Author Archives: danielshankcruz

Brief Thoughts on Sir Alex Ferguson’s Retirement

I woke up this morning to the news that Sir Alex Ferguson has decided to retire from his position as Manchester United’s manager. I have been a United fan since 1991, so I have never known the club without Ferguson, and it will be odd not to have him in charge. His amazing, unequalable recordContinue reading “Brief Thoughts on Sir Alex Ferguson’s Retirement”

Once Again I Bow at the Altar of Books

Regular readers of this blog know that the sizeable majority of my posts are of the “Books Acquired Recently” variety, but I really do try to keep my book-buying addiction to a minimum. Really. And then something like Casey Plett’s review of Imogen Binnie’s new novel shows up in my WordPress reader and I haveContinue reading “Once Again I Bow at the Altar of Books”

Books Acquired Recently

Momaday, N. Scott. House Made of Dawn. 1968. New York: HarperPerennial, 1999. Palahniuk, Chuck. Survivor. 1999. New York: Norton, 2010. After my post yesterday about needing to support local businesses I decided to stop by the Central Book Exchange on my walk home from the office. I purchased two books that I have been meaningContinue reading “Books Acquired Recently”

Thoughts on Shopping and Lost History

This afternoon I was reading Elizabeth McNeill’s Nine and a Half Weeks, and of course I found the depiction of her relationship fascinating, but something else that struck me was her description of the various shops she and her lover visit on the weekends. The book takes place in the mid-1970s, and they go toContinue reading “Thoughts on Shopping and Lost History”

A Controversial List of Independent Bookstores

Hilary Davidson has an article on CNN.com today listing the “Best indie bookstores” in North America. I’ve never been to McNally Jackson in New York City before, so I’ll have to check it out the next time I am there. But while Davidson makes clear that her list consists of stores she has visited onContinue reading “A Controversial List of Independent Bookstores”

Book Acquired Recently: Stephen Beachy’s Some Phantom/No Time Flat

Beachy, Stephen. Some Phantom/No Time Flat. 2006. Portland: Verse Chorus, 2013. I received this diptych of novellas in the mail from amazon.com yesterday, and read Some Phantom immediately and No Time Flat this evening. Both are excellent; I read the first one (which I greatly enjoyed in part because it takes place in Salt LakeContinue reading “Book Acquired Recently: Stephen Beachy’s Some Phantom/No Time Flat”

Books Acquired Recently: English Soccer Novels Edition

King, John. The Football Factory Trilogy: The Football Factory, Headhunters, England Away. London: Vintage, 2000. Sampson, Kevin. Awaydays. London: Cape, 1998. I recently ordered these two books used from English bookshops via amazon.com. Sampson’s book is autographed, which is a nifty bonus, especially considering that I only paid $0.02 for it (both books originally retailedContinue reading “Books Acquired Recently: English Soccer Novels Edition”

The Environmental Issue With Digital Media

Steven Hyden has a fascinating article on grantland.com today about how digital downloads of music are quickly becoming a thing of the past as they are replaced by services such as Spotify. He notes that, while record aficionados will continue to buy physical objects (and one could also make this argument for those of usContinue reading “The Environmental Issue With Digital Media”

Books Acquired Recently: Poetry Edition

ellipsis 49 (2013). Strasko, Barbara Buckman. Graffiti in Braille. Cincinnati: Word, 2012. Friday night was the debut reading for this year’s issue of ellipsis, Westminster College’s literary journal. ellipsis is unique in that it is run by students, but accepts submissions for review from anyone, so it ends up publishing a good mix of establishedContinue reading “Books Acquired Recently: Poetry Edition”