Nicholas Bruner
Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Young Adult Author
Tag: history
What I’m Reading: White Trash
No, White Trash is not the latest southern Gothic pulp romance; rather, as its subtitle reads, it’s The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America, a 2016 book by Nancy Isenberg. In America we have a tendency to think of ourselves as a classless society,… Continue Reading “What I’m Reading: White Trash”
What I’m Reading: Town, City & Nation: England, 1850-1914
Working on my newest novel (it’s going well, thank you!) has taken its toll on my posting frequency lately, that and that my most recent book doesn’t lend itself to much light discussion. Town, City & Nation: England, 1850-1914 is a real academic book. But… Continue Reading “What I’m Reading: Town, City & Nation: England, 1850-1914”
What I’m Reading: The Race Underground
The Race Underground by Doug Most is an account of the race at the end of the 19th century between Boston and New York to build America’s first subway. Actually, the title is somewhat of an exaggeration–it wasn’t much of a race, as Boston won… Continue Reading “What I’m Reading: The Race Underground”
What I’m Reading: Goya
Goya, by Robert Hughes, is a big, thick, beautifully-written account of Francisco Goya’s life, with a lavishly generous selection of many dozens of Goya’s paintings and etchings included. I first picked it up at a book sale, amazed that such a gorgeous art book… Continue Reading “What I’m Reading: Goya”
What I’m Reading: Song of the Vikings
Song of the Vikings, by Nancy Marie Brown, gives us the story of Snorri Sturluson, a wealthy and powerful Icelandic landowner of the early 1200s who at one point was as close as Iceland ever got to a native king. He lived a full and… Continue Reading “What I’m Reading: Song of the Vikings”
What I’m Reading: City of Scoundrels
City of Scoundrelsby Gary Krist is historical non-fiction covering the story of a particularly horrific week-and-a-half in the history of Chicago, specifically, July 21st to July 31st 1919. The experimental flight of an airship kicked the eleven days off when it caught fire above… Continue Reading “What I’m Reading: City of Scoundrels”
What I’m Reading: The Life of Samuel Johnson
There’s little I can say about James Boswell’s Life of Samuel Johnson that hasn’t been said before, and better. Thus, I won’t attempt a real review, but I’ll just put down some of my observations. It is simply the best biography and one of the most entertaining books in the… Continue Reading “What I’m Reading: The Life of Samuel Johnson”
