Tawdry, sleazy, morally bankrupt true crime with a patina of religiosity, written by someone with a DPhil from Oxford, so it has a bunch of ShakespearTawdry, sleazy, morally bankrupt true crime with a patina of religiosity, written by someone with a DPhil from Oxford, so it has a bunch of Shakespeare quotations in it. I loved it. Many true crime books are whodunits, but this one focuses on how the murder was accomplished and where the body was. (We find out both at about the 70 percent mark, but there's plenty to keep a reader occupied before that.) If you are already upset about unfair stereotypes of Floridians, Baptists, and Floridian Baptists, do yourself a favor and skip this one....more
I read a lot of mysteries, and this is the best one I've read in a few years. Atmospheric, compelling, excellent character development. The fractured I read a lot of mysteries, and this is the best one I've read in a few years. Atmospheric, compelling, excellent character development. The fractured timeline made things a little harder to understand, but it worked for me. I will go back and read Long Bright River, the author's previous mystery....more
Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker staff writer and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, conducted more than 300 in-depth interviews on the topic of . . . reality teEmily Nussbaum, New Yorker staff writer and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, conducted more than 300 in-depth interviews on the topic of . . . reality television?! The title is a bit of a cheat because it comes from the movie The Truman Show. But the whole thing is written well and held my interest, even though I haven't seen some of the shows Nussbaum writes about. (But I have seen a lot of them. Even The Gong Show.) I didn't know that the whole reality vs. scripted conflict goes all the way back to radio, when people complained that writers and actors and musicians were being thrown out of work by a show called—I'm not kidding—Candid Microphone....more
I love this series. Fast-paced plots, appealing characters, and so funny. I didn't know that I wanted humor in my mystery novels! I'm sad that this isI love this series. Fast-paced plots, appealing characters, and so funny. I didn't know that I wanted humor in my mystery novels! I'm sad that this is the last in the series so far, but the author has promised to write at least one more....more
Fascinating glimpses of women through the ages—everything from cave art to a specific type of vibrator. I enjoyed learning about the 100 MPH coat, desFascinating glimpses of women through the ages—everything from cave art to a specific type of vibrator. I enjoyed learning about the 100 MPH coat, designed for early motorists, and the bikini, designed for scandal. The audiobook has a stellar array of readers, including Daisy Ridley, Gillian Anderson, Margaret Atwood, and many other notables. ...more
Such a charming, funny, murderous series. My only concern is that the author has introduced so many farfetched yet appealing characters that it is staSuch a charming, funny, murderous series. My only concern is that the author has introduced so many farfetched yet appealing characters that it is starting to become difficult to keep track of them all....more
Leslie Jones once got so enraged at a Saturday Night Live colleague that she called up a murderer she knew and offered to fly him out to New York so hLeslie Jones once got so enraged at a Saturday Night Live colleague that she called up a murderer she knew and offered to fly him out to New York so he could kill this person. The murderer's response? "Les, it's Christmas. I just had a baby." The murderer suggested that Leslie simply stop communicating with this person "because it's cold in your shadow." Leslie tried this option and it worked! No homicide necessary! This audiobook is a wild, freewheeling, often teary account of the author's life, career, and philosophy. I enjoyed it very much, and I felt especially sympathetic to her when she revealed that she was unable to attend either of her parents' funerals because she was away making money to pay for those funerals. (One of her most strongly worded pieces of advice is to buy insurance so you don't burden others with those costs.) Today Leslie Jones lives in a 4,000-square-foot home in California with a swimming pool and a beauty salon and a pantry that is stocked like a 7-Eleven. And I'm so happy for her. She deserves all of that....more
I read this because of the strong ratings on Goodreads and was not disappointed. Rapid-fire plot and some appealing dialogue. My one complaint is thatI read this because of the strong ratings on Goodreads and was not disappointed. Rapid-fire plot and some appealing dialogue. My one complaint is that the author spoils the endings of the four best Agatha Christie novels in one paragraph, to which I say BOO HISS....more
What is the earliest known depiction of Jesus Christ? Many experts believe it's an artwork found in the palace of the Emperor Augustus. However, it isWhat is the earliest known depiction of Jesus Christ? Many experts believe it's an artwork found in the palace of the Emperor Augustus. However, it isn't a statue or a mosaic. It's a cartoon of a donkey-headed man being crucified. Apparently "donkey-head" was a slur for Christians back then. Nobody knows for sure, but the graffito may have been inside the palace's slave school, and one slave may have drawn the picture (with the caption "Alexamenos worships this god") to make fun of another slave. You can see the Alexamenos graffito here: https://brentnongbri.com/2018/06/25/t...
This is one of many intriguing details Mary Beard includes in her history of Roman emperors. She shuttles back and forth in time, describing how various Roman emperors gained power, decided legal cases, partied, slept, ate, worshiped, dealt with family members, and respected (or desecrated) their predecessors. She is her usual prickly self, spending little time on some "important" emperors and lots of time on some who ruled briefly, such as the Syrian teenager Elagabalus. People are still gossiping about Elagabalus, as you can see here: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2... ...more
This is a tell-some rather than a tell-all. And that's fine. Jill Duggar was exploited and abused for years—by her oldest brother, her parents, the teThis is a tell-some rather than a tell-all. And that's fine. Jill Duggar was exploited and abused for years—by her oldest brother, her parents, the television industry, and the media. So I understand why she doesn't want to reveal some details. What she includes is plenty. I knew the dad was a former used-car salesman and cult member who repeatedly covered up pedophilia, but I didn't know about the tax fraud. I wonder if the IRS will have anything to say about that. I suppose I should have guessed.
At one point the parents threaten to reduce Jill's inheritance. Which they just said was going to be split 19 ways. OH NOOOOOOOO. These people were missionaries in El Salvador. They don't want your filthy money.
The most devastating take-down in the book is from Jill to her dad: "You treat me worse than my pedophile brother."
I didn't know that the pedophile behavior happened before the Duggars were ever on television.
Jill reminisces about how things were so much easier when she was younger and there were "only" eight siblings in the family. (Now there are 19, plus Jill mentions her mom had some miscarriages along the way.)
Jill says the kids were happy when the documentary crews came because it meant they would get lots of food from Costco. So they ate all-beef chimichangas rather than bean sandwiches. BEAN SANDWICHES. I guess I shouldn't be surprised because there were already 14 kids by the time they did the first docu.
It's amazing that the oldest brother committed so many horrifying crimes that he finally did what Jill couldn't—he made it so that the dad would never again profit from the media phenomenon he helped to create. Golly, what will the dad do when all he has are a big house and multiple rental properties and multiple airplanes.
I understand that just because I read a memoir doesn't mean I know the person. But I worry that Jill's husband will turn out to be a jerk too. After all, Jill's dad picked him out for her.
Jill frequently describes incidents when her parents (especially her mother) acted honestly, kindly, and reasonably. Somehow this makes the other incidents seem even worse because it's clear she's trying to remember the good times and to honor her father and mother that her days may be long upon the earth. ...more
Dolly Parton fan: How long does it take to style your hair? Dolly Parton: I don't know. I'm never there.
Who sometimes wears three wigs at once, one on Dolly Parton fan: How long does it take to style your hair? Dolly Parton: I don't know. I'm never there.
Who sometimes wears three wigs at once, one on top of the other? Who is still exploring new-to-her musical genres and striving to be a better person every day? Who had an illiterate father and yet is now a juggernaut in business and philanthropy? Dolly Parton, of course.
In this coffee-table-sized book, Dolly reflects on her career, personal growth, clothes, and accessories. (One chapter is called, "I Will Always Love . . . Shoes.") As always, she radiates lovingkindness and is generous and specific when giving credit to others. No wonder some of her employees have worked for her for 30 years. And she's funny!
While Dolly has always had her own style rather than following fashion trends, I think this book would be interesting to anyone who is into fashion, textiles, or fame. This book is intelligently written and thoughtfully curated. And on the cover, has Dolly's dress been subtly stippled so that it shimmers and glimmers as you open the book? Well, of course it has....more
So fascinating to read, especially as the trial unfolds. (Gary can talk! Caroline was unqualified, but so was everybody else!) I'm also reading Zeke FSo fascinating to read, especially as the trial unfolds. (Gary can talk! Caroline was unqualified, but so was everybody else!) I'm also reading Zeke Faux's book Number Go Up about the same topic. They're both great and valuable, but Faux is an investigative reporter who follows the money, while Lewis writes nonfiction books about individuals or small groups. I'm probably always going to gravitate toward stories about people's rise and fall rather than about the travels of a sum of money.
This story was unfinished when Lewis published (and is still unfinished as I write this review), but the ending he chose for the book is PERFECT....more
Fascinating, often harrowing account of a long career as a death investigator in New York City. The author is no-nonsense but feels deeply and suffersFascinating, often harrowing account of a long career as a death investigator in New York City. The author is no-nonsense but feels deeply and suffers a great deal. Her account of succeeding professionally and creatively, despite troubles with alcohol and depression, was inspiring but never sappy.
Most interesting case, to me: a husband's diabetic overdose in which the wife and the husband's psychiatrist seemed to have a passionate connection and most likely got away with murder.
Most interesting scandal, to me: The author's supervisor and one of the author's coworkers both called off work "sick" one night and then got caught . . . cuddling . . . on a Jumbotron . . . at Yankee Stadium during a game. This would be fun office gossip except that the non-cuddling coworkers had to investigate more deaths that night, over a larger area of the city, and had to meet with the relatives of all the people who had died while hospitalized that day. This isn't like Office Space where people slack off and the TPS reports pile up but nothing really terrible happens....more
Fascinating long-form journalism. I had read at least two of these before, but they held up well. It's interesting to look online and see what happeneFascinating long-form journalism. I had read at least two of these before, but they held up well. It's interesting to look online and see what happened to the people Grann reported on....more
This started out a bit ponderous, but I really enjoyed these thoughtful and contemplative essays on "art monsters" including Roman Polanski, Woody AllThis started out a bit ponderous, but I really enjoyed these thoughtful and contemplative essays on "art monsters" including Roman Polanski, Woody Allen, Miles Davis, Sylvia Plath, Doris Lessing, and others. I even laughed out loud a couple of times, which is surprising considering the subject matter....more
Such a fun read after watching the entire series. Now I can tell what's foreshadowing and what isn't. It's also interesting to read the deleted or repSuch a fun read after watching the entire series. Now I can tell what's foreshadowing and what isn't. It's also interesting to read the deleted or repurposed scenes and find out how the actors shaped the characters. For example, many scenes in Succession show or allude to characters taking drugs. This was supposed to include Roman Roy, but Kieran Culkin repeatedly said that he didn't see his character as a drug user....more
A long novel about video game developers? Really? I didn't want to read this. But I'm glad I changed my mind after hearing recommendations from friendA long novel about video game developers? Really? I didn't want to read this. But I'm glad I changed my mind after hearing recommendations from friends and review sites. Somewhat fable-like in parts, but not in an annoying way. I think these characters will stay with me for a long time....more
A man in his early twenties stole a piece of fine art from a museum. Over the next decade, often using his girlfriend as a lookout, he stole more thanA man in his early twenties stole a piece of fine art from a museum. Over the next decade, often using his girlfriend as a lookout, he stole more than 200 other works of art in several countries. He preferred Renaissance and pre-Renaissance works—oil paintings, tapestries, and objects in silver, ivory, copper, and wood. He stole from museums, galleries, and churches, up to 10 items per day. The New York Times and The New Yorker each estimated the value of his thefts at two billion dollars. One author said he was the most devastating art thief since the Nazis.
And then . . . he didn't sell any of it. He just kept it all in his mom's attic, where he lived with his girlfriend. They liked living inside a treasure hoard. She made a little money as a nurse's aide at a hospital, and he mostly didn't work (though he had brief stints as a museum guard and as a hardware store employee specializing in locks).
The story of why Stéphane Breitwieser stole art and didn't sell it, how he got away with it for so long, how he got caught, and what happened to the stolen artworks is truly fascinating. Michael Finkel does an excellent job reporting with a maximum of detail and a minimum of judgment, letting readers draw their own conclusions about the thief's character and motivations....more
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