It’s been a while since my last posting. While it may look like I’ve stopped posting or even reading, the desire to pick up a good novel has been driving inside me more than before. As we all know, life gets in the way, and in my case, it’s Graduate School that is the subject of my affection for the last two years. Since I finished Salem’s Lot, I’ve finished writing my Comprehensive Exams and just completed, hopefully, my final class for my degree. Now, to pick a book to read and get lost in another world.
Now, to open the cover and devour another world and share it will all of you that enjoy my reviews. Until then…
Stay Safe in these challenging times, enjoy a good cup of coffee, and a good book!
What would happen if Dracula came into our current world. This is the infamous premises that Mr King built this story from. Although the book is a good read and I would recommend it to anyone, it’s not a very fast read. It doesn’t hook you in like It. The novel starts with a author returning to his home town, Jerusalem’s Lot, to write a new novel. The other reason was to face a childhood experience and nightmare that has haunted him about the Marsten house. The house is the infamous house that resides in every small town, the haunted house the murdered ghosts still roam today.
After our protagonist arrives in town and actually inquired about the house because he wanted to rent it, he discovers that it was recently purchased. The new owner and his partner also open a antique store in the town and soon after, people begin to disappear and come back to life to take the life of someone else by sucking their blood to ease the craving that is building inside. The infamous vampire has arrived.
If one has read Dracula, they can definitely see the influence Mr Stoker had on Mr King. The story is not identical and the plot is not the same. Howeve r in some of the plot ides’s you can definitely see Mr. King’s salute to the story that started it all.
As mentioned, I would recommend this book. It was a fun read, again, I never got to the point that I couldn’t put it down. It still is a wonderful story and in the end, it makes you wonder if there is more. Father Callahan is first introduced in this book.
Another year gone by and some wonderful books completed. I hope everyone got their reading goals completed. This year I personally will be adding 5 more books to my goal. 25. Also, another goal is to dedicate 1 hour a day to reading. This will be an interesting challenge.
In Search of the Forty Days Road by Michael Asher 1987 / 179 pgs
A very interesting novel about the journey that Michael took when he went to the Sudan originally as a teacher of English and searched out the 40 days road.
As an englishman, he learned that many thought he was crazy to look for a road that wasn’t used for many years. Also, he dealt with being arrested, interrogated, theft, and almost dying of thirst many times while in the desert.
It was a wonderful read, and again, this book was used for my graduate course.
Back in the King car this round and what an insane ride this was. After reading nothing but Grad work textbooks, it’s nice to sit and read a novel that takes you away from the daily grid. This one definitely accomplished that task. There was time I was flying and while devouring each word he used to paint events as they are laid out, I forgot I was even in a plane.
Using his Pennywise grips, he holds on to you and takes you on a ride that you won’t want to stop because you need to know how does this end! There are twists so well placed that when you though the story was going one direction, a hard slap on the face and you are now going on the other dark and twisted path. King winds you through his who done it/how can someone be in two places at the same time story that even at some of the climactic moments, it will leave you shocked how it all goes down.
Also known for his Game of Thrones guessing game on who is going to live and who will die, I lost this bet as I was sure I knew who was going down. It will keep you guessing until almost the end. An delicious read that I would recommend to anyone.
Is the American Century Over by Joseph S. Nye, Jr 2015 / 127pgs
A quick read, only 2 hours and 10 minutes. An analysis of is the American chapter of US influence over the world done. However, it doesn’t just look at it as the rise of China as an economic powerhouse. It looks at multiple factors like education, military, democratic influence vrs communist influence and more. A different take on where the US is in the world and as we can see, this was just before the Trump Administration took over.
The Idea that is America: Keeping Faith with Our Values in a Dangerous World by Anne-Marie Slaughter 2007 / 233 pgs
A very interesting novel from a professor that was distraught over how the United States has changed under the George W. Bush Administration. It breaks down in Libery, Democracy, Equality, Justice, Tolerance, Faith, and Humility. It also lays out a blueprint on what the US could do to change this. It is a wonderful read.
As I read this novel, I felt that this was a guide for the Obama Administration and its Foreign Policy and quick google search did inform me that the author did work for the Obama State Department.
I did enjoy this insite of how America has changed, according to the author, and many keys points are correct. Although, I’m sure the novel would be completely different tone under the Trump Administration.
American Foreign Policy: Past, Present, and Future by Glenn P. Hastedt 2015 / 359pgs
A very interesting text book about how American Foreign Policy is was created and how its evolved up to 2015 when it was published. It is not an chronological administrative narrative. The author took key policies that have changed the direction of the US policy. Also, he identifies how it is created, what agencies internal/external influences the direction it goes. If one is interested in how US Foreign Policy works, this is definitely a wonderful read. Although, it is a textbook meaning it’s not a very fast read.
Social Statistics for a Diverse Society by Anna Leon-Guerrero and Chava Frankfort-Nachmias 2017/456 pgs
Alas, another book for my graduate class. As the title states, this is stats focused on social issues. If someone is interested in statistics and how to create them, this is an interesting book to read. It attempts to break it down in the start to allow reader to understand statistical information.
nyghteulen 