When my son Douglas was very young, one of our bonding rituals was reading. He learned to read at an early age but always enjoyed curling up next to me or having me read to him by the side of the bed as he gazed toward the ceiling in rapt attention. When he was about…
Book Review: ‘Red-Handed’ by Peter Schweizer
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has often used an expression that he is seeking for China a “strong nation dream.” The realization of this dream is that China would become the world’s No. 1 global power. The consequences could be nightmarish for the rest of the world. Author Peter Schweizer has masterfully and meticulously outlined in…
Book Review: ‘Pandemia’
I have never been “canceled,” but that may be about to change. Not because of any unsubstantiated claims that I am about to advance, but because of whose book I am reviewing. That would be former New York Times reporter Alex Berenson, who’s been removed from various social media venues. At least I never joined…
Book Review: ‘The Bucharest Dossier’: A Debut Spy Novel That Ranks Among the Genre’s Classics
Those who enjoy spy novels will tell you that it is difficult to find a good one. Even great spy novelists can’t always deliver a good spy novel. For William Maz, his debut novel—“The Bucharest Dossier”—scheduled for release March 15, is a good spy novel. A very good spy novel. The novel is set during…
Book Review: ‘Confucius’ Courtyard: Architecture, Philosophy and the Good Life in China’
Something we often take for granted is a courtyard. It is a place of relaxation, serenity, or gathering, but we may not know how much the courtyard is steeped in history—in this case, Chinese history. Xing Ruan, architect and Guangqi Chair Professor and dean at the School of Design at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, has…
Looking Over My Shoulder: Hope and Inspiration From an Old Textbook
At my elbow as I write these words is “Modern English Readings, Fifth Edition,” a college textbook published in 1946 by Rinehart & Company, Inc. On the first blank page, written in an impeccable hand with a fountain pen, is this claim of ownership: “Mr. & Mrs. James E. Minick, ’46.” My mom and dad…
Book Review: ‘The Midnight Library’ by Matt Haig
A sad and depressed young woman contemplates taking her life. She is full of regret and has chosen to be more self-critical than self-congratulatory. She’s lost people close to her. Her cat has died. Her work is unfulfilling. Her relationships are crumbling. Matt Haig’s “The Midnight Library” starts out on a dreary and depressing note…
Book Review: ‘Shmuel’s Bridge: Following the Tracks to Auschwitz With My Survivor Father’
Jason Sommer is an American poet. He has written five collections of poetry. His father is a Holocaust survivor. Many of his family members experienced the Holocaust; many of them did not survive. His “Shmuel’s Bridge” is a memoir of that very subject. Even in prose, one can tell that Sommer is a poet. His…
Diminished Joys: Encyclopedias, Anthologies, and a Barking Dog (Me)
February 8, 2022
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Arts & CulturebooksBrightDavid MortonEncyclopaedia BritannicaLife & TraditionMary Beth JorgensenWorld Book
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On Dec. 1, 2021, an article I wrote about the “Childcraft” books appeared in The Epoch Times. Several days later, a reader notified me that his grandfather and his father had both worked in executive positions for World Book, which published the “Childcraft” set as well as the World Book Encyclopedia. His kind note brought…
Book Review: ‘Room 39 and the Lisbon Connection’
It’s June 1940. The Battle of Dunkirk is over with a massive military evacuation from Britain’s beachhead. Germany has occupied France. What of Britain’s longtime ally Portugal and its key port in Lisbon? Then-Prime Minister Winston Churchill along with British intelligence see the security of Portugal as key in their continuing efforts to unseat Hitler…
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