Carl Hoffman
The story of the disappearance of Michael Rockefeller, son of New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, fell off the front pages decades ago. But at the time it was the finest of tabloid grist. The young, wealthy art collector had ventured into the jungles of Papua New Guinea to …
Chuck Klosterman
For Gen-Xers like myself, the 90s were just a few years ago. We lived them, so how could we possibly not know all about them? And yet, Chuck Klosterman, the pop-culture philosopher for our generation, once again does a phenomenal job pointing out all the obvious things we …
Michael Farquhar
Five Centuries of Sex, Adventure, Vice, Treachery, and Folly from Royal Britain
Imagine of People Magazine were to write a textbook of British royalty. This is pretty much it. Each short chapter is a speedy, breezy read about an English monarch. Starting with Henry VIII (yes, him) up …
Witold Szablowski
A cook is often one of the most intimate relationships a rich or powerful person may have. Both from living in close proximity. But also, the rich and powerful must trust their cook to not murder them. In turn, these cooks find themselves very well-compensated, but also …
Chuck Klosterman
Klosterman, Gen-X’s pop-culture philosopher-in-chief, turns his gaze to the concept of villainy. In his own slightly hyperactive way, Klosterman skips from Machiavelli to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, O.J. Simpson to Snidley Whiplash and …
The Origins of the School Lunch in the United States
A.R. Ruis
Ruis’s book, adapted from his PhD thesis, gives a detailed overview of the history of U.S. School lunches. Attention to health and malnutrition in children started coming to the fore in the late 1880s. Schools found that their …
…Micronations, sometimes also referred to as model countries and new country projects, are small, self-proclaimed entities that claim to be independent sovereign states but which are not acknowledged as such by any recognized sovereign state, or by any supranational organization. – Wikipedia
Berkeley Breathed
Breathed’s first collection of Bloom County strips in 26 years is a bittersweet and rather odd collection. While fans are delighted he is back, the topic matter that lured Breathed back is unfortunate. Bloom County suddenly burst back into life in the summer of 2015. Almost immediately, Breathed …
Jang Jin-sung
Jin-sung’s story of escape from North Korea is as heart-stopping as any spy thriller. Unlike a thriller, this is a true story. Raised in a family with high levels of access to benefits and income, Jin-sung is well-educated and thoroughly indoctrinated. He is perfect fit for to join …
Laura PennyPenny’s book is not as much as a non-fiction account your current society as much as a very well-researched rant. Her premise is that our society rests on a base of bright, shiny gossamer thin bullshit. She differentiates “bullshit” and “lies” by stating the liars still know the
