Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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I'm left-handed! (Learn more about this Cannonballer: Halbs's Quick Questions interview.)

Halbs's Reviews:

The First Time that Willie Nelson Steered Me Wrong (Maybe)

The Mystery Religions and Christianity by Samuel Angus

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A few years ago I read Willie Nelson’s It’s a Long Story: My Life. Of course, the background of his music and influences is great. Additionally, I was very interested in my fellow Texan’s take on growing up in a Texas church and on religion in general. In that books he says: I’ve never doubted the genius of Christ’s moral message or the truth of the miracles he performed. I see his presence on earth and resurrection as perfect man as a moment that altered human […]

Pretty Poems from a Local Artist

Nature's Secrecy: Collected Poems by Amiyo Basu

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Several years ago I reviewed David Byrne’s How Music Works. One of the most interesting things in Byrne’s book is how differently we experience music today than we did prior to the phonograph. Until that time, music was localized and live by necessity. Every version of a song you heard was likely an interpretation, a cover; there was no “definitive” album version of a song. Additionally, musical styles were also more local because it wasn’t feasible to keep up with artists or a favorite genre outside […]

A Cup o’ Trivia for Dorks

A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage

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Last year I reviewed Bill Bryson’s delightfully dorky and cheeky At Home, calling it a treasure-trove of trivia. I love books that make you think Oh, that’s why it’s like that! This book is one of those books, and so I really enjoyed it. Whereas Bryson’s book focused on things like wallpaper glue and how dangerous stairs are, this book is all about how culture was shaped by humanity’s beverages of choice: beer, wine, liquor, coffee, tea, Coca-Cola, and water. (I don’t actually know which ones are […]

“All tyranny is abominable.”

Zorro by Isabel Allende

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As a kid growing up in the 80’s and 90’s, The Family Channel’s “Zorro” was must-watch-tv. While “Batman: The Animated Series” would eventually take over as my favorite hero show when I became a hardened and cynical fourth grader, Zorro has always held a special place in my soul. Yes, my soul. Zorro is hero descended from Spanish and Native Americans, born to help. And, to help with panache. You can imagine the impact that would have on a little Hispanic boy. In a way, […]

“Everything that disappears / Disappears as if returning somewhere.”

Life on Mars: Poems by Tracy K. Smith

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April is National Poetry Month! If you want to celebrate and aren’t sure where to start, consider Tracy K. Smith’s Life on Mars. Here are three reasons why: This book won a Pulitzer Prize. The cover art is an awesome photo of space. My friend Deandra recommends this book. The themes of Life on Mars are wide-ranging. Existence, love, death, the future, our ephemeral nature – it’s all here, with a cosmos-minded sci-fi flavor. You’ll find a lot of references to the stars, as well as […]

Yoga Concepts for Beginners

The Tree of Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar

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A year and a half ago I was ashamed of myself for how much I had let my health decline. I was doing all the things you aren’t supposed to do, and I was not doing anything that I was supposed to do. While I was unhappy with how I looked, the real kick in the pants for me was that I had trouble playing with my young kids. As a result, I have been able to lose a lot of weight and gain a […]



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