Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

A Horse is a Horse, Of Course, Of Course

The Institute by Stephen King

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Luke Ellis is gifted. Not only does he have a very high IQ but he’s also mature for his age. Even though he’s only twelve he knows how to think things through, how to plan ahead. And sometimes, when he’s upset, things move around on their own account. He’s set for MIT with the help of his loving parents when a group of intruders sneak into his house, kill his parents and take him. He wakes up in a building deep inside the forests of […]

I’m horrible

American Prison: A Reporter's Undercover Journey into the Business of Punishment by Shane Bauer

The Institute by Stephen King

Mountain Man by Keith C. Blackmore

In Distant Lands: A Short History of the Crusades by Lars Brownworth

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I’ve been bad the last couple months. I finished all these books by early October, and have probably started a dozen books since then without finishing anything. And I’ve been reading Brandon Sanderson’s Misborn for about three months. I’m liking it, but I just can’t finish it for whatever reason. This hasn’t been a good Cannonball for me. But, much like my first Cannonball in 2015, I have the birth of a child to blame. Anyway, I’ll still try and review these books the best […]

This one has that Stephen King magic.

The Institute by Stephen King

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As readers, I think one thing we all have in common is that every time we pick up a book, we’re hoping it’ll be one of those times where what you’re reading is so absorbing that you forget entirely that you’re reading, your conscious self recedes into the background, and the story just takes over. Those are always the most magical reading experiences for me, at least, and this book, which calls to mind the beginnings of King’s writing career, absolutely did that for me. […]

“He was only twelve, and understood that his experience of the world was limited, but one thing he was quite sure of: when someone said trust me, they were usually lying through their teeth.”

The Institute by Stephen King

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Welcome to The Institute, my favorite book of 2019. Was it the best book of 2019? Probably not. But I can’t think of a reading experience that I enjoyed more than this. This book brought me back to the feelings I had when I first discovered Stephen King, back in Junior High, staying up late at night, scared to death about what might happen to my favorite characters. Its been MANY years since those first late-night readings of The Shining and Thinner (not his greatest […]

Burn, baby, burn.

Firestarter by Stephen King

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Clearly, 2019 has been my year of reading Jane Austen reboots and Stephen King. I’m not complaining. For some reason, I just needed some cozy reading this year, and I didn’t stray too far from my comfort zone. I first read Firestarter so long ago that I can’t even remember reading it.*** I know I did, because I’ve always been a completist like that, but I just don’t remember. I assume I was in 8th or 9th grade, which was NOT recently, so I was […]

King is once more Hip to the Jive

The Institute by Stephen King

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Historically, King is at his best building stories with complex worlds, high stakes, many moving parts, and a cast of characters. In many cases, his tales are told through the eyes of a child. The Dark Tower, IT, and The Body are all a testament to King’s uncanny ability to get into the mind of a child and face overwhelming challenges from a tweenager perspective. But, in recent years, I’ve felt that King’s ability to connect with the younger generation is slipping. For a 72 […]



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