Category: Review
You need these reviews in your life.
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Possession: A Romance
Review: I loved this book. After reading nothing but Gibbon for the last three months it was a wonderful and uplifting experience to read a novel. But this, was not just any novel. Possession: A Romance, published in 1990, is a multi-layered masterpiece that won the Booker Prize. It is part literary detective story, part… Read more
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The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Volume I
Review: In the second century of the Christian era the Empire of Rome comprehended the fairest part of the earth and the most civilized portion of mankind. Thus begins Edward Gibbons epic… epic is an understatement. More like massive, exhaustively researched history of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Now, most people, myself… Read more
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1000 Facts About Space
Review: I always say that if you want to learn about something, anything, the best way to do that is to get yourself a kids book. And once again I am proven right as this book was brilliant. Lots of information, lots of pictures, and presented in such a way as to keep me reaching… Read more
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Under the Volcano
Review: This was so good. A modernist novel that right from its first publication was recognized as a masterpiece. I loved this book and will be referring back to it in the future, often, until people are sick of me banging on about Under the Volcano. With that said, not everyone loves or even admires… Read more
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World War I Trench Warfare Vol. 2
Review: Neilos reading a book on World War One history? Shocking! Okay not really, and despite all the books I read on this subject I always learn something new, and this book was no exception. For those that don’t know, Osprey books are the gold standard in military reference books. They have hundreds of volumes… Read more
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Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes
Review: This was a great book, both when it was originally published in 1942 and reading it now in 2025. In cliché terms it has stood the test of time as have the myths and epics described inside this remarkable volume. I have been reading Greek drama and myths since I was a youth so… Read more
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Goth – A History
Review: I’ll be honest right here at the start and say that I knew nothing about goth, goth music, or the history of the genre. Nothing beyond black hair and makeup and that The Cure was a band. So I got this book and now I know a lot more about goth as a subculture,… Read more
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Muse of Fire
Review: First completed read of 2025 and we’re 4 months in! And this book was well worth the wait. As the subtitle indicates this book is a a history of WWI as seen through the the eyes and the lives of the soldier poets, or as they are often remembered, the War Poets. Why I… Read more
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The Lonely City
Review: In selecting this book I am guilty of a logical fallacy, something akin to the gambler’s fallacy. The gamblers fallacy is esentially, I flipped this coin before and it came up heads twice, so there’s gotta be a third head up next. Or alternatively I flipped this coin before and it came up heads… Read more
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Book of Divine Works
Review: Hildegard of Bingen has been called a Renaissance woman centuries before the Renaissance. After reading this book I can unequivocally state this is not an opinion, it is an undisputed fact. As a Renaissance man myself, game recognizes game. So, for starters, who was this woman with the hemi-loaded name? Hildegard of Bingen was… Read more