Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

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For I had seen with startling clarity that the two are connected, the fall of New Bethany and the rise of Disney’s Magic Kingdom.

The Magic Kingdom by Russell Banks

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Closing out CBR14 with a whimper, not a bang, folks. This is one of those books that I’m sure will get rave reviews. There are probably countless deep dives out there about how this book is an indictment of capitalism. And it is. It is about a lot of relevant things, but it’s also very boring. The story of a boy who grew into adulthood within various utopian societies throughout the United States should be interesting at least. But it isn’t. I’m going to blame […]

Magnificent Foolishness

The Reserve by Russell Banks

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      There was a movie director in the 1950s who specialized in glossy, noir-adjacent melodramas featuring the gorgeous rich in amazing locations (lake-adjacent!), Douglas Sirk.  Magnificent Obsession, All That Heaven Allows, and Imitation of Life are a few of his works, and they generally starred actors such as Rock Hudson and Jane Wyman.  That was absolutely the vibe this book gave me from the start.  I hereby nominate Rock Hudson, Barbara Stanwyck (she does gorgeous rich crazy lady so well), and Henry Fonda […]



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