Today is a Good Day to Die Part 1 Book Review

Originally published in 1998 in issue 13 of Married Punks.

This little chapbook will appeal to those who grooved on Death Scenes: A Homicide Detective's Scrapbook and the Amok Journal: Sensurround Edition.  It consists of some forensic photos of suicides, corpses, and transportation accidents combined with some witty text (the song lyrics used for the auto accident scene were choice).

The more timid amongst you will want to shy away from this. Curiosity seekers and sickos will love it. Guess which category I fit in to?

***FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN DEATH SCENES, JUST CLICK THIS LINK.

Lip Thinker by Bob Xark Book Review

Originally published in 1998's Married Punks issue 13.

I dislike most poetry. It tends to be slop, but Xark, unlike a lot of poets, combines the beauty and harshness of the world with politics and business. He touches on the Michael Diana controversy ("A Very Ugly Witchhunt"), consumer culture ("Pesticides Gasoline and Fast Food Stop N Shop"), and the power of feminine beauty ("Unmistakable Ways"). Xark, who looks more rock 'n' roll than poet, escapes the pretentiousness of most poets simply by recognizing it. That's important to me. I don't want to wade through crap, and Xark doesn't want to dish it out. It's a perfect relationship.

Black Flame Review

This review for Black Flame was originally published on Associated Content on 6/13/10. You can click here to read it.

Married Punks #4: Tales From the Joint Book Review

Yet another book review from Married Punks #4, most likely published in 1995. Transcribed as it originally appeared. The book was written by Hawkeye Gross.

Tales From the Joint

This hardbound book is a true story involving the author's prison time, and the cast of characters he meets. Gross, sentenced for drug possession in a very riveting opening, runs into some interesting people. There's Ted Bundy, Leory the Jitterbug (a hyper young guy with no morals), the head of the Outlaws (a very non-cliched type of guy) and the author's best friend in there: Judge Joe Peel, a jailhouse lawyer. This is chockful of stereotype destroying stories of what life is really like behind bars. An interesting fact to note: Gross says, "This [a long probation with strict parole] is the one chance the justice system has to keep the career criminal classification off a large number of first-timers entering prison. A sentence of probation keeps the fear of prison alive, and it just might be enough to cause a person to change his ways .... Because, once a person gets behind bars, he quickly realizes that he can adapt to the circumstances ... the fear factor of doing time in a penitentary is eliminated." Food for thought, isn't it?

Married Punks #4: Street Gangs Book Review

This appeared in issue #4 of Married Punks, published (most likely) in 1995. I transcribed it as it appears. This is possibly the worst book review I've written.

Street Gangs

A very comprehensive, and accurate, guide to today's gangs. Skinheads, Korean, Asian, Bloods and so on. The author (unknown) writes about initiation rites, graffiti to look for, areas they operate in and their histories. The book is 74 pages long and not one page is wasted on nonsense. I highly recommend this only if you are interested in gangs, otherwise this book wouldn't interest you.

Married Punks #4: Poor Man's James Bond Vol. 1 Book Review

Reprinted as it originally appeared in Married Punks #4, published (most likely) in 1995.

Poor Man's James Bond Vol. 1

Survivalists, you must get this! Info on making zip guns, fireworks, body armor, cyanide, how to commit arson by phone, Marine hand to hand combat and much more. Jesus, you have to see it to believe it. What a valuable book. As you can tell-- this gets my official seal of approval.

Married Punks #4: Da Qiang Ji Book Review

Another reprint from Married Punks#4, with a publication date (most likely) 1995.

Da Qiang Ji: Power Striking

Power striking is the art of hitting and kicking for more power. This comprehensive book not only shows you how to do power striking, it also shows you why it works. By using easy to understand text and illustrations it teaches the reader how to combine various methods for greater striking power. This is a must for anyone interested in the martial arts.

The Holy Land Book Review

This is a book review that may or may not have been published a few years ago on the Fearless Books site. The site does not post reviews any longer.


Polaris Books
The Holy Land
by Robert Zubrin
ISBN: 0-9741443-0-4
298 pages, softcover
$14.95



Writing a biting satire on American social and political issues is hard enough. Writing an excellent science fiction novel that does that is near impossible, though authors like L. Ron Hubbard have accomplished just that very thing. Robert Zubrin can now be included in that elite club, too.
The Holy Land deals with many issues, but is primarily about the American government’s response to Minervans who have relocated to their ancient homeland -- Kennewick, Washington. As to be expected, the corrupt president and his administration don’t like the aliens, and religious leaders see them as a threat to Christian culture. What follows is a tale of warfare, bigotry, corruption, greed and political dirty tricks on an interplanetary scale.
Zubrin’s story not only takes jabs at post-9/11 hysteria, it also mocks America’s sordid history. Jingoism and empty-minded patriotism has been the rule throughout our culture rather than the exception, and this books shows the results of taking them to their logical extremes, which makes for some highly entertaining and amusing reading. Of course, some people might not get the joke. For the rest of us, however, we can be thankful this isn’t really happening. Or is it?


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