When I first got the email from Mr. Rodriguez about his new play, my first instinct was to tell him that I might not be the right blogger to read it. After all, I’m not much for plays, however Mr. Rodriguez’s email was very intriguing – I accepted and I’m glad I did. Buy this play in paper or electronic format* Don Quixote For a New Millennium: The Adventures of Don Quixote and Sancho at the Ducal Court by Diogenes Rodriguez tells the old story of Don Quixote with a new translation which tries to capture the spirit of the book. As anyone can tell you, Don Quixote is a difficult book to translate because much of the humor, stories and innuendos depends on your understanding of the language and culture, much like Shakespeare’s plays. Mr. Rodriguez achieves this by introducing a narrator into the story which helps explain the audience what’s going on and move the story forward. The play itself is captivating and, I believe, manages to capture the spirit in which Cervantes intended to convey in his classic book. However, the real surprise for me was the part at the beginning which deals with history, linguistics and the philosophy of Don Quixote. I loved the…

Article first published as Book Review: Randy Bachman’s Vinyl Tap Stories on Blogcritics. About: Randy Bachman’s Vinyl Tap Stories is a non-fiction book by the famous rocker. Randy Bachman, a musician from Winnipeg who was in the Guess Who, BTO and other bands tells about his career and the people he met. 288 pages Publisher: Pintail Language: English ISBN-10: 0670066591 My rating for Randy Bachman’s Vinyl Tap Stories – 4 By this book in paper or electronic format* Thoughts: Randy Bachman’s Vinyl Tap Stories is a short book with many short stories. Mr. Bachman has sat down and wrote down great memories from a great career, reading the book I felt as if he would play a song after each story. My favorite story is one of the longer ones about Les Paul. Mr. Bachman saw Les Paul play at his hometown in Canada where he watched through the kitchen door since he was too young to enter the premises. Mr. Paul talked a bit with the young guitarist and showed him how he played a song. Fast forward years later when, now established musician Randy Bachman was introduced to Les Paul who actually remembered the-kid-from-the-restaurant and about an encounter even later when they got to play…

The Music of James Bond by Jon Burlingame tells of the real-life dramas which accompanied the sound track to the 007 movies up to Quantum of Solace.

On t his day, Swedish author Karl Stig-Erland “Stieg” Larsson (15 August, 1954 – 9 November, 2004) passed away before he could witness his books becoming an international phenomena. Books by Stieg Larsson 1) Larsson lived with his grandparents Skelleftehamm in N. Sweden while his parents moved to Stockholm to pursue better job opportunities. Larsson joined his parents and brother in the early 60s. 2) According to Gabrielsson, Larsson set most of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in northern Sweden because that’s where he spend his childhood (Gabrielsson calls the area the “godforsaken places at the back of beyond”). 3) Larsson worked as a graphic designer and an investigative journalist focusing on right-wing extremists. 4) While on vacation with his companion, Eva Gabrielsson, Larsson started writing The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. He completed the manuscripts for what would eventually become the Millennium Trilogy over the next 3 years later. 5) The original title for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was Men Who Hate Women (Man Som Hatar Kvinnor). 6) A month after he submitted the manuscripts to a Swedish publisher Stieg Larsson – age 50 – a notorious junk food fanatic and heavy smoker, died of a massive heart…

Joining the Army to get away from the depression, 25 year-old Felix Spars arrives in Italy as a captain in the 157th Infantry Regiment of the 45th Division – the Thunderbirds. Sparks proves to be a natural leader and a man of high intelligence, moral and respectability leading his men in 4 amphibious invasions, through the rough mountainous terrains of Italy and France and winter combat against the SS on the German border.

Article first published as Book Review: Princess Elizabeth’s Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal on Blogcritics. About: Princess Elizabeth’s Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal is the second book in the author’s fictional series about Maggie Hope. As in the first book, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary, this book also takes place in London during World War II. The pub­lisher is giv­ing away one copy of this book –to enter fill out the Raf­fle­copt­ter form at the end of the post. 384 pages Publisher: Bantam Language: English ISBN-10: 0553593625 My rat­ing for Mr. Churchill’s Sec­re­tary — 4 Buy this book in paper or elec­tronic format* More Book by Susan Elia MacNeal Check out this & more World War II books on Man of la BookStore Thoughts: Princess Elizabeth’s Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal (web­site | Face­book | @SusanMacNeal) more personable and entertaining than the first novel, maybe because the first was an “origin story” with a series in mind while in this one the large cast of characters has already been introduced. The protagonist, Maggie Hope, grows more in this book, still feisty and strong, but also sensitive – fumbling her way through the castle. I liked the mystery and the story, but I think that the way Maggie Hope progressed as a character is the true success of this…

Tells the tale of two wandering Jews, con-men and bandits who jestingly call themselves “Gentlemen of the Road”.

The French troops are marching intoRussia and the two Russian leaders, Prince Bagration and the German Barclay de Tolly, represent two conflicting and opposing forces within the Russian army. Prince Bagration has the advantage since the Russians don’t like the Germans too much.

On 1 September 1871, author Stephen Crane was born (d. 5 June, 1900). Crane is best known for his book The Red Badge of Courage. I must say that of all the books I was forced to read in high school, this is one of the few books which I remember. Books by Stephen Crane 1 ) Crane was born in Newark, NJ and was the youngest of 14 kids. 2 ) When his father died, the family relocated to Asbury Park, NJ. 3 ) Crane’s first book, Maggie: A Girl of the Streets was published independently because it was considered scandalous (Maggie’s decline into prostitution and suicide) and Crane, a journalist at the time, could not find a publisher. The book received critical acclaim but failed to sell. 4 ) A year later, 1895, Crane published a book on a more popular topic, The American Civil War. The Red Badge of Courage was first serialized in newspapers and made Crane an international celebrity at 24. 5 ) Due to his celebrity stature, Crane was sent to Cuba to cover the insurrection against Spain. On his way he stayed at a cheap hotel and met Cora Howard Taylor who became his…

Article first published as Graphic Novel Review: Escape to Gold Mountain : A Graphic History of the Chinese in North America by David H.T. Wong on Blogcritics. About: Escape to Gold Mountain : A Graphic History of the Chinese in North America by David H.T. Wong is a graphic novel telling the story of the Chinese immigration to the United States and Canada. Mr. Wong is an Asia Canadian activist and an architect in Vancouver. 256 pages Publisher: Arsenal Pulp Press Language: English ISBN-10: 1551524767 My rating for Escape to Gold Mountain – 4 Buy this graphic novel from Amazon.com Thoughts: The graphic novel Escape to Gold Mountain : A Graphic History of the Chinese in North America by David H.T. Wong (website) is laden with dishonor and misery as is the history of Chinese immigration to North America. The Chinese encountered lynches, subjugation racial, cultural and legal discrimination from both countries. I do remember learning in school (but mainly on my own) about Chinese railroad workers in the United States. I did not realize how badly they were treated after they finished working and that the same thing happened in Canada. The graphic novel shows very clearly how badly these workers were mistreated as well as…