reviews

Drama Drowns in the Details... Author:  Stephen Harding It was May 1945.  Hitler was dead and Germany’s total and unconditional surrender was imminent.  But the war was not quite over and tucked away in a 700 year old castle in the picturesque mountains of western Austria was a misfit collection of important French dignitaries who had been imprisoned for two years.  They weren’t going to free themselves and there were still plenty of Himmler’s loyal Waffen-SS troops wandering the countryside, looking to prove their devotion to the Nazi cause.   As the Allied forces drew ever closer, the lives of the [...]

Star City, We Have a Problem... Author:  Jerry Linenger It may be the most dangerous of occupations, claiming the lives of close to 5% of all participants.  The combined risk of a launch aboard the most powerful engines ever built and the inherent hazards of the void of space explain why being an astronaut – or cosmonaut or taikonaut – is so perilous.  Despite the danger, competition for flights into space has always been fierce, with the coveted spots being awarded to only the very best and brightest.  Jerry Linenger certainly fits the mold and following an initial career as [...]

Snidely Whiplash Lives! Author:  Chuck Klosterman I’m confident that at least a few people really hate Chuck Klosterman.   Maybe many.  He’s inordinately brainy and sarcastic, rather funny looking and is the kind of guy who likes to poke and prod any sacred cows he can find.  Moreover, as far as I can tell he knows more about popular culture – sports, TV, blogs, politics, movies – than anyone on the planet.  Lastly, he takes great joy in showing off the vast expanse of his knowledge, to an annoying extent at times.  Over the past couple decades the man has achieved [...]