Featured Reviews

Treason's Harbour (1983) - Patrick O'Brian  (Grade:A-)

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His Majesty's Airship: The Life and Tragic Death of the World's Largest Flying Machine (2023) - S. C. Gwynne  (Grade:A)

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A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian : A Novel (2005) - Marina Lewycka  (Grade:B+)

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Possession: A Romance (1990) - A.S. [Antonia Susan] Byatt  (Grade:A+)

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The Greatest Gift: The Original Story That Inspired the Christmas Classic It's a Wonderful Life (1943) - Philip Van Doren Stern  (Grade:B)

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MOVIE REVIEWS:

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About Schmidt (2002) - Alexander Payne  (Grade:A-)

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Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) - John Hughes  (Grade:A-)

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Brothers Judd Daily

Brothers Judd QuasiDaily Bookmarks:
12/09/23:

Breaker Morant, also known as Harry Harbord Morant was born in Bridgwater, England on December 9, 1864. Read Orrin's review of Breaker Morant (1979) (directed by Bruce Beresford 1940-).

John Milton (1608-) was born in Cheapside, London on December 9, 1608. His masterpiece Paradise Lost (1667) was written after he went blind and took five years to complete.

Joel Chandler Harris (1848-1908) was born near Eatonton, GA on December 9, 1848. He wrote the terrific series of Uncle Remus stories.

Dalton Trumbo (1905-76), an unrepentant Communist justifiably blacklisted as part of the Hollywood Ten, was born in Montrose, CO on December 9, 1905. Read Orrin's review of his National Book Award winning Johnny Got His Gun (1939)(Grade: F)

Richard Llewellyn (1906-1983) was born in Wales on December 8, 1906. Read Orrin's review of How Green Was My Valley (1939)(Grade: A+)

Mary Gordon (1949-) was born on Long Island, NY on December 8, 1949.

Elsie Crisler Segar (1894-?), the creator of "Popeye," was born in Chester, IL on December 8, 1894.

James Thurber (1894-1961) was born in Columbus, OH on December 8, 1894. Brothers Judd recommends the Library of America collection: James Thurber: Writings and Drawings and Thurber on Crime (James Thurber 1894-1961)(edited by Robert Lopresti) (Read Orrin's review.)

Ron Hansen was born December 8, 1947. He was raised in Omaha, Nebraska. Read Orrin's review of Mariette in Ecstasy (1991) (Ron Hansen 1947-).

Hervey Allen (1889-1949), author of the epic historical novel Anthony Adverse (1933), was born in Pittsburgh, PA on December 8, 1889.

Willa Cather (1873-1947) was born near Winchester, VA on December 7, 1873. Read Orrin's review of Death Comes to the Archbishop (1927)(Grade: C)

Gunnar Myrdal (1898-1987) was born in Gustafs, Sweden on December 6, 1898.

Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918) was born in New Brunswick, NJ on December 6, 1886. Best remembered for his poem Trees, it seems likely that he is the only poet memorialized by having a Turnpike Rest Area named in his honor.

Walt Disney (1901-66) was born in Chicago, IL on December 5, 1901. Griffin Judd particularly recommends Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937).

Calvin Trillin (1935-) was born in Kansas City, MO on December 5, 1935. Brothers Judd recommends his very funny Tummy Trilogy.

Martin Van Buren (1782?1862) was born in Kinderhook, NY on December 5, 1782. He was the first non-Adams not to be reelected President.

George Armstrong Custer (1839-1876) was born in New Rumley, OH on December 5, 1839. Read Orrin's review of The Fatal Environment : The Myth of the Frontier in the Age of Industrialization, 1800-1890 (1985)(Richard Slotkin) (Grade: B-)

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) was born in Nottinghamshire, ENG on December 4, 1835. Read Orrin's review of The Way of All Flesh (1903)

Rainer Maria Rilke was born in Prague on December 4, 1875. The Brothers Judd recommend Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge (1910) (Rainer Maria Rilke 1875-1926)(translated by Stephen Mitchell)

Joseph (Jozef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski) Conrad (1857-1924) was born in Berdichev, Poland (now Ukraine) on December 3, 1857. Read Orrin's reviews of Lord Jim (1900)(Grade: B), Heart of Darkness (1902)(Grade: A), & The Secret Agent (1920)(Grade: B)