Tag: American

Review: Columbine: A True Crime Story by Jeff Kass

12 January 2025

Coming off the heels of my reading of the brief, but factual, The Columbine School Shootings by Jenny MacKay, I figured I may as well immerse myself in a more expansive and exploratory investigation of April 1999’s tragedy. Hence, I sat down and read through Jeff Kass’ 330-page chronology, investigation, and expose piece titled Columbine:…
Review: USA National Parks: Lands of Wonder by DK Eyewitness

29 December 2024

One of my many lofty dreams in life is to see all—or most—of the United States’ national parks. It is a dream that only seems to grow stronger in desire as I eke further into my twenties, and because of how reoccurring and ever-present it is as of late, I decided to read through all…
Review: A Mother’s Reckoning by Sue Klebold

11 July 2024

I’ve been trying to dabble in non-fiction a bit more, and I’ve always had an interest in notable crimes and their aftermath. Regarding school-related crimes and shootings, none is more noteworthy than the 1999 Columbine High School Massacre (often referred to simply as ‘Columbine’). In A Mother’s Reckoning, Sue Klebold, mother of co-shooter Dylan Klebold,…
Review: The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

15 June 2024

A novel with an attitude, or that’s how it comes across to most readers. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is widely recognised as a novel that wants to pick apart the superficiality of twentieth century society, but I feel that undermines its appeal. Societal critique is a common facet of many novels, so that’s…
Review: A Place in the Woods by Helen Hoover

4 January 2024

A very calming recount of a lifestyle that has continued to die out as the years go by. A Place in the Woods tells the true story of Helen and Adrian Hoover as they leave their residence in Chicago to enjoy a life in the wilderness next to Lake Superior, just after the midpoint of…
Review: Strange Fits of Passion by Anita Shreve

1 August 2023

A tense and passionate story, with no pun intended. Shreve’s Strange Fits of Passion was an unexpectedly good read that not only introduced me to her work, but also encouraged me to pick up a few of her other works. Set in the 1970s, the story follows Maureen, a housewife and mother, who is trapped…
Review: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

28 June 2023

A simple story with much emotion and truth tied to each chapter. I believe that Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men is an essential read and proof that short fiction can have a large impact on readers, especially when it plays around with the fancifulness of dreams and the severity of reality. Following George and Lenny,…
Review: American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

14 June 2023

One of the most infamous and controversial novels of recent time, American Psycho is both an amusing satire and a gruesome power fantasy in one. Ellis parodies much of the yuppie lifestyle that dominated a bustling New York in the 1980s. The author’s snark and self-amusement, alongside his slight disgust with a capitalist world, can…