From Nov. 24, CD Review: Blues Guitar Women is not only an extraordinarily detailed look at the CD in mention, but it includes gypsyman's personal thoughts and observations of these amazing women.
Kay Bell weighs in with her opinion of Shopgirl and of comedians turning over a new leaf. More than that, she provides thoughtful perspective: "I think the real message in all these films is that it is damn hard to find, much less maintain, personal connections in today's hectic world." Look for that sentence for even more insightful commentary about timing, comedy, tragedy, and life itself.
Movie Review: Capote by David Wester, Nov. 21
Capote is boffo. No, really, David says so. But even without considering David's great choice of words, his review of Phillip Seymour Hoffman's new film would have been worth reading simply for his description of the gentle monotony of Kansas. And hey, Chris Cooper's in it, too.
Review: Beasts of No Nation by Tim Gebhart, Nov. 25
Tim's review of this critically-hailed short novel by Harvard graduate Uzodinma Iweala manages to capture both the author's Ivy-League origin and the plight of the African youth whose story he has told. In short, this is a literary (and literate) review — and it also reveals Tim's own emotional response to the story.
Review: Rogue State: How a Nuclear North Korea Threatens America by William L. Triplett II by Damian Penny, Nov. 24
"It's one thing to blow yourself up thinking there are 72 virgins waiting for you..., but something else to give your life when your ideology precludes belief in a deity greater than Kim Jong-Il." Whether that's a paraphrased quote from Triplett, or his own synopsis of the book, Damian has neatly packaged the alarming central theme. Even better, he accurately cites the problems with Triplett's work.
Review: Walking it Off by Doug Peacock by John Spivey, Nov. 21
Wilderness might be author Doug Peacock's salvation, but John shows us that it is human society that is terra incognita for the Vietnam vet. His excellent review manages to introduce us not only to Peacock's memoir, but also to the fiction written by his friend, Edward Abbey, who based the main character of The Monkey Wrench Gang on Peacock.
Review: 'Tis by Frank McCourt by Scott Butki, Nov. 20
I read 'Tis first, and remember wondering what all the fuss over author Frank McCourt was about. Scott read Angela's Ashes first, and he brings that perspective to his review of McCourt's second memoir, and cites two excellently-chosen excerpts in evidence of the reason for his disappointment.
Article comments
1 - Matthew T. Sussman
Nice GIF action Temple.
2 - DrPat
Hey -- I love the graphics, makes it very SWISHHhh (not gay, man, but the sound the basketball makes going through the hoop!)
3 - Mat Brewster
Thanks for the pick. Um, where do I send my choice?
4 - Connie Phillips
Great graphics, Temple! Very Nice touch!
5 - Norbela
Congratulations to all who were picked this week!!!
6 - Temple Stark
Mat. I'm going to send out an e-mail to those chosen this week.
On the 40/60 chance that I don't however my e-mail for this is writer @ templestark.com
7 - kirsten
Hey! Thanks for the pick -- appreciate it.
Not to make excuses for myself or anything, but I did realize after the fact, that I'd spelled Jolie's name incorrectly. L'horreur! I tried to go in and edit it, but must have been having one of those days, because I couldn't even find it in the archives. Thanks to Temple for going in and fixing it up all nice...!
8 - Scott Butki
Thanks for picking me. I'm honored.
9 - gypsyman
I just wanted to comment on Dave's article on John F. Kennedy. This must be one of the best political posts I have ever read. Period. It's true for the whole damn world unfortunately. There are no leaders anymore, we have a bunch of people too scared to risk losing an re election to do anything as daring as even L.B.J. did in America. People forget that it was actually under him that the civil rights legislation was enacted: as Dave rightly points out who knows what would have happened to Kennedy if he had been around until 68 and had to deal with Vietnam like L.B.J.
A great post from someone I hardly ever agree with, which makes it all the better. Well done Dave.
10 - Victor Lana
Thanks for picking my post, Deekay. That one means a lot to me.
11 - LegendaryMonkey
I'm late to this, but I LOVE the new look.
However... remind me to bite you or otherwise stomp angrily around over something.
12 - Intrepid Swine
Hippie ass shit. And I should know.
13 - pogblog
That black banner with the white writing is darn cool. Congratulations to someone.
14 - Temple Stark
I thought I had replied poglog but I guess not.
I was going to design a new button, but that seemed too hard at the moment I was thinking. So I flipped up (as in I designed) the banners the same day I put up the picks.
Glad they were met with favor.
-temple