Book Review: The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds

Book Review: The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds by Selina Siak Chin Yoke This is the life story of Chye Hoon, a Nyonya (Malaysian woman of Chinese heritage) who lives between 1878 and 1941, a time of great change in her homeland.  Initially a willful child who wants to break out of her culture’s tradition… Continue reading Book Review: The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds

Book Review: The Financial Expert

Book Review: The Financial Expert by R.K.  Narayan In the South Indian town of Malgudi, across from the Central Cooperative Land Mortgage Bank, there is a banyan tree under which sits Margayya, the financial expert.  Margayya (“the one who shows the way”) is an unofficial middleman who helps the unlettered villagers apply for small loans… Continue reading Book Review: The Financial Expert

Book Review: The Art of Empathy: Celebrating Literature in Translation

Book Review: The Art of Empathy: Celebrating Literature in Translation edited by Don Ball This thick pamphlet is a collection of essays by literary translators on the art of translation.  It’s a product of the National Endowment for the Arts, and is available from them as a free download (or in paper form at NEA… Continue reading Book Review: The Art of Empathy: Celebrating Literature in Translation

Book Review: Jewish Noir

Book Review: Jewish Noir edited by Kenneth Wishnia Many of the themes of noir fiction, alienation, hostile society, darkness and bitter endings, resonate with the experience of Jewish people.  So it’s not surprising that it was easy to find submissions for an anthology of thirty-plus noir stories with Jewish themes.  (Not all of the authors are… Continue reading Book Review: Jewish Noir

Book Review: A South Dakota Country School Experience

Book Review: A South Dakota Country School Experience by William E. Lass By happy coincidence, shortly after finishing my review of a school book used in South Dakota country schools, I have found a book about being a student in one of those schools. Mr. Lass is a historian who attended eight grades at Emmett… Continue reading Book Review: A South Dakota Country School Experience

Book Review: Herblock’s Here and Now

Book Review: Herblock’s Here and Now by Herbert Block Shortly after reviewing Herblock at Large, I discovered this volume in the local used book store.  It was published in 1955, and contains many of Mr. Block’s political cartoons from the early 1950s. This included his Pulitzer-winning Joseph McCarthy work; Herblock appears to have actually coined the… Continue reading Book Review: Herblock’s Here and Now

Book Review: Herblock at Large

Book Review: Herblock at Large by Herbert Block. Herbert “Herblock” Block (1909-2001) was a multiple-Pulitzer-winning editorial cartoonist.  He’s most famous for his coverage of McCarthyism and Watergate, but kept working until just before his death.  This 1987 collection covers the early years of the Reagan administration. As might be expected, these cartoons aren’t very kind… Continue reading Book Review: Herblock at Large

Book Review: Insurrections of the Mind

Book Review: Insurrections of the Mind edited by Franklin Foer Disclaimer:  I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway on the premise that I would review it.  The copy I read was an uncorrected proof, and changes will be made in the final edition.  (Specifically, a second introduction by Leon Wieseltier–an index may also be forthcoming.)… Continue reading Book Review: Insurrections of the Mind

Book Review: Cybersecurity Leadership

Book Review:  Cybersecurity Leadership by Mansur Hasib Disclaimer:  I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway on the premise that I would review it. Update:  A revised and updated version with black and white printing is now available on Amazon for $18.05. Mansur Hasib has been a Chief Information Officer in the healthcare and biotechnology… Continue reading Book Review: Cybersecurity Leadership

Anime Review: Kobato

Anime Review: Kobato A young woman named Kobato appears in the city, bereft of memory.  She is accompanied by a talking stuffed dog toy named Iorogi (Kobato always mispronounces it as Ioryogi.)  It seems that Kobato has a wish she needs to fulfill by healing a number of human hearts, and only has four seasons… Continue reading Anime Review: Kobato