YA Trends and Boomlets
A discussion of several new YA novels set in Russia and Eastern Europe during and after the fall of Communism. Is this a new trend?
Joey Bats Cafe: A Piece of Portugal in New York City
While running errands on the Lower East Side a couple of weeks ago, I noticed a large Portuguese flag hanging from a building on Allen St. between Rivington and Delancey.…
International films at the Lego Cinema.
The Academy Award That Made Me Happiest: Free Solo
A discussion of the award-winning documentary Free Solo and how it especially resonated with go-it-alone me.
A Review Audit
An audit of the books I reviewed for The Pirate Tree, according to diversity of characters and authors and size of publishers.
International films at the Lego Cinema.
Some Thoughts on the 2019 Academy Award Nominations
A discussion of the 2019 Academy Award nominees for Foreign Language Film and why these movies are superior to Hollywood's offerings.
Fresh Perspectives in Indie Picture Books: The Silent Nightingale
Reviewing an indie-published bilingual (English-Arabic) picture book and exploring different ways of portraying child protagonists.
What New Adult Should Be: A Review of Radio Underground
Discussion of New Adult literature and a fresh new book from an upstart small press set in the aftermath of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.
Innovative Indie
Review and discussion of a World War II historical novel that shows the high quality of writing and unique subject matter available in self-published books.
Supportive Communities in Books Portraying Autism
A discussion of three books featuring autistic protagonists and families and communities that offer support and can serve as models.
Films for the Resistance: The Other Side of Everything
Review of the Serbian documentary The Other Side of Everything, about the movement to end the genocidal Milosević regime.