Book Review: The Secret of Secrets

Robert Langdon has existed in the public sphere since 2000, when Angels & Demons was published. The Harvard symbologist exploded into the public consciousness with 2003's The DaVinci Code, which became a runaway bestseller and cultural phenomenon.

The latest Robert Langdon adventure penned by Dan Brown came out in September 2025. It's the sixth Langdon novel after Angels & Demons (2000), The DaVinci Code (2003), The Lost Symbol (2009), Inferno (2013) and Origin (2017).

Image via Indianapolis Public Library

First of all, I've enjoyed the previous books in the series. They are page-turning commercial thrillers filled with intrigue, pseudo-history, and high-stakes adventure. As Langdon is a professor, he flexes his intellect more than his muscles, something I've always appreciated. He still manages to get into a fair amount of scrapes, however.

That said, The Secret of Secrets could've used an editorial scalpel. I read the eBook version, but it looks like the hardcover version is one of those "Books that Could Kill a Man." The library lists it at 675 pages, with an estimated word count in the 180,000 range. From a commercial fiction standpoint, that's basically the length of two novels.

It's one of those books that, when I read it, it felt like the percentage indicator on the Kindle app never changed no matter how many chapters I made it through. For me, it became quite a slog, and I think some characters could've been condensed/combined and some of the many, many subplots excised.

The plot involves Langdon's love interest, a scientist named Katherine Solomon, who has introduced a rather novel theory on life after death that some people would kill for. When she disappears, Langdon sets off on a twisty journey through Prague to find her. A wide-ranging conspiracy will put him up against a secretive group, a determined local cop, world governments, and a seemingly indestructible force of nature.

All the hallmarks of a Robert Langdon novel are here: secret societies, fake history that is just close enough to the real thing to feel plausible, a love interest, an absurdly dangerous assailant, a central conspiracy, historical locations, a Mickey Mouse watch, swimming, and a mysterious murder. Expect twists and turns that stretch credulity with each passing moment and long-winded exposition that overexplains certain plot points.

I can't say I loved this book. I can't say I hated this book. I just know, while reading it, I was doing some wicked head-editing that could've smoothed out the prose, eliminated narrative clutter, and trimmed out superfluous material. I am, however, not a New York Times-bestselling author, so take that for what it's worth. 

Book Review: The Last Folk Hero

Bo Jackson hit a ball to the moon. Outran an IndyCar. Lifted an entire skyscraper on his shoulders. Threw a ball from the West Coast to the East Coast. Hiked the ball to himself, threw it 90 yards, and then caught it himself for a touchdown. Scaled a foul pole in a single leap to rob a home run.

None of these claims appear in The Last Folk Hero: The Life and Myth of Bo Jackson by Jeff Pearlman, but they could have--and that's the point. Jackson, a professional football and baseball star who also excelled at track and field in college, is the Paul Bunyan of our times, a mythical figure who exploded onto the American sports scene in the '80s and then quietly disappeared.

Pearlman's long and exhaustively researched account of the life and times of one of history's greatest athletes--and perhaps, in the estimation of many, the greatest athlete--tells the story of Jackson's humble beginnings, meteoric rise, and sudden retirement. He interviewed more than 700 people to write the comprehensive book that proves, while "Bo knows," you don't know Bo.

Image via Indianapolis Public Library

This is a long and engaging read detailing Jackson's storied pro sports career. The journey began at Alabama's McAdory High School, where Jackson starred in football, baseball, and track and field. Each sport allowed him to show off prodigious speed and power. He won state championships in decathlon despite skipping the 1,500 meter-run. He hit 20 home runs in 25 games during his senior year. He averaged nearly 10 yards a carry as a senior running back.

While many out-of-state colleges recruited him, Jackson wanted to stay in Alabama. He chose Auburn over Alabama, mostly because Auburn appeared invested in him while Alabama's recruitment effort felt perfunctory. At Auburn, the Tigers were national title contenders but never reached the mountaintop, although Jackson won the Heisman. He also dabbled in baseball, displaying prodigious power and speed, and competed in track and field.

The New York Yankees drafted Jackson, who decided to attend Auburn on a football scholarship to fulfill a promise to his mother to attend college. He turned down a signing bonus of $250,000, making this an extraordinary decision for a man whose family was dirt poor. After his college career ended, Jackson opted to sign with the Kansas City Royals instead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Bucs chose Jackson in the NFL Draft, but Jackson believed the team misled him about whether a flight to team facilities was approved by the NCAA. The trip destroyed his remaining baseball eligibility, and Jackson vowed never to play for the ramshackle franchise.

Jackson would go on to star for the Royals and the Raiders. Kansas City constantly worried about a football injury affecting his baseball career while the Raiders had to live with the fact that the end of baseball season overlapped with the start of football season. Also, Raiders owner Al Davis started to seethe over Jackson's popularity, as Davis wanted to be the star of the show and the face of the franchise.

Jackson struggled with a stutter throughout his life, although his interviews improved somewhat as his career progressed. Nike managed to turn this into a positive with its "Bo Knows" ads, one of the most innovative commercial campaigns in history. The ads capitalized on Jackson's role as a two-sport star, putting him in additional sports with other stars.

On the football and baseball fields, Jackson performed feats of unparalleled athleticism--impossible throws, impossible homers, impossible touchdown runs. With his on-the-field performance and "Bo Knows" campaign, Jackson transformed into a megastar. 

But the story wouldn't have a happy ending. Jackson suffered a devastating hip injury in a playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals. It ended his football career, killed the hype, and led to hip replacement surgery. The Royals cut him and Jackson resurfaced with the Chicago White Sox as a shell of his former self. He played an additional season for the Angels before retiring (thanks, in no small part, to the baseball strike).

The fact that he even returned to baseball was a miracle, given the severity of his hip injury.

Bo Jackson was a man of contradictions. With the media, he was often surly and dismissive. Yet, he would complain about his treatment in the media and take it personally when reporters didn't cover some of the exceptional things he did in sports. He often treated teammates and clubhouse staff with cruelty, and few would call him a good teammate, especially in his early years.

On the other hand, Jackson was capable of incredible empathy. He would buy suits for rookie ballplayers, visit sick children in the hospital, and give generously to charities. Since he grew up poor, he had a soft spot for kids, especially those facing financial difficulties and terminal illnesses. Later in his career, colleagues would consider him the best teammate they ever had.

He was a complicated man, shy and reflective in his personal life--traits that often came off as cold and disinterested to those who didn't know him. He also possessed a Steve Jobsian "Reality Distortion Field"--the ability to believe something completely absurd and convince others of the same thing.

While Jackson didn't want to be interviewed for the book, he gave Pearlman his blessing to tell his story. 

I consider this a must-read for any sports fan. Jackson isn't the most likeable person alive, but he remains, without a doubt, a fascinating figure and our last great folk hero.

Book Review: Western Lane

Chetna Maroo's Western Lane is a relatively short, quiet coming-of-age novel.

Set in 1980s London, it follows a family in turmoil after the death of their mother. Gopi emerges as a particularly talented squash player, and trains under the watchful eye of her hollowed-out father. As her on-court skills become apparent, she devotes more time to the sport, and begins to distance herself from her two sisters.

Image via Indianapolis Public Library

This is a "quiet" book with lean prose that seldom hits the reader over the head. As I'm not well versed in the sport of squash or the '80s squash scene (that Jahangir Khan, referenced many times in the book, was quite the player!), some of the references required context clues and the occasional Google search for me to understand.

The dynamics of grief and coping, however, require no Google searches. This is where the book excels, with Gopi, who narrates from a first-person perspective, doing all the heavy lifting. While a short read, there is a heaviness to this book, the pervasive sense that things aren't right and may never be right again.

As she navigates grief and loss, she also diligently practices on the court. Her squash abilities, practiced with precision at Western Lane, the local sports complex, grow and it's clear she's the best among her three sisters. Her father oversees her constant training, and the two watch old tapes of professional matches to sharpen her skills and understanding.

She also meets Ged, another talented squash player whose mother works at Western Lane. The two train together and Gopi clearly develops an affection for him. As this is a coming-of-age tale, she's not entirely sure how to proceed, nor does she completely understand the breadth of her feelings.

The book culminates in an out-of-town squash tournament. Gopi makes it to the final. Will a victory signal her triumph over grief or leave her unsatisfied?

The book explores themes of grief, coping, family pressure, adolescence, and heartbreak. I give it a recommendation for its unique cultural perspective (a Pakistani family living in '80s London) and restrained, often beautiful writing.