A worthy collection of observational poems that occasionally veers into familiar political territory.
Fillion offers a collection of personal and reflective poems.
This is a collection of spare, often arresting, mostly free verse poems—the style suits the author’s reflective, observational tone, which blends the personal and political with subtlety and occasional humor. In one of the most grounded moments, Fillion describes polishing shoes as a thunderstorm approaches: “With a late August thunderstorm approaching / And a dark, menacing sky / I strangely enjoy and am overwhelmed / By the non-pharmaceutical, calming incense / And simple joy of polishing shoes.” That mix of pleasure and melancholy runs through many of the poems. The author often turns to historical and literary figures—including Gerard Manley Hopkins, Jeremy Bentham, Ben Jonson, and John Milton—not to elevate his voice, but to spark unexpected reflections. He also finds delight in small details, listening to poets read their own work online (“Whiskey Tango Foxtrot”) or filling out a retirement form with weary humor (“Bound for Boxcar Willie Nowhere”). Some poems do rhyme, often playfully (occasionally leaning into being a little corny): “I can’t keep up / with the folks next door / Everything I wear / somebody else wore / I get all my Gucci / from the dollar store.” These moments are light, even sly, without undercutting the collection’s deeper emotional notes. There is a particularly poignant poem about the death of a loved one and several poems about aging, including the funny yet somewhat bleak “I Never Get Anything Done.” The short poems about birds, and other observations from the inside of a window, likewise strike a balance between humor and larger, deeper meaning. The political pieces, by contrast, often feel less fresh. Lines like, “The History of the nation / is a trail of / Bread crumbs from the past / That no longer lead / To the forest” lean on familiar imagery. Others fall into broad sloganeering: “truth and facts were / shredded into a Whopper / and a Happy Meal / of American carnage.” Still, Fillion’s voice remains engaging. His strongest poems rely on observation rather than outrage, and they linger long after reading.
A worthy collection of observational poems that occasionally veers into familiar political territory.Pub Date: Aug. 17, 2025
ISBN: 9798999792709
Page Count: 180
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A smart, rewarding consideration of football’s popularity—and eventual downfall.
A wide-ranging writer on his football fixation.
Is our biggest spectator sport “a practical means for understanding American life”? Klosterman thinks so, backing it up with funny, thought-provoking essays about TV coverage, ethical quandaries, and the rules themselves. Yet those who believe it’s a brutal relic of a less enlightened era need only wait, “because football is doomed.” Marshalling his customary blend of learned and low-culture references—Noam Chomsky, meet AC/DC—Klosterman offers an “expository obituary” of a game whose current “monocultural grip” will baffle future generations. He forecasts that economic and social forces—the NFL’s “cultivation of revenue,” changes in advertising, et al.—will end its cultural centrality. It’s hard to imagine a time when “football stops and no one cares,” but Klosterman cites an instructive precedent. Horse racing was broadly popular a century ago, when horses were more common in daily life. But that’s no longer true, and fandom has plummeted. With youth participation on a similar trajectory, Klosterman foresees a time when fewer people have a personal connection to football, rendering it a “niche” pursuit. Until then, the sport gives us much to consider, with Klosterman as our well-informed guide. Basketball is more “elegant,” but “football is the best television product ever,” its breaks between plays—“the intensity and the nothingness,” à la Sartre—provide thrills and space for reflection or conversation. For its part, the increasing “intellectual density” of the game, particularly for quarterbacks, mirrors a broader culture marked by an “ongoing escalation of corporate and technological control.” Klosterman also has compelling, counterintuitive takes on football gambling, GOAT debates, and how one major college football coach reminds him of “Laura Ingalls Wilder’s much‑loved Little House novels.” A beloved sport’s eventual death spiral has seldom been so entertaining.
A smart, rewarding consideration of football’s popularity—and eventual downfall.Pub Date: Jan. 20, 2026
ISBN: 9780593490648
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Penguin Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 24, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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