A review of The PK Man by Jeffrey Mishlove

The question remains, is the mind of the agent for psychokinesis creating these events, or merely becoming receptive to their existence? In this way the book is about the unexplored nature and potential of human consciousness, and how it might exist, co-exist and interact with physical matter.

A review of The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century by Alex Ross

He has an engaging readiness to gossip. His portraits, largely unfriendly, of Nicholas Nabokov and Theodor Adorno are skilful and have a hint of venom. In other contexts, he is equally gifted at bringing to life the relations, often troubled, of the musical giants of the past century. He presents many incidents that explain much about the musical developments of the period. Some of these are far from edifying – and often all the more amusing for that.

A review of The River Baptists by Belinda Castles

Castles creates mood skilfully, as in the opening chapter where Danny and his father are fishing in their little boat. The blood on his father’s t-shirt from the worms and other creatures is symbolic of the man and his relationship with his family. The details of the community and the people who live there produce a sleepiness that is tinged with menace. There is much that moves under the surface of the water, occasionally bursting out to wreck havoc.

A review of Chess Informant 99 by Zdenko Krnic (ed)

Chess Informant 99 is pretty much chockful of great chess, of information, instruction and entertainment. It pleasantly allows you to keep up to date with what the best contemporary players are doing and to feed your fix for current developments in opening theory as well. If you are at all serious about chess, you will want to own a copy.