If you're newer to poetry, this is a great entry point. There's enough cultural reference and narrative grounding to make you feel like you’re “getting it,” even if some symbolism is out of reach.
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The Continental Divide: Stories – Bob Johnson
As a debut, “The Continental Divide” is grim, bold and occasionally brilliant. Johnson knows how to build tension and tap into the slow, often quiet desperation of a life that feels like it’s going nowhere. He’s not reinventing the short story but proving he belongs in the conversation.
Hi Honey, I'm Homo!: Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture – Matt Baume
An interesting retrospective on how sitcoms helped pave the way for broader queer acceptance, with “Hi Honey, I’m Homo!” Matt Baume offers a mostly lighthearted read for fans of pop culture and LGBTQIA+ history.
Through original and sourced research, the author traced the often fraught path to introduce positive portrayals of queer people to the masses, but this isn’t the kind of behind-the-scenes tell-all that will help elevate the book beyond its niche target audiences.
The Complete Maus – Art Spiegelman
You can disagree or dislike decisions Spiegelman made, but you cannot deny that this is a powerful series that needs - no, it demands - to be read, taught and discussed.
The Plague Stones – James Brogden
Expectation: A fast-paced ghost story with a plot akin to “The Fog.”
Reality: At times uneven and ridiculous, the historical elements helped elevate the premise and the last third delivered.
Prepare for Departure – Mark Chesnut
Throughout, Chesnut is likable and real. I kept thinking he would be a fun guest at a dinner party. If you’re the type of reader that enjoys memoirs exploring the lighter side of life with some heavier elements, this would be a good read for you.
In Cold Blood – Truman Capote
"In Cold Blood" is arguably one of the most well-known American books ever. Does it live up to the hype? I think if you read the book without knowing anything intimately related to the story (i.e. seen “Capote,” etc.) then, for the most part, yes.
Into the Wild – Jon Krakauer
Krakauer kept my attention from the first page to the last, and I found myself wishing that there was more to the story. I know that many people have a love/hate relationship with this book - mainly because they either love or hate McCandless - but there is no denying that Krakauer is a gifted writer.
The Road – Cormac McCarthy
Expectation: A fast-paced apocalyptic survival tale.
Reality: A slow-burn family drama that packs a lot of understated horror and emotional attachment to the main characters into the rich prose.
Under the Banner of Heaven – Jon Krakauer
I had thought I was picking up an American true crime story in the same vein as "In Cold Blood," and while I did get that story, I was treated to nearly 200 pages of history on the Mormon religion.
Not expected.
The Beast in the Garden – David Baron
Baron presents the events as a tense, slowly unfolding disaster complete with disagreeing citizens, unconcerned politicians and a few people determined to raise the alarm. If you replaced great white shark in “Jaws” with a group of mountain lions, the plot of that movie and this book would be eerily similar.
Sting-Ray Afternoons – Steve Rushin
Expectation: A self-pretentious memoir about moving up and moving on from where you came from.
Reality: Laugh out loud funny nostalgia served with a side of pop culture and sports history.
The Bachman Books – Stephen King
A four-novel collection of Stephen King’s earlier work, writing under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. Each story is focused on a single main character, and the scares are more psychological than supernatural.
A Harry Potter Retrospective
What can you possibly say about Harry Potter that hasn’t already been stated? Overall, I'd give the series 4.5/5 stars. There were parts of each novel that could have been cut, but, this world and these characters are ones that have stayed with me for years.