Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


Join the CBR18 Book Bingo Reading Challenge—Now Underway!   

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An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris

Imperium by Robert Harris

Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris

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I often run into a situation where I am about to go on a trip, so I’m loading up my Kindle but don’t know what to read that is available from the library and looks interesting at the moment. In this case, I asked my dad for suggestions and he mentioned a few things including the historical fiction author Robert Harris, who he has been a fan of for years. I decided to try his books and became hooked, drawn in by the subjects and […]

And You Thought Beauty Pageants Had Backstabbing

Conclave by Robert Harris

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When the Pope dies, a Conclave is called to select the next Pope. Led by Jacopo Lomeli, the Dean of College, one hundred and eighteen Cardinals gather to decide who amongst them is best suited to obtain the Keys of Saint Peter. With an unexpected Cardinal appearing, and secrets abounding about some of the top contenders, how long will the Conclave last, and will they in end elect the best choice? I had seen the movie this book inspired before reading it, so I went […]

Thinking about the Roman Empire

Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome by Robert Harris

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“…he thinks politics is a fight for justice. Politics is a profession.” Back in the day, I attended an all-girls Catholic high school where Latin was a very popular class. My 9th and 10th grade Latin classes were packed. Within my own family it was a tradition not just to take Latin (as opposed to Spanish or French), but to take it for the full four years of high school. I probably would have continued that tradition if not for 2 things: the sudden availability […]

C I Yikes

Libra by Don DeLillo

Poisoner In Chief: Sidney Gottlieb and the CIA Search for Mind Control by Stephen Kinzer

The Ghost by Robert Harris

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Recently, I read three different books featuring CIA chicanery (two were fictional). This was unintentional but I figured since the themes were similar, I’d just batch review them rather than do individual ones. Libra***** This was a re-read. I liked it the first time. I loved it now that I: a. had a better since of the Oswald timeline after reading Posner’s Case Closed and b. could appreciate the meta-narrative structure in a way I couldn’t before. This is the only DeLillo book I can really […]

Let’s Keep This Conclave Ragin’ Bros!

Conclave by Robert Harris

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Read as part of CBR16 Bingo: detente. A cardinal attempts to keep peace while the church world is suspended over who will be the next Pope, despite shenanigans happening on the side. Also, shoutout to Spencer Hall, whose tweet eleven years ago still makes me laugh and is the title for this review. When I saw the trailer for Conclave, I knew I would be reading the book it was based on no matter what. I have mixed feelings on Robert Harris’ books but they […]

Springing Clean

Fletch by Gregory McDonald

Confess, Fletch by Gregory McDonald

Fatherland by Robert Harris

Enigma by Robert Harris

Thinner by Stephen King

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Things have Gotten Worse since We Last Spoke “I was going to begin this with some absurd comment about the irony of posting about an apple peeler  in a queer discussion forum when most of us are probably upset by the mere mention of the word “fruit.” The most of this novella takes place on line in various communications between two people in a kind of fledgling and then growing, and then increasingly obsessive relationship. The tone and genre implications here really sell the horror […]



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