Mathematics has a large role in this book. I’ve always had a fondness for math, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a fuller treatment of how it could relate to other aspects of life. Take the concept of infinity. Törless had always thought of it as just a construct that one could use for certain calculations. But suddenly, he looks up at the sky and has the terrifying sensation that the sky goes on forever, “wild and annihilating”.
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A review of Riley & the Grumpy Wombat—A journey around Melbourne by Tania McCartney & Kieron Pratt
What really sets this simple story apart from the rest is the illustrative style. Pratt has overlayed black and white photographs of Victorian landmarks with eye-catching coloured depictions of Riley and his menagerie. At each location Riley reveals yet another masterful invention to help with his search—everything from: automated whiz-bang ground-hugging projectiles to fandangled hifalutin patented doodads.
A review of Alternate Beauty by Andrea Rains Waggener
Alternate Beauty is a treasure trove of self-realization for more than just the main character; it can be life altering for the reader as well. In her original world Ronnie desires to be a fashion designer. As a youngster, her mother dashed those dreams and although her desire was strong, she let it go to sink her sorrows in food. We all have something we desire to do or have and we let it go due to deep seeded fear.
The Varieties of the Rock Experience: Ben Harper’s Give Till It’s Gone
The bearded, brown-skinned, tattooed Ben Harper has been the natural man as rocker and activist, friend and lover; and on the album Give Till It’s Gone, he explores different attitudes and sounds, spanning generations and genres, producing what could be seen as a concise dictionary of rock.
Adventurous American Journeys: Mary Joyce Project: Nothing to Lose, by the Claire Daly Quintet
The Claire Daly Quintet’s album Mary Joyce Project: Nothing to Lose, beautiful and fun music I only have begun to delve into, comes to an end with a multi-part composition containing spoken comments directly addressing the life and spirit of Mary Joyce, her response to nature, her sense of wounds and recovery, her imagination and vision, with music that contains echoes of American blues and gospel, different traditions that have become part of a shared musical language.
A review of Private Life by Jane Smiley
Though Private Life is far from a happy book, the subtle beauty of its perceptions and the richly drawn tapestry of the characters that revolve around Margaret and her intensely private life provide the reader with a powerful and utterly engrossing work.
A review of The King’s Gambit for the Creative Aggressor by Thomas Johansson
One practical advantage to playing the King’s Gambit is that you cannot get sidetracked into other openings. If you play the Spanish or the Scotch, for example, you have to reckon with encountering the Philidor or the Petroff (amongst others) instead. There’s none of that here: with 2.f4 White sets out his stall and determines the future course of the play.
A review of Never Fear Cancer Again: How to Prevent and Reverse Cancer by Raymond Francis
The simplicity of the Beyond Health model makes it very attractive, and certainly for those of us who are interested in staying well and avoiding diseases of all kinds the advice in this book is easy to accept and very worthwhile. Eating less junk food and more fresh vegetables and fruit and raw healthy grains, sprouts and nuts can only do us good, as can reducing our exposure to toxins and perhaps supplementing with a good multi-vitamin and fish oil at least.
A review of Blindfold Chess: History, Psychology, Techniques, Champions, World Records, and Important Games by Eliot Hearst and John Knott
One especially fine section of the book concerns itself with Miguel Najdorf’s blindfold simultaneous displays of the 1940s; and the authors are to be highly commended for their research in bringing to light the full scale of Najdorf’s achievement. They make a convincing case that Najdorf should be regarded as the holder of the world record (on 45 boards), rather than Koltanowski, the generally accepted record holder.
A review of To Be Sung Underwater by Tom McNeal
To Be Sung Underwater is a perfect example of a typical love story told in a unique and beautiful way, complete with an ending I certainly didn’t see coming. I can only imagine how much work it took Tom McNeal to produce writing that seems so effortless.