Book Review: The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki Shikibu, translated by Kenchō Suematsu It is the height of the Heian period of Japan when a second son is born to the Emperor. This is the child of his favorite consort, while his first son is the offspring of his primary wife. The Empress is… Continue reading Book Review: The Tale of Genji (Suematsu Translation)
Tag: exile
Comic Book Review: The Best of DC #26: The Brave and the Bold
Comic Book Review: The Best of DC #26: The Brave and the Bold edited by Mike W. Barr Before The Brave and the Bold became an all-Batman team-up book, it was an adventure comic book series that featured multiple action-oriented characters. This digest reprints five of those features, plus a Batman team-up because that was… Continue reading Comic Book Review: The Best of DC #26: The Brave and the Bold
Movie Review: Sansho the Bailiff
Movie Review: Sansho the Bailiff (1954) directed by Kenji Mizoguchi (Japanese title: Sanshou Dayuu) The setting is the late Heian Period (around the Eleventh Century) in Japan. The popular governor of a northern province, Taira Masauji (Masao Shimizu), has incurred the wrath of a powerful military general because he would not raise taxes on the already… Continue reading Movie Review: Sansho the Bailiff
Comic Book Review: Avengers Season One
Comic Book Review: Avengers Season One written by Peter David, art by Various The Avengers exist because of Loki, the Norse god of trickery and sometimes evil. He had hoped to maneuver his brother Thor, god of thunder, into fighting the Hulk, the one man-monster perhaps capable of matching the Odinson’s strength. When Rick Jones… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Avengers Season One
Book Review: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Strange Tales
Book Review: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Strange Tales by Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) wrote several “weird” stories as well as adventure tales like Treasure Island. This volume collects five of them. “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” starts us off with the adventures of Mr. Utterson,… Continue reading Book Review: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Strange Tales
Book Review: Doomstar
Book Review: Doomstar by Edmond Hamilton Johnny Kettrick used to have it good. As a human of Earth heritage born and raised in the Hyades Cluster, and gifted with a friendly nature, he’d become a top trader between the many cultures in that crowded part of the galaxy. Unfortunately, he’d also developed a healthy disregard… Continue reading Book Review: Doomstar
Magazine Review: Wonder Stories January 1934
Magazine Review: Wonder Stories January 1934 editor-in-chief Hugo Gernsback Wonder Stories was one of the first dedicated science fiction magazines, started up after Hugo Gernsback lost control of Amazing Stories. It started in 1929 as two magazines titled Air Wonder Stories and Science Wonder Stories before being consolidated in 1930. He held onto it until 1936 when financial considerations made him sell it to Beacon Magazines. They… Continue reading Magazine Review: Wonder Stories January 1934
Book Review: Crime and Punishment
Book Review: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov is a law student, allegedly. When we meet him, Raskolnikov has not been to class in some time, nor has he worked at his part-time tutoring job. For the last few weeks he’s been just brooding in his tiny room (several months behind on… Continue reading Book Review: Crime and Punishment
Book Review: Classic American Short Stories
Book Review: Classic American Short Stories compiled by Michael Kelahan This book is more or less exactly what it says in the title, a compilation of short(ish) stories written by American authors, most of which are acknowledged as classics by American Lit professors. The stories are arranged by author in roughly chronological order from the… Continue reading Book Review: Classic American Short Stories
Book Review: Last Hope Island
Book Review: Last Hope Island by Lynne Olson Disclaimer: I received this Advance Review Copy as a Goodreads giveaway for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was requested or offered. Some changes may be made before the final publication date of 4/25/17–for example, the index isn’t included in this version. This book opens… Continue reading Book Review: Last Hope Island