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Book Review Digest Plus

This essential library tool provides access to book reviews on a wide range of topics from a variety of sources, including newspapers, review journals and popular magazines. 

A Useful Tool for Readers' Advisory, Collection Development and Research

Unlike reviews on book-sale sites and the open web, many of the reviews in  Book Review Digest Plus  are from citable journals, making it an invaluable resource for literary and biographical research.

Subject indexing, summaries, annotations and grade level designations make this a useful tool for readers’ advisory, collection development and curriculum support.

Book Review Digest Plus  includes extensive coverage of books for children and teens with a suggested grade range.

View the print abridgement  available from Grey House Publishing.

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Book Review Digest

Concise, critical evaluations from selected periodicals.

“A handy, useful, accurate index to a standard library tool.” - American Reference Books Annual

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Concise critical evaluations are culled from more than 100 selected American, British, and Canadian periodicals

Book Review Digest is an essential library tool that brings together book reviews on a wide range of topics, from a variety of sources. Unlike reviews on book-sale sites and the open Internet, these are serious reviews by qualified experts.

This invaluable resource for literary and biographical research is essential for readers’ advisory and collection development. It provides excerpts from, and citations to, reviews of adult and juvenile fiction and nonfiction. It also includes descriptive summaries of the books. Virtually every book has at least one substantial review excerpt, and most have at least two or more. Every book in Book Review Digest appears with all its reviews together in the same listing.

The Digest includes:

• Complete coverage of 5,000+ books reviewed by 100+ publications in the previous year
• Arranged by Author, each entry includes generous excerpts from several book reviews
• Subject & Title Index, plus See and See also references for additional guidance
• Access by Genre is included for biographies, plays, poetry, and short stories

Entries in Book Review Digest are arranged alphabetically by author, or title if appropriate, and supply:

• Publication year
• Descriptive note
• Review excerpts
• Notation of illustrations or maps

Enhancing its value as both a collection development and general reference tool, Book Review Digest offers subject access to book reviews in a separate Subject and Title Index which also provides subject headings for adult fiction under the entry for "Fiction themes," and gathers biographies in a biography section and juvenile literature into three age ranges. In addition, complete publication data is provided in every issue for each of the journals from which reviews are excerpted.

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Finding Book Reviews Online

Sources for general book reviews.

• Introduction

General Inquiries : Ask a Librarian

Have a question? Need assistance? Use our online form to ask a librarian for help.

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Before you start your search you should know the title and author of the book being reviewed. The date of publication will sometimes also be required. Some databases offer a search option to limit search results to book reviews. Where not present, adding a keyword search that includes the phrase "book review" should help. Reviews of popular books are typically published close to their publication dates; find them via book-related websites and indexes that cover general interest periodicals. Reviews of scholarly books may take months to appear in scholarly journals. For more databases that cover scholarly journals, visit the Library of Congress E-Resources Online Catalog .

• Free Web Resources
• Book Review Databases
• Selected General Databases
• Historical Book Review Databases

Free contemporary book reviews are widely available on the web. The sources listed below are some of the most common places to find them.

• Amazon.com External Amazon.com offers book reviews of many of the book titles it sells. Some reviews are by professionals; many are by readers. Find a book and scroll down its entry to read the reviews, where present. For balance, try a variety of positive and negative reviews.
• Barnes & Noble External Barnes and Noble includes professional book reviews with the descriptions of many of the books it sells.
• Complete Review External The Complete Review contains a selected listing of old and new book titles with reviews and links to more reviews.
• GoodReads Reviews External GoodReads offers millions of book reviews contributed by its community members which include librarians, journalists, and many other readers.
• Kirkus Reviews External Kirkus Reviews includes reviews new and forthcoming fiction, non-fiction and Young Adult (YA) books. Kirkus also has a print magazine available by subscription.
• Library Journal Reviews+ External Library Journal reviews books on a wide array of popular and scholarly topics expected to interest a broad spectrum of libraries. Reviews from the most recent 24 months are free online.
• LibraryThing Reviews External LibraryThing Reviews are written by members of the LibraryThing community of readers and book collectors. Reviews are grouped in various ways, including by genre or may be searched by author or title.
• New York Times Book Review (free selections) External A free collection of book reviews published in The New York Times since 1981. A more extensive paid subscription database is also available.
• School Library Journal Reviews+ External Features reviews from School Library Journal from the most recent twenty-four months. Browse by genre, grade level, award winners and other criteria.

Subscription databases are great sources for current and recent book reviews. Many also include historical coverage.

• Children's Literature Review, Vols 1-216

These more general subscription databases cover a wide array of periodicals which include book reviews. Using the phrase "book review" in your search can be effective if no check-box option for book reviews is available in the database's search function.

Some researchers seek reviews that are decades or even centuries old, for example, to see how a book written in the 19th Century was reviewed when it was first released. This listing includes general and book review resources. For the general sources, be sure to Include the phrase "book review" in your search if no check-box option for book reviews is available.

• African American Newspapers, 1827-1998 (Series 1 and Series 2)
• American Business: Agricultural Newspapers
• American Business: Mercantile Newspapers
• American Gazettes: Newspapers of Record
• American Politics: Campaign Newspapers
• American Religion: Denominational Newspapers
• Early American Newspapers, Series 1, 1690-1876: From Colonies to Nation
• Early American Newspapers, Series 2, 1758-1900: The New Republic
• Early American Newspapers, Series 3, 1783-1922: From Farm to City
• Early American Newspapers, Series 4, 1756-1922: The Rise of Industry
• Early American Newspapers, Series 5, 1777-1922: An Emerging World Power
• Early American Newspapers, Series 6, 1741-1922: Compromise and Disunion
• Early American Newspapers, Series 7: 1773-1922: Reform and Retrenchment
• Early American Newspapers, Series 8, 1844-1922: A Nation in Transition
• Early American Newspapers, Series 9, 1832-1922: Protest and Prosperity
• Early American Newspapers, Series 11, 1803-1899: From Agrarian Republic to World Power
• Early American Newspapers, Series 12, 1821-1900: The Specialized Press
• Early American Newspapers, Series 13, 1803-1916: The American West
• Early American Newspapers, Series 14, 1807-1880: The Expansion of Urban America
• Early American Newspapers, Series 15, 1822-1879: Immigrant Communities
• Early American Newspapers, Series 16, 1800-1877: Industry and the Environment
• Early American Newspapers Series 17, 1844-1922: American Heartland
• Early American Newspapers, Series 18, 1825-1879: Racial Awakening in the Northeast

C19 Index draws on the strength of established indexes such as the Nineteenth Century Short Title Catalogue (NSTC), The Wellesley Index, Poole's Index, Periodicals Index Online and the Cumulative Index to Niles' Register 18111849 to create integrated bibliographic coverage of over 1.7 million books and official publications, 70,000 archival collections and 20.9 million articles published in over 2,500 journals, magazines and newspapers. C19 Index now provides integrated access to 13 bibliographic indexes, including more than three million records from British Periodicals Collections I and II, together with the expanded online edition of the Dictionary of Nineteenth-Century Journalism (DNCJ).

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• Last Updated: May 31, 2024 8:50 AM
• URL: https://guides.loc.gov/finding-book-reviews

Book Review Digest Plus Book Review Digest Plus

English language reviews of fiction, nonfiction, social science and general science books. The reviews are selected from journals in the humanities, sciences, social sciences and library review media.

Multnomah County Library

Book Review Digest Plus

Use this resource to answer questions like: 

• What kinds of reviews has The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo received?
• I need reviews written by Malcolm Gladwell.
• What's been published recently about women in Argentina?
• My book group needs reviews of The Poisonwood Bible .

Book Review Digest offers excerpts and full-text reviews on a wide range of topics from various sources.  Review sources include newspapers, popular magazines, and academic journals as far back as 1983.

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• Consumer and product reviews
• Magazine articles

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Book review digest plus.

Database of full text book reviews for fiction, nonfiction, humanities, social science and general science books for both children and adults from thousands of sources.

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American Literature: A Guide to Resources: Book Reviews

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Resources for Finding Book Reviews

Also see Book Reviews: A Finding Guide for more.

• Arts & Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI) A component of Web of Science -- AHCI offers multidisciplinary journal coverage of the arts & humanities. It can also be searched by cited references to specific works that appear in article bibliographies. Coverage range is1975 - date. From the main Web of Science search screen, select More Settings , and uncheck all but the AHCI checkbox.
• Book Review Digest Plus Book Review Digest Plus brings together the data of Book Review Digest, which includes descriptive summaries of books as well as excerpts of book reviews, with all the book review citations and full text of book reviews from eleven other H. W. Wilson indexes. Those indexes are: Applied Science & Technology Index, Art Index, Biological & Agricultural Index, Education Index, General Science Index, Humanities Index, Index to Legal Periodicals & Books, Library Literature & Information Science, Readers Guide to Periodical Literature, Social Sciences Index, and Business Periodicals Index. Covers reviews from 1983 to date.
• Index to Book Reviews in the Humanities 1960-1990. Olin Reference AI3 I367 Indexes book reviews in several hundred primarily English-language periodicals. After 1970 focus was limited to books about art, architecture, biography, theater, music, folklore, language, literature, and philosophy..
• JSTOR JSTOR is a fully-searchable database containing the back issues of several hundred scholarly journals in the humanities, social sciences, mathematics, music, ecology and botany, business, and other fields. It includes the following collections: Arts & sciences I, II and III, General science, Ecology and botany, Business, Language and literature.
• Periodicals Index Online Index to thousands of periodicals in the arts, humanities and social sciences across more than 300 years, covering each periodical from its first issue. Every article is indexed. The scope is international, including journals in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and other languages. Previously known as Periodicals Contents Index (PCI).
• Project MUSE Searchable database that provides access to the full text of journals published by Johns Hopkins University Press and other university presses in the humanities, social sciences, and mathematics. Covers such fields as literature and criticism, history, the visual and performing arts, cultural studies, education, political science, gender studies, and others.
• ProQuest Research Library ProQuest Research Library, formerly known as Periodical Abstracts, is a comprehensive database available through the ProQuest online system. It indexes and abstracts general interest magazines and scholarly journals in the social sciences, humanities and sciences. It comprises two components: a core list of periodicals covering about 800 publications, and 15 subject-specific modules that supplement the core list. Modules cover arts, business, children, education, general interest, health, humanities, international studies, law, military, multicultural studies, psychology, sciences, social sciences, and women's interests. Full text of many articles is provided.
• Readers' Guide Retrospective A database containing comprehensive indexing of the most popular general-interest periodicals published in the United States. Reflects the history of 20th century America. Covers the years 1890 through 1982. Also known as Reader's Guide or Readers Guide.
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• Last Updated: Apr 5, 2024 11:18 AM
• URL: https://guides.library.cornell.edu/amlit

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How do I find reviews?

• Book Reviews

Getting Started

Reviews for a general audience, reviews for a scholarly audience.

• Film Reviews
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Do you want to know how a book was received by scholars? Are you trying to determine the quality of a particular book? Or, are you just interested in knowing if a book is worth reading? Book reviews are a great place to start. This guide provides guidance on finding two types of book reviews, those for a general audience and those for a scholarly audience.

Literature and popular works (memoirs, travel writing, manuals, etc.) are often reviewed by journalists or fellow authors upon publication in newspapers or magazines. Use the following databases to find reviews in these publications.

• Book Review Index This link opens in a new window & more less... A comprehensive online guide to book reviews with over five million review citations from thousands of publications.
• Book Review Digest Plus This link opens in a new window & more less... Book Review Digest is a reference database that provides review excerpts and book summaries for current English-language fiction and non-fiction books. Limit of 1 simultaneous user.
• Book Review Digest Retrospective This link opens in a new window 1903-1982 & more less... Indexes and abstracts reviews of English language adult and juvenile fiction and non-fiction titles. Reviews are selected from journals in the humanities, sciences, social sciences and library review media.

Other Sources for Book Reviews

Many reviews are published in newspapers and magazines. Use the guides below to find the best databases to search for reviews in these publications.

• How do I find magazines? by Ask a Librarian Updated Feb 17, 2024 534 views this year
• How do I find newspapers? by Ask a Librarian Updated Jun 6, 2024 7596 views this year

Scholarly books are reviewed in academic or peer-reviewed journals and are written by academics. As these reviews place the work in the context of current scholarship, they can take several years to appear after the book was published.

Starting Points

• JSTOR This link opens in a new window Recommended Starting Point . Use Advanced Search and limit to "Reviews". You can also limit by discipline. & more less... A database of back issues of core journals in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. All issues of each journal are included in full-text except for the most recent 2-to-5 years.
• IBR Online This link opens in a new window & more less... Multilingual and interdisciplinary index to book reviews, chiefly in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
• Web of Science This link opens in a new window Conduct your search for book or author, and then limit to "Book Reviews". & more less... Authoritative, multidisciplinary content covers over 10,000 of the highest impact journals worldwide, including Open Access journals and over 110,000 conference proceedings. You'll find current and retrospective coverage in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities, with coverage available to 1900. Includes the Science Citation Expanded, Social Sciences Citation Index, and Arts & Humanities Citation Index. Web of Science is especially useful for its citation linking.
• Periodicals Index Online This link opens in a new window & more less... Part of Nineteenth Century Index. Indexes the contents of thousands of periodicals in the humanities and social sciences from 1665 to 1995, including many European titles. Includes links to some full-text articles. Dates of full-text coverage vary by title.
• Humanities & Social Sciences Index Retrospective This link opens in a new window & more less... Database corresponds to International Index, 1907 - March 1965; Social Sciences & Humanities Index, April 1965 March 1974; Humanities Index, April 1974 March 1984; and Social Sciences Index, April 1974 March 1983

Other Databases for Book Reviews

We strongly recommend searching the article database or index that covers the academic literature in a specific field for reviews. Use the Advanced Search option and limit to "Book Reviews" or "Reviews".  Find the best database for book reviews in your field by using our subject guides.

• Library Subject Guides

Book Review Indexes in Print

Below are a few print sources for finding book reviews.

• Combined Retrospective Index to Book Reviews in Humanities Journals, 1802-1974 & more less... 10 vols. Ed by Evan Ira Farber. Woodbridge: Research Publications, 1982-1984. Covers 150 literature, philosophy, classics, folklore, linguistics & music journals, from England and the US Organized by primary authors or editors and then by book titles.
• Literary and Historical index to American Magazines, 1800-1850 & more less... Ed by Daniel A. Wells & Jonathan Daniel Wells. Westport: Praeger, 2004.

Ask a Librarian

Publications with Book Reviews

• London Review of Books Library has on microfilm 1979 - present.
• New York Review of Books This link opens in a new window & more less... New York Review of Books reviews contemporary books in all subject areas.
• New Yorker Library has in print 1925 - present.
• Publishers Weekly Library has in print and microfilm 1873 - present. Recent issues available online via Find It!
• TLS: Times Literary Supplement Historical Archive This link opens in a new window & more less... Covers 1902-2006. This easy-to-navigate, fully-searchable resource is a witness to the cultural revolutions of the last 100 years and offers unparalleled opportunities for tracking the views of influential opinion-makers, the response of their peers, the controversies of the day and how they developed. --Publisher's website
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• Subjects: Social Work
• Updated: Jun 24, 2024 12:04 PM
• URL: https://guides.lib.uchicago.edu/reviews
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Search the FAQ

How do i find the book review digest database and how do i look through it.

To get to Book Review Digest:

Go to the library Web site at https://www.uhd.edu/library/Pages/library-index.aspx .

Select the "Databases."

Click on the letter "B."

Scroll down the list till you see the entry for Book Review Digest Plus, and click on it.

If you have a specific book you're looking for, type in a few distinctive words from the book title. If there are any reviews for your book, they should come up in search results. To get the full texts of the reviews online, click on the box that says "full text" under where it says "limit your results." However you cannot always find the full text of the reviews online.

If you don't find your book, you might also want to try another database, listed under "A," called Academic Search Complete. Or you can search LibSearch: type the title of the book in the LibSearch search box on the Library's home page. When you get to the result list look for "Filter by Source Type" options on the left and select "Reviews".

• Last Updated Apr 27, 2020
• Answered By UHD Librarian

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Book Review Digest Plus/Book Review Digest Retrospective

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Excerpts from, and citations to, reviews of adult and juvenile fiction and non-fiction. Includes Book Review Digest Plus (1983 to the present) and Book Review Digest Retrospective (1905-1982).

Coverage : 1905 to date

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Recommended starting places for book reviews.

• Book Review Digest Plus (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window Indexes reviews of current fiction and non-fiction, and provides review excerpts and over 100,000 full text reviews. The database includes children’s books as well as books for adults and young adults. Dates of coverage: 1983 to present.
• Book Review Digest Retrospective (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window Provides excerpts from, and citations to, reviews of adult and juvenile fiction and non-fiction. Reviews of the following types of books are excluded: government publications, textbooks, and technical books in the sciences and law. Dates of coverage: 1908-1982.

• ProQuest Central This link opens in a new window ProQuest Central is a large, multidisciplinary database with over 11,000 titles, with over 8,000 titles in full-text. It serves as the central resource for researchers at all levels in all markets. Over 160 subjects areas are covered extensively in this product including business and economics, health and medical, news and world affairs, technology, social sciences and more.

Humanities Book Reviews

• JSTOR This link opens in a new window JSTOR provides access to scholarly journals, primarily in the humanities and social sciences. In addition to journal articles, users can access book chapters, ebooks, and primary source documents.
• Humanities Source This link opens in a new window Humanities Source includes full text access to journals. It combines various Humanities related databases, including the American Humanities Index.

More Book Review Sources

• Access World News This link opens in a new window Access World News provides the html full text and, for some titles, the pdf "as printed" visual representation, of articles from a variety of national and international news sources, including newspapers, digital-native news websites, television and radio transcripts, blogs, college and university newspapers, journals, magazines, and some audio and video. Most international titles are English language. Dates of coverage vary from title to title, but primarily span the late 20th century to present.
• Historical Newspapers (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window Search the PDF full text and image archives of more than 100 major U.S. and African American newspapers. Highlights include: Atlanta Constitution (1868-1945), Atlanta Daily World (1931-2003), Baltimore Afro-American (1893-1988), Chicago Tribune (1849-1986), Christian Science Monitor (1908-2004), Los Angeles Times (1881-1995), New York Amsterdam News (1922-1993), Pittsburgh Courier (1911-2002), The Chicago Defender (1910 - 1975), The New York Times (1851-2014), The New York Tribune (1841-1922), The New York Tribune (1900-1910), San Francisco Chronicle (1869-1922), The Wall Street Journal (1889-2000), The Washington Post (1877-2001), St. Petersburg Times / Tampa Bay Times (1901-2009), Korea Times (1956-2016)
• The Nation Archive Premium Edition (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window The Nation Archive Premium Edition contains indexing, abstracting, and full text for the complete archive of The Nation, beginning with its first issue in 1865 all the way to the present. The Nation is America’s oldest weekly magazine and one if its premier journals of opinion since its inception in 1865.
• New Yorker This link opens in a new window Published weekly since 1925, The New Yorker features commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Covers New York City cultural life with news items, event listings, and reviews of museums, galleries, restaurants, and more.
• New York Times, 1980-present (via ProQuest) This link opens in a new window Full-text coverage of the New York Times, 1980 to present.
• Periodicals Archive Online This link opens in a new window Provides full-text and full-image access to hundreds of journals published in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and areas of general popular interest. Each periodical is covered back to its first issue, regardless of when it began publication. International in scope, PAO covers periodicals in a number of Western languages.
• Readers' Guide Full Text Mega This link opens in a new window Provides indexing and abstracting of the most popular general-interest periodicals published in the United States and Canada, plus the full text of selected periodicals. Dates of coverage: 1983 to present.
• Readers' Guide Retrospective (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window Provides indexing of the most popular general-interest periodicals published in the United States and reflects the history of 20th century America.Dates of coverage: 1890-1982. Use the Readers' Guide Full Text for 1983 forward.
• Times Literary Supplement Historical Archive (TLS) This link opens in a new window The Times Literary Supplement Historical Archive contains every page of every copy of the Times Literary Supplement (TLS) published from 1902 to 2011. The database is searchable by author or contributor; the identities of the contributors to the TLS who were published anonymously until 1974 are disclosed for the first time and augmented by biographical sketches.
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English Literature

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Books Published 1983 - Present

For books published between 1983 & The Present ~ Use The Online Database - Book Review Digest Plus

To access Book Review Digest Plus : 

• Go to the Library's Webpage.
• Choose the Databases Tab in the center box.
• Pull down the list and choose Book Review Digest Plus

​ To Search Book Review Digest Plus : 

• Type in the title of the Book you want to find Reviews of  
• Change the Field Option to TITLE
• Click on the item in the list that represents the book itself - not individual reviews  
• Scroll down and click on the link listed as "Reviews of this Title"

Example : 

Books Published prior to 1900

• << Previous: Pre 19th Century Criticism
• Last Updated: Jun 4, 2024 1:17 PM
• URL: https://library.knox.edu/English

Book Reviews Guide

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Steen Library FAQs

EBSCO is a company that provides access to many individual databases. For book reviews, you'll want to search these EBSCO databases:

• Academic Search Complete
• Book Review Digest Plus
• MLA International Bibliography

Fortunately, you can search all of these at once by following the directions below:

STEP 1: Access Academic Search Complete here:

You will be asked to login with your SFA username and password.

STEP 2: Once in the Academic Search Complete database, click the link labeled Choose Databases.

STEP 3: A window will pop-up allowing you to select a variety of EBSCO databases. Academic Search Complete should already be selected. Add Book Review Digest Plus and MLA International Bibliography, then click the OK button.

STEP 4: After you click OK, you should be taken back to the search screen. In the search field, type the phrase "book review" (in quotation marks), followed by the word AND (in capital letters), followed by the title of your book (use quotation marks if multiple words). Here's an example using the book The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger.

STEP 5:  Search results should appear. Note that not every entry will be relevant to what you want; that's the nature of research. You'll need to skim through the results to find the entries that you can use.

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• Last Updated: Aug 29, 2023 3:37 PM
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To find contemporary book reviews:

• Go to UC Library Search or another humanities or newspaper database.
• As a keyword search, enter the name of the author and, if applicable, the title of the novel .
• Narrow your results to the date of the book’s publication + a few years forward
• Narrow your results to “Reviews” or “Book Reviews" OR narrow your results to newspapers and magazines.

Example : To find reviews of Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse:

• Search for: “Virginia Woolf” AND “To the Lighthouse”
• Narrow to date range: 1927-1937
• To evaluate more resource, remove "Reviews" limit and narrow to "Magazines" instead.

In UC Library Search, enter your keywords and date range.

From the resulting list, narrow "Resource Type" to "Reviews."

In addition to searching UC Library Search, you can also do this process on the following databases:

• Contemporary Reviews Series Book series compiling contemporary reviews of important authors.
• Critical Heritage Series Book series compiling contemporary reviews of important authors.

Try adding these keywords to your search:

• "contemporary reviews"
• "reception history"
• "critical edition"
• "treatment in criticism"
• "treatment in book review"
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• Last Updated: Jun 24, 2024 10:59 AM
• URL: https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/subject-guide/english

To read this content please select one of the options below:

Please note you do not have access to teaching notes, book review digest plus.

Reference Reviews

ISSN : 0950-4125

Article publication date: 1 May 2003

• Book publishing

Irwin, K. (2003), "Book Review Digest Plus", Reference Reviews , Vol. 17 No. 5, pp. 7-9. https://doi.org/10.1108/09504120310480779

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited

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French and Francophone Studies

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Duke Databases for Reviews

Book reviews are written when a book or film first comes out. They are usually short pieces in newspapers, journals or online review organs. When searching in databases, put the title of the book in quotes, and select "review" as the document type. Look to the databases' help screens for more detail. Remember that contemporary reviews of older books may be found in print indexes. The following guide has a  ch ronological list of sources   for book reviews.

• Academic OneFile * (1980-present) 11,000 journals with full-text articles from more than 4,000 peer-reviewed journals and reference sources worldwide. Covers the physical sciences, technology, medicine, social sciences, the arts, theology, literature and other subjects. Includes coverage from 1980 to the present for most journals. It also contains hundreds of podcasts and transcripts from NPR, CNN, and the CBC.
• Book Review Digest Plus * (1983-present)  Cites and excerpts book reviews of current English-language fiction and nonfiction. Reviews must have appeared within 18 months after the book was published. At least one review must be from a periodical published in the U.S. or Canada . Covers approximately 100 leading periodicals published in the United States , Canada , and Great Britain .
• Book Review Digest Retrospective *  (1905-1982) Provides excerpts from, and citations to, reviews of English language adult and juvenile fiction and non-fiction titles. Includes books on science for the general reader, but excludes technical books in the sciences and law, textbooks, and government publications. Reviews are selected from journals in the humanities, sciences, social sciences and library review media published in the United States , Canada , and Great Britain .
• Book Review Index * (1965-present) Indexes book reviews within Duke Libraries published in newspapers, journals, and general interest publications. Excellent source for scholarly reviews of books. Print version is located in Perkins Reference.
• LexisNexis Academic * (1970s and 1990s) Provides full text access to a wide range of U.S. and international newspapers, radio and television transcripts. Covers general, business, and legal information sources. Go to NEWS > SOURCES > BY COUNTRY >  FRANCE > NEWS > choose a category and “add” titles of newspapers to be searched.
• Literature Resource Center * (>100,000 authors) Designed for the research needs of undergraduates, the LRC provides the full text of biographies, bibliographies, and critical analyses for authors of every age, nation, and literary discipline.
• New York Review of Books (1963-present) Displays current issue of the New York Review of Books. Archives from 1963 to the present can be searched or browsed by following the "Archives" link near the top left.
• New York Times * (1851-2007) To get the New York Times online, check the dates you need and choose the appropriate link. New York Times Magazine (1896-), New York Times Book Review (1923-), and other special sections are included in this file.
• New York Times Book Reviews (1980-present) Contains articles on books from 1980 to present. Limit publication field to "New York Times" . For earlier book reviews, see above: New York Times (1851-2007), which includes the NYT Book Review section with the complete newspaper file.
• Periodicals Archive Online * (from beginning of the respective journal until 2005) Periodicals Archive Online is an archive of digitised journals published in the arts, humanities and social sciences. It has been indexed in its sister database, Periodicals Index Online.
• Periodicals Index Online * (1770-1995) Indexes thousands of selected periodicals in the humanities and social sciences from their first issues to 1995. Also includes the complete table of contents for each issue of each journal.  
• TLS (Times Literary Supplement Archive) * (1994-present) The Times Literary Supplement is a seminal literature journal with in-depth book reviews and articles covering the latest and most important publications in every subject, fiction and non-fiction. It also covers current theater, opera and film. Each issue features several essays, about two dozen detailed book reviews and lists of recently published books of note, several new poems, and occasional short stories.
• TLS (Times Literary Supplement) Historical Archive (1902-2005) *
• Wall Street Journal * (1889-1991) The Wall Street Journal offers full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue. The collection includes digital reproductions providing access to every page from every available issue.
• Wall Street Journal * (1984-present)
• Web of Science *  (1900-present) The ISI Web of Science provides access to the Science Citation Expanded® (1900-present), Social Sciences Citation Index® (1956-present), and Arts & Humanities Citation Index™ (1975-present). It enables users to search current and retrospective multidisciplinary information from some of the most prestigious, high impact research journals in the world. ISI Web of Science also provides cited reference searching. With it, users can navigate forward, backward, and through the literature, searching all disciplines and time spans to uncover information relevant to their research.
• << Previous: Reference Works
• Last Updated: Apr 11, 2024 10:13 AM
• URL: https://guides.library.duke.edu/french

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Louisa Treger’s Retelling of Dora Maar’s Relationship with Picasso Reveals the Human Behind the Muse

This new fictionalized retelling of the now-famous nine-year love affair is galvanizing and compelling in its complexity..

One particularly tense scene in The Paris Muse , author Louisa Treger ’s new fictionalized retelling of the nine-year love affair between Dora Maar and Pablo Picasso , really lingers in the mind. The two artists are sitting together in Picasso’s studio, “close but not quite touching,” viewing a large album of his sketches: drawings of beautiful women cavorting with minotaurs in Bacchanalian environments. Pablo—fifty-five, magnetically charismatic and worldly—turns the pages of the album while Dora—his junior by some thirty years, dark-eyed and filled with creative intensity, already at this stage a renowned artist admired by André Breton—feels increasingly hypnotized by him. “A minotaur knows he’s a minotaur, but he has a human side,” Picasso says to Dora, taking her in with a furtive glance, before adding in a lowered voice: “Of course, I am the minotaur.”

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To be familiar with the legend of Theseus is to recall that the minotaur is a complex being: with his bull head and man’s body he is monstrous, yet, born as the result of divine punishment, he is multifaceted. As much the object of incredulity as of fear, he is accepted neither by the human world nor by the animal kingdom. So, too, does Pablo Picasso defy straightforward categorization within Treger’s text. One moment he’s almost clinically cold, a selfish womanizer, the next, he’s a weary and sensitive soul more sinned against than sinning. The novel opens not with the very first meeting of Picasso and Maar (which took place in 1935 in Les Deux Magots cafe in Paris and which Treger describes later in the book with unabashedly dark eroticism), but in 1975. We join Dora Maar as she picks up the phone to a man who is calling in the hope of purchasing one of the paintings Picasso had given her years earlier. Maar refuses, and she won’t budge: despite her impecunity, she has her own work to sell and is determined to be heard. While she was the much-fêted muse of Picasso’s The Weeping Woman series of oil paintings, by the time of their creation Maar had already exhibited at the 1936 International Surrealist Exhibition in London and could, therefore, be described as a household name of 20th-century art history for her own works, rather than for those for which she was the inspiration.

In her 2022 book, Muse: Uncovering the Hidden Figures Behind Art History’s Masterpieces , art critic Ruth Millington writes of how Maar transformed Picasso’s practice entirely and how she deserves credit for the role she played in his career: “Behind The Weeping Woman is Maar’s compassion, intelligence and political activism, all of which profoundly inspired Picasso’s anti-war art.” Treger highlights Maar’s political activism directly, and the book contains many vignettes of Maar and Picasso animatedly discussing the politics of the day with fellow artists and writers against a menacing backdrop of the build-up to World War Two. So vivid and compelling is Treger’s dialogue and scene-setting that you feel you could pull a stool up to their table and join the conversation.

SEE ALSO: Observer’s Guide to 2024’s Must-Visit July Art Fairs

Books in the historical fiction category tread a fine line between factual biography and the exercising of the author’s artistic license, and this can be hard on the reader. Louisa Treger, however, really knows how to work the genre so that readers of The Paris Muse are both reliably informed and unceasingly gripped. The author does not shy away from difficult subjects. One of Treger’s previous works, Madwoman , was historical fiction based on the true story of Nellie Bly , the world’s first female investigative journalist. Bly feigned insanity in the 1880s to be committed to the asylum on Blackwell’s Island in order to work undercover to expose the wretched conditions faced by patients there. The reader of The Paris Muse will be moved by Treger’s visualization of Dora Maar’s time in psychiatric care following her breakup with Picasso and his cruel treatment of her: Maar was treated by famous French psychoanalyst and psychiatrist Jacques Lacan in Jeanne d’Arc Hospital, and this is where Treger’s scene-making is at its most raw. The contrast between this time, and the time so engagingly depicted earlier on in the book—Maar’s creative process with Picasso, working on photography at the forefront of surrealism—is remarkable for its sharpness.

As a novel, The Paris Muse is hard to put down: as a testament to Dora Maar’s artistry, it is galvanizing and hugely compelling. Art enthusiasts interested in the forthcoming exhibition at Centre Pompidou, “ Surréalisme ” (on show from September 4 to January 13 and made in co-production with the J. Paul Getty Museum in LA and the Tate Modern in London) will enjoy reading Treger’s account of how Maar came about the ideas for many of the works we now identify as being key pieces of the Surrealist canon. Her changing inspirations were dictated not only by her passion for Picasso but also by her nuanced understanding of the world and all she found fascinating within it.

• SEE ALSO : Why Defining Exactly Who Is and Isn’t an Artist Matters

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The 11 best books we read in june 2024, ranked and reviewed.

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Peak summer is finally here, which means I’m reading outside. Whether I’m poolside or beachside, a fresh, new paperback is in my hand, my facial sunscreen in the other.

In the spirit of days spent reading underneath the sun’s rays, I resorted to plenty of beach reads this month, more than the usual I’d typically reach for. On a tropical island vacation, I completed three page-turning plot lines (but more on that below).

Whether you’re an avid follower of Reese’s Book Club and Read with Jenna like me, or you simply want to find some hidden gems on the *online* bookshelves, this list is for you. Wonderfully curated, perfect for reading.

RELATED : Best May book releases, ranked by Amazon Books Editors

Ahead, you’ll find full reviews for each book I read in June, along with some commentary from the Amazon Books Editors . You’ll also want to toggle to the end of the list for some additional recommendations, too.

“The Main Character” by Jaclyn Goldis

Fans of Agatha Christie may want to check out this homage to “ Murder on the Orient Express .”

In this new page-turner, a reclusive author invites a specially chosen group of people aboard the newly-renovated Orient Express to travel from Cinque Terre to Positano, intending to fictionalize any drama that ensues. It was deeply engaging and set in a glamorous, must-read-about setting. It’s the perfect balance between a picturesque summer novel and an engaging story.

“Pair an original, dramatic plot with interesting characters in a glamorous setting, throw in a dollop of fascinating history and you get a riveting read,” Vannessa Cronin, senior editor at Amazon Books Editorial, exclusively told the New York Post, singing the title’s praises.

“The Perfect Marriage” by Jeneva Rose

Meet one of my five-star reads for 2024: “The Perfect Marriage” by Jeneva Rose. Twisty, riveting and completely un-put-down-able, the story will have you hooked until the very last page. Plus, the ending is one I didn’t naturally suspect, which makes the reading experience that much more spicy.

Not to mention, we love a good courtroom thriller, especially one where it’s not clear who’s innocent or guilty. “Rose really ups the ante here, where a defense attorney has to defend her own husband on charges he murdered his mistress,” Cronin said. “Nobody handles skeletons in the closet with such a chilling effect quite like Geneva Rose. She also excels at devising the kind of twists that you don’t see coming, which makes this the perfect summer read.”

“The Resort” by Sara Ochs

Who doesn’t dream of a fresh start in a tropical paradise? But that fresh start turns nightmarish in Ochs’ twisty thriller, as a series of murders means someone in a group of international expats is having their past catch up to them.

“If you like sun-soaked exotic settings, a large cast of characters with shady pasts, and you like books by Rachel Hawkins or Catherine Steadman, this is the read for you,” Cronin noted, recommending the novel. Nobody can resist a tropical paradise after all, and I enjoyed the unique angle and rich detail set in a summertime-soaked setting.

“Nora Goes Off Script” by Annabel Monaghan

With Annabel Monaghan’s new novel “ Summer Romance ,” I decided to finally hop on the bandwagon and read her three novels for the ultimate June beach-reading month. It was absolutely delightful, allowing for the perfect escape on a beautiful summer day.

“We binge-read this tale about Nora, a recently divorced scriptwriter,” Cronin began explaining. “When she throws out the formula she uses to write romance scripts for a Hallmark-like channel and writes from her bruised heart, it brings her attention from Hollywood and even a hot movie star who may feature in Nora’s second act.”

This clever, charming rom-com (which is also an Amazon Editors’ pick) about a single mom and her two kids — all apprehensive about risking their hearts again — made the Amazon team “fall hard,” per Cronin.

“Same Time Next Summer” by Annabel Monaghan

Following “Nora Goes Off Script,” Monaghan’s “Same Time Next Summer” was another magical read that has everything you can ask for in a beach read.

With Sam’s life on track — complete with the dreamy doctor fiancé and a fabulous job in Manhattan— she feels as if everything is going to plan. Just as she’s about to tour wedding venues, she runs into her 17-year-old love interest who broke her heart way back when. The rest, you’ll want to read.

“Summer Romance” by Annabel Monaghan

My favorite of Monaghan’s novels is unveiled. “Summer Romance” is like “Grease” in a book, which made me love it so much more. The characters shared an original and captivating love story that felt cozy and whimsical. It has to be one of the best new releases of the summer, by far.

“Annabel Monaghan writes witty, messy, complicated women I want to be friends with,” Abby Abell, senior editor at Amazon Books Editorial, told The Post. “In ‘Summer Romance,’ Ali is a professional organizer whose life is in chaos. But when her friend’s younger brother returns to town, he remembers Ali as the vibrant, fearless girl who he’s always had a crush on; and she starts to remember that girl, too.”

This is a story about what a scary but worthwhile risk love is, in all its many forms. It’s an endearing, charming romantic comedy that was, unsurprisingly, an Amazon Editors’ pick for June.

“Meet Me in Tahiti” by Georgia Toffolo

Not gonna lie, I decided to pick up “Meet Me in Tahiti” by Georgia Toffolo purely based on the title. It’s an empowering, inclusive and lovely beach read that’s sure to be unlike any you’ve read.

This story centers on Zoe, the fun-hearted protagonist who caught herself falling for the bad boys (ahem, Finn). When she got into a car crash at 18 years old, she had to adjust to being unable to walk again.

Flash forward years later, Zoe is a travel writer who’s about to review a luxury hotel. The owner? Finn. That’s truly all you need to know before adding it to your cart and enjoying the summertime thrill this book has to offer.

“This Summer Will Be Different” by Carley Fortune

“This transporting, swoon-worthy romance (and an Amazon Editors’ pick) follows Lucy as she visits Prince Edward Island (PEI) and has an instant connection, and an incredibly sexy night, with local Felix,” Abell shared. “But the world is small, and it turns out that Felix is her best friend Bridget’s brother…and very off limits.”

The longing in this book is matched only by the incredible setting that has just about everyone planning a trip to PEI. It’s aching and beautiful, and another five-star read of mine. Not to mention, Fortune’s best novel yet.

“Malibu Summer” by Libby Gill

If you’re a fan of second-chance romances, try your hand at opposites-attract romance. It couldn’t be more engaging, especially when the dreamy scenery of Malibu is tossed into the mix.

Here, Ivy Bauer is an ambitious soil scientist who’s also the entrepreneur of an organic irrigation system. When her husband is killed in a biking accident, she takes a summer job in Malibu as a gardener, allowing her time to grieve.

She then meets Conrad, a former Hollywood actor, who’s also experiencing grief after the death of his wife. When their paths cross, it’s both an enemies-to-lovers vibe mixed with the most beautiful story.

“The Bridesmaids” by Victoria Jenkins

Wholly on-brand for me as I recently got engaged (and love thrillers ), “The Bridesmaids” by Victoria Jenkins couldn’t have been a more “ ooh, I’ll pick this up ” novel.

Holly is getting married and there’s a bachelorette party. But then, one body among the group is found and a bridesmaid is the killer. It was a bit seemingly out-of-reach at times, but boy did it create a captivating story from beginning to end.

“Swan Song” by Elin Hilderbrand

Me: *cries because this is Elin Hilderbrand’s last novel.*

I can’t begin to describe how phenomenal this beach read is. It’s the fourth installment of the author’s beaming Nantucket series, with each one better than the next. Not to mention, Hilderbrand is the Queen of the Beach Read, so this new summer release is one that’ll keep you turning each page and fantasizing about every sweltering day of summer.

Other June Books to read, per the Amazon Books Editorial team

“james” by percival everett.

“With the same fiery wit, snap and energy of his previous work, Percival Everett brings to life a retelling of ‘ Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ‘ and, in so doing, delivers an entirely new classic, one that is rip-roaringly American, wry and hard-hitting,” Al Woodworth, senior editor at Amazon Books Editorial, shared.

It’s a knock-out, and it was also the Amazon Books Editorial team’s unanimous pick for the No.1 Best Book of the Year So Far , which the team just announced.

“The Women” by Kristin Hannah

One of the Amazon Editors’ favorite novels of 2024 so far, Kristin Hannah’s “The Women,” has just as much emotional heft as her best-selling “ The Nightingale .”

“It’s a story that honors the combat nurses who served in Vietnam, and in doing so, expands the definition of what a war hero is,” Erin Kodicek, senior editor at Amazon Books Editorial, shared. It was also one of my favorite of Hannah’s books that I read this year.

“All the Worst Humans: How I Made News for Dictators, Tycoons and Politicians” by Phil Elwood

“This wild, oh-my-God memoir will make your jaw drop,” Woodworth said. “A public relations hit man dishes on all of his dirty deeds and it’s not only impossible to put down, it’s impossible not to talk about.”

In other words, it’s the perfect summer nonfiction reading and why it’s Amazon’s No. 1 nonfiction pick for the Best Book of the Year So Far.

“The Ministry of Time” by Kaliane Bradley

Amazon’s No. 4 pick for Best Book of the Year So Far is Kaliane Bradley’s awe-inducing debut that’s a time travel-spy thriller-government conspiracy-love story, and so much more.

“In a near-future London, a time travel device is discovered by a top-secret agency that uses it to bring back ‘expats’ from different times in history,” Abell explained. “This genre-bending novel explores humanity in all its frailty and potential, and how love can alter the course of history. It’s a fantastical novel that’s funny, riveting, heartbreaking and unputdownable.”

Hunting for a headline-worthy haul?  Keep shopping with Post Wanted .

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Christopher Null

Review: Asus Vivobook S 15 Copilot+ PC (2024)

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The arrival of Microsoft’s AI-soaked Copilot+ PC has somewhat overshadowed the simultaneous launch of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X CPU, an upgraded, ARM-based alternative to Intel and AMD processors that have long dominated the laptop world.

Qualcomm has made some incredible claims about what the Snapdragon X would be able to do since its announcement last fall, the most notable being a promise of double the performance over competing CPUs at one-third the power draw. Those competing CPUs have all been upgraded since that announcement, so examining the situation with the current environment fully accounted for is crucial. The catch is that Microsoft's Copilot+ PCs are only certified to run on Snapdragon X CPUs—for now, at least—so if you want the Copilot+ experience with all the new artificial intelligence features baked into Windows , a Snapdragon is the only way to fly.

Before we get to the CPU, let’s look at the laptop containing it more broadly. The Asus Vivobook S 15 (now featuring a space in the name, but sometimes not) dates back to 2017, when it began as an Intel-based product. Intel-powered Vivobooks are still around, mind you. The Qualcomm-based version reviewed here is model number S5507Q.

The silver laptop features a spacious 15.6-inch (non-touch) display running at 2,880 X 1,620 pixels of resolution. It’s plenty bright without being eye-searing, backing up its screen with a beefy Harman Kardon sound system. In addition to the Snapdragon X Elite X1E7810 CPU, the unit features 16 GB of RAM and a 1-terabyte solid-state drive, both standard on a modern laptop. The keyboard is roomy and responsive, even squeezing a tiny numeric keypad to the right.

An intriguing addition is the inclusion of color LED backlighting for the keyboard—something you don’t often see outside the world of gaming laptops . The single-zone lighting effects can be tweaked in the preloaded MyAsus app, which controls a range of functions ranging from fan speed to audio effects. The backlighting is understated in large part because it is hard to see, due to the silver color of the keys. Whether the backlighting was on or off, I struggled to read the letters and symbols on the tops of the keys; there just wasn’t enough contrast.

Note that the unit does not include Asus’ new Ceraluminum shell—the S 15 has an all-metal chassis—nor does it include the older ScreenPad feature (where the touchpad doubles as a small display), which is present on some other Vivobook offerings.

Port selection is good and befitting of a 15.6-inch laptop, with two USB-C ports supporting USB4 , two USB-A 3.2 ports, a full-size HDMI port, and a microSD card reader. All ports are side-mounted. The Vivobook weighs 3 pounds and is 20 millimeters thick, acceptable stats for a machine of this size.

With that preface complete, let’s turn to the big mystery: performance. I’ll hedge right away by saying performance is mixed. It doesn’t remotely live up to any “double the power” claims over any laptop I’ve seen in the last year or more—but that has to be qualified too. On general performance tests like Geekbench, the CPU is indeed a dazzler—about 15 percent faster than most Intel Core Ultra 7-based machines, against which this laptop will inevitably compete.

The catch arrives when you involve graphics in the mix. Intel’s integrated GPU has improved in recent years, but Qualcomm is well behind. Across the board, I saw frame rates and processing time lagging by at least 10 to 20 percent against those same Core Ultra 7 machines. Gamers will not likely find this experience to be usable.

Compatibility is another concern. Not every app runs on ARM-based machines yet, including the standard PCMark 10 benchmark. Numerous tests I ran unceremoniously crashed midway through, though casual users running a web browser and Office apps won’t likely encounter such obstacles. Microsoft's Prism translation layer should allow you to install and run more popular apps on ARM (albeit slowly), even if they were designed for the x86 architecture, like Apple's Rosetta 2 layer for MacBooks after it ditched Intel. However, in my testing, I found there were still plenty of benchmark apps that won’t work, even with the emulator.

Asus and Qualcomm, however, redeem themselves when it comes to battery life. I scored over 13 hours of YouTube playback at full brightness, which handily trounced most of the current competition. In a world where many laptops fail to even hit the seven-hour mark these days, Asus’ longevity is impressive. Equally impressive is the laptop’s ability to keep cool: I threw everything I had at the machine and never once got the fan to kick in.

Naturally, I tried out all the new Copilot+ features on the device (save for the now-delayed Recall ) and found they worked moderately well for the most part. Windows Studio Effects were impressive and quick to respond when applied to a webcam stream, accurately applying auto-framing and various filters on demand. While the Cocreator feature in Microsoft Paint—where you draw a sketch and provide a prompt, and the Copilot AI finishes it up for you—works well enough, it would be a lot simpler to engage with if this laptop had a touchscreen.

Finally, the Live Captions feature, which can overlay translated English subtitles for 44 languages, from any source, on the fly, worked better than I expected, but only if the audio source was moving slowly enough. A fast-talking Swede quickly left the Asus in the dust.

On the whole, the experience is good enough for me to cautiously recommend the Vivobook, provided you aren’t looking for killer graphics performance and you don’t require access to any apps that aren’t well in the mainstream. Those items are enough to keep me from personally jumping to a Snapdragon system anytime soon, but it’s worth keeping a close eye on to see where things go from here.

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Video Game Reviews

‘shadow of the erdtree’ is a confounding delight that wants to kill you with kindness.

Keller Gordon

The Scadutree towers over The Land of Shadow, a photonegative of the Erdtree in The Lands Between. Bandai Namco hide caption

My palms sweat and my heart thunders as I scale Belurat, Tower Settlement. A chorus swells as a sinister lion-headed beast scuttles towards me. Resembling a Chinese dancing dragon, it speeds around on grotesque human arms, shooting lightning in all directions. It takes me a few attempts, but my trusty scimitars and I eventually emerge victorious and relief surges through me.

We are so back.

Like tens of millions of players the world over, Elden Ring hooked me on this exhilarating, sadistic game loop when it came out in 2022. After two years of community lore videos and exhibitions of unbelievable skill , we finally have Shadow of the Erdtree. In a few short days, legions will embark on what’s likely to be the biggest gaming release of the summer.

The Lands Between in miniature

The new expansion drops you into The Land of Shadow, a scaled-down echo of the base game’s vast territory. A massive, decaying “Scadutree” looms over the area — the photonegative of the golden “Erdtree” from the original game. There’s much to entice you in all directions: withering castles, spectral headstones, and a massive Furnace Golem that looks like a giant walking wicker man (trust me; don’t try to fight it!).

The Divine Beat Dancing Dragon, moments before it rained lightning on my head. Bandai Namco hide caption

But while Shadow of the Erdtree is undeniably gorgeous, it frustrated me more than the base game. I often galloped in circles, searching for paths down forbidding rock faces. The labyrinthine Ruins of Rauh in particular sucked hours of my time as I fought the same foes and hit the same dead-ends. Yet tenuous as the traversal might be, it’s never been more essential.

It’s not just that this end-game realm expects players to have mastered the original content — it also introduces new resources to collect that permanently buff your damage and defense against enemies in the Land of Shadow. While you could try to power through without “Scadutree Fragments,” you’ll likely need to scour the map to acquire them because even early bosses are no joke.

Sweet suffering

Thankfully, Shadow of the Erdtree’s combat shines as brightly as Elden Ring’s. The duels are masterfully constructed, making you feel helpless in the face of huge scorpions, fire-wielding knights, shambling mutants, and more. While they may be insanely difficult, these fights are always fair — and the joy you’ll feel when finally overcoming them is pure video game ecstasy.

Messmer the Impaler takes center stage, soon after taking my life. Bandai Namco hide caption

In the week I’ve spent with my Shadow of the Erdtree review copy, I’ve had a blast plunging back into this world brimming with uncanny vistas and terrifying adversaries. Although this expansion doesn’t feel as fresh as FromSoftware’s best downloadable content (like Bloodborne’s The Old Hunters), it’s still a breathtaking sequel of one of the greatest games ever made. I’m anxious to continue my journey, dive deeper into fathomless lore, and laugh each time I get impaled, crushed, electrocuted, lacerated, poisoned, and/or set aflame.

James Perkins Mastromarino contributed to this review.