Education
Literary Scene
This month, Ryan reviews a legal thriller, a historical saga of Old Florida, and a book on digital culture.
By Ryan G. Van Cleave
Shame Nation: The Global Epidemic of Online Hate
by Sue Scheff with Melissa Schorr
Author, parent advocate, and cyber advocate Sue Scheff’s third book, Shame Nation, deals with a reality none of us want to face: in today’s digital world, disaster might be a single click away. Personal attacks on Facebook. Political troll tweets. Public shaming. Scheff reports that 38% of adults confirm they’ve been cyberbullied in the last year alone.
In Scheff’s mind, what awaits us on the Internet? “A nation of finger-wagging vultures who delight in tormenting us and tearing our reputations to shreds,” writes Scheff. “This culture of destroying people with the simple stroke of a keyboard has become much more than a fad—it’s the new norm. In a 2014 survey conducted by YouGov, 28 percent of Americans admitted to engaging in malicious online activity directed at somebody they don’t even know.”
But this thoughtful book is far more than a collection of digital horror stories. It also offers practical guidance on how to prevent and protect against cyber blunders and faceless bullies. Thanks to input from top professionals in fields such as law, psychology, and reputation management, readers can find actionable ways to take charge of their digital lives today.
A generous Resources page and ample End Notes round out this fine book, making it a solid read for any parent, teen or tween who wants to avoid virtual cruelty and know how to react effectively when it does happen despite our best efforts. This is a first-rate, useful book that’s timely and smart. Highly recommended.
Rating: 4.75 out of 5
A Corner in Glory Land
by Janie Denos
Though author Janie Denos now lives in a log cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains, she was born and raised in Florida, which serves to be the inspiration for A Corner in Glory Land, the first in her new trilogy about Old Florida. “When I was a little girl, my family spent time at Lake Weird, specifically at an old fish camp named Johnson’s, and it was those sweet old memories that helped bring A Corner in Glory Land to life,” explains Denos.
Set in the 1880s, this novel follows the Stewart family’s days as settlers in Florida—around Silver Springs and Lake Weird—where Hap Stewart works on a steamboat while his four children all learn to make their own way in the often-harsh world of river life and the wilds of central Florida. The book puts a spotlight on young Eve, a restless girl with the dream of being a writer who has her work published in the newspapers and journals of the world. Her twin, Ivy, chases a future in the world of medicine women and herbal healing. Upon uncovering a family secret, Eve has to decide whether to head out and find Ivy or stay home and protect the Stewart family.
While there are moments of tenderness as well as historical tidbits that Florida fans and historical fiction enthusiasts might well find effective, the book has room for far more. That’s likely where books 2 and 3 in the trilogy come into play, one assumes.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 coffee cups
Law and Vengeance
by Mike Papantonio
A senior partner at one of the nation’s largest law firms and the host of a nationally-syndicated radio show, Mike Papantonio knows the legal world as well as anyone. And Law and Vengeance, his latest novel, again reveals his intimate knowledge of the criminal justice system with a power and precision that is compelling.
The story follows attorney Gina Romano, whose law firm is after a gun manufacturer that knowingly put defective weapons into the marketplace. Enter a soldier wrongfully on trial for murder. A gun rights lobbyist. A high-tech assassin (a genius, no less!). The US Department of Justice. Disappearing witnesses. And then there’s the murder of one of Gina’s law partners who happens to be a former lover.
Now Gina’s tough as nails, but will she be able to uncover the truth behind what should’ve been a regular torts case that has snowballed into a dangerous world of corruption, violence and fraud? She’s got to win both in the courtroom and outside of it to come out on top.
It’s refreshing to see such a strong, vibrant, capable female lead in a thriller. She leaps off the page again and again. This is a lively story with just enough action and humor to keep things fresh. The final word? This is a solid legal thriller that will make many want to read Papantonio’s other novels.
Rating: 4.25 out of 5 coffee cups
You must be logged in to post a comment Login