Joe Pawlowski

Narrative wrecked by dumb jokes

Revisado: 03-15-24

Though well told overall, I question the the use of a not very funny comedian interjecting juvenile humor into serious subject matter.

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Could have been better

Revisado: 07-17-23

This audiobook contains some very good information, but, alas, nosedives into Bible thumping. Could have been so much better.

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Longish but well-written

Revisado: 09-16-21

Brilliantly written overall, though perhaps overly long. Some racist, misogynistic and homophobic references, though these may just reflect the time period in which it's set. The writing outpaces the plot, which I found a bit meandering. Still, the author's love of words and skillful usage are quite apparent.

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Schechter's great

Revisado: 01-21-21

Harold Schecter is one of the best historic true-crime writers out there. In this meticulously researched book, he brings the listener right into Eddie Gein's bizarre world. If you want to know the real story of the deviant who inspired "Psycho", this volume is for you.

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Wonderfully atmospheric

Revisado: 04-16-19

In Arthur Machen’s The Hill of Dreams, a young writer is haunted by the presence of a ruin near his rural home. Whenever he visits the ruin, it carries him off to ancient Rome. His visions are vibrant and sensual and all-encompassing. Years later, when he moves to London, the pressure to write something of literary merit and the isolation of being friendless in a metropolis takes their toll on him. He becomes drawn into a whirlpool of altered realities that threaten not only his sanity but his life. The Hill of Dreams is a marvelously atmospheric novel that has influenced writers from Lord Dunsany to Henry Miller.

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Seems to go off topic a lot

Revisado: 05-10-17

I understand this is an award-winning study and I was looking forward to digging into the topic but was ultimately disappointed in the book. It starts out well enough, discussing how we humans must cope with the knowledge of our own mortality and offers some thoughtful insights but then it wanders pretty far afield, devolving into Freudian psycho-babble about penis envy, the trauma of defecating and other questionable subjects. This was written in 1973 and in some sections it comes off as somewhat dated and narrow-minded, especially when dealing with topics such as homosexuality. I would love to find a more modern and focused examination of this subject. Guess I'll have to keep looking.

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Well Thought-Out and Written

Revisado: 11-18-16

The author tackles the subjects of ghosts and haunted places from a variety of angles and presents a well-rounded overview with an appropriate degree of skepticism. This isn't just a collection of ghost stories, but an examination of ghosts and hauntings in historical, literary, religious, philosophical and sociological contexts. This turned out to be so much more than I had expected. It is entertaining, informative and well-written.

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Another great thriller from Stuart Neville

Revisado: 09-12-14

Stuart Neville is one of the top crime writers in the field. His Jack Lennon novels are universally gripping and gritty. In "Stolen Souls," Neville's flawed but good-hearted protagonist Lennon faces flesh-peddling mobsters, corrupt cops, a serial killler, a hitman with a grudge against him and personal demons that dog Lennon every step of the way. A genuine nail-biter, "Stolen Souls" is Neville at his dark and compelling best.

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Thoroughly Enjoyable

Revisado: 07-05-14

I enjoy classic short stories and have several audiobook collections of them. Some of the older ones suffer from poor production quality. Some of the older and newer ones suffer from poor quality narration. Often the selections are higly redundant from one collection to the next. This audiobook, however, is one of my very favorites. The production quality is superb. The narrator is consistently imaginative and compelling. And, along with some of the standbys found in similar collections, this includes some inspired alternatives. "The Classic Tales Podcast" is thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys listening to classic literature.

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Thoughtful and Detailed

Revisado: 05-01-14

This is a thoughtful and detailed examination of some of Hemingway's finest short stories. It offers scene-by-scene and, in some cases, paragraph-by-paragraph and even sentence-by-sentence breakdowns, discussing the author's use of perspective and other writing techniques. It also includes observations on the stories from many authors and scholars. Not for the casual listener, but it is a real eye-opener for serious students and writers.

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