Reader’s Diary

Belinda Rathbone

Walker Evans, arguably the single most important American photographer, was, according to Belinda Rathbone’s biography, an interesting man but not a nice one.  He benefited throughout his life from people who cut him more slack than he could reasonably have expected.

Rathbone writes knowledgeably about Evans’s work and his role as an influence and mentor to photographers who came of creative age in the 60′s and 70′s and pays particular attention to his relationship with Robert Frank.

Evans is known for his pictures from the 1930′s.  Rathbone shows that his most  famous work was done in an 18-month period during that troubled decade.  While taking his pay from the FSA he shunned relationships with the agency’s other photographers and though a great influence on the FSA’s work he resisted direction.  After the FSA years he worked for Fortune Magazine. That job might have been too easy, too undemanding for somebody whose great talent was not matched with great discipline.  I was left with the impression that he could have accomplished much more.

Taylor Anderson

This rousing conclusion to the “Destroyermen” series nicely ends the trilogy’s story arc but also sets things up for the additional books that are coming.

Taylor Anderson

This is the second book in the “Destroyermen” series and, unlike most middle-of-the-trilogy books, this maintains the  pace and interest of the first one while introducing a couple of good plot surprises.

Taylor Anderson

This is the first book of the “Destroyermen” series.  During World War II an aging destroyer finds itself in an alternate Earth inhabited by intelligent monkey/cat-like creatures  descended from lemurs and their implacable enemy, man-sized warlike reptiles.  This is a “Connecticut Yankee genre” book reminiscent of  the “Lost Regiment” series.  It’s a good read that starts out slow but grows in interest by middle of book.

William R. Forstchen

This is probably the most terrifying post-apocalyptic novel I’ve ever read, and believe me, I’ve read a few.   After an unknown enemy detonates electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons the residents of a small North Carolina town have to learn to survive in a world with little food, no cars, and almost no medical care.  “One Second After” is scary, plausible, and emotionally moving.  It forces the reader to think about just how dependent we are on our technology.

R. Cameron Cooke

In this sequel to “Pride Runs Deep” Cooke’s hero Jack Tremain returns to the Pacific in command of the submarine Whitefin.  He defies orders to hunt – Ahab-like – the Japanese destroyer that sunk his earlier command.  It’s a solid historical techno-thriller but unfortunately the character development that distinguished its predecessor takes a back seat to somewhat implausible action as Tremain finds himself fighting ashore with guerrillas in the Philippines.