Category Archives: Book reviews

A Tale of Two Cities

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Ken Dowell

Two book reviews. Newark and Detroit Continue reading →

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Mr. Boardwalk, Atlantic City

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Ken Dowell

Review of Louis Greenstein’s novel, Mr. Boardwalk, a tale of Atlantic City. Continue reading →

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Red Dirt by Joe Samuel Starnes

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Ken Dowell

The rise fall and reconstruction of a tennis player from rural Georgia. Continue reading →

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Worlds Collide, a Review of Dead Wake

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Ken Dowell

The sinking of the Lusitania was an act of terrorism. 1,195 people died. None were military personnel. Continue reading →

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Descendants of the Silk Strike: Two Book Reviews

Posted on February 2, 2015 by Ken Dowell

Reviews of books by two authors whose grandparents lived through the Paterson Silk Strike. Continue reading →

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Americans Discover Vacation: Book Reviews

Posted on January 29, 2015 by Ken Dowell

Books reviews of sources for history of vacations in America. Continue reading →

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Of Bullets, Germs and ‘Numbing Pomposity’

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Ken Dowell

Most Americans, even if you exclude those who don’t read at all, don’t read American history. It’s a result of their upbringing. They were subjected to enforced exposure to some of the dullest, ugliest, least imaginative textbooks in existence. James … Continue reading →

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A Growing Up in the 50’s Book Review: Ike and Dick

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Ken Dowell

Prior to reading Jeffrey Frank’s book my opinion of these two men was that Eisenhower was probably a decent man and fairly good president. Nixon, on the other hand, was Tricky Dick. I was half right. If your image of … Continue reading →

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Men and Women of the South (Mostly Men)

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Ken Dowell

One of my favorite authors who is also a personal friend is Joe Samuel Starnes. Sam has published two novels, Calling and Fall Line. What is distinctive about his writing is the depth of the characters he creates. They are, from the … Continue reading →

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Work and the Economy in the 2010’s: A Novelist’s Perspective

Posted on March 7, 2014 by Ken Dowell

Some of the best insight I’ve read about the impact of current U.S. economic trends on individuals is in the last two Dave Eggers Novels, A Hologram for the King and The Circle. A Hologram deals with outsourcing, employment and … Continue reading →

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