Movie Review: Fiddler on the Roof

Tevye will never see his home again.

Movie Review: Fiddler on the Roof (1971) directed by Norman Jewison Anatevka at the turn of the Twentieth Century is a small village in the Russian Empire, what is now Ukraine. It is home to a community of Jews, as well as Orthodox Christians. Our protagonist is Tevye (Chaim Topol), an impoverished milkman who has been… Continue reading Movie Review: Fiddler on the Roof

Movie Review: Grand Hotel (1932)

Otto considers the short time he has left.

Movie Review: Grand Hotel (1932) directed by Edmund Goulding “People come, people go. Nothing ever happens.” So speaks Dr. Otternschlag (Lewis Stone). long-time resident of the Grand Hotel in Berlin. But he spends much of his time in his cups to deal with the pain of the facial scarring he got in the Great War, and… Continue reading Movie Review: Grand Hotel (1932)

Book Review: Cooked to Death

Book Review: Cooked to Death edited by Rhonda Gilliland and Michael Allan Mallory Let’s return to the world of themed anthologies, a quick way to get a sample of various authors writing on a particular topic. In this case, it’s primarily Minnesota and other Midwestern writers doing crime and mystery short stories around the topic… Continue reading Book Review: Cooked to Death

The Continental Literary Magazine: Beast (2023)

mockups-design.com

The Continental Literary Magazine: Beast (2023) edited by Sándor Jászberényi The Continental is a Hungarian literary magazine dedicated to widening recognition of Central European authors in the English-speaking world. It comes out quarterly, and I happened to notice a copy at the bookstore. The theme of this issue is “Beast”, both actual animals and the… Continue reading The Continental Literary Magazine: Beast (2023)

Magazine Review: High Adventure #190: H. Bedford-Jones – Adventure

Magazine Review: High Adventure #190: H. Bedford-Jones – Adventure edited by John P. Gunnison This issue of the pulp reprint magazine collects three stories from the multiple typewriters of prolific author Henry James O’Brien Bedford-Jones (1887-1949). He was born in Canada, but moved to the United States in his teens and became a naturalized citizen… Continue reading Magazine Review: High Adventure #190: H. Bedford-Jones – Adventure

Book Review: The Big Book of Victorian Mysteries

Book Review: The Big Book of Victorian Mysteries edited by Otto Penzler While stories that could be considered “mysteries” in some sense have existed as long as writing, and perhaps a bit before, the short story mystery came into its own during the lifetime of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). This volume collects forty-nine notable stories from… Continue reading Book Review: The Big Book of Victorian Mysteries

Book Review: The Book of Cthulhu II

Book Review: The Book of Cthulhu II edited by Ross E. Lockhart It’s spooky stuff month again, so I sat down with this thick volume (24 stories) of tales inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft for a couple of weeks. This is a sequel to The Book of Cthulhu that I reviewed earlier on… Continue reading Book Review: The Book of Cthulhu II

Book Review: Away and Beyond

Book Review: Away and Beyond by A.E. van Vogt This paperback anthology is a partial reprint of the first hardcover collection of A.E. van Vogt short stories from 1952, with 7 of the 9 1940s tales. It’s not explained why two stories were dropped, but my research suggests they were lesser works. “The Great Engine”… Continue reading Book Review: Away and Beyond

Magazine Review: Worlds of If August 1973

"Astronauts on Deimos" by David A. Hardy. Not illustrating any of the interior stories.

Magazine Review: Worlds of If August 1973 edited by Ejier Jakobsson This issue of the magazine also known as “If” opens with the “Hue and Cry” letter column. One reader was especially impressed with the negative review Lester del Rey gave of a book on cloning, which taught the reader something to look for in… Continue reading Magazine Review: Worlds of If August 1973

Comic Book Review: Queen & Country Definitive Edition Volume 02

Comic Book Review: Queen & Country Definitive Edition Volume 02 story by Greg Rucka, art by Various Recap: Tara Chace is a special agent for Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) code-named “Minder Two.” Unlike regular agents who are stationed in a specific place, she and the other two Minders are sent wherever a developing situation… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Queen & Country Definitive Edition Volume 02