Tag Archives: books

The Longest Book I’ve Ever Read: Demon Copperhead

Posted on September 16, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Technically, the Bible is the longest book I’ve read. But for a traditional novel, Demon Copperhead takes the prize — and somehow never felt too long. Continue reading →

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Books I Regretted Reading — and Why I Quit

Posted on September 8, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I believe Christian fiction belongs on the bookshelf, but a few books have tested my patience. From endless “steaming liquid” to bloated sequels and plots that made no sense, some books taught me one valuable lesson: you don’t have to finish everything you start. Continue reading →

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The Most Annoying Movie Tropes (and Why They Drive Us Crazy)

Posted on September 6, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Some movie tropes are harmless shortcuts. Others are so lazy they make you stop watching the story and start noticing the writer pulling the strings. Continue reading →

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Two Books I Never Finished — and Still Think About

Posted on August 27, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Most unfinished books politely disappear from memory. Two did not: The Count of Monte Cristo and Atlas Shrugged—for very different reasons. Continue reading →

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Dinner With a Dead Author (and One Live One)

Posted on August 13, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

If WordPress is providing a time machine, the guest list gets complicated fast. Poe, King, Twain, Hemingway, Paul, and C.S. Lewis all make the cut—but one of them would probably turn dinner into a college education. Continue reading →

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The Bible, Mockingbird, and the Books That Keep Finding Me

Posted on July 13, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

The Bible is the honest answer. But teaching has a way of making you return to certain books again and again, until they become part of your life. Continue reading →

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The Childhood Books That Made Me a Reader

Posted on May 31, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I’m not sure I can name the first book I ever finished. But I remember the books that made me a reader: Judy Bolton, the Hardy Boys, The Ghost of Dibble Hollow and, eventually, A Wrinkle in Time. Continue reading →

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The One Book I Still Miss Teaching Every Year

Posted on May 16, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I thought Flowers for Algernon would be an interesting science-fiction story. I didn’t expect it to become one of the books I most looked forward to teaching — or one I would miss so much after I had to stop. Continue reading →

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The Whale Was Not the Problem: When Classic Books Become Endurance Tests

Posted on May 14, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Some classic books have undeniable themes, powerful messages, and lasting importance. That does not always make them enjoyable to read. Sometimes the whale is not the problem. Sometimes the problem is everything around the whale. Continue reading →

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Some Books Tell Their Story Once. Others Keep Talking.

Posted on April 8, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Most novels lose some of their pull once I know what’s coming. But a few books — because of depth, meaning, or sheer craft — still reveal something new every time I return to them. Continue reading →

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