Review of Amity and Prosperity: One Family and the Fracturing of America written by Eliza Griswold rating ***** Back in 2015, a job transfer forced me to move to Dallas, Texas. I didn’t know much about the Dallas area, but I was keenly aware of the fracking industry. Flying into Dallas from the west gives […]
Review of Zoo Nebraska
April 27, 2019 By Leave a Comment
Review of Zoo Nebraska by Carson VaughanRating **** I’ll start this review with a reference given at the end of the book. In the Acknowledgements section to be exact. Author Carson Vaughan was with his future wife traveling along the small town backroads of her youth when she casually pointed out a spot off the […]
Review of Little Shoes
April 16, 2019 By Leave a Comment
Review of Little Shoes: The Sensational Depression-Era Murders That Became My Family Secret written by Pamela Everett Rating ***** A statement often repeated from death-penalty proponents is that while the criminal justice system has its faults there has never been an execution of an innocent man. Considering that over 150 people on death row have […]
What happened to Madeleine McCann?
April 12, 2019 By Leave a Comment
Review of The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann Directed by Chris Smith, Executive Producer Emma CooperRating ***** As a fan of documentary series, I was quick to put the Madeleine McCann docuseries into my watch list. But then I sat on it for a while. After all, I already know that Madeleine is still missing. There […]
Two nonfiction film quicktakes
March 30, 2019 By Leave a Comment
I have two really good nonfiction films to recommend. First up is Apollo 11.Apollo 11 directed by Todd Douglas Miller. Rating ***** Back in 1994 while working on the interactive CD-ROM Apollo XIII: A Week to Remember, I had the chance to fly to Houston where I interviewed four Apollo 13 flight controllers. I conducted […]
Everything the Holocaust
March 30, 2019 By Leave a Comment
I have been steeped in the Holocaust for the past several months. It started with the book Denial by Deborah E. Lipstadt. While reading that book I started watching the six-part Netflix documentary series Auschwitz. When I finished the book, I rented the film Denial written by David Hare. It has been a deep dive […]
The case against impeaching Trump
March 20, 2019 By Leave a Comment
Over the next six months or so a clear picture of President’s Trump’s many misdeeds will come to light. At the top of the list will be obstruction of justice and campaign finance violations. Those two alone would be enough to impeach any other president. But those infractions are just the tip of the iceberg […]
Review of the film The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
March 11, 2019 By Leave a Comment
Written by Chiwetel Ejiofor and William Kamkwamba, directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor Rating ***** I am always a little leary when I see a film that is written, directed, and stars the same individual. Most of the time these films are not that good because there is a lack of colaboration and feedback. The Boy Who […]
Review of A Higher Call
February 25, 2019 By Leave a Comment
This book offers something unique among the volumes written about WWII. It tells the story of the air campaign over Germany from the perspective of a German pilot. Review of a Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of combat and chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of WW II by Adam Makos and Larry Alexander Rating […]
My 2019 Oscar Picks
February 18, 2019 By Leave a Comment
Best Picture – The best all around picture for me was Green Book Best Director – Adam Mckay for Vice. I would have nominated the directors of Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody. Best Actress – I haven’t seen enough of the nominated performances to give an honest pick. Glenn Close was good in The Wife, […]
Review of The Devil We Know
January 27, 2019 By Leave a Comment
Directed by Stephanie Soechtig and Jeremy SeifertRating ***** Last December I reviewed the excellent book Toms River about the damage caused by the decades-long dumping of chemical pollutants into the waters and land surrounding a rural New Jersey community. As disturbing as that story was, the dumping occurred years ago and only affected people living […]
Review of An American Sickness
January 25, 2019 By Leave a Comment
American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back by Elisabeth Rosenthal Rating ***** American Sickness by Elisabeth Rosenthal is an exhaustive, detailed look at the American healthcare system. The author examines every facet of healthcare, going back to the beginning in order to understand how we have gotten to […]
Two must see Netflix documentaries
January 20, 2019 By Leave a Comment
Abducted in Plain Sight directed by Skye BorgmanRating ***** Let me warn you up front. This documentary is going to make you outraged. You will be outraged by the actions of the parents. You will be outraged by the way the perpetrator managed to continue his twisted actions with impunity. Abducted in plain sight tells […]
Review of the Netflix Docuseries The Innocent Man
December 22, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Directed by Clay TweelRating ***** In reading about wrongful convictions, I’ve come across a number of outrageous stories about our inept criminal justice system. There is the story of the young black teen who police just happened to spot walking along the road and decided to bring him in for questioning because he was black […]
Review of The Line Becomes a River
December 19, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Review of The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border by Francisco Cantú Rating *** Author Francisco Cantú’s The Line Becomes a River is an up close and personal look at the issue of immigration. Cantú worked as a border patrol officer. He speaks Spanish and travels regularly between Mexico and the U.S. He grew […]
