Category Archives: Books

One of the authors who was passing through sort of semi-promised me the chance to write a brief essay on DOROTHY HUGHES for an anthology of female hard boiled writing she’s involved in. Like most of my literary prospects it … Continue reading →

Helen of Troy: The Story Behind the Most Beautiful Woman in the World by Bettany Hughes (Vintage Books, paperback $16.95)   I think my fascination with Helen of Troy began when I first saw her picture in my beloved copy … Continue reading →

Two against seven or more.   No time.   No element of surprise.   A fortified position with no way in.   A hopeless situation.   "We’re good to go," Reacher said.     — from Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee … Continue reading →

O.K., I admit it – except for short stuff like Death in Venice and Tonio K. I haven’t read Thomas Mann, which is sort of shameful considering he’s such a towering figure in modern literature, etc. I guess it was … Continue reading →

A Mused (Pt. 1) A dedicated reader knows the value of the right book at the right time – that’s my excuse, anyway, for amassing so many huge piles of them. Lately I’ve been binging on books about turn of … Continue reading →

In our contuing effort to present a complete overview of the prose works of UBU we bring our devoted readers this rare and fascinating selection from the privately distributed publication "Aunt Agatha’s Opinionated Little Catalogue."     Scandinavian Crime Wave … Continue reading →

Supernatural: Meetings with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind by Graham Hancock (Disinformation Company, Hardback $29.95)   I’m sure you all remember my 9/6 review of William J. Broad’s book The Oracle (if, for some reason, it doesn’t come immediately to … Continue reading →

The Ice Museum: In Search of the Lost Land of Thule by Joanna Kavenna (Viking Press, hardback, $24.95) Thule, like Atlantis or Shangri-la, is one of those mythic place names that fires human imagination by its mere sound alone. It … Continue reading →

Here’s a couple of book reviews I did for a pair of neglected modernist novels:   The Juggler (Paperback) by Melanie Rachilde, translated by Melanie C. HawthorneRutgers University Press $12.95 "The Juggler" is an unjustly neglected work. Gracefully poised between … Continue reading →

Don’t you just hate people who review books before they’re available? TOUGH. I just wrote this so I’ll post it now — remember to run down to an independent bookseller September 5th and pick up a copy!!   A Stolen … Continue reading →