Paul’s Book Reviews: Mysteries, Thrillers, Fantasy, (Bad) Science Fiction

“I spend the months following my grandfather’s death cycling through a purgatory of beige waiting rooms and anonymous offices, analyzed and interviewed, talked about just out of earshot, nodding when spoken to, repeating myself, the object of a thousand pitying glances and knitted brows.  My parents treated me like a breakable heirloom, afraid to fight […]

Paul’s Book Reviews: SF, Fantasy, Non-Fiction, and a Memoir

“Now, as Ross runs up the engines, I remove the safety pin from the gear lever. I watch Ross anxiously. I am pathetically eager to perform my co-pilot’s duties quickly and efficiently. As he shoves the throttles forward and we start down the runway, I place my hand ready on the gear lever. I feel […]

Paul’s DVD Reviews

“When you get upset, when you get mad, you turn red, right? When you get envious, or sick, you turn green. When you become cowardly, you turn yellow; and ya’ll got the nerve to call us colored? ” — Kevin Phillips as Leon “Neon” Edwards in Red Tails Into the Abyss (2011, USA) The great […]

Paul’s Book Reviews: Fiction, Fantasy/Science Fiction, Nonfiction

“The Drowned Cities hadn’t always been broken. People broke it. First they called people traitors and said they didn’t belong. Said these people were good and those people were evil, and it kept going, because people always responded, and pretty soon the place was a roaring hell because no one took responsibility for what they […]

You Can’t Read That! Banned Book Review: The Wars

Arizona: Tucson Unified School District is still in damage control mode, denying that it banned any books.  But the story’s out of the box … unlike the books TUSD rounded up and put in boxes labeled “banned books.” Banned books, cancelled classes, fired teachers — when anti-intellectuals who hold learning and scholarship in contempt take […]

Traffic Jam on Toast

Home again, winding down from the elevated level of tension that comes with staying alert while driving long distances and dealing with traffic.  How much distance?  About 2,500 miles.  How much traffic?  Be glad you don’t live or work in Los Angeles.  Yes, we were there, and yes, it’s that bad.  It’s that bad in […]

Paul’s DVD Reviews

“Good evening, Mr. Hunt. Thirty-six hours ago, there was a breach in our military’s communication network. Now, an emerging terror organization known as The Syndicate has control of our entire drone fleet. Their targets unknown. Your mission, should you choose to accept it… ” — Recorded voice in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol Rise of the […]

You Can’t Read That! Banned Book Review: Gossip Girl

You Can’t Read That! is a periodic post featuring banned book reviews and news roundups. Arizona: Here’s a good summary of the prejudices and fears behind Arizona’s ethnic studies ban and the removal of certain books from Tucson high school classes. Elsewhere: “I know up on top you are seeing great sights, but down here […]