Rambo is worth taking seriously. Okay, stop. Please, please stop laughing. I’m serious! Well…kind of. I know that in the world of pop culture, Rambo occupies a very distinctive place. A place that’s viewed as anti-intellectual, overly aggressive, and more than a tad racist. Sylvester Stallone’s musclebound murderer has been featured in movies, books, video games, and even a Saturday morning cartoon. Maybe it’s not quite fair to put the ownership of Rambo entirely upon Stallone. The character was first introduced in David Morrell’s 1972 novel First Blood. It’s a lean and mean thriller... Read More

She’s on a secret beach in Mexico, and it is beautiful. As she looks out across the water, she sees a small island. Its contours remind her of a pregnant woman. Fitting, really, considering why she’s there. Her name is Nancy. She’s on her way to becoming a doctor. Well, she was, anyway. Her mother was diagnosed with cancer, not the kind of cancer you get better from. She fought hard but succumbed in the end. Maybe it wasn’t worth it. Now Nancy is here, on this secluded beach, trying to come to terms with this seismic event. But why here, at this particular place? We so... Read More