Category Archives: book
Drake’s Fortune
In Drake’s Fortune (2002), Richard Raynor tells the story of what may be the greatest long con in history. Depression-era con man Oscar Hartzell convinced thousands of Midwesterners that he was the executor of 16th century English explorer Francis Drake’s … Continue reading
Fakers
In Fakers: Hoaxers, Con Artists, Counterfeiters and Other Great Pretenders (2008), Paul Maliszewski draws on his own experiences as a frustrated newspaper reporter who wrote fictitious letters to the editor and other submissions as a lens for viewing other liars, … Continue reading
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Zone One
Wow.Ā Not the best zombie apocalypseĀ novel I’ve ever read, but certainly a good one. This book is much more than that; a meditation on America in the 21st century and whether it matters. I was very impressed with Whitehead’s … Continue reading
The Big Roads
In The Big Roads, Earl Swift tells the history of the conception and creation of the Interstate Highway System. Ā For those of us who have lived only in the age of super highways, it is an interesting and well-told … Continue reading
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Gentlemen’s Blood: A History of Dueling
“The definitive guide to courtly violence.” A fascinating history of (sanctioned) male violence throughout western history.
The Man Who Saved New York
Seymour Lachman and Robert Polner’s The Man Who Saved New York (2010) tells the story of New York City’s near financial meltdown in 1975, and how newly-elected New York Governor (the “man” of the title) and his aides were able … Continue reading
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The Leftovers
Tom Perrottaās The Leftovers (2011) is an interesting exploration of suburban life interrupted by a mass disappearance that many believe is the Rapture.Ā Itās not clear from the book how many people have been removed from the face of the … Continue reading
American Eve
In American Eve: Evelyn Nesbit, Stanford White, the Birth of the āItā Girl, and the Crime of the Century (2008), Paula Uruburu tells the story of millionaires behaving badly, with a mix of glamour, sex, madness, and murder, at the … Continue reading
Wild Bill Donovan
In Wild Bill Donovan (2011), Douglas Waller tells the story of the Buffalo native who help create and oversee most of the nation’s espionage activities during World War II. Donovan was quite a character.Ā A World War I hero, he … Continue reading
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102 Minutes
In 102 Minutes (2005), Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn tell some of the stories of courage and tenderness, and of survival and death, inside the WTC complex on 9/11/01. I decided to read this to emotionally prepare myself for the … Continue reading
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