I wanted to like this more than I did.   The writing is good; it’s not uninteresting, it’s not slow anywhere, it’s not a prose problem.   It’s a relatability problem, not because I grew …

Good for true-crime junkies, without as much of the self-promotion Douglas tends to indulge in elsewhere — with the exception of The Cases That Haunt Us, which I highly recommend, I’ve found his other books …

It’s very long, but the length is in the service of thoroughness, and it’s a lightning-fast read with a lot of insights into the defense case — who knew what, why they used certain strategies. …

The jokiness started to wear at the end, but it’s likeable prose and interesting behind-the-scenes stuff.   (1/31/04)

I have never read Hamlet. It’s probably the most famous play in the Western world, written by probably the most widely known playwright; the role is considered the apotheosis of the craft for actors. I …

It’s Monday again. I had a houseguest over the weekend, and while the houseguest rocked my world, the pile of work which I ignored in favor of houseguest fun times did not, and I have …

It’s Monday. I slept poorly last night, partly because I ate a snack about an hour before going to bed and had utterly bizarre chocolate-fueled dreams involving Tom Skerritt and a merry-go-round as a result, …

I know, I know. It’s got you up nights. You lie in your bed, staring at the ceiling, the minutes stretching into hours, and you toss and turn and punch your pillow and say to …

When I ask the Biscuit to hold my messenger bag for a second so I can re-layer my clothing or whatever, he often makes a big show of staggering underneath its weight. I usually greet …

Welcome to the first installment of The Canon According To Tomato Nation, a list of the books and authors you’ll find on my bookshelves (and in my closet, and stacked in piles beside my bed, …