Quick Reviews

Alone atop the Hill is a very good condensation of the autobiography of a black female journalist pioneer, the first half a look at growing up in the early decades of the 20th Century Kentucky for an educated black woman. The scholarship of Madison's Hand, on Madison editing his famous constitutional notes, is great; not as a good as a book. Alex of Venice is somewhat thin, but is a well acted indie headed by the star of Smashed, another indie I liked.

Addendum: The book covers a lot of ground, explaining perhaps why it originally was three times longer! One striking thing is the author's continual concern for personal "dignity" or "prestige" or some related principle. Brings to mind Justice Kennedy's use of that term. She also briefly noted advocating for birth control. Did so in action: two marriages, one kid.