Category Archives: American Literature

Fleeing Fundamentalism by Carlene Cross

American Literature September 9, 2012 Superfast Reader 4 Comments

Synopsis: The wife of a fundamentalist pastor details her years of abuse at the hands of her hypocritical husband. Review: A friend of mine recommended Fleeing Fundamentalism after hearing that I’d been digging into books on polygamy. Honestly, these kinds of stories are the only kinds of memoirs I want to read–stories about women dealing with extreme personal situations. I definitely appreciated Carlene Cross’s insight into her particular situation, but as is generally the case I was disappointed in the theology-lite. Sadly, Cross came to…

Breed by Chase Novak

American Literature September 9, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: After seeking fertility treatments from a Slovenian doctor, a wealthy Manhattan couple gets in touch with their animal side, and their kids might be the ones to pay the ultimate price. Review:

The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle

American Literature September 7, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: Pepper’s not mentally ill, but he’s in a mental hospital nonetheless, and he wants to get out before his automatic bill payments drain his checking account–and before he’s stalked and destroyed by the devil who lives behind the silver door at the end of the hall. Review: I rarely cry when I read books. Like, I’m talking under ten times in my whole reading life. So when I tell you that the end of The Devil in Silver moved me to tears, you get…

The Sound and the Echoes by Dew Pellucid

American Literature September 4, 2012 Superfast Reader 1 Comment

Synopsis: All humans are “Sounds” with “Echoes” in the echo world, and when a Sound dies, the Echo must be killed, so when a boy discovers that his Echo is a prince, he quickly realizes that there is a target on his back. Review: The Sound and the Echoes is a middle-grade fantasy with an intriguing concept. For me, I felt like there were too many rules, but I think that’s because I’m a grown up not a kid. I’m curious to see what Amanda…

The Serpent’s Bite by Warren Adler

American Literature September 4, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: When troubled siblings head into the wilderness with their aging father, their hopes to secure their inheritance lead them to make unfathomable choices, even as their guide succumbs to alcoholism. Review: I really try to avoid posting negative reviews–when I don’t like a book, I just won’t finish reading it. But for some reason I kept reading The Serpent’s Bite even though I wasn’t really enjoying it, and since author Warren Adler has written a ton of books I think he can probably weather…

The Stone Girl by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

American Literature August 28, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: A high school girl is overcome by anorexia. Review: I liked the writing in The Stone Girl, but I’m not sure it offered anything new to this particular subgenre of troubled teen lit. I was caught up in Sethie’s story, in her desire for a guy who we know isn’t a good one, and her descent into anorexia, but I’m a sucker for that kind of thing even if it’s not particularly original. Many thanks to Random House Children’s Books for the review copy.

Considering the Lilies by Harold Hanson

American Literature August 24, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: A reflection in words and photos of the wild lilies flowering in the Shenandoah Valley. Review: I loved this Considering the Lilies. It’s heartfelt and well-observed. I don’t live in this area of the US, so it’s not all that useful as a reference, but it’s a great inspiration for some Charlotte Mason-inspired nature study.

The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement by Jean M. Twenge and W. Keith Campbell

American Literature August 22, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: A sociologic look at the increase of narcissism in American culture. Review: In The Narcissim Epidemic, as Dr. Jean Twenge’s previous book, the authors parsed similar data from psychological studies over the decades to see that overall Americans are scoring more highly on narcissistic traits than before. It’s a little sad to see that there’s empirical data to show that yes, we really are a nation of self-obsessed assholes. But I’m writing this while watching “So You Think You Can Dance” and the humility…

Generation Me by Jean M. Twenge

American Literature August 18, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: Subtitled: Why Today’s Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled–and More Miserable Than Ever Before. Review: I picked up Generation Me after hearing Dr. Jean M. Twenge interviewed on The White Horse Inn, a favorite podcast of mine. While I really appreciated the depth and breadth of her research, and agree with many of her conclusions (particularly the importance of teaching self-control instead of self-esteem), I lost her when she began interpolating her own opinions on child rearing. Her derision (as a childless person)…

Motherland by Amy Sohn