World War 2 remains notorious for the frequency of bombs used during the conflict. Bombs, conventional and atomic, blasted places like Hiroshima, London, Tokyo, and many cities in Germany. Because of the horror and scale of the damage, these places overshadow, to some extent, what happened in the Spanish town of Guernica on April 26 […]
Tag: Nazi Germany
The Last Rose of Shanghai – Rob’s Latest Book Review
I had high hopes for The Last Rose of Shanghai by Weina Dai Randel. High enough that I semi-broke one of my personal rules, which is to avoid World War 2 historical fiction. Why do I avoid World War 2 books? Because they’re so ubiquitous. Every writer has a World War 2 novel, it seems. […]
The American Agent by Jacqueline Winspear – An Unbiased Review
Because I like to read a range of things, and because it seemed the most attractive book on the featured shelf at my local library when I stopped in, I read The American Agent by Jacqueline Winspear recently. It’s part of a series featuring Jacqueline Winspear’s famous heroine, Maisie Dobbs. The book appeared in 2019. […]
Patriotism vs Nationalism. What’s the Difference? Does it Matter?
Of course the question of patriotism vs nationalism matters. Otherwise, why post about it? The better question, of course, is why the difference matters. That’s what I want to explore today. Patriotism vs Nationalism: What Patriotism Is The definition of patriotism, at its base, is wanting to see one’s country do well. Cheering your national […]
Dr. Seuss: Not Just a Children’s Author
Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, is one of the most beloved children’s authors in the United States. Although he died in 1991, the stories of Dr. Seuss continue to delight and amuse young audiences across the nation. Just today, the college where I teach held its annual Dr. Suess Day. There was […]
Fascism’s Characteristics
Recently, I’ve noticed that plenty of commentators in the press and in politics have found it fashionable to label political figures they do not like as fascists. One consequence is that the meaning of the word has morphed to the extent that many people have no real idea what fascism’s characteristics are. Most of us […]