Reviews


zeno’s last border patrol 1

In the last border patrol of his life (six months into mast cell cancer), Zeno performed with flying colors and fulfilled his duty, less than two months before his death. We have patrolled much of the southern border a number of times, especially along the New Mexican and Texan lines. […]


the (border) crossing at its best: review

The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is the best border tale I’ve read, a masterpiece masterfully told, the language and dialogue as taut and radiant as the afternoon desert sun. (Some spoilers below.) Our two teen heroes, living in the frontier of New Mexico’s […]


northern bird brain: review of mcbride’s good lord bird

The Good Lord Bird by James McBride My rating: 1 of 5 stars The Good Lord Bird is an example of an overhyped (National Book Award winner), deeply flawed contemporary title, which the PC-mavens must adore for it potential virtue-signaling, as I can’t think of another reason. This wreckage of […]


border classic: review of alan weisman’s la frontera

La Frontera: The United States Border with Mexico by Alan Weisman My rating: 2 of 5 stars This sprawling journey along the Mexican border is a classic in borderlands literature: it sings the songs of unsung lives while also crossing into identification with our southern neighbors. Identification can help understanding, […]