Book Reviews

Thankfully Tender Mercies received the recognition it deserved. The writer, Horton Foote, won the Academy Award that year for best original screenplay (and Duvall won for best actor). 

Fleming’s book itself, which was published in 2009, is an admirable work. He handles the subject matter with keen wit, intelligence, and moral common sense. Few histories provide a more fascinating description of the main antagonisms of the Cold War.

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek is one of those rare books that one can keep close to and profitably peruse for a lifetime.

Not as well-known but more authoritative are three books by two real-life FBI profilers, John Douglas and Robert Ressler.

The character of Miss Brodie is a blend of bohemianism and fascism, and that latter label is not being applied in the fast and loose manner of our times. 

In terms of literary quality, both books have generally been regarded as masterpieces, but for me it’s their underlying message that counts most. 

The reading portion of this investigation was my favorite part, and the book that stands out is In Search of Dracula. McNally’s and Florescu’s book is a treasure trove of information.

But Yeonmi Park, the young author of While Time Remains, confronts us with the fact that the menace of totalitarianism, especially the leftist variety, is all around us, right here in America!

So while I recommend Proof of Heaven to readers who are intrigued by this topic, it would be wise to consider a wide range of near-death experiences rather than focus on this one alone.

Published in 1962, A Clockwork Orange might soon have been forgotten had it not been made into a celebrated and notorious Stanley Kubrick movie.