Category Archives: Books

Frozen Hell by William R. Trotter(1991. Algonquin. ISBN 1565122496) When my old scoutmaster Arnie Erickson passed away, he left a legacy of service to youth, his church, his family, and his community. He also left William Trotter’s scholarly treatment of Finland’s … Continue reading →

Bruce by Peter Ames Carlin (2013. Touchtone (Kindle version) ISBN 9781439191835) Simultaneously reading biographies of two of America’s most beloved and iconic (and misunderstood) singer/songwriters is a first for me. I generally alternate between fiction and biography, rarely reading two … Continue reading →

Johnny Cash: The Life by Robert Hiburn (2013. Little Brown. ISBN 9780316194754) Like many kids of the 1950s, I grew up catching bits and pieces of the Man in Black’s life over the six decades he was one of country … Continue reading →

The Sand People by Jim Trainor (2013. Up North Press. ISBN 9781490936789) When an evangelical friend of mine sent me three of Trainor’s books for Christmas out of the blue (we don’t exchange gifts) and I looked at the title … Continue reading →

Sycamore Row by John Grisham (2013. Doubleday. ISBN 9780385537131) Jake Brigance, the down-and-out lawyer who defended African American Carl Lee of murder in Grisham’s debut novel, A Time to Kill, is back on center stage in this novel set in … Continue reading →

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (2012. Perennial. ISBN 9780061928178) Italy. Richard Burton. World War II. “The Pitch”. Illegitimacy. A tiny fishing village. Cancer. Punk rock. An aging talent scout/agent. “The Deal”. Each of these concepts/settings/attributes can be found interwoven with … Continue reading →

A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn by James Donovan (2008. Back Bay Books. ISBN 9780316067478) I am a huge Custerofile (I made that word up). I visited the battlefield where Custer and over 250 of his troopers perished … Continue reading →

Red Knife by William Kent Krueger (2008. Atria. ISBN 978-1-4165-5675-6) There is no question that Krueger is one of Minnesota’s most beloved and avidly read authors. Along with Brian Freeman, John Sanford, and Vince Flynn, he forms the North Star … Continue reading →

Great American Short Stories (Anthology. 1986. Watermill. ISBN 0-8167-0798-7) One of my three older sons left this book behind on the family bookshelf. It was likely an assigned text in an English class at Hermantown High School that either Matt, … Continue reading →

Under Two Flags by Ouida (Marie Louise Rame’) (Amazon Digital Services (Kindle version). ISBN B004NBYX28) Like many boys who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s, I was an avid reader of Classics Illustrated comic books. The series attempted, fairly … Continue reading →