All Things Wood are Good A Reverence for Wood, Eric Sloane (1965) Look, man, I'm going to keep this review very short. If you're familiar with Eric Sloane's books, you almost surely love Eric Sloane books. If you're not, you can go read my longer review of his A Museum of Early American Tools published a year … [Read more...]
Book Review: Connecticut Cryptids
Tales From the Cryptids Connecticut Cryptids, Patrick Scalisi & Illustrations by Valerie Ruby-Omen (2023) Never judge a book by its cover. And, usually, never judge a book by its Goodreads reviews. But always judge Goodreads reviewers by their idiotic reviews: That has to be one of the least self-aware … [Read more...]
Book Review: A Professor, A President, and a Meteor
Weston Rocks! A Professor, A President, and a Meteor, Cathryn J. Prince (2011) I was "friends" with Cathryn Prince for a year or so before meeting her in person at a book signing in 2011. 21st-century "friends." In other words, Twitter friends. A Connecticut resident and professor, Prince specializes in writing … [Read more...]
Book Review: Connecticut Created Cars
Speed Reading Connecticut Created Cars By Paul Pellerin I read this book in about 20 minutes while standing at Bloomfield's Prosser Library one random weeknight after work. I had been looking for something else, saw this, pulled it out of its slot and said to myself, "Hm, I can 'read' this book in 20 minutes and … [Read more...]
Book Review: Connecticut Firsts
But First... Connecticut Firsts, Bill Faude & John Friedland This book is a one-hundred or so page compendium of all the things that first happened, or were invented, in Connecticut. Well, that's not true, as it would be impossible to create a fully comprehensive list of all of those things. There are just too … [Read more...]
Book Review: Saint of Circumstance
Ain't of Circumstance Saint of Circumstance, Sheila Weller Alex Kelly is a serial rapist. I believe every woman who came forward with stories of Kelly's rapes and assaults in the 1980's. This book chronicles Kelly's life from childhood through his conviction in 1997. Want to know something crazy though? After … [Read more...]
CT Books, Movies, People, & Stories
Connecticut Books, People, & Essays I probably shouldn’t have ever begun reading and writing about Connecticut books. It’s just one of those lists that I can’t possibly “finish” in any meaningful way. But that’s fine, I don’t mind. If you’re is into books, I also review non-Connecticut hiking books and the Modern … [Read more...]
Book Review: Barkhamsted Lighthouse
You Never Know What Comes in My Mail... Barkhamsted Lighthouse By Kenneth Feder I'm on a current kick of ripping through a giant stack of books I've had stacked for years. Literally years. Literarily years? Literally. Many of these books are what I lump into the category of "Connecticut books," which surely … [Read more...]
Book Review: Connecticut Beer
From Nutmeg Beer to Beer with Nutmeg Connecticut Beer; A History of Nutmeg State Brewing By Will Siss Reading this book in 2019 is a surreal experience. At least for close watchers of the Connecticut brewery and beer scene. Published in 2015, Waterbury-American columnist and school teacher Will Siss simply could … [Read more...]
Book Review: Picture Book of Old Connecticut
Old Timey Sam Tuttle's Picture Book of Old Connecticut By Sam Tuttle... I think. I've no clue how I came to own this book, but it's been sitting in a pile of "Connecticut books" at my house for years. I'm on a recent kick to plow through that pile (and others) these days, so here we are. I don't really know … [Read more...]