Author Archives: williamjcobb

Disastrous French Surrender in 1940 Explained: On William Shirer’s “Collapse of the Third Republic”

Posted on July 11, 2026 by williamjcobb

Shirer describes the tumultuous 1930s, including the riots of 1934 that weakened the French government (The Third Republic), from an eyewitness standpoint. He was there in Paris when many of the riots occurred. Continue reading →

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Glory of Yellowstone on 4th of July

Posted on July 4, 2026 by williamjcobb

So one of my favorite places in the U.S. and the world is Yellowstone. While Old Faithful and the geyser basins accessible by car are all fine and dandy, the real charm of our greatest National Park is its backcountry. … Continue reading →

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New “Cape Fear” on Apple TV: Third Time’s the Charm? 

Posted on July 1, 2026 by williamjcobb

Why another remake? Now that I’m watching the Apple TV series (big change from a feature-length movie) I see what they’ve done with it and have to say . . . it works. It’s even weirder than the first two gruesome versions.  Continue reading →

Posted in Amy Adams, Apple TV Original Movies, Apple TV's "Cape Fear", Cult classic films, Film, Javier Bardem, Martin Scorsese movies | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Best Reality-TV Series Ever Is Back! “Alone” in the Arctic

Posted on June 27, 2026 by williamjcobb

Their being alone is perhaps the main reason it’s not cheesy in the way other reality shows are: It’s not a matter of personality conflicts and “conspirators” or alliances. It’s just a person alone, having to make a shelter, find food, and survive in wilderness conditions for up to three months at a time. Continue reading →

Posted in "Alone" TV Reality Series, "Night of the Grizzlies" by Jack Olsen, Animal Attacks Stories, Backpacking Adventures, Bear attacks, Bears, Good TV | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“Camp America”: A New Short Story by William J. Cobb

Posted on June 17, 2026 by williamjcobb

At the Camp America for Repatriated Adults none of the clocks actually work. All the detained are required to turn in their cellphones, laptops, Smart Watches and the like. The many clocks in the guest quarters, conference rooms, and rec centers all show different times. It keeps people guessing. Continue reading →

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Close Encounters of the Chase-Scene Kind: On Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day”

Posted on June 13, 2026 by williamjcobb

As Spielberg is 79 years old, he may be nearing the Swan Song part of his career, and Disclosure Day plays into that era nicely. It’s best appreciated as a kind of bookend to his classic Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), with touches of E.T. (1982) and War of the Worlds (2005). Continue reading →

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“White River Crossing”: Ian McGuire’s Terrific New Novel

Posted on June 3, 2026 by williamjcobb

I usually wince when a book comes out that is compared to any of Cormac McCarthy’s novels: It’s a literary Kiss of Death. He’s just too hard of an act to follow. But with The North Water, and now White River Crossing, Ian McGuire pulls it off. Continue reading →

Posted in Cormac McCarthy novels, Historical Fiction, Ian McGuire novels, Old West History, Tolstoy's War and Peace | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

New Movie “Fuze” Echoes Classic “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” (1974)

Posted on May 31, 2026 by williamjcobb

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) is one of the movies that defines the Seventies image of New York City, and Fuze does the same thing for London in the 2020s. Continue reading →

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Who’s the Killer? The Nonlinear Charms of “Strange Darling” 

Posted on May 24, 2026 by williamjcobb

It’s not a matter of seeing is believing. It’s a matter of what you see can’t be understood without the linearity of what came before. Continue reading →

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The Novel That Predicted Trump’s ‘Fascism for Dummies’: On Sinclair Lewis’s 1935 Bestseller “It Can’t Happen Here”

Posted on May 22, 2026 by williamjcobb

Imagine 1984 narrated by Andy Griffith.  Continue reading →

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