After months on my sidebar, I finally sat down and finished reading Estelle Freedman’s No Turning Back: The History of Feminism and the Future of Women. Freedman has managed to write a history and a survey of global feminism that is at once accessible, activist and academic.
The compact size and the colorful comic-inspired cover […]

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I’m culling books (dozens of them) and thought that some of you might be interested in the following titles. If one looks enticing to you, email me or leave a comment below, and I’ll send you the copy (or hand it to you if you live in SoCal). Merry Christmas!

One […]

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The Science Fiction Bibliophile in me couldn’t resist this meme, even though I’m sure it’s spread by SF booksellers. I hope to destroy your productivity today (I feel less guilt because it’s the day before Thanksgiving). I’m miffed that some books are included (Deathbird Stories by Harlan Ellison) and others not (Doomsday Book […]

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If you find examples of fallacious logic, unfounded stereotyping or other hateful prose, post it in the comments here.  Please remember to include the chapter and page number.

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This month, I’d like to experiment with a reading group. It will have two main components:

Weekly posts on interesting points brought up by the book and a concluding, in-depth review. The weekly posts would give any of you reading the book to be involved in a dialogue about the book. I hope that […]

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If you didn’t think I was crazy before, this will leave you with little doubt:
*drum roll*
Introducing…my summer reading list!
Since my favorite variety of voyeurism is sneaking peeks at people’s bookshelves, I guess this is the online booklist equivalent of throwing my trenchcoat open to you. Please don’t pursue the metaphor any further.
American Religious History:
Most […]

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I’m deeply immersed in my U. S. religious history readings, and I find myself continually amazed at how relevant to the here and now all this old stuff is. For example, The Democratization of American Christianity recounts the religious revolution of the early to mid- 1800s revivals, when uneducated, rural preachers rebelled against the […]

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Last night we finally buckled down to watch Mel Gibson’s Passion of Christ. I received the DVD from NetFlix weeks ago; every day for the past month it sat on the shelf, its red envelope a baleful reminder of the bloody spectacle that awaited me.
Some friends offered to baby-sit at the last minute, […]

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On my monitor at work is a quote from Diderot: “Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.” In Exuberance: The Passion for Life, Kay Redfield Jamison, professor of psychology and MacArthur fellow, explores and even celebrates the our capacity for play, passion and enthusiasm.
And what a ride it is! […]

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The following is an abridged and edited version of a review I wrote for Irreantum, a periodic review of Mormon literature.
I purchased Grace Notes: The Waking of a Woman’s Voice after hearing author Heidi Hart speak about her interfaith marriage. Hart was raised a Mormon, was married in the temple, and […]

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