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Last Update 7/16/26
Appalachia in the Hunger Games by Elizabeth Baird Hardy, McFarland, 2026, $39.99, ISBN 978-1476670614
The title pretty much tells you what this book is about. It is not a subject that particularly interests me because, among other things, I did not like the Hunger Games series, or the movies adapted from it. The book describes areas in which Collins drew on authentic elements of Appalachia - cultural values, attitudes, the geographical location, the level of industrial development, and so on. I skimmed a lot of this that was of no interest to me, although others will certainly differ about its significance. It's well written, so if you're interested, request that your library acquire a copy because the price is pretty stiff for a paperback. 7/16/26
The Evolution of Useful Things by Henry Petroski, Vintage, 1994
I bought this thinking it would be a history of how common objects came to have their current forms. The first chapter, which explains how forks evolved from knives, is what I was looking for. Alas, most of the rest of the book is about abstract items, like innovation being a response to failure, the inventor as critic of contemporary behavior, and so on. There were bits and pieces of what I was looking for, but they were scattered and sometimes not entirely clear. What the book actually is about was intermittently interesting, but it was not what I was looking for so ultimately I was disappointed. 7/1/26
Rommel's Desert War by Samuel W. Mitcham, Jove, 1982
This is a well organized account of the Afrika Corps and its exploits in North Africa during World War II. Rommel's brilliant and charismatic leadership allowed him to fend off defeat from a far superior force for a very long time. The author avers that the common belief that German tanks were sturdier than those used by the Allies is false, which contradicts other reputable sources I've read on the subject. His admiration for Rommel's personal qualities is pretty obvious. He correctly points out that control of a vast area of desert was not going to affect the war for either side, but Rommel's presence tied up a substantial part of the Allied army that might otherwise have been used against Germany in Europe. 7/22/26
Living Fossils, Lost Worlds, Last Humans by Howard V. Hendrix, McFarland, 2026, $55, ISBN 978-1476696324
The price tag on this book is daunting but you should urge your library to get a copy because it's full of fascinating bits of knowledge. The general subject is the extinction of species, the survival of certain examples of a class of life that has otherwise disappeared, including human civilizations, some aspects of evolutionary theory, and associated subjects. I suspect that parts of the book were published as separate essays at some point. Brought together, and with occasional references to science fiction speculations, they kept me reading very late last night. There were bits and pieces with which I was already familiar, just enough that the bulk of the book filled in gaps, suggested other areas that I should look at, and provided a generalized overview that was like assembling puzzle pieces into a recognizable picture. This is one of the best books McFarland has published and well worth reading for those who want a different perspective on the subject matter. 6/20/26
The Plot to Seize the White House by Jules Archer, Skyhorse, 2015
In 1943, a group of wealthy Americans decided to stage a coup and replace FDR, either making him a figurehead or retiring him for reasons of health. They had even picked their new leader, General Smedley Butler, who was very well known at the time and a first class orator. They quietly approached him and while he apparently was appalled from the outset, he played along in order to learn the details. Ultimately, of course, the plot failed, in large part because of Butler. They don't teach this in high school history classes naturally, because Americans aren't like that. Nor were the conspirators ever punished for their crimes because they were too powerful, a condition that has repeated itself since then, more than once. I suspect that we will see the same thing after Trump is out of power. This account is thorough but it has an annoying element that makes me suspicious of its accuracy. On more than one occasion, the author describes the movements or thoughts of Butler when he was all alone. This is fiction. Fiction has no place in a series history account. I would never read another book by Archer. 6/19/26
Monster Relics in Medieval English Literature by Christopher Lee Pipkin, McFarland, 2026, $39.95, ISBN 9781476692294
The Undead in World Mythology and Folklore by Theresa Bane, McFarland, 2026, $49.95, ISBN 9781476695617
These are vaguely related in that they both have strong mythological elements as their main focus. The first is for a somewhat specialized interest although general readers will find parts of it of interest. The focus is on monster relics - i.e. severed heads, fabulous weapons, or other remnants of the presumably fallen foe which are displayed to prove the prowess of the hero, and which in themselves inspire awe and even devotion from the other characters. I was particularly taken by the author's point that it is a parallel phenomenon to the relics of saints venerated by the church. The prose is very accessible - avoiding the stiltedness of some academic books, and is well organized. The second title was of more interest to me personally. It is a mini-encyclopedia of the depictions of the dead/undead as developed in many cultures. Ghosts, vampires, zombies, etc. were described in very different terms in India, Japan, various parts of Europe, Africa, Tibet, Jamaica, etc. The author provides brief summaries of each variation - blautsaugers, drekavac, isithfuntela, and so on. The price on both books is pretty stiff, but in the latter case, it's a book that will find a prominent place on my reference shelves. 4/29/26
Nuclear War by Annie Jacobsen, Torva, 2024
This is a well researched and rather scary description of what a nuclear might be like. The author’s premise is that a single North Korean ICBM is launched at the US, which hesitates to respond because a nuclear strike would kill millions of Chinese and presumably cause them to launch their own missiles. An awful lot of things have to be decided and done within less than half an hour. Of course, the book assumes that there would be intelligent people in those critical government positions instead of the circus clowns currently running this country. The outcome speculated here is the destruction of civilization and possibly the extinction of the human race. One might argue that this is fiction rather than non-fiction, but it’s a little of both. 3/27/26
Batman and the Classics by Michael D. Nichols, McFarland, 2026, $49.95, ISBN 978-1476697222
Batman is really the only DC superhero whom I actually enjoy, although I have missed the last couple of movies. This is an unusual take on the subject. The author uses graphic novels, movies, and other aspects of the character and relates them to classic works of literature. For example, some of Batman's exploits mirror those of Beowulf or Odysseus. The book explores those correlations and uses them to provide new interpretations of the Batman materials. Some of the similarities may be intentional but most, I think, result from the classic heroic adventures becoming part of our shared cultural background so that modern creators are drawing upon the classics sometimes without even realizing that they are doing so. Whatever your interpretation, the discussions here are generally quite interesting. 3/22/26
A Bloody War by Hal Lawrence, Bantam, 1979
This is the personal account of the author’s experience during World War II. He was a naval lieutenant who was involved with convoy escorts and anti-submarine warfare. His stories are similar to those I’ve read in other memoirs, interesting but ultimately unmemorable simply because so many others had similar experiences. The uniqueness in this one is that he served in the Canadian navy, which alters the perspective and some of the details. His prose style is okay but occasionally awkward. There are some illustrations and maps. 3/18/26
Hellboy and the Apocalyptic Imagination by Aaron Ricker, McFarland, 2026, $55, ISBN 978-1476696355
Hellboy always struck me as an interesting premise for a character, essentially a demon who is heroic. He originated in comic books, but there have been four live action films - of which I've seen two - and I think some animated things as well. This is an examination of the character from primarily a religious perspective - Christ and Anti-Christ, the internal conflict between good and evil, and obviously the Apocalypse. Although academic in concept, the text is quite accessible and there are interesting discussions of the films in particular. I enjoyed reading it but the price for less than 140 pages seems a little high. But almost everything seems ridiculously expensive lately, so maybe it isn't. Could have used some illustrations. 3/14/26
Serial Killer Fiction by David Geherin, McFarland, 2026, $49.95, ISBN 978-1476697062
This is mostly a survey of 42 novels and 22 films based on books involving serial killers. They are suspense novels rather than horror, suspense rather than gore. I have only read ten of the novels involved although several others sounded interesting enough to add to my want list. A couple of them seemed to me to stretch the definition a bit. Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians is more of a multiple murder novel than it is about a serial killer. Serial killers, I think, lack a specific motive directed at a specific group of people. The analyses of the works are necessarily brief, but they are quite insightful and interesting. This was a good selection overall although I was surprised not to see Cat of Many Tails by Ellery Queen. Some of the movies also sounded interesting. Reads very smoothly. 1/12/26
The Flash Gordon Serials 1936-1940 by Roy Kinnard, Tony Crnkovich, & R.J. Vitone, McFarland, 2026, $39.95, ISBN 978-1476695914
As it happens, I collect cliffhanger serials, so I had more than a passing interest in this book. There were three Flash Gordon serials starring Buster Crabbe, with forty individual episodes. This book covers all of them in some detail and provides about two hundred photographs as well. The quality of the photographs is really outstanding. The authors provide commentary including background information, a critique, and bits and pieces about the productions and the cast. Although the price is high for a paperback, this one is really worth it if you have any interest at all in a genre that has not existed for decades. This was a welcome surprise to start the new year. 1/7/26
