Book Review: “Drawing from intensive on-the-ground reporting in Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon, Murry presents a compelling case that places the latest violence in its proper historical context. He takes readers on a harrowing journey through the aftermath of the October 7 massacre, piecing together the exclusive accounts from victims, survivors, and even the terrorists responsible for the atrocities.” (On Democracies and Death Cults) I picked up Douglas Murray’s “On Democracies and Death Cults” on the 2 nd anniversary (Oct. 7, 2025) of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. Two years gone by since the horrific news and the ensuing images and stories dropped. Two years of seemingly senseless demonstrations across the western world in support of the perpetrators of the horrendous atrocities. Two years of confused messaging from our governments, and a rise in antisemitism worldwide not seen since the Nazi era. With the Oct. 10 th Israel/Hamas peac...
Book Review: This time around, I highlight the classic work by Herman & Chomsky, “Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media”, new to the SSS Library collection. Being published in 1988 (with updates in 2002), one might imagine this work on use of the propaganda model of communication in western media to massage and manipulate the masses, to be outdated. On the contrary, while the medium of media has changed dramatically in the almost four decades since publication, the methods remain virtually the same. Herman and Chomsky assert that mass media companies… "are effective and powerful ideological institutions that carry out a system-supportive propaganda function, by reliance on market forces, internalized assumptions, and self-censorship , and without overt coercion", by means of the propaganda model of communication. ” Today’s volume and rush of internet content from independent creators comment...
Book Review: “Only in silence the word, Only in dark the light Only in dying life: Bright the hawk’s flight On the empty sky.” So begins Ursula Le Guin’s fantasy classic, “A Wizard of Earthsea”. The novel has garnered multiple awards since its release in 1968 and is widely recognized as one of the most influential works in the genre (Stephen Kings calls Le Guin a literary icon ). Now it is available in a sumptuous graphic novel by Fred Fordham (To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, and A Brave New World graphic adaptations). Personally, I was excited to purchase this book. Le Guin’s Earthsea Cycle (A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore, Tehanu, Tales from Earthsea, and The Other Wind) occupied a very special place in my teenage reader’s heart. With great anticipation I slid the volume from its packaging and opened the pages. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had already blocked out the visuals in my imagination years ago. Now, ho...
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