explosion in punk music.
Earlier this year, I read Dan Ozzi’s Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore, a book that looked at the major label feeding frenzy that swept punk, emo and hardcore music in the 90s and 2000s. While SMASH covers a lot of the same ground (SMASH was also published first), it was eye-opening all the same.
After reading both books, I will say that I know more about Green Day than I ever thought possible. We get the story of their humble beginnings followed by their explosive first album, all the way to American Idiot, the album that made them global rock superstars. The bulk of the rest of the book tended to focus mostly on Bad Religion, most notably the band’s guitarist Brett Gurewitz and his record label Epitaph. To this day, Epitaph still holds the record for the highest selling independent release with Offspring’s third album, Smash.
There is much to sort through with regards to what I’ve already mentioned. Winwood talks of an explosion in both popularity and critical acclaim for the once maligned genre of music. You had bands like NOFX and Rancid who were putting out their best work amid their own internal struggle with whether or not they should remain true to their punk roots as fiercely independent or allow the dump trucks full of money to back up to their front door.
In my mind, bands like Green Day and Offspring always seemed more mainstream than bands like Rancid, NOFX and Bad Religion. Maybe it’s just because they’re the ones that broke through on a massive scale? I have a few friends who are devout punk fans and I would be interested to hear what they think of Winwood’s take on the genre explosion of the 90s....more
A seven time Stanley Cup champion with the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Colorado Avalanche, Trottier recounts his road from SaskatchewA seven time Stanley Cup champion with the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Colorado Avalanche, Trottier recounts his road from Saskatchewan farm boy to NHL All-Star in his memoir, ALL ROADS HOME.
Trottier’s career ended just after I turned ten years old in 1994, so it’s safe to say I missed the bulk of his best years. That said, he isn’t someone I hear much about despite the legendary stats he put up over his long career. You know he’s a special player when Gretzky said that there were things Trottier could do that he couldn’t!
It’s no secret that I prefer a book written about a specific era or subject in hockey more than I do the straight-up player memoir, but this one did intrigue me. When you think about the 1980s in the NHL, the first team that always comes to mind is the Edmonton Oilers. And why not? They had a dynasty. But you know what team won 4 straight cups? The Bryan Trottier-led New York Islanders.
Trottier recounts the tough road travelled to establish a championship dynasty in the early 80s. The decade contained an offensive explosion the likes of which we will never see again (Gretzky had 92 goals and 210 points in the 1981-1982 season alone!) which required players to often push themselves beyond what they believed was humanly possible. Bryan writing of teammate Mike Bossy requiring someone to both carry him into the arena and tie his skates before getting on the ice and scoring three or more goals was mindblowing.
ALL ROADS HOME is more or less your paint-by-numbers player memoir. That’s not a knock at it, really. I mean, if you’ve read enough of these books like I have, it’s about what you’d expect. There isn’t really anything offensive here nor is there anything particularly exciting. If you’re a big Islanders fan who followed Bryan during his heyday, it’s likely going to be fun to relive the glory days, just like how I felt as a Leafs fan reading both Doug Gilmour or Wendell Clark’s stories....more
Novelist As A Vocation is a sort of mish-mash memoir/writing advice book in the vein of Stephen King's On Writing, from author Hauki Murakami.
AdmittedNovelist As A Vocation is a sort of mish-mash memoir/writing advice book in the vein of Stephen King's On Writing, from author Hauki Murakami.
Admittedly, I've only read one of Murakami's novels, The Wind of Bird Chronicle, and I didn't particularly enjoy it. However, when Penguin Random House offered me a copy for review, I jumped at the chance. Why? Because I love reading or listening to authors talk about their craft. I find the intricacies of how they perform their work, whether it's their daily rituals, how they structure their storytelling or how they came to be novelists endlessly interesting.
One of the things that knocked me for a loop was how Murakami developed his unique style. After writing his first novel in his native Japanese, he decided he lacked an original style or voice. So, in an effort to shake things up, he rewrite the book in English, a language that at the time, he did not have the strongest command of, limiting his ability to overwrite the story.
The book also focuses on his origin story as a writer recounting the moment he knew he could write a novel. Murakami also gives advice to prospective writers on how to bring about their best ideas, not to put much stock in literary awards and prizes, and how not to find yourself stuck in the endless trap of rewriting your work and realizing when it is done (taking out and replacing commas in perpetuity, for example).
While the page count was brief, Murakami did seem to tread over the same topics repeatedly, and after a time, the subject matter began to wash over me. I found myself glossing over large chunks of text and not really retaining the essays before going back and re-reading.
Without a doubt, Murakami is a charming individual and his ability to be simultaneously self-deprecating while also mining from his years of experience and wisdom held to produce a layered and often entertaining approach to the craft of writing....more
Collected in a single volume, author Junji Ito's horror manga UZUMAKI tells of a small town that has been cursed by a pattern; the pattern of the spirCollected in a single volume, author Junji Ito's horror manga UZUMAKI tells of a small town that has been cursed by a pattern; the pattern of the spiral!
UZUMAKI has the glorious distinction of being the first manga I've read to date. I'm not exactly sure where to go from here as this was pure balls-to-the-wall insanity. I will say that if you're someone who doesn't take well to body horror, this is most certainly not the book for you.
Ito's work in showcasing the horror of the unexplainable mutation of regular everyday people had me reeling from cover to cover. I will say that while one of the novel's protagonists in Shuichi Saito suffers from a series of mental breakdowns, the book's main character, Kirie, seems to handle things a bit too well given the circumstances. Kirie's apparent ability to roll with the punches when folks around her are morphing into grotesque human/spiral hybrids sort of took me out of the story at points, although we seemingly get there by the end.
UZUMAKI is some of the more creative storytelling I've come across in a graphic novel. I truly had no idea where this was going to end up and when I thought Ito may give his characters a reprieve, he says, "Oh, you haven't seen the worst of what my brain can conjure up....more
Wen and her fathers are enjoying a nice, relaxing family vacation in a remote cabin on a lake in New England when they are approached by a man named LWen and her fathers are enjoying a nice, relaxing family vacation in a remote cabin on a lake in New England when they are approached by a man named Leonard and a few of his friends. Leonard has a dire warning: the small family must make an important decision or the world will come to an end.
Despite being one of Paul Tremblay's more critically acclaimed books, The Cabin at the End of the World was the last of his novels I'd read. When M. Night Shyamalan released a trailer for his film adaptation of the story, and after a recommendation from a friend, it was time to finally check this out.
Once the tension gets going in this story, it rarely lets up until the final few pages. Leonard's ominous demand gains traction as events begin happening around the world as he as his cohorts beg the family to come to grips with their importance and what they must do.
The timeline grows shorter as the story moves along and the family must make their choice. There were points where I was essentially speed reading ahead and had to make myself slow down so as to not miss anything. It's worth noting that this is a violent story with several intensely graphic scenes that had me reeling. Tremblay was merciless in his execution here, so don't expect that everyone makes it out alive.
On a side note, I'm a little worried about M. Night Shyamalan's adaptation. To be fair, I haven't watched any of his movies following The Village, but I understand he's had more misses than hits. I suppose Dave Bautista fits the description of Leonard, but the character in the novel is more than half his age. Given that Dave loves playing characters he can disappear into, though, maybe this can work.
In my book, Tremblay has had some misses over the years including this year's The Pallbearers Club, but The Cabin at the End of the World shows just how good he can really be and just how unafraid he is to take risks. A solid 4 out of 5....more
Written by New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and The Breaking of America examines the life and careeWritten by New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and The Breaking of America examines the life and career of real estate mogul Donald Trump and his rise to the United States presidency. Having covered Trump for over 20 years through a variety of publications, it would be safe to say that Haberman knows more about the one-term President than just about any other journalist, making her the perfect person to write expansive an exploration of Trump.
This would be the fourth book I’ve read detailing the Trump presidency (no, I’m not sure why I’m doing this to myself either). While I initially did not have an appetite for more literature written about the 45th President beyond Bob Woodward’s trilogy, this one got me with the promise of shining a light on Trump’s upbringing and his life prior to announcing his intentions to run for President in 2015.
Before he was thrust into politics, I knew very little about Trump other than his appearance in Home Alone 2, his wildly popular TV show, and his sporadic appearances in WWF/WWE over the years. So getting a blow-by-blow account of his formative years was something that piqued my interest.
With Confidence Man, Maggie Haberman’s intention is to unearth an explanation as to why Trump is the way he is by looking at how Trump largely getting what he wanted throughout his life made him narcissistic, irrational, impossible to work with, and hopelessly inept for the job at hand when he was elected President in 2016.
If like me, you followed his presidency closely in real time or read any of the Woodward books, there isn’t much new here with regards to the last seven years, but what really shines is the first half showcasing his pre-political life that highlights his questionable business practices. Haberman gets into the weeds by showing Trump’s seemingly unending quest to be embraced and loved by the public despite his abhorrent behavior at every turn.
A classic narcissist throughout his life, Trump feels like he’s the best of us and is owed this adulation, so any time he doesn’t get his way, he tries to completely annihilate his detractors and bury the truth over and over again. Throughout the book, Haberman goes through the countless court cases and persistent legal threats Trump levies against anyone who stands in his way. The man is obsessed with image and celebrity despite framing himself as a man of the people, a blatantly obvious con that for some reason seems to trick so many into supporting him.
If you’re looking for a book that constructs a framework of Donald Trump’s personality and actions, I can’t imagine a better read than Confidence Man. While the Woodward books are about as deep a dive you’re going to get into the minute by minute actions of the Trump administration, Confidence Man paints a more complete overall image of the man himself....more
On the heels of the Covid-19 pandemic comes another viral disease, one that causes the infected to seemingly go into a trance before attacking and murOn the heels of the Covid-19 pandemic comes another viral disease, one that causes the infected to seemingly go into a trance before attacking and murdering the closest human or animal. Dubbed The Violence, this new disease is only seemingly infecting those in warmer climates. While it isn’t long until a vaccine is discovered, it is quickly privatized and sold at a hefty $30k per shot leaving the wealthy protected while the rest of the population suffers.
At the heart of the novel are three generations of women – a grandmother, a mother and a daughter. Patricia, the matriarch of the family – wealthy and vaccinated – is filled to the brim with arrogance, thus fostering a contentious relationship with her daughter and grand daughter. The mother, Chelsea, has been a long-suffering victim of domestic violence at the hands of her psychopathic husband. The daughter, Ella, has her own problems as she deals with her controlling and manipulative boyfriend.
As The Violence grips a nation already fatigued from a pandemic, the virus finds its way into this family threatening to change all their lives forever.
Delilah Dawson’s novel intrigued me when someone recommended it and after purchasing it earlier this year, I allowed it to sit on the back burner until spooky season arrived. You’d think having gone through – and still going through – a global pandemic would have me avoiding these types of stories, but they’re just becoming more interesting than ever.
While I thought this started out strong, I didn’t feel like it ever quite shifted into second gear. Maybe it was a little longer than it needed to be and although where Dawson takes Chelsea should be something right up my alley, it felt a little too unbelievable and hard to grasp as time went on even though it mirrors a certain industry’s refusal to stop in the face of the early days of Covid-19.
I will say that the brutality is absolutely relentless. As Dawson says in the pages before the novel begins, if you have a tough time with animal death, this will be one you will likely have difficulty with. Many of the scenes where The Violence grips someone are terrifyingly intense.
The Violence mirrors real life in that I don’t believe as a species, we’ve learned anything following the Covid-19 pandemic in terms of empathy. While some reviews have pointed out that privatizing the vaccine does not make much sense in the face of a virus that could lead to the collapse of society, it is not like you have to stretch your imagination too hard to see this as a very real side-effect of uncaring capitalism...more
I’m Glad My Mom Died is the memoir of child-actor-turned-author Jennette McCurdy.
It would be an understatement to say that this book is one of the hotI’m Glad My Mom Died is the memoir of child-actor-turned-author Jennette McCurdy.
It would be an understatement to say that this book is one of the hottest memoirs of 2022; and with good reason. Not only does McCurdy’s memoir tackle the curse of a brutal and unrelenting “Momager” on a child actor, but it also puts a spotlight on the immense importance of protecting one’s mental health and how, if it is left to spiral out of control, could have life-long consequences.
Throughout the book, Jennette takes the reader through her early life as a part of a dysfunctional family that was headed by a Mother who pushed Jeanette into a career she didn’t want. With a seemingly tenuous connection to the Mormon church as well as a home life that had fallen victim to her mother’s hoarding tendencies, Jennette had few opportunities to escape or feel like a child without feeling constantly overwhelmed.
Despite the very heavy subject matter, Jennette somehow managed to maintain a great sense of humor about it all. I guess at some points, all you can do is laugh. There are moments that while absolutely traumatic, are completely absurd with one in particular forcing me to pick my jaw up off the floor.
Before I picked this up, I can’t say I knew a lot about Jennette. Her 2007 breakout role on Disney Channel’s iCarly happened to be a sitcom geared toward a younger generation, therefore it was not on my radar. That said, it’s not like Hollywood ever seems to change regardless of the age we’re focusing on given the mental abuse she sustained during her career.
I listened to this one rather than read it. After several positive experiences with celebrities reading their own stories, I think that may be my preferred method for memoirs moving forward. Given that this was a one-woman show before becoming a book, Jennette’s performance was raw and unflinching. I applaud her ability to tell her own story – warts and all – when most may shy away from such dreadful experiences.
Jennette McCurdy’s story is an important one. The long-term effects brought about by unwanted fame and years of abuse require excruciating work to unravel and sort through on her part and McCurdy’s ability to come out on the other side is nothing short of inspiring....more
In his new novel CHASING THE BOOGEYMAN, author and founder of Cemetery Dance Publishing, Richard Chizmar, crafts a successful mixture of fiction/non-fIn his new novel CHASING THE BOOGEYMAN, author and founder of Cemetery Dance Publishing, Richard Chizmar, crafts a successful mixture of fiction/non-fiction while also tackling the ever-popular true-crime genre.
Playing both author and main character, Chizmar tells of a fictional tale involving a serial killer on the loose in his hometown of Edgewood, Maryland in the 1980s, while at the same time, infusing autobiographical elements of his own youth. The book itself is presented as a true-crime tale that Chizmar had written and released shortly after the events were to have taken place in the late 1980s/early 90s. At the urging of a publisher, Chizmar picked the book back up, expanded the source material, and added an epilogue.
At first, this premise sounds ridiculous and gimmicky; that the story may lose its way and get caught up in the mundane aspects of the author’s personal life. I had this problem recently when I picked up Paul Tremblay’s The Pallbearers Club – a book that tried a similar storytelling technique that ultimately left me wanting more.
This was a much more enjoyable experience. Chizmar’s narrative style had me gripped and his coming-of-age story that went hand-in-hand with the investigation aspect was both hopeful and heartbreaking. Chizmar explored the excitement of the future with the difficulties that come with those final moments of your adolescence where relationship dynamics are forever changed.
CHASING THE BOOGEYMAN takes a lot of inspiration from both Michelle McNamara’s I’LL BE GONE IN THE DARK as well as Stephen King’s prose and style, which is a given considering how closely Chizmar and King have worked together over the years. I can see this one maybe finding a spot on my Top 10 of 2022 – I highly recommend it....more
CRAZY IS MY SUPERPOWER is the memoir of retired professional wrestler AJ “AJ LEE” Mendez-Brooks.
I want to say straight off the bat that if you’re expeCRAZY IS MY SUPERPOWER is the memoir of retired professional wrestler AJ “AJ LEE” Mendez-Brooks.
I want to say straight off the bat that if you’re expecting a comprehensive look at AJ’s in-ring career, you’re not going to get that here. Although AJ’s time as a wrestler was relatively short (2007-2015), she does not spend the majority of the book going over the ins-and-outs of her time in the squared circle. Instead, AJ focuses on her early life and all the twists and turns that led to WWE.
Although I expected a wrestling book first and foremost, I cannot say enough about her resilience, determination and never-say-die attitude. Just how she was able to reach the heights that she did given her upbringing is absolutely mind-blowing. As a child, AJ had a completely chaotic home-life often having to go from apartment to apartment when rent money could not be found. If not an apartment, the family of five would end up in dingy motels and hotels and even resorted to sleeping in the family car. If that wasn’t bad enough, her parents struggled with drug addiction and her mother would eventually be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, an explanation for her abusive behavior throughout AJ’s youth.
Once we get to her days as a member of the WWE roster, things get a bit dicey. While there were some fun moments expanded upon during her days working with her best friend Celeste Bonin (aka Kaitlyn) and her blossoming relationship with current husband and fellow pro wrestler CM Punk, things feel really rushed and unfocused.
AJ Lee’s story is an empowering and inspiring one. We all have hard times in our lives and sometimes it helps to read about someone who has struggled, beaten the odds and come out on top....more
WE SPREAD follows Penny, an older woman who following a bad fall in her home, is urged into an assisted living facility by her landlord; a plan previoWE SPREAD follows Penny, an older woman who following a bad fall in her home, is urged into an assisted living facility by her landlord; a plan previously devised by Penny's deceased partner. Upon arrival, Penny is shocked to find that in such a big property, the residents are limited to herself and just three others. While it isn't long until Penny begins to distrust the care home's staff and her surroundings, is this to be blamed on their suspicious and secretive behavior or is Penny slowly losing her grip on reality?
Iain Reid does it again! I am a big, big fan of his work as I consider his prior novels, I'M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS and FOE to be two of the better psychological thrillers I've read in the last five or so years. WE SPREAD showcases an author who is clearly comfortable playing inside the endless sandbox of the human mind while easily meeting the increasing expectations of his audience.
I absolutely love unreliable narrators, but it's an incredibly hard storytelling device to pull off. As an author, if you're going to intentionally leave your reader in the dark throughout the bulk of the novel, you better have a compelling plot to keep them interested. Not only was I glued to the page, the style and structure of the book itself had me flying through in only a few sittings. Given that I believe the goal of the book is to have the reader draw their own conclusions surrounding Penny's aptitude, WE SPREAD can either be a horror novel in the very literal sense that everything Penny suspects that is happening is truly occuring or you can find the terror of losing one's mind to be equally terrifying. Either way you see it, this one will stick with you long after you put it down.
WE SPREAD will easily find a spot on my year-end list next month and this is one I can't possibly recommend enough. If you like this and are new to Reid, please go back and check out his other work. You will not be disappointed....more