Brady Johnson
28 Apr 2016
‘The Machete Season’ brutally depicts genocide
The book “The Machete Season” by Jean Hatzfeld is an account of not the victims of this genocide, but the perpetrators. The author interviewed a group of men who were convicted of murdering countless Tutsi people. The novel is a chilling account of how one day a group of average people can turn into mass murderers.
14 Apr 2016
'The Epic of Gilgamesh' offers unique insight into ancient history
Having been written roughly in 1800 B.C., “The Epic of Gilgamesh” is the oldest surviving piece of literature, at nearly 4000 years old. Written by the Sumerians in the city state of Ur, in the Dhi Qar province of modern Iraq, “The Epic of Gilgamesh” is a tale of the eponymous god king.
07 Apr 2016
The novel 'Gulag Archipelago' offers a frightening look at the Soviet Union
“A man is happy so long as he chooses to be happy and nothing can stop him.” Not a quote one might expect to be written by a prisoner in one of the Soviet prison camps known as a gulag, but Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is the author of the quote and a former prisoner of several infamous gulags.
23 Mar 2016
'The Godfather' novel just as absorbing as its film adaptation
While many of us have seen the 1972 film “The Godfather” fewer of us have read the novel by the same name of which it was based. Written in 1969 by the Italian American author Mario Puzo, “The Godfather” is every bit as thrilling as the film.
10 Mar 2016
'A Happy Death,' a little-known precursor to renowned author
While many of us are familiar with the novel “The Stranger” by Albert Camus, less know the book that it was originally supposed to be. “A Happy Death” is the novel that Camus had written originally. The novel was nearly lost, as Camus did not publish it after writing it, instead opting to leave it alone. While it was written between 1936-1938 it was not published until the year 1971, more than 10 years after the death of Camus.
02 Mar 2016
'The Golden Ass,' Rome's oldest surviving novel, still appeals today
"The Golden Ass," written by Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis around the years 170-180 AD, is the only ancient Roman novel surviving in its entirety. Written nearly two thousand years ago, this book is just as interesting today as it was then.
24 Feb 2016
'Congo Mercenary' a visceral, rewarding experience
Congo Mercenary by “Mad” Mike Hoare, is a thrilling account of the true story of the five commando, a mercenary group hired to put down a communist rebellion in the Republic of the Congo. Now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a west African nation, has a long and troubled history.
