Looking for Alaska Book Review: Should it be Required?

looking for alaska

A series in which I read books on required reading lists and discuss their merits. John Green’s Looking for Alaska appeared on the most required reading lists of any other contemporary YA. I was familiar with both John Green and his books before starting this series. Like most people my age, I’ve seen Paper Towns … Read more

To Kill a Mockingbird: Should it Be Required?

to kill a mockingbird

A series in which I read books on required reading lists and discuss their merits. Ask anyone in the US to name a book they had to read in school, and they will probably say: To Kill a Mockingbird. Ask them to tell you what it’s about, and they will probably mumble something about Scout … Read more

The Romanoffs is Awesome

romanoffs

Amazon has a lot of money. I wish this was a paid advertisement for their newest series: The Romanoffs. But it’s not. This is an honest review. First off, it’s really good on every level. The acting, the originality of the writing, the filming, their thematic choices, the pacing, and the choice of a constant stream … Read more

Best Books of 2018

I know this title is a bit misleading, but this is the same as I’ve done for the past ten years. These are my favorite books I read in 2018. Most of them were not published in 2018. Best Literary Fiction: Less by Andrew Sean Greer The novel opens with Less as a failed novelist, … Read more

Social Media’s Negative Effect on Prose Style

social media prose

I’ve noticed this strange trend in the prose style of novels, and I’ve wondered why it’s happening. I finally realized that the prevalence of social media is almost certainly the culprit. I won’t try to write a whole thesis on the history of this type of thing, but I think it’s pretty commonly accepted that … Read more