Book Log 2009 #24: Traffic by Tom Vanderbilt

Subtitled "Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us)," this book takes a look at how a variety of factors impact our driving behavior, with the emphasis on behavior, at least in the first 100 pages or so of the book. I note that page amount as I didn't get past there, as I never really engaged with the book. Don't know why exactly, and I was a bit disappointed as it is a subject that I find interesting. Maybe you'll have better luck.

Book Log 2009 #23: The Chicago Way by Michael Harvey

After reading the second book featuring Chicago private eye Michael Kelly (The Fifth Floor), I went back and read this introductory novel, which didn't quite measure up to the second one but is still quite good. The jacket blurbs try a little too hard to put this into classic noir territory, which could disappoint as it's really not up to the Hammett/Chandler standard. Still, it's about as noir as you can get in 2009, and it's got the requisite inside dealing and grit.

The story itself involves a cold case (not surprising, given Harvey's connection to Cold Case Files) that Kelly's old partner wants to revive, even though he was officially ordered to forget it. This leads to more bloodshed, and the involvement of the Chicago police, judiciary and media to link up the old crime with the new ones.

As expected, you should read the two books in sequence, as there are aspects of this book that are spolied by reading them out of turn. Both would be fine reads for your summer vacation.

It's back to work tomorrow after six weeks off to transition into being a family of three, and I'll admit to feeling a little anxious. Less so about the baby, who I'll miss but know will be in good hands with mom (mother? mommy? not sure how I'll make the reference here). More so about going back to a job after six weeks away without knowing what's been done to change things. I do expect there will be changes - my boss isn't one to let things stand pat, which is overall a good thing - but won't feel completely comfortable until I learn about them.

You would also think after that much time at home with a new baby that I'd have stories to share (but just haven't gotten to, given the lack of posting about the baby). But I don't, as something like 98 percent of a newborn's time is spent doing three things: eating, sleeping, or filling diapers (and not necessarily each in turn; multitasking is apparently an inborne trait).

Which isn't to say that there's nothing remarkable. Getting to see the little bundle grow and develop, even in these early stages, is something I'd not trade for anything. Well, I'd trade the periods of screaming we seem to be into now, but not the times where I get an actual smile and a little "goo"-like noise. I'd not trade watching him sleep, or his grabbing at my finger, or watching him flip himself on to his back (though that seems to be done more to get off of his tummy, which he's not fond of yet). Or any of a million little things that make up the other two percent of what he does, things that in and of themselves aren't notable in the abstract, but are vital when they're done by one small human.

So I really have to go back to work tomorrow?

Book Log 2009 #22: Autophobia by Brian Ladd

While Americans are often said to have a love affair with the car, Ladd attempts to demonstrate in this book that it's actually more of a love-hate affair, seen today in our outcries against high gas prices, gridlock and the environmental cost of driving. Ladd also notes that this sort of relationship has actually existed since the dawn of the automotive age, with its concerns over the reckless speed and the safety of drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

The subject matter sounds interesting and is undeniably timely, but as presented here it was hard for me to really draw any conclusions. I found the first chapter had a number of interesting points, but was perhaps not organized in a way to best get me thinking about the subject in a larger perspective. By the end of the first chapter I had enough doubt about how the book was going to pan out that I didn't bother moving on to the second.

I'd not suggest this book, unless you're really interested in a social perspective on automobiles.

Book Log 2009 #21: Hitler's Peace by Philip Kerr

Set in 1943 and with the outcome of World War II clear despite the continued fighting, the major actors are trying to best sort out how to broker peace. For the Allies, the upcoming Tehran conference will try to settle the question of allowing a negotiated peace, which FDR and Stalin would consider, or an unconditional surrender, which is the only thing that Churchill will take. On the German side, both Hitler and Himmler are seeking peace separately, adding internal intrigue to the mix.


Into this setting comes Willard Mayer, a Harvard-educated OSS officer whose past links with both the Germans and the Soviets aren't widely known, but give him some insight into both sides. Tabbed by FDR to go to Tehran, Mayer's intro to diplomacy is sidetracked by a potential plot against the conference, one that seems to have supporters in the US delegation.

I liked this book quite a bit, both for its interesting twist on actual WWII events and for the almost effortless way Kerr creates the appropriate atmosphere for the times, places and people. Prior to this work he did write a trilogy set in wartime Berlin, so his abilities here shouldn't be a huge surprise. Recommended, especially as an alternative history book that would appeal to folks not necessarily into that genre.

Book Log 2009 #20: Land of Lincoln by Andrew Ferguson

As the Lincoln bicentennial neared, Ferguson, a Lincoln buff as a youth, decided to delve deeper into his boyhood idol to see how Lincoln is remembered and promoted in America today. To do so, he revisits both the wealth of Lincoln historical sites and the wide array of scholarship on Lincoln's life. Along the way he also tries to see what relevance Lincoln has with kids today by involving (or subjecting, depending on your point of view) his own children in visiting sites.

I'd expected something in a postmodern/ironic style, and while some of that does creep in (deservedly so in some parts), it's largely an authenic attempt to determine Lincoln's current relevance. There's also a fair amount of warmth for the subject, not surprising given Ferguson's ardor for Abe, and there's a generous amount of humor throughout. Certainly worth a read.

Book Log 2009 #19: The Scourge of God by S. M Stirling

The expedition to Nantucket continues on its way, still fighting the Church Universal and Triumphant, who is trying to prevent them from getting there. They make some new friends when they enter Sioux territory, but face new challenges when they get to Iowa, whose "Bossman" requires an old job to be completed before the group can move along.

Back in Oregon, the CUT is becoming more influential, forcing the member communities of The Meeting to take action.

I found this entry in the Change series much like the others, broadly speaking, in that I would have prefered more time with the characters from the original books and found the mystical mumbo jumbo a little much. I'm also wishing this group was making a little more progress, as at this rate it seems like it'll take them a dozen books to get to Nantucket. Still, it was no less entertaining than previous books in the series.

Book Log 2009 #18: Alpha Beta by John Man

I picked up this book about the development of the English alphabet from a clearance table a few years ago, as the price was right and I had at least some interest in the subject. But I never quite got around to cracking it open, which in retrospect may have been my subconscious urging caution when it comes to cheap books on subjects of only passing interest.

Which isn't to say this is a bad book, but rather that it may not appeal to someone with only a rudimentary understanding of orthography or linguistics. The attempt is made to explain the development and history of the alphabet in a way that anyone can understand, but it may be that this isn't the sort of topic that lends itself to a discourse that has both a wide appeal and reasonable depth. Anyway, I stuck with it for some time but couldn't quite finish.

Book Log 2009 #17: The Wench is Dead by Colin Dexter

While in hospital for a bleeding ulcer, Inspector Morse receives a monograph about a killing along an Oxford canal that had taken place over a century earlier. While he resists reading it (concerned for the quality of the self-published work), when he does finally pick it up he becomes engrossed, coming to the conclusion that the crime did not take place as reported, and that the men punished for it were innocent. Morse conducts his own investigation from his sick bed, enlisting the help of Sargent Lewis, some nurses on the ward, and other visitors.

It's a nice twist on the usual Morse investigation, though I did miss the way past stories would cut from the investigation to follow suspects (the text of the monograph didn't quite cut it for me in this respect). Getting to see more of Morse's personal life, most notably his first significant brush with mortality, is a plus as well. A different but - as expected - highly entertaining entry in the series.

So it's back to the usual stuff here with post 2001. Here are the results of the baby pool!

Question 1: Gender

Three of the seven entrants correctly guessed that the baby would be a boy, earning them 10 points each.

Question 2: Day of Birth

No one guessed the day spot on, but Greg earned the most points by being only one day off with his guess of May 15. No one was more than three days off.

Question 3: Time of Birth

The scoring for this question took its toll on three contestants, who were far enough off of the time that they earned no points. Interestingly, they were the same three contestants who correctly guessed the baby's gender, which helped tighten things up quite a bit.

Kudos to Allyson and Salome for earning full points by being within an hour of the 9:06 pm birth time (with super kudos to Allyson for being within 20 minutes).

Question 4: Birth Weight

Most entries here stayed at or below eight pounds. With the kid tipping in at 9 pounds 6 ounces, this left five entries scoring no points on the question. I managed to get a couple, but OTC was the closest with a guess of nine pounds even.

Question 5: Birth Length

Not much variance here, as six of the seven entries scored at least 19 points. Mike and Greg got full marks, as Mike got the length exactly at 21 inches, while Greg guessed 21.5.

The final tally:

OTC: 59 points
Salome: 57
Allyson: 56
Me: 55
Greg: 52
Mike: 47
Brian: 46

Congrats to OTC, and thanks to all who played. I'll try not to feel too bad that I came in fourth in a pool where I had the most access to its subject.