Book Log 2021 #61: Greenwood by Michael Christie

This multi-generational story follows members of the Greenwood family, whose past (and future) is intertwined with the trees on Canada's Pacific coast. The trees play a central role in their economic and personal fortunes, from the earliest Greenwood hacking a living out of the dense forest to the current generation that's showing one of the last stands of forest on earth to wealthy ecotourists.

The book's structure is like that of tree rings, with each layer telling another part of the whole story. The chapters set in the future, when much of humanity is affected by an ecological catastrophe, unintentionally echo the Covid-19 pandemic (which was just taking hold in the US when the book was published). That coincidence may keep some readers away, but this isn't really a pandemic novel. I think of it more along the lines of The Ministry for the Future in terms of showing a potential future, but with a much deeper historical scope.

 Book Log 2021 #60: Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury

This collection of essays was intended to provide creative spark and inspiration for writers. I have no idea if it's successful at that - I'm still cranking out fairly mundane blog posts - but it was very successful at showing Bradbury's love for writing, and what inspired him in his craft. So to that end, I think this is an interesting collection if you want some insight into his process. It was a little hit or miss - just like his short story collections! - but worth the time.

You probably saw this coming, but here are the current NBA teams with names from former basketball teams that played in their area. 

ATLANTIC DIVISION

Boston Whirlwinds (American Basketball League)

Brooklyn Blackout (ABA 2000)

New York Wanderers (National Basketball League 1898)

Philadelphia Raiders (East Coast Basketball League)

Toronto Tornadoes (CBA)

CENTRAL DIVISION

Chicago Stags (Basketball Association of America)

Cleveland Rebels (BAA)

Detroit Falcons (BAA)

Indiana Alley Cats (CBA)

Milwaukee Blast (ABA 2000)

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

Atlanta Vision (ABA 2000)

Charlotte Fury (Universal Basketball Association)

Miami Tropics (United States Basketball League)

Orlando Flight (Florida Basketball Association)

Washington Capitals (ABA)

NORTHWEST DIVISION

Denver Refiners (National Professional Basketball League)

Minnesota Muskies (ABA)

Oklahoma City Cavalry (CBA)

Portland Chinooks (International Basketball League)

Utah Eagles (CBA)

PACIFIC DIVISION

Golden State Oaks (ABA)

Los Angeles Stars (ABA)

Los Angeles Conquistadors (ABA)

Phoenix Eclipse (ABA 2000)

Sacramento Monarchs (Women's National Basketball Association)

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

Dallas Skyline (The Basketball League)

Houston Comets (WNBA)

Memphis Soul Kings (Central Basketball Association)

New Orleans Blues (ABA 2000)

San Antonio Soldiers (North American Basketball League)

 Book Log 2021 #59: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

A man wakes up on a space ship, not knowing his name, why he's on the ship, or where he's going. All he knows is that he's awake, and the two people who were his crewmates are now dead. He's alone and an untold number of miles from Earth.

Thankfully, his amnesia begins to fade, and he begins to remember that he's on a one-way mission to learn how to fight off a microbe that is causing stars to dim, which will plunge the Earth into an exinction-level ice age. He has to use his skills as a molecular biologist to find a solution, while avoiding all of the novel ways space can kill you.

This book is solidly in the theme of The Martian and Artemis, where an ordinary person facing likely death uses science and unexpeected resolve to achieve the extraordinary. And like those books, the way this unfolds is highly entertaining. 

 Book Log 2021 #58: V2 by Robert Harris

A German engineer, assigned to a V2 rocket station in the occupied Netherlands, comes under suspicion as a potential defector. He's more interested in space than in conquest, and lets his lack of ardor for the cause show through a bit too much.

Across the English Channel, an intelligence officer is ready to ship out to newly liberated Belgium, where she and her colleagues will try to find the launch sites using a combination of radar, math, and luck.

I liked the book, but I found it less interesting than The Second Sleep or Conclave, which take more interesting detours in narrative and plot. It's still good, straightforward historical fiction.

 And while I'm at it, Major League Baseball teams renamed for other baseball teams that played in their city or area.

AL EAST

Baltimore Monumentals (Union Association)
Boston Red Stockings (National Association)
New York Mutuals (National Association)
Toronto Maple Leafs (International League)
Tampa Tarpons (Florida State League)

AL CENTRAL

Cleveland Spiders (American Association)
Detroit Wolverines (National League)
Chicago Unions (Negro National League)
Kansas City Monarchs (Negro American/National Leagues)
Minnesota Millers (American Association)

AL WEST

Houston Toros (Continental Baseball League)
Los Anaheim Angels (Pacific Coast League)
Oakland Oaks (PCL)
Seattle Steelheads (West Coast Negro Baseball Association)
Texas Steers (Texas League)

NL EAST

Atlanta Crackers (Southern Association/League)
Miami Miracle (Florida State League)
New York Atlantics (National Association)
Philadelphia Keystones (Union Association)
Washington Blue Legs (National Association)

NL CENTRAL

Chicago Whales (Federal League)
Cincinnati Porkers (American Association)
Milwaukee Creams (Western Association)
Pittsburgh Grays (National Negro League)
St. Louis Maroons (Union Association)

NL WEST

Arizona Scorpions (Arizona Fall League)
Colorado Zephyrs (American Association/PCL)
Los Angeles Stars (PCL)
San Diego Aces (California State League)
San Francisco Seals (PCL)

 Apropos of nothing, how I would rename the teams in the National Football League if they had to use names from teams in other football leagues that played in their area.

AFC EAST

Buffalo Destroyers (Arena Football League)
Miami Tropics (Spring Football League)
New England Breakers (United States Football League)
New York-New Jersey Hitmen (Xtreme Football League 1)

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Stallions (Canadian Football League)
Cincinnati Glory (World League of American Football)
Cleveland Thunderbolts (AFL)
Pittsburgh Maulers (USFL)

AFC SOUTH

Houston Gamblers (USFL)
Indianapolis Speed (Women's Football Alliance)
Jacksonville Sharks (World Football League)
Tennessee ThunderCats (National Indoor Football League)

AFC WEST

Denver Gold (USFL)
Kansas City Phantoms (Champions Indoor Football)
Las Vegas Posse (CFL)
Los Angeles Avengers (AFL)

NFC EAST

Dallas Renegades (Xtreme Football League 2)
New York Generals (USFL)
Philadelphia Soul (AFL)
Washington Federals (USFL)

NFC NORTH

Chicago Enforcers (XFL)
Detroit Fury (AFL)
Green Bay Blizzard (Indoor Football League)
Minnesota Fighting Pike (AFL)

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Legends (Alliance of American Football)
Carolina Skyhawks (WLAF)
New Orleans Voodoo (AFL)
Tampa Bay Storm (AFL)

NFC WEST

Arizona Outlaws (USFL)
Los Angeles Dons (All American Football Conference)
San Francisco Demons (XFL 1)
Seattle Dragons (XFL 2)

 Book Log 2021 #57: Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Told mostly by way of emails, journal entries, and other documents, this book tells the story of Bee, a teenager who takes it upon herself to find her agoraphobic mother Bernadette, who has overcome her fear and disappeared. As Bee searches, she learns more about her mother's past and her difficult interactions with parents of other kids at her school. Things come to a head with a planned family vacation to Antarctica, which Bee decides holds the key to the mystery.

I liked this book more than I expected. The epistolary approach matched well with the lifestyle of these one percenters, and allowing characters to depict their thoughts and actions in their own voice put their misdeeds in sharper relief when they eventually came to light. I kind of mentally connected Bee with the protagonist of Turtles All the Way Down, though I don't know that they have that much in common between looking for a missing adult. 

 Book Log 2021 #56: In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje

This book follows Patrick Lewis as he moves from his rural Ontario town to Toronto, where he applies what he learned about dynamite from his father on construction sites in the city.  He quits his job to find a millionaire who's disappeared, becomes involved with the man's mistress, and eventually falls in with political radicals who can use his knowledge of explosives. He also becomes more familiar with the immigrant community he's worked and lived among for years, developing personal and romantic attachments.

The title of the book comes from the Epic of Gilgamesh, and is supposed to reference the convergence of voices in history. In this case, it comes from Ondaatje focusing on immigrant communities and marginalized people who helped build Canada but rarely figure in its official story. Ondaatje researched this period of Canadian history to make sure he depicited life in the Toronto area accurately, and that definately helped make this a richer story. It's also a prequel of sorts to The English Patient, as a couple of characters from this book show up there, and it tells us what ultimately happens to Lewis.

I liked the book, it reminded me a little of Sinclair Lewis and his ability to use personal stories and conflict to show a contrasting view of accepted history.