Category Archives: Review

Review: Constantine’s Sword

Posted on October 29, 2014 by The Academic Raven

James Carroll’s Constantine’s Sword, or Constantine’s Sword 2007, Storyville Films/First Run Features A historical documentary film on the relationship between the Catholic Church and Jews. Directed and produced Oren Jacoby, inspired by former priest James P. Carroll’s 2001 book Constantine’s … Continue reading →

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Review: The Black Death; A Personal History

Posted on October 27, 2014 by The Academic Raven

(John Hatcher, Da Capo Press, 2008) There seem to be two types of readers of history; those who love history, and those who tolerate it as a necessary evil. Writing for the first group requires thoroughness, organization, solid research, and … Continue reading →

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Review: Dog Whistle Politics: How Coded Racial Appeals Have Reinvented Racism and Wrecked the Middle Class

Posted on February 20, 2014 by The Academic Raven

(Ian Haney López, Oxford University Press, 2014) On the one hand, I love this book, and I think it’s terrifically important. On the other, I was disappointed in its lack of scope. That conflict makes this a hard book to … Continue reading →

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Review: Religulous

Posted on January 5, 2014 by The Academic Raven

Originally published My 15, 2009 I know, I’m a little behind the times on this; what can I say? I don’t get to the theater much. This one is worth a review nevertheless. Trust me on this one, I’m not … Continue reading →

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Review: PBS Secret Files of the Inquisition, Episode One: The Land of Error

Posted on September 9, 2012 by The Academic Raven

(2006, PBS) I am a big fan of PBS in general. So when a documentary series covering the history of the Inquisition and some of the major heretical movements in medieval Europe showed up on my Netflix recommendations list, I … Continue reading →

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Passion and reason: A review of David Mackenzie’s ‘Asylum’

Posted on May 16, 2012 by The Academic Raven

Long philosophical review of the film Asylum (2005, Dir. David Mackenzie. Natasha Richardson, Hugh Bonneville, Ian McKellen, Marton Csokas) Passion… it lies in all of us. Sleeping, waiting, and though unwanted, unbidden, it will stir, open its jaws… and howl. … Continue reading →

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