Harvey Freedenberg
@harvf.bsky.social
Reader and writer for BookPage, Bookreporter, Shelf Awareness & Kirkus Reviews. Also meditator, golfer, Dickinson College & University of Michigan Law School alum. I care about our democracy, too.
Pinned
Harvey Freedenberg
@harvf.bsky.social
· Nov 21
“When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.” Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
I had to wait to read @mdbell79.bsky.social's excellent review of Jonathan Miles's latest novel, ERADICATION: A Fable until I filed mine. Now that I have, I'm happy to see we agree in our assessment. Look for my review for @bookreporter.bsky.social here later this week.
My review of Jonathan Miles's excellent new novel ERADICATION is live at the @nytimes.com! I loved reading and thinking about this book, and I think it's a strong addition to the climate fiction genre. Give it a look!
Thanks to Dave Kim for his wise edits and advice on this one!
Thanks to Dave Kim for his wise edits and advice on this one!
5 Weeks Alone on an Island, With a Rifle and a License to Kill
www.nytimes.com
February 10, 2026 at 2:27 PM
I had to wait to read @mdbell79.bsky.social's excellent review of Jonathan Miles's latest novel, ERADICATION: A Fable until I filed mine. Now that I have, I'm happy to see we agree in our assessment. Look for my review for @bookreporter.bsky.social here later this week.
“The sea was so calm as to suggest it’d decided to sleep in, its waves brushing up like the untroubled breaths of a slumbering giant.” Jonathan MIles, ERADICATION: A Fable #sundaysentence
February 8, 2026 at 2:05 PM
“The sea was so calm as to suggest it’d decided to sleep in, its waves brushing up like the untroubled breaths of a slumbering giant.” Jonathan MIles, ERADICATION: A Fable #sundaysentence
“Before I end my letter, I pray Heaven to bestow the best of
Blessings on this House and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise Men ever rule under this roof.”
John Adams to Abigail, on his second night in the White House, 11/2/1800
😢
Blessings on this House and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise Men ever rule under this roof.”
John Adams to Abigail, on his second night in the White House, 11/2/1800
😢
February 7, 2026 at 2:16 PM
“Before I end my letter, I pray Heaven to bestow the best of
Blessings on this House and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise Men ever rule under this roof.”
John Adams to Abigail, on his second night in the White House, 11/2/1800
😢
Blessings on this House and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise Men ever rule under this roof.”
John Adams to Abigail, on his second night in the White House, 11/2/1800
😢
Scandal added bubbles to the champagne, sweetness to the puddings.” Francine Prose, FIVE WEEKS IN THE COUNTRY. #sundaysentence
February 1, 2026 at 7:05 PM
Scandal added bubbles to the champagne, sweetness to the puddings.” Francine Prose, FIVE WEEKS IN THE COUNTRY. #sundaysentence
From @bookreporter.bsky.social here’s my review of George Saunders’s novel VIGIL:
www.bookreporter.com/reviews/vigil
www.bookreporter.com/reviews/vigil
www.bookreporter.com
January 30, 2026 at 9:30 PM
From @bookreporter.bsky.social here’s my review of George Saunders’s novel VIGIL:
www.bookreporter.com/reviews/vigil
www.bookreporter.com/reviews/vigil
From @shelf-awareness.com, here's my review of Adam Phillips's THE LIFE YOU WANT: www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?i...
Shelf Awareness for Monday, January 26, 2026
Welcome to the Web site for Shelf Awareness: Daily Enlightenment for the Book Trade, the free e-mail newsletter dedicated to helping the people in stores, ...
www.shelf-awareness.com
January 27, 2026 at 8:08 PM
From @shelf-awareness.com, here's my review of Adam Phillips's THE LIFE YOU WANT: www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?i...
“Americans don’t do politics—they do tribalism. Jayne Anne Phillips, SMALL TOWN GIRLS: A Writer’s Memoir #sundaysentence
January 25, 2026 at 9:05 PM
“Americans don’t do politics—they do tribalism. Jayne Anne Phillips, SMALL TOWN GIRLS: A Writer’s Memoir #sundaysentence
I could claim this AI legal software was named after me in honor of my 41-year career in the law, but if you were a fan of the TV show “Suits,” you’ll know the truth:
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/b...
Harvey, a Maker of A.I. Legal Software, Raises New Funds
www.nytimes.com
January 24, 2026 at 7:28 PM
I could claim this AI legal software was named after me in honor of my 41-year career in the law, but if you were a fan of the TV show “Suits,” you’ll know the truth:
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/b...
From @bookreporter.bsky.social my review of Gabriel Tallent’s second novel, CRUX:
www.bookreporter.com/reviews/crux
www.bookreporter.com/reviews/crux
Crux | Bookreporter.com
Dan and Tamma are two teenagers in their last year of high school in the southern Mojave Desert. One is a gifted golden child, the other a mouthy burnout. Climbing boulders in trash-strewn parking lot...
www.bookreporter.com
January 24, 2026 at 1:40 AM
From @bookreporter.bsky.social my review of Gabriel Tallent’s second novel, CRUX:
www.bookreporter.com/reviews/crux
www.bookreporter.com/reviews/crux
From @shelf-awareness.com here’s my review of Maria Adelmann’s novel THE ADJUNCT: www.shelf-awareness.com/theshelf/202...
Review: The Adjunct
In the acknowledgments for her novel The Adjunct, Maria Adelmann cites a 2022 report noting that adjunct and contingent faculty now make up
www.shelf-awareness.com
January 23, 2026 at 10:00 PM
From @shelf-awareness.com here’s my review of Maria Adelmann’s novel THE ADJUNCT: www.shelf-awareness.com/theshelf/202...
I was honored to participate in this MLK Day community program hosted by my synagogue and to read this sentence from Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
January 19, 2026 at 8:07 PM
I was honored to participate in this MLK Day community program hosted by my synagogue and to read this sentence from Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
Happy place. A joy to be reading here this afternoon.
January 18, 2026 at 6:17 PM
Happy place. A joy to be reading here this afternoon.
“We’re seeing—and creating—a condition in which facts seem ever more fungible, in which history that doesn’t fit neatly into the form of a movie seems less true than the history that does.” Megan Garber, SCREEN PEOPLE #sundaysentence
January 18, 2026 at 1:32 PM
“We’re seeing—and creating—a condition in which facts seem ever more fungible, in which history that doesn’t fit neatly into the form of a movie seems less true than the history that does.” Megan Garber, SCREEN PEOPLE #sundaysentence
@meganewrites.bsky.social Thanks for the follow, Megan. Let me know if you’ve found any more of our fellow @bookreporter.bsky.social reviewers here.
January 18, 2026 at 1:30 PM
@meganewrites.bsky.social Thanks for the follow, Megan. Let me know if you’ve found any more of our fellow @bookreporter.bsky.social reviewers here.
Looking forward to this one. Read his recent interview in the New York Times if you haven’t already done so.
January 13, 2026 at 8:08 PM
Looking forward to this one. Read his recent interview in the New York Times if you haven’t already done so.
“Getting out of a hospital is like escaping a casino, they don’t make it easy for you.” Ben Markovits, THE REST OF OUR LIVES. #sundaysentence
And as a bonus, here’s my review of the novel for @bookreporter.bsky.social:
www.bookreporter.com/reviews/the-...
And as a bonus, here’s my review of the novel for @bookreporter.bsky.social:
www.bookreporter.com/reviews/the-...
The Rest of Our Lives | Bookreporter.com
When Tom Layward’s wife had an affair 12 years ago, he resolved to leave her as soon as his youngest child left the nest. Now, while driving his college-bound daughter to Pittsburgh, he remembers his ...
www.bookreporter.com
January 11, 2026 at 1:58 PM
“Getting out of a hospital is like escaping a casino, they don’t make it easy for you.” Ben Markovits, THE REST OF OUR LIVES. #sundaysentence
And as a bonus, here’s my review of the novel for @bookreporter.bsky.social:
www.bookreporter.com/reviews/the-...
And as a bonus, here’s my review of the novel for @bookreporter.bsky.social:
www.bookreporter.com/reviews/the-...
From @bookreporter.bsky.social my review of Ben Markovits’s novel, THE REST OF OUR LIVES: www.bookreporter.com/reviews/the-...
The Rest of Our Lives | Bookreporter.com
When Tom Layward’s wife had an affair 12 years ago, he resolved to leave her as soon as his youngest child left the nest. Now, while driving his college-bound daughter to Pittsburgh, he remembers his ...
www.bookreporter.com
January 10, 2026 at 2:09 PM
From @bookreporter.bsky.social my review of Ben Markovits’s novel, THE REST OF OUR LIVES: www.bookreporter.com/reviews/the-...
From @readbookpage.bsky.social my interview with Stefan Merrill Block and my review of his new memoir, HOMESCHOOLED:
www.bookpage.com/interviews/s...
www.bookpage.com/interviews/s...
Interview with Stefan Merrill Block, author of Homeschooled
Stefan Merrill Block was 9 when his mother pulled him from school to be taught at home. As he details in his first memoir, the result wasn’t quite a disaster.
www.bookpage.com
January 5, 2026 at 8:01 PM
From @readbookpage.bsky.social my interview with Stefan Merrill Block and my review of his new memoir, HOMESCHOOLED:
www.bookpage.com/interviews/s...
www.bookpage.com/interviews/s...
“In any case, this world is in such bad shape that anyone
who does not actively seek ill to others is doing an
enormous good.” Vicente Luis Mora, CENTROEUROPA #sundaysentence
who does not actively seek ill to others is doing an
enormous good.” Vicente Luis Mora, CENTROEUROPA #sundaysentence
January 5, 2026 at 3:11 AM
“In any case, this world is in such bad shape that anyone
who does not actively seek ill to others is doing an
enormous good.” Vicente Luis Mora, CENTROEUROPA #sundaysentence
who does not actively seek ill to others is doing an
enormous good.” Vicente Luis Mora, CENTROEUROPA #sundaysentence
Final two book reviews of 2025 . . . filed.📚
December 30, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Final two book reviews of 2025 . . . filed.📚
“Long nose, long eyelashes, almost cartoonish, his features interchangeable like on a Mr. Potato Head, as if you could pluck out his mouth and put it where his ear had been.“ Maria Adelmann, THE ADJUNCT (coming in March 2026) #sundaysentence
December 28, 2025 at 2:32 PM
“Long nose, long eyelashes, almost cartoonish, his features interchangeable like on a Mr. Potato Head, as if you could pluck out his mouth and put it where his ear had been.“ Maria Adelmann, THE ADJUNCT (coming in March 2026) #sundaysentence
“Creative writers have a habit of thinking every other literary professional is just a failed novelist, though in my case it was at least partially true.” Maria Adelmann, THE ADJUNCT (coming March 2026) #sundaysentence
December 21, 2025 at 8:07 PM
“Creative writers have a habit of thinking every other literary professional is just a failed novelist, though in my case it was at least partially true.” Maria Adelmann, THE ADJUNCT (coming March 2026) #sundaysentence
From @shelf-awareness.com my review of Brian Platzer’s wistful novel, THE OPTIMISTS, the story of a dedicated teacher and his most exceptional student: www.shelf-awareness.com/theshelf/202...
Review: The Optimists
Most people can remember fondly at least one teacher whose classroom became a place where the lessons imparted transcended the mundane subject
www.shelf-awareness.com
December 19, 2025 at 1:39 PM
From @shelf-awareness.com my review of Brian Platzer’s wistful novel, THE OPTIMISTS, the story of a dedicated teacher and his most exceptional student: www.shelf-awareness.com/theshelf/202...
Trump's pathetic, farcical attempt to aggrandize himself by having his toadies tack his name onto the Kennedy Center brought to mind Shelley's poem, "Ozymandias":
www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46565/...
www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46565/...
Ozymandias
Near them, on the sand, Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these...
www.poetryfoundation.org
December 19, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Trump's pathetic, farcical attempt to aggrandize himself by having his toadies tack his name onto the Kennedy Center brought to mind Shelley's poem, "Ozymandias":
www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46565/...
www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46565/...
Here’s my full list of Favorite Books of 2025:
Nos. 1-6:
Karen Russell, THE ANTIDOTE
Peter Orner, THE GOSSIP COLUMNIST’S DAUGHTER
Ian McEwan, WHAT WE CAN KNOW
Susan Orlean, JOYRIDE
Dan Chaon, ONE OF US
Adam Haslett, MOTHERS AND SONS
Nos. 1-6:
Karen Russell, THE ANTIDOTE
Peter Orner, THE GOSSIP COLUMNIST’S DAUGHTER
Ian McEwan, WHAT WE CAN KNOW
Susan Orlean, JOYRIDE
Dan Chaon, ONE OF US
Adam Haslett, MOTHERS AND SONS
December 14, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Here’s my full list of Favorite Books of 2025:
Nos. 1-6:
Karen Russell, THE ANTIDOTE
Peter Orner, THE GOSSIP COLUMNIST’S DAUGHTER
Ian McEwan, WHAT WE CAN KNOW
Susan Orlean, JOYRIDE
Dan Chaon, ONE OF US
Adam Haslett, MOTHERS AND SONS
Nos. 1-6:
Karen Russell, THE ANTIDOTE
Peter Orner, THE GOSSIP COLUMNIST’S DAUGHTER
Ian McEwan, WHAT WE CAN KNOW
Susan Orlean, JOYRIDE
Dan Chaon, ONE OF US
Adam Haslett, MOTHERS AND SONS