Review: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man / Dubliners

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man / Dubliners by James Joyce
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: The Gospel of Thomas: A New Vision of the Message of Jesus

The Gospel of Thomas: A New Vision of the Message of Jesus by Elaine Pagels
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: My Friend Leonard

My Friend Leonard by James Frey
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Audible audiobook edition narrated by Andy Paris.

Following investigations by The Smoking Gun and a famous confrontation with Oprah Winfrey, it was revealed that many parts of Frey’s memoirs were exaggerated or fabricated.
Authenticity: Frey later admitted that "significant" portions of his relationship with Leonard—including a three-month jail term they shared at the start of the second book—were invented.

Real Identity: While Leonard was presented as a real person, critics and investigators have questioned his existence or the degree to which he was fictionalized, noting that many of his "larger-than-life" exploits lack corroborating evidence.

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Review: Weather Forecasting: The Country Way

Weather Forecasting: The Country Way by Robin Page
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Review: The Immortal Game: A History of Chess, or How 32 Carved Pieces on a Board Illuminated Our Understanding of War, Art, Science and the Human Brain

The Immortal Game: A History of Chess, or How 32 Carved Pieces on a Board Illuminated Our Understanding of War, Art, Science and the Human Brain by David Shenk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: Not a Very Good Murderer

Not a Very Good Murderer by Ronan Farrow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: Front Lines: A Lifetime of Drawing Resistance

Front Lines: A Lifetime of Drawing Resistance by Susan Simensky Bietila
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

See my review in the upcoming Spring 2026 issue of Fifth Estate.

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