Brandon Shuler
I have worn many hats in my professional career from an Olympic Triathlon Coach to an Investment banker. I'm currently a Ph.D Student and Graduate Part Time Instructor.
Read More »
...
- Page Views
- 126,723
- Content
- 103
- Fans
- 23
- Contributor since
- 5/26/2008
Education/Experience
English Ph.D Student--Texas Tech UniversityInterests
Books, Literature, Book Reviews, Fly Fishing, Surfing, Swimming, Reading, Running, Writing, Cycling, CMS Software, Beat Scholarship, Kerouac, Burroughs, GinsbergMotto
There is no such thing as perfection. You can always do better.Affiliations
Getaway Adventures LodgeFavorites
Displaying Results 1 - 103 (of 103) for All Content
-
Perception, Reality, and the Post-HumanHow do we address these realities, and what is the logical end to our present reality? Are there a series of multidimensional realities in our future as illustrated by Gibson in Neuromancer and, if so, are they a real concern?
-
Annotated Bibliographies ExplainedThere are a number of tools out there which make the process easier. But, I want to show you the easy way, because I find it much easier to do by hand. Sometimes, programs make errors, which in the long run create more work for you.
-
MLA Citations Made EasyMLA citations are where most students trip up when formatting research papers in the humanities. This guide is to help you with the most frequent forms of citations which occur in the common high school, college freshman, or undergraduate writing class.
-
Narrowing a Research TopicA brief example and tips on how to narrow down a vary broad research topic into a concise and focused idea.
-
Choosing a Research TopicMost academic writers, early in their careers, attempt to tackle research topics too broad in scope for a 1000- to 2000-word paper. Narrowness and specificity is the key to wrangle in a topic and break the subject down into digestible, writable bits.
-
Visions of Gerard by Jack KerouacVisions of Gerard is unique in the Kerouac pantheon. In fact, it is one of Kerouac's most accessible and sweetest novels and is sure to win new fans to his work. -
Visions of Gerard by Jack KerouacThe story is heart-rending and the opening chapter of Kerouac's Dulouz Legend, a life's work he envisioned as a rival to Proust's In Search of Lost Time.
-
The Author is DeadThis is a satirical review of Roland Barthes's "The Author is Dead."
-
Cormac McCarthy's The Orchard KeeperSimply put - without reserve, without hyperbole, with none of the fanatical accoutrement of a starry-eyed sycophant - Cormac McCarthy is our greatest living American writer.
-
American Bloomsbury: The Transcendentalists; Their Lives, Their Loves, Their WorkThe Transcendentalists defined American thought. Famed Critic Harold Bloom concedes American thought began with the Father of the Transcendentalists, Ralph Waldo Emerson.
-
John Graves and the Making of Goodbye to a River: Selected Letters, 1957-1960John Graves's Goodbye to a River, like the slow rolling Brazos River itself, is always winding and, as it rolls its way through the 20th century, its finding its way into the Western canon.
-
John Graves, WriterAs John Graves, beloved Texan and regional writer, nears his ninetieth birthday in 2010, the accolades of one of the greatest, if not the greatest, thinking minds of Texas's Belles Lettres are sure to follow.
-
Goodbye to a River by John GravesIconic, slow, erudite, flowing, clear, and, at times, murky. Easy ways to describe a river, yet in this case it's the writing of John Graves's 1960 eponymous Goodbye to a River.
-
From a Limestone Ledge: Some Essays and Other Ruminations About Country Life in Texas by John GravesCritics say modern western thought began with William Shakespeare. Harold Bloom says American thought began with Ralph Waldo Emerson. Texas thought begins with John Alexander Graves III. -
I Celebrate Myself: The Somewhat Private Life of Allen GinsbergMorgan's book is a strict biographical approach to the author's life, not necessarily a literary biography by definition. Morgan leaves the deciphering of the poems' meanings to Schumacher's The Dharma Lion and to Miles's Ginsberg: A Biography.
-
The Typewriter is Holy by Bill MorganThe Beat Generation redefined the cultural direction mid-twentieth century American. Bill Morgan explores the men who launched the revolution.
-
Top three winter fishing getawaysIf you are looking for the perfect winter fishing getaway to warmer climes and bigger fish, it is time to start booking those trips now. -
A Review of David Gray's FoundlingDavid Gray returns with his eleventh album, Foundling. Known for his heady lyrics inspired by the likes of Van Morrison and Cat Stevens, Gray fuses his past sounds into a new, yet familiar, feel which highlights his maturity as an artist.
-
Where Do English Departments Come FromWilliam Riley Parker examines the rise and history of the Modern English department. However, he suggests there are structural inconsistencies in their structure.
-
Turn Your Topwater into a Walk-the-Dog TorpedoFollow these simple steps to turn your topwater from a vertical mess of fish spooking motions to an elegant side to side walk the dog motion. -
D.C. Greetham's Textual Scholarship: An IntroductionGreetham explores the history of the book as an object, rather than the matter which describes the inner-textual workings. He begins with the earliest written word and follows the capitulation of the printed word to his present, which was 1992. -
Piscatorial Porn: How Texas Parks and Wildlife Are Saving Our SeasWith increasing coastal populations, more efficient fishing techniques and tackle, plus an exploding amount of angling pressure on our fisheries, Texas Parks and Wildlife is doing all they can to make sure there are enough fish for everyone. -
Choosing the Best Global Positioning System (GPS) for FishingA GPS is an integral part of your next fishing trip's success. Make sure you chose wisely for your conditions and budget. -
King Mackerel on the FlyLearn how to land king mackerel on fly. Tips, techniques, and warnings from a salty and scarred veteran. -
Border City: A Book ReviewBorder City was the first book on the immigration problems facing the south Texas border.
-
Uncovered Wagon: A Book ReviewA.C. Greene named Uncovered Wagon one of the Fifty Greatest Books in Texas. The Roman a'Clef tale portrays early life on the south Texas border.
-
How Writers Journey to Comfort and Fluency: A Psychological AdventureI came across a chapter in Robert Boice's How Writers Journey to Comfort and Fluency: A Psychological Adventure on motivation that had me saying to self, "Self, that's you." -
How to Set Up Your Fly RodFly Fishing is a sport that demands patience and finesse. However, the easiest place to start fly fishing, and most likely the easiest part of your fly-fishing adventure, is putting your rod together.
-
Jane's Addiction Top Ten SongsJane's Addiction was busy paving the way for Nirvana's Bleach and the rest of Seattle's burgeoning flannel-clad music scene to launch out of the ill-apropos genre moniker of college-rock into the mainstream.
-
Top 10 Cheesy Sorority Mix SongsBy no means is this a derogatory shot at sorority girls. This list is compiled from six years experience researching sorority parties at the College of Charleston while I was a student. Yes, I own them all, and I sing a long to them every chance I get.
-
The Big Rich: The Rise and Fall of the Greatest Texas Oil FortunesThe Big Rich follows the rise and fall of the greatest Texas oil fortunes. Burrough explores the lives, fortunes, intrigues, philanthropy, and bankruptcies of four richer-than-thou Texas families.
-
Top Three Family Fishing Summer GetawaysFishing is a great family activity and escape for the madhouse antics of the school year. Here are three fun, family-friendly escapes for your family to explore this summer. -
South Atlantic Management Council Closes Bottom FishingThe SAMC has taken steps to comply with the reauthorization of the Magnusson-Stevens act of 2006. They have closed 4,800 odd miles to bottom fishing for red snapper and grouper.
-
Aftermarket Jig Rigging: Rigging Your Jig for Noise, Vibration, and Added MovementFish react to noise, vibration, and motion. A few easy steps to after rig your jig heads may increase the probability of hook-up on your next outing. -
Black Crowes Top Five SongsThe Black Crowes are the quintessential modern band of Southern Rock. They break the barriers and limits of Skynard and Vaughn and redefine the genre. here are their best five songs.
-
Three Best Books to Understand the Beat GenerationThe Beats, Kerouac, Ginsburg, and Burroughs, defined mid-twentieth century American letters. They changed the way we read, wrote, and viewed the world. These three books show us how their lives were before we knew them.
-
3 Top Books for Summer Beach ReadingHitting the beach this summer? Looking for something to pass the time? How about these three books to pass the time while Mother Nature toasts those little toes brown.
-
Can the Recreational Fisherman Sustain Sustainability in Our Oceans?Sustainability seems to be the big catchword these days: sustainable economy, sustainable living, sustainable resources, sustainable oil, and sustainable fisheries. If recreational anglers don't get involved, our lifestyle's may be unsustainable. -
SPF Somewhat ExplainedThere are probably no other three letters misconstrued by users than the SPF, or Sun Protection Factor. Here's a little step to get you headed in the right direction.
-
Sun Protection for OutdoorsmenSummertime is coming and the great outdoors is calling. Before you venture out and burn your lilly white winter paleness to a Kentucky-Fried crisp, take some time to make sure you're protected from the scorching summer sun.
-
We Should See "Strange Peaches," "Ballad of Trenchmouth Taggart," and "Madame Bovary" in TheatersWhat does Dallas have to do with Strange Peaches, a man with Trenchmouth have to do with Ballads, or Madame Bovary to do with the big screen? They're filled with politics, romance, lose, and they all belong on the celluloid.
-
The Mother ShipKayaking is fun, economical, and low-impact on the environment. But not always practical to get to those hard to reach fish. Sometimes you need the support of a mother ship. Here's how to use your center-console as a launching point.
-
Americo Paredes's George Washington GomezAmerico Paredes's George Washington Gomez is an immensely readable narrative about life on the Texas/Mexico Border in the 1910s from the perspective of a poor Texas-Mexican.
-
The King Ranch Shoreline - Best Fishing Spot in FloridaThe lower Laguna Madre is famed for her trophy speckled trout. The only rival to the LLM is Florida's Indian River Lagoon, but the IRL ain't got nothing on the King Ranch Shoreline.
-
A Guide to Life and Literature of the SouthwestJ. Frank Dobie is considered the Father of Texas and Southwest Letters. A Guide to the Life and Literature of the Southwest is any bibliophile's essential Southwest bibliography.
-
Wal-Mart V. Whole FoodsAs we move toward a greener and more environmentally conscience society, some are more willing to pay more to help out Ma Nature. However, that may not be your most economically, or environmentally, best option.
-
Choosing the Right Kayak DesignFishing from a kayak is one of the best ways to get to ultra-skinny waters and sneak in on skittish fish. This is an article to help you chose the right kayak for your needs.
-
Winter/Spring Trophy Trout TechniquesWinter and early Spring aren't good for anything but snuggling your loved one...or catching hoss-sized Speckled Trout. Here's how...
-
How to Use TopwatersTaking the mystery out of topwaters may be confusing for some. Others may adhere to old standards and myths. Fish are reactionary. Teach them to eat when you want them to.
-
Blessed McGill: A Book ReviewBlessed McGill is Bud Shrake's dark-humor Western. This is a story of a hard-living, frontiersmen, which becomes Texas's first Catholic saint.
-
Red Tide: Karenia BrevisRed Tide is occurring with more frequency and staying longer than past blooms. The immediate effects to filter fish and the subsequent food-chain can lead to large fish kills and human discomfort. Find out how to diagnose it, avoid it, and report it.
-
Largemouth Bass LunkersTexas's Toyota Sharelunker Program is dead-set on Operation World Record. Where might the next world record largemouth record come from? If Texas has anything to do with it: right here in the Lonestar State
-
The Red Drum of NOLAThe Louisiana delta is famous for its monster red drum. But go up the bayou a bit toward the NOLA skyline for some real action.
-
Myth Behind the Popping CorkThe Pop-N-Ator, the Speckulator, the Mansfield Mauler, the Equalizer. All the names describe the indescribably productive popping cork rig. Here's one version of how the myth was born.
-
Adventures with Sharks....On FlyHave you ever tried to stop an eight-foot mass of adrenaline-infused muscle and teeth with a nine-foot fly rod? Read what happens here.
-
Light-Tackle King Mackerel TechniquesAs summer approaches, kingfish come close to the beach. Small-boat captains and recreational anglers are often there to greet them. Follow these simple techniques to increase your hook-ups this summer.
-
Americo Paredes: In His Own Words, an Authorized BiographyAmerico Paredes (1915-1999) is considered one of the leaders of 20th Century Mexican-American studies, and his work as an educator for Anglo- and Hispanic-descent students alike earned him a stellar reputation amongst educators.
-
Hiring a Freshwater or Saltwater GuideHiring a guide should be a simple proposition; however, there are a few factors to consider before asking "Permission to come aboard, captain?" First, does your family want to experience a head boat or a personalized one-on-one guided trip?
-
Offshore Kayak FishingFollow the wayward adventure of three slightly crazed kayak fishermen as they try to catch tuna from kayaks.
-
Bait Caster MaintenanceFollow these ten easy steps to prolong the life of your bait caster, improve casting performance, and make sure that drag's ready to stop the next big fish that challenges it.
-
Trophy Speckled Trout TechniquesThe Speckled Trout is Texas's most sought after gamefish. Although schoolie trout are easy to catch, the 26+ Incher confounds anglers of all skill levels. Here are a few tips to help you land your trophy yellow mouth.
-
Effective Saltwater Topwater TechniquesUsing Effective Topwater Techniques to catch saltwater red fish and speckled trout. Tips on rigging, structure variance, and a decent fishing story to boot.
-
An Interview with Author, Steven L. DavisSteven Davis has made himself the go-to-man of Texas letters with Literary Outlaws, The Land of the Permanent Wave, and his newest biography of J. Frank Dobie.
-
An Interview with Eric Miles WilliamsonA sit own with blue-collar author, Eric Miles Williamson. We explore the death of the canon and the expansion of the pantheon.
-
Spontaneous Free WritingJack Kerouac and Amos Tutuola Used the mechanisms of verbal folk tradition to develop their spontaneous writing styles.
-
Top 5 Albums for Summer Beach, River, or LakeCheck out these five albums for the best in summer relaxation and work-erasing grooves.
-
Ben Harper's Top-10 Greatest HitsBen Harper is one of the most eclectic and entertaining musical artists of the 90-2000s. He fuses blues, power-rock, gospel, and songwriting into a complex and masterful union.
-
The Ballad of Trenchmouth Taggart: A ReviewThis book is one of the best books out the growing American Meta-Realism movement. The self-conscience writing and meta-thought that goes into this novel is eloquent, subtly didactive, and all artful prose. The big screen is this books next stop.
-
Donald Barthelme Biography ReviewDonald Barthelme was the father of American Post-Modernism. Student and friend, Tracy Daugherty captures the essence and depth of Barthelme's canon in a way only one close to the subject could do.
-
Adam Bede, by George EliotGeorge Eliot's brand of realism was polarizing and complex. This paper examines the criticisms of her work and whether they were fair or unfair.
-
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm GladwellOutliers is a provoking and intriguing study into what make people succeed in life. Part Pop-psychology, part truth, Outliers is one of the best books of 2009.
-
Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels: An Anti-Colonial ReadingExamines the possibilities of reading Gulliver's Travels as an anti-colonial treatise rather than a strict revelatory parody of Swift's modern politics.
-
Lone Survivor: A Book ReviewFollow the heroic struggles of Marcus Luttrell and his fallen SEAL team as they battle Afghani warlords and the liberal American press.
-
Oh Brother: How They Played the Game by Carlton StowersCarlton Stowers takes us on a journey of future Presidents, through the 1935 Depression ravaged dustbowl, meetings with future great, Satchel Paige, and ultimately ending with the All-Brothers Baseball Championship in Wichita, Kansas.
-
Alexander Pope's the DunciadPope flamed the fires of the Ancients versus the Moderns. The Dunciad satirizes the modern booksellers that sold the tripe Pope foresaw as the death of literature.
-
Welcome to OaklandWelcome to Oakland is the third installment of Eric Miles Williamson's Oakland Trilogy.
-
David Gray's Top Ten SongsDavid Gray is the best musical export from England in a decade. His strong lyricism and acoustical arrangements are a singer/songwriter staple.
-
The Modernity of Absurdity in George Villiers's the RehearsalGeorge Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham, precedes the theatre of the absurds tenets 300 years before it happens.
-
The Dichotomization of Conflict in an "Essay on Criticism"Essay On Criticism was Pope's first great work. He wrote it at the age of 23 and it ushered him into the lead in British Arts and Letters.
-
Finding the Key to Pope's Rape of the Lock by Alexander PopeThe Rape of the Lock is considered one of Pope's masterpieces. He critiques the dalliances of his society through the wayward cutting of a cherished tress.
-
My Life with Ashley: Or, How Pope Saved My MarriageA Satire of Alexander Pope's The Furntiure of A Womans Mind, A Beautiful Young Nymph Goes to Bed, and The Ladies Dressing Room
-
2009 Best Saltwater Fishing ProductsLearn the best fishing products on the market in 2009.
-
Anti-Colonialism in Swift's Gulliver's TravelsBook Four of Gulliver's Travels, although typically looked at as a raillery upon man's relationship with morality, also has a decidedly strong skew towards anti-colonialism.
-
On Eliza Haywood: Pornographic Places, Virtue, and Womens RightsEliza Haywood had to use metonymic devices to further the advancement of womens equal rights in eighteenth century literature.
-
William S Burroughs Naked Lunch and Nietzsche's the Birth of TragedyNietzsche would have loved the experiments of anti-control and the disharmonic syncopation of Burroughs writing, themes, and plots.
-
EPA's List of Environmental FugitivesThe EPA has issued a most wanted list for the twenty three most wanted Environmental fugitives.
-
The Three Best Non-Fiction Titles for 2008These are the three best non-fction books for 2008 in the opinion of an idiosyncratic bibliophile.
-
On Becoming Jane Austen a Book ReviewJohn Spence exhaustively researches and uncovers the real life Austen that created the characters we have all learned to love. If you are a true Austen bibliophile, you owe it to yourself to read On Becoming Jane Austen.
-
The Vanities of Eliza Haywood's Miss Betsy ThoughtlessThe theme of vanity explored in Eliza Haywoods "Miss Betsy Thoughtless."
-
The Role of Women in Eliza Haywood's Love in ExcessThe role of the 18th century woman in Love in Excess is poignantly exposed in this wild and tantalizing tale.
-
A Sisyphean Day at the BeachBeach Communities nationwide are using Beach Replenishment Programs to combat eroding beaches and the oceans encroachment on development. What communites think is helping their beaches is actually dangerous to the local ecosystems.
-
Paris Hilton's New BFFParis Hilton's new show, Paris Hilton's New BFF is debasing to the moral fabric of our society and sends the wrong message to our nations youth.
-
The Anti-Role of Criticism in Wole Soyinka's Death and the King's HorsemanWole Soyinka is a prolific Nigerian playwrite and author. Death and the King's Horseman is often considered his most successful work. He examines the role of duty and trnasition in this heartrending, short play.
-
The Role of Romance in Eliza Haywood's Love in ExcessEliza Haywood was one of the most prolific writers of the 18th century. Moreover, she was arguably the first woman to make a successful living as a full-time author. Haywood was extremely instrumental in shaping the modern novel.
-
Nietzsche, Achebe and the Christianity ProblemIn Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, the main character struggles with encroaching imperialism and the Nietzschean principle of master and slave moralities.
-
Kerouac's Vision of Spontaneous ProseAre you dreaming to become the next Kerouac? Kerouac's novels, especially Subterraneans and The Dharma Bums, were essentially an author's How-to write using the spontaneous prose method. Learn more how to write in trance-like meditation the way Kaerouac did.
-
What Are MY OptionsA critical analyses of the 2008 Democratic and Republican Candidates and their Respective running mates.
-
Democracy or MockocracyOne lifelong Democrat struggles with the campaign tactics of Senator Obama.
-
And the Title Goes To... Senator BidenThe Democratic Party may have brought a battle upon themselves. The left moved further left with Senator Barack Obama choosing Senator Biden of delaware as his Vice Presidential Running Mate
-
The Censorship Trials of the Beat GenerationAn overview of the 1957 Trials of Allen Ginsberg's poem Howl and the 1963 Naked Lunch Trials of William S. Burroughs.
-
Beboping Dubliners: How Jack Kerouac Dug James JoyceKerouac named Joyce as one of his greatest influences. See how Kerouac developed his spontaneous prose method through the influences of Joyce, Wolfe, and William Saroyan.
-
Spontaneous Prose of Jack KerouacKerouac is renowned for his first draft spontaneous prose work. Go to the source to find how-to's in his writing.
-
Top 3 Non-Traditional Father's Day Gifts for the Dad that FishesYour dad is a fisherman and you are looking for that perfect gift for him. Let nationally renowned fly-fishing guide Captain Brandon D. Shuler coach you on your way to your dad's favorite non-traditional Father's Day gift.