By Bill WilliamsAuden Schendler believes that climate change is the “defining problem of our time” – one that demands another American Revolution.This is hardly a new message. Many others, including former Vice President Al Gore, have said much the same thing. Getting Green Done does offer useful tips and strategies, but in the end it is not clear if Schendler is optimistic or … [Read more...]
ArtsPaper Books: Picoult’s ‘Handle With Care’ is gripping, heartbreaking
Writer Jodi Picoult.By Aviva L. BrandtIt’s every mother-to-be’s worst nightmare: To find out that the baby she is carrying has a health condition that will cause it to either die at birth or face a life of excruciating pain and disability.In Handle With Care, her 16th novel, Jodi Picoult (pronounced PEE’-koh) takes her readers inside that nightmare, telling a heartbreaking … [Read more...]
Book reviews: ‘The Soloist,’ and three others worth reading
By Bill WilliamsOne of the best things about being a book reviewer is discovering new titles that capture the imagination, stir the soul or are just plain enjoyable to read. Another reward is getting to tell friends and readers about worthwhile titles.With that in mind, here are four recent books that stand out:The Soloist: A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship and the … [Read more...]
Book review: Plummer’s ‘In Spite of Myself’ a delightful read
Christopher Plummer.By Hap ErsteinTwelve years ago, as he was working his way towards Broadway with a biographical play called Barrymore that would win him his second Tony Award, I interviewed Christopher Plummer at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Manalapan.And while I knew I was treading on dangerous ground, I felt a journalistic obligation to bring up The Sound of Music, knowing it … [Read more...]