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Tag Archives: Book Reviewing
Review of Melanie Challenger's "On Extinction," Plus Attack of the Gadget Zombies!
So I’ve been more or less off-line for a couple weeks now, enjoying the holidays and some glorious snowfall, but my review of Melanie Challenger’s nonfiction book On Extinction appeared in the Dallas Morning News last Sunday, here. I liked … Continue reading
Review of Kevin Grauke's "Shadows of Men," Plus a Northern Harrier To Boot
So last Sunday my review of Kevin Grauke’s debut collection of short stories, Shadows of Men, appeared in the Dallas Morning News, here. It’s an excellent book—at times funny, at times touching, and pretty much hits the nail on the … Continue reading
Posted in Birding, books, Photography, The West, writing
Tagged Birding, Book Reviewing, Good Fiction, Photography, The West, Wildlife photos
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While Reading Melanie Challenger's "On Extinction," Life in "The Other Season"
So I’ve begun reading Melanie Challenger’s On Extinction, to review for the Dallas Morning News, a timely book when Climate Change is panting its hot breath down our neck like an oily wolf: the weather has been so warm this … Continue reading
Posted in Birding, books, Climate Change, The West, Water Crisis, Weird Weather
Tagged Birding, Book Reviewing, Climate Change, Drought, The Bird Saviors, The West, Water Crisis, Wildfires, Wildlife photos
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Phillip Roth Hangs Up His Pen, While Kent Haruf and George Saunders Have New Books in the Offing
So on the literary beat there’s an interesting tidbit in the news this week (delayed, as you’ll see, from our attention), in that the great American novelist—he did name one of his books that: The Great American Novel (1973)—Phillip Roth … Continue reading
Reading Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" for the First Time (Maybe)
So I’m reading Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) for the first time ever (maybe: I might have read it in high school because we did get assigned books like that, but I’ve seen the film many times, and … Continue reading
On Finishing David Quammen's "Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic"
So I’ve finished David Quammen’s excellent new book of nonfiction, Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic, about zoonotic viruses and the danger we face from new pandemics originating in crossover viruses leaping from animals to humans. At 520 … Continue reading
Posted in books/film, Climate Change, Uncategorized
Tagged Book Reviewing, Climate Change, David Quammen's Spillover
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Review of "The Bird Saviors" in the San Antonio Express-News, and Miles & Miles of Texas
So I’m on a book tour of Texas right now, and have actually driven 1,400 miles so far, from Texline in the northeast part of the Panhandle to South Padre Island at the very southern tip of the state. And … Continue reading
Posted in Birding, books, The West, Uncategorized
Tagged Birding, Book Reviewing, The Bird Saviors, The West
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"The Bird Saviors" Texas Tour 2012: Just like ZZ Top, Only Different
So starting on Thursday I’ll be promoting my novel The Bird Saviors at various events in Texas. Just like ZZ Top, only minus the beards, the guitars, the groupies, and . . . well, okay, nothing like ZZ Top. But … Continue reading
Posted in Birding, books, The West
Tagged Book Reviewing, The Bird Saviors, The West
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On Jessica Karbowiak's "These Things I Know" & Simon Winchester in the NY Times
So one of my former students, Jessica Karbowiak, has a knockout book out right now, titled These Things I Know. And though I know much about the book I don’t want to be a Spoiler and give it all away, … Continue reading
Posted in Birding, books, The West, writing
Tagged Birding, Book Reviewing, Good Fiction, Simon Winchester, Wildlife photos
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On Bogus Book Reviews, Facebook Hoopla, & Why Book Reviews Even Matter
So I read with some amusement and (tempered, jaded) dismay a good piece in the NY Times about bogus, “bought” online book reviews, here. I didn’t know about any of this, exactly, but I’m not too surprised. The ‘net is … Continue reading
Posted in books, The West, Uncategorized
Tagged Book Reviewing, Cormac McCarthy, The West
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