Dear Colleagues and Fellow Writers from Around the World, I have some compelling stories of the Arizona Authors Association Contest, what I heard when listening to my “SoftPower” interview and an update on My Saddest Pleasures. A heads up on the impact of financial inequality in the U.S. in Culture Watch a new book and movie review in What We’re Reading and Viewing and Why a few inspirational quotes in What Others Are Saying plus an updated Calendar. But first, as “Giving Tuesday” which was established to encourage generosity and community giving around the world is upon us, let’s make […]
Continue readingCategory Archives: Book Reviews: Non-fiction
My Twin Cities: Rio and Buenos Aires by Steve Kaffen, Reviewed by Mark D. Walker
This book caught my attention as it focuses on two of my favorite cities in South America and fond memories of my own trek through the region in the early 1970s. Buenos Aires always felt like a little piece of Italy and merited the nickname, “The Paris of South America.” The author brings the insights of a veteran writer with over a dozen travel books to his name so far, and his photographs add color and culture to everything he does. The book is not just a guide; it’s an immersive experience combining cultural observations, historical context, and hundreds of […]
Continue readingAn Expanded Edition of My Saddest Pleasures in the Works & Arizona’s Missing Voice in Congress, Million Mile Walker Dispatch November Edition 2025
Dear Colleagues and Fellow Writers from Around the World, That’s right—I’m responding to requests to expand my second book with new stories. I’ll also provide highlights of Desert Nights, Rising Stars writing conference. In Culture Watch a few words on why Arizonans are missing a representative in Congress. In What Others Are Saying some commentary from readers and a special book review in What We’re Reading and Why about one of my favorite places, Sierra Leone as well as an important announcement in the updated Calendar. Although the response to my book was positive, a growing number of readers complained […]
Continue readingBefore Before: A Story of Discovery and Loss in Sierra Leone by Betsy Small, Reviewed by Mark D. Walker
Before Before: A Story of Discovery and Loss in Sierra Leone By Betsy Small (Sierra Leone, 1984-1987) University of Michigan Press: Law, Meaning and Violence series. Reviewer Mark D. Walker (Guatemala 1971-1973) Betsy Small’s Before Before offers a deeply personal and historically rich account of Sierra Leone, blending memoir and ethnography with emotional resonance. She draws from her Peace Corps service in mid-1980 and a return visit in 2013 with her daughter. This memoir is more than a recollection—it’s a meditation on cultural exchange, colonial legacies, and the fragile threads of memory that bind us across time and geography. Like […]
Continue readingAppalachia: A Tale Of Two Novels, The Million Mile Walker Dispatch, October Edition
Dear Colleagues and Fellow Writers from Around the World, I’ll focus on three books that have special relevance today. One was inspired by Charles Dickens, and the other by Mark Twain. Two of the books paint a contrasting portrait of Appalachia. The Culture Watch tells a story of gun violence in my hometown. What We’re Reading and Why will highlight a unique perspective of a classic tale, plus an updated Calendar. The Poisonwood Bible is one of my favorite books, as someone who has worked with missionaries and worked in Africa. But when I heard that Charles Dickens inspired […]
Continue readingGuatemala: Lineage and Racism by Maria Elena Casaús Arzú, Reviewed by Mark D. Walker
As a long-time student and writer on Guatemala, I’ve often pondered the country’s inequality and the extreme power of its elite. Although written over thirty years ago, Guatemala: Lineage and Racism goes a long way in explaining it. The author brings a unique perspective to this meticulous study as she is a descendant of one of those elite families. She traces the phenomenon from colonial conquest to contemporary neoliberalism. And her genealogical approach—tracing the intermarriages, business alliances, and ideological continuities among elite families—offers a blueprint for understanding how power reproduces itself across generations. The author identifies twenty-two oligarchic families who […]
Continue readingJames by Percival Everett, Reviewed by Mark D. Walker
Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) and Percival Everett’s James (2024) are separated by a century and a half. Yet, both confront the legacy of American racism through the lens of a fugitive slave named Jim. Twain’s novel, which is one of the most popular books in American literature, is simultaneously revered and reviled for its use of racial slurs and portrayal of antebellum attitudes. Everett’s version reimagines the same narrative from Jim’s perspective. Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a satirical indictment of Southern society’s racism, focusing on Huck’s moral awakening and his decision not to expose Jim. […]
Continue readingGuatemala Bound: With A Granddaughter! Million Mile Walker Dispatch, June 2025
Friends and Colleagues from Around the World, Today, I’ll roll out the plans for our next trip to Guatemala. The No Kings events will be the focus of Culture Watch. Then, it’s ‘What We’re Reading and Why,’ a new Scanning Project segment, ‘What Others Are Saying,’ plus an updated Calendar. We’re going to Guatemala with our 20-year-old granddaughter, Ali, as part of our master plan to introduce our grandkids to other languages and cultures, as well as the birthplace of their parents and grandmother. On our last trip, I heard complaints that we were seeing too many things and […]
Continue readingA Dry Hate: Power Versus The People by Nancy Hicks Marshall, Reviewed by Mark D. Walker June 2025
I met the author at a conference of Arizona Professional Writers, and over lunch, we recognized our common interest in immigration politics—my focus was on Guatemala, and hers was on Arizona. Although her book is fiction, it’s based on the events surrounding “America’s Toughest Sheriff,” who served as Sheriff of Maricopa County from 1993 to 2016. I met Sheriff Arpaio at a wedding where I was the best man, and he seemed like a jovial, personable guy. He gained national attention on a segment on 60 Minutes, which highlighted Tent City, Pink Underwear, and illegal immigration sweeps and traffic stops […]
Continue readingThe Demise of Soft Power and Harsh Times, Million Mile Walker Dispatch, May 2025
Friends and Colleagues from Around the World, I’ll focus on the impact of dismantling overseas development programs in Culture Watch. Then it’s What We’re Reading and Why, a new Scanning Project segment, What Others Are Saying, plus an updated Calendar. Culture Watch Many Americans are unaware what USAID does and few realize the impact of its dismantling. Humanitarian programs like USAID and the Peace Corps comprise our “Soft Power” which impacts how we are perceived abroad. The number of lives lost by its disappearance. Brooke Nicols, a Professor of Global Health at Boston University, developed an impact […]
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