Samuel Andresen-Anderson is a complicated man. An English professor at a small college, video game enthusiast, and failed author, he has a penchant for getting himself into morally ambiguous situations. He also has a habit of ruminating on where it all went wrong, which he can pinpoint to an exact moment in time: the day his mother abruptly abandoned him as a child. So … [Read more...]
Career, Marriage, and DC Politics Crash Together in ‘The Hopefuls’
I recently revealed that I'm running for office, so it's no surprise that a book about two young hopefuls moving to Washington, D.C. to pursue a career in politics would intrigue me. Plus, The Hopefuls is by Jennifer Close, whose book, The Smart One, was one I thoroughly enjoyed. Unsurprisingly, I quite enjoyed this one, as well.The Hopefuls follows Beth and Matt, two … [Read more...]
‘Dear Fang’ – A Story of Mental Illness and Human Nature
I started reading Dear Fang, With Love by Rufi Thorpe after it became increasingly popular in my Twitter feed. I didn't know what it was about but after reading the synopsis, I knew I had to pick it up (and invite the author to join in #30Authors!). In short, it's about a girl named Vera, the daughter of Lucas and Katya. They had her at a very young age and Lucas wasn't around … [Read more...]
‘Saving Capitalism’ is Comprehensive and Approachable
When I was in grad school I had to take a few economics classes and the one thing that was drilled into our heads was that, practically speaking, there's no such thing as a free market. That's because the market we know exists within the confines of laws and regulations. It sparked some great discussions but the concept that a free market doesn't exist in real life … [Read more...]
Ripped-From-the-Headlines’ “Mistress” Is Magnificent
From the first few pages of The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon, I knew I would be hooked. You see, the book is centered around the ripped-from-the-headlines disappearance of a NY State Supreme Court judge who just happened to go missing on the date of my anniversary: August 6. This is, of course, a complete coincidence, but it did intrigue me from the … [Read more...]