Novel
Calvin and Hobbs
These books were a godsend for a lonely, only child. I can’t think of a character I connected with more as a child. A precocious only child, check. His main company is his stuffed animal, check. Spends most of his day lost in his imagination, check. Thank you Bill Watterson.
By Atomic Historian2 years ago in Critique
X-Men: The Animated Series
Let’s be honest, X-Men: The Animated Series made the Marvel Cinematic Universe what it is. If this show didn’t exist, they’re would have been far less hype over the X-Men movie in 2000. This show was amazing from the theme song, to every plot line. We love and miss it.
By Atomic Historian2 years ago in Critique
The Managerial Revolution
There are few books that have had such a large influence on my life. The Managerial Revolution by James Burnham is one of the few that have changed my life's trajectory entirely. It is a fascinating, insightful, and contemporaneous look at the conflict between Fascism, Communism, and the New Deal.
By Atomic Historian2 years ago in Critique
Extremely Bad
Have you ever been asked, “What’s the worst book you’ve read?” I am often asked this when people find out my passion for literature. I always answer the same: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink. This book is exhaustingly unreadable. I stopped after the second chapter. I want my time back.
By Atomic Historian2 years ago in Critique
“Moby-Dick; or, The Whale” - Critique
What a whale of a tale—in size, at least. This story is more whaling, symbolism, and droning than substance. Unpopular in its day, it has made a remarkable turnaround, although maybe not deserved, and influenced generations of American literature and writers. Is it an American classic? Only in the classroom.
By Stephanie Hoogstad2 years ago in Critique
The Famous Five
Stories full of mystery and adventure written for the young and old alike. With high tales of courage and friendship, this series sparked my lifelong love for reading when I was but a child. Enid Blyton graced many a long, lonesome night with her ability to awaken my youthful imagination.
By Sian N. Clutton2 years ago in Critique
Catcher in the Rye? More Like Poop Flung from on High
Except for the underlying theme of rebellion against authority, Catcher in the Rye offers little to warrant its nearly universal star status. It mercilessly assaults readers with melodrama, whining, and endless, pathetic attempts at cleverness. Accurately portraying its fundamental horribleness would take more words than comprised in the book itself.
By Brent Tharp2 years ago in Critique
Fifty Shades of Grey
I gave this series a chance because of all the fuss happening online. I was left confused how a minimally edited book series got published by a big publisher. The silver lining is maybe I actually have a shot at getting published if E.L. James could.
By Elizabeth Lew2 years ago in Critique
The Catcher In The Rye
The Catcher in the Rye is a tortuous tale of one boy's experience of life as a teenager, transitioning from innocence to experience. It is an angst-ridden story of alienation and rebellion, loss and connection, sex and depression, authenticity and superficiality. It is in short about a coming of age.
By Liam Ireland2 years ago in Critique
The All-England Summarize Proust Competition
In Search of Lost Time, written between 1910-1920 Childhood darkens somberly mature while 1880 transitions to 1920. Time is only recoverable through the incidental sensation of the moment, reviving past memories. Dissimulation of complex personal secrets. Densest of books, sensitive universally: a psychedelic soap-opera. Nothing is what it seems: not-so-secretly advocates homosexuality. A true Swann Song: politely told.
By Rob Angeli2 years ago in Critique
