-
Why the Constitution lives
Paul O’Connor reviews a book of history that, as is often the case, is relevant to today’s political debates. Reviewed by Paul T. O’Connor THE QUARTET: ORCHESTRATING THE SECOND AMERICAN REVOLUTION 1783-1789. By Joseph J. Ellis. Read by Robertson Dean. Random House Audio. Nine hours and 20 minutes. $35. Also available in hardcover from Knopf.…
-
Commas and other fun things
For decades, I unquestioningly followed Associated Press and newspaper style when it comes to, among other things, commas: There should not be a comma before the last “and” in a series. In recent years, however, I have discovered that there is a rebellion brewing among the younger generation. Many of my journalism students at the…
-
Tough going in the Big Easy
It’s always a happy occasion when Bob Moyer returns from one of his journeys ready to tell us about the books he’s been reading. Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer DOING THE DEVIL’S WORK. By Bill Loehfelm. Farrar Straus Giroux. 308 pages. $26. In his excellent police procedural series set in New Orleans, Bill Loehfelm pours…
-
Who will be the next prey?
Reviewed by Linda C. Brinson. GATHERING PREY. By John Sandford. Read by Richard Ferrone. Penguin Audio. 9 CDs, 11 hours. $40. Also available in hardcover from G. P. Putnam’s Sons. When a novelist has a long-running successful series, as John Sandford certainly does with his ‘Prey” thrillers starring Lucas Davenport, fans know what to expect.…
-
Great achievement, great story
Paul O’Connor takes a look at a new book from a master storyteller about the brothers whose genius transformed the world in 1903. Reviewed by Paul T. O’Connor THE WRIGHT BROTHERS. By David McCullough. Audible.com. Read by the author. 10 hours, 2 minutes. $17. Also available in hardback from Simon & Schuster. 336 pages. $30.…
-
The real Reagan
Paul O’Connor has tackled an exhaustive (and exhausting?) but worthwhile new biography of Ronald Reagan. Reviewed by Paul T. O’Connor REAGAN: THE LIFE. By H.W. Brands. Penguin Random House Audio. Read by Stephen Hoye. 32 hours. $60. Also available in hardcover from Doubleday. 737 pages. $60. My mother really liked Ronald Reagan. She considered him…
-
Just in time for the movie
Reviewed by Linda C. Brinson I’m hearing good things about the new movie version of Far From the Madding Crowd, and I hope to see it sometime. But before seeing a movie adaptation of a classic novel, I wanted to read the novel. Despite having been an English major, I’d never read this book. Fortunately,…
-
A gold-medal book
I don’t know how this book got under the stack on my table, languishing for months while I read and listened to lots of others. I do know that I’m glad I retrieved it recently, after having seen it listed as one of the best books of the 21st century so far. It deserves that…
-
The real dangers on campus
Paul O’Connor is a father. He’s a veteran journalist. And he teaches college students. He has considerable insight into this book, and he says that every parent should read it. Reviewed by Paul T. O’Connor MISSOULA: RAPE AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM IN A COLLEGE TOWN. By Jon Krakauer. Read by Mozhan Marno and Scott Brick.…