Book Log 2016 #7: The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell
As someone whose experience with David Mitchell started with the unique narrative of Cloud Atlas and then moved to the supernatural sprawl of The Bone Clocks, this book proved to be a total surprise given that it is a fairly straightforward historical novel. The very good news is that Mitchell is as skilled with the straightforward as he is with the experimental and fantastical.
Jacob is a young Dutchman who has signed on with the Dutch East India company to serve at it Japanese outpost, whose provision of copper to headquarters in Batavia is critical to the continued operation of the outposts. He is there to earn enough money and status to marry (his intended is back at home), but he quickly falls afoul of a faction of his coworkers who are using the trading post for their own enrichment. This is compounded by his smuggling in of a psalter (religious books being banned by the Japanese), which further exposes Jacob to risk.
Jacob also proves to be a quick convert to local ways, befriending an interpreter and falling for a local midwife. He doesn't go fully native, but he develops an interest and sympathy in Japanese ways pretty quickly, and risks his future as a married man of means to get closer to the midwife, thanks in part to the outpost's doctor, who is providing medical training to the locals.
Jacob finds himself tested in various ways - when the midwife disappears, whe she's discovered to be working at a mysterious fertility cult, and when the British pay a less than pleasant visit to the outpost (among other things). It's these clashes that shape the story, and show how this young, pious, naive man grows and becomes everything he is expected to be, and a bit more.
Very much recommended.
20 August 2016
Book Log 2016 #6: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
This is one of those books I'd always meant to read, but never got around to actually picking up. That was until Goodreads suggested it, and with it in my mind again I finally read it. And I liked it, seeing how it served as a blueprint for books like The Executioner's Song and the works of writers like Michael Lewis and Ben Mezrich.
Questions about the book's accuracy remain - as seen in reviewing the fact-checking of The New Yorker and claims that Capote covered up a delay in the Kansas Bureau of Investigation's work that may have allowed the killers to strike again. This is troubling if not surprising, as claims of inaccuracy often dog books that blur the line between fact and fiction (I didn't mention Mezrich for nothing). I've tried to approach books in this genre by appreciating the writing while understanding that the narrative has been massaged. It's the degree to which it's been massaged that determines my comfort zone, and I generally think In Cold Blood stays within it.
This is one of those books I'd always meant to read, but never got around to actually picking up. That was until Goodreads suggested it, and with it in my mind again I finally read it. And I liked it, seeing how it served as a blueprint for books like The Executioner's Song and the works of writers like Michael Lewis and Ben Mezrich.
Questions about the book's accuracy remain - as seen in reviewing the fact-checking of The New Yorker and claims that Capote covered up a delay in the Kansas Bureau of Investigation's work that may have allowed the killers to strike again. This is troubling if not surprising, as claims of inaccuracy often dog books that blur the line between fact and fiction (I didn't mention Mezrich for nothing). I've tried to approach books in this genre by appreciating the writing while understanding that the narrative has been massaged. It's the degree to which it's been massaged that determines my comfort zone, and I generally think In Cold Blood stays within it.
07 June 2016
Book Log 2016 #5: Dictator by Robert Harris
Ten years after the first book in the trilogy, we finally get the closing volume in this fictional biography of Cicero, covering his exile from Rome to his death. And while it was a long wait, it was worth the wait.
In this end part of his life, Cicero is down but not out of Roman politics, finding a way to remain relevant while the republic descends into empire. For every reversal that could see Cicero finally put out to pasture - or worse - there comes another change that rises him up, putting him in the mix with the new leaders of Rome and making him a pivotal figure in restoring the republic or supporting the great men of the Triumvirate (and occasionally both, as fortunes turn). We do get a little more insight into Cicero's personal life, too, but as that part of the story fades we get the sense that for Cicero, his personal life was his public life.
A fine end to an excellent trilogy. Worth reading all at once, I think, if you've not read any of the books yet.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book set in Europe)
Ten years after the first book in the trilogy, we finally get the closing volume in this fictional biography of Cicero, covering his exile from Rome to his death. And while it was a long wait, it was worth the wait.
In this end part of his life, Cicero is down but not out of Roman politics, finding a way to remain relevant while the republic descends into empire. For every reversal that could see Cicero finally put out to pasture - or worse - there comes another change that rises him up, putting him in the mix with the new leaders of Rome and making him a pivotal figure in restoring the republic or supporting the great men of the Triumvirate (and occasionally both, as fortunes turn). We do get a little more insight into Cicero's personal life, too, but as that part of the story fades we get the sense that for Cicero, his personal life was his public life.
A fine end to an excellent trilogy. Worth reading all at once, I think, if you've not read any of the books yet.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book set in Europe)
Book Log 2016 #4: The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver
I know I'm late to reading this - it was pretty much required in the aftermath of Five Thirty Eight's impressive performance in predicting the results of the 2012 Presidential election - but it's another presidential election year, so I figured it was a good time to catch up.
As much as I enjoy the Five Thirty Eight website, I struggled to get through this book. Partly it was from the explanations of the math and science behind forecasting - it doesn't require specialized knowledge, but there are the occasional points where it would help - and partly it was not having more of a discussion of political analysis and polling. There is plenty of that, of course, but there are also discussions of weather forecasting, poker, and other topics that are used to illustrate points and demonstrate how people get in the way of what the data is telling them. So in some respect, the problem with the book for me was that it wasn't the book I wanted it to be. Which is really my problem.
In any case, if this sort of thing interests you, it's worth picking up, if for no other reason than to get some grounding in Bayseian analysis, which underpins much (if not all) of Silver's work and, increasingly, the work of other forecasters.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: A New York Times best-seller)
I know I'm late to reading this - it was pretty much required in the aftermath of Five Thirty Eight's impressive performance in predicting the results of the 2012 Presidential election - but it's another presidential election year, so I figured it was a good time to catch up.
As much as I enjoy the Five Thirty Eight website, I struggled to get through this book. Partly it was from the explanations of the math and science behind forecasting - it doesn't require specialized knowledge, but there are the occasional points where it would help - and partly it was not having more of a discussion of political analysis and polling. There is plenty of that, of course, but there are also discussions of weather forecasting, poker, and other topics that are used to illustrate points and demonstrate how people get in the way of what the data is telling them. So in some respect, the problem with the book for me was that it wasn't the book I wanted it to be. Which is really my problem.
In any case, if this sort of thing interests you, it's worth picking up, if for no other reason than to get some grounding in Bayseian analysis, which underpins much (if not all) of Silver's work and, increasingly, the work of other forecasters.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: A New York Times best-seller)
26 May 2016
Book Log 2016 #3: The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
So the good news in 2016 is that I've started using Goodreads to keep track of what I've read and what I would like to read in the future. The bad news is that after I finish the book and rate it, I forget to come over here to write about it. So I've got about a 10 book backlog and vague memories at best of what I thought about each.
I am less vague in my feelings on this book, which I really liked. Lost in the story of Jesse Owens is this tale of how a group of college kids from the University of Washington challenged the best that the US and the world could offer, and came out on top (spoiler alert, I suppose). The book focuses on a few of the rowers, their coach, and the boat builder who supplied their shell (and those used by many of their opponents as well). And for knowing how things turn out, it's a compelling read that still manages to build tension during the races that build up to the final race.
If you're looking for a good read in this Olympic year, pick this one up.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book recommended by a family member. My wife gave this to me for Christmas, which I'm taking as a recommendation.)
So the good news in 2016 is that I've started using Goodreads to keep track of what I've read and what I would like to read in the future. The bad news is that after I finish the book and rate it, I forget to come over here to write about it. So I've got about a 10 book backlog and vague memories at best of what I thought about each.
I am less vague in my feelings on this book, which I really liked. Lost in the story of Jesse Owens is this tale of how a group of college kids from the University of Washington challenged the best that the US and the world could offer, and came out on top (spoiler alert, I suppose). The book focuses on a few of the rowers, their coach, and the boat builder who supplied their shell (and those used by many of their opponents as well). And for knowing how things turn out, it's a compelling read that still manages to build tension during the races that build up to the final race.
If you're looking for a good read in this Olympic year, pick this one up.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book recommended by a family member. My wife gave this to me for Christmas, which I'm taking as a recommendation.)
26 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 40: This blog may not be the best example
PSA for Catholic Charities aside, I thought the idea of putting faith into action was a good one to end on. Not that I have much faith (at least in the church as an institution), and blogging isn't much of an action (especially as most, if not all, of these posts are done after the fact and back-dated). But I hope there was at least one point where the four of you who've been reading these posts had a laugh or a thought got provoked. And I hope you'll be back for Lentorama 2017: Lenten Observers of Instagram.
Day 40: This blog may not be the best example
As we approach the final days of #Lent here's one final tip from #PopeFrancis: https://t.co/DtzYHuvOTc pic.twitter.com/g011d3mQfk— Catholic Charities (@CathCharitiesNY) March 25, 2016
PSA for Catholic Charities aside, I thought the idea of putting faith into action was a good one to end on. Not that I have much faith (at least in the church as an institution), and blogging isn't much of an action (especially as most, if not all, of these posts are done after the fact and back-dated). But I hope there was at least one point where the four of you who've been reading these posts had a laugh or a thought got provoked. And I hope you'll be back for Lentorama 2017: Lenten Observers of Instagram.
25 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 39: Wait, what?
OK, this has always confused me, but if this article is accurate I get why Lent apparently ended yesterday but I'm only on day 39 of this thing. In short, Lent as a liturgical season ends on Holy Thursday, when we start the Easter Triduum. But the Lenten fast continues through the Triduum. So you may want to put that chocolate down, at least for another day or two.
Day 39: Wait, what?
— MimZWay (@MimZWay) March 25, 2016
OK, this has always confused me, but if this article is accurate I get why Lent apparently ended yesterday but I'm only on day 39 of this thing. In short, Lent as a liturgical season ends on Holy Thursday, when we start the Easter Triduum. But the Lenten fast continues through the Triduum. So you may want to put that chocolate down, at least for another day or two.
24 March 2016
23 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 37: A timely question
I don't know the answer, but I'm going to guess that "have an armed police presence at all times in certain neighborhoods" isn't it.
Day 37: A timely question
It is never easy to reach out to those who wish us harm. What would Jesus do? John 13: 21-32 #Lent— John Sentamu (@JohnSentamu) March 23, 2016
I don't know the answer, but I'm going to guess that "have an armed police presence at all times in certain neighborhoods" isn't it.
22 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 36: Curious under what theory of pedagogy this is acceptable
The flip side, then, is failure to meet the canned food drive goal is punished by more learning. That seems like a solid lesson to teach the kids.
Day 36: Curious under what theory of pedagogy this is acceptable
DB will be CLOSED on Holy Thursday, March 24 because we met our goal in the canned food drive! Great job everyone and thank you! #Lent— Bishop DuBourg HS (@BishopDuBourg) March 22, 2016
The flip side, then, is failure to meet the canned food drive goal is punished by more learning. That seems like a solid lesson to teach the kids.
21 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 35: is anyone going as the donkey?
I didn't expect to find a tweet that combined Lent and a furry convention in Virginia, but here we are. I'd like to see how the circles on the Venn diagram intersect on these groups.
Day 35: is anyone going as the donkey?
Aside from getting a last-minute badge for #FurMore16, my first commish priority for once #Lent is over is getting a group-sing pic w/ Ara— Sky the 'More 16! (@skynero19) March 21, 2016
I didn't expect to find a tweet that combined Lent and a furry convention in Virginia, but here we are. I'd like to see how the circles on the Venn diagram intersect on these groups.
19 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 34: At least there's no comparison to hairstyles
A piece that compares Jesus to Donald Trump, in an indirect way. More on point than expected.
Day 34: At least there's no comparison to hairstyles
Over at @HuffPostRelig with my latest post: The Politics of Palm Sunday#palmsunday#lenthttps://t.co/o18AWXYWdj— Chris Gilmore (@iamchrisgilmore) March 19, 2016
A piece that compares Jesus to Donald Trump, in an indirect way. More on point than expected.
18 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 33: They pulled off the tricky double asshole
So this is the Twitter account for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops initiative to "defend" marriage. I've awarded them the double asshole for the following:
Assholery the First: the crack about bacon always smelling the best on Lenten Fridays. You're the people who keep us from eating bacon in the first place, why rub our noses in it?
Assholery the Second: the use of the term "religious liberty" on the attached image. Look, if the church wants to oppose same sex marriage, so be it. But to somehow say that religious liberty is at stake simply because same sex marriage exists - when the church is in no way required to solemnize or recognize such marriages - is asinine. We've had same sex marriage in Massachusetts for over a decade, and in no way has my liberty to worship been infringed. Make your argument on positive theological points, not reliance on some PR phrase that's turned into a thinly veiled code for bigotry.
Day 33: They pulled off the tricky double asshole
Bacon always smells the best on Fridays in #Lent. Join the #CalltoPrayer intention to your fasting today! pic.twitter.com/rcWOL6ezeN— USCCB Marriage (@MUR_USCCB) March 18, 2016
So this is the Twitter account for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops initiative to "defend" marriage. I've awarded them the double asshole for the following:
Assholery the First: the crack about bacon always smelling the best on Lenten Fridays. You're the people who keep us from eating bacon in the first place, why rub our noses in it?
Assholery the Second: the use of the term "religious liberty" on the attached image. Look, if the church wants to oppose same sex marriage, so be it. But to somehow say that religious liberty is at stake simply because same sex marriage exists - when the church is in no way required to solemnize or recognize such marriages - is asinine. We've had same sex marriage in Massachusetts for over a decade, and in no way has my liberty to worship been infringed. Make your argument on positive theological points, not reliance on some PR phrase that's turned into a thinly veiled code for bigotry.
17 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 32: I expected more from you, Twitter!
OK, it may be my primitive Twitter search skills, but I expected, many tweets about not being able to drink on St. Patrick's Day. But I found very few. This was my favorite.
Day 32: I expected more from you, Twitter!
I'm not trying to start anything but.. Lol #lent #leprachaun #saintpatricksday #beer #green… https://t.co/vQTKE2fIRn— Worthy Woman (@womenare_worthy) March 17, 2016
OK, it may be my primitive Twitter search skills, but I expected, many tweets about not being able to drink on St. Patrick's Day. But I found very few. This was my favorite.
16 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 31: I don't make saints, but if I did there'd be a samurai
Really not much to do with Lent other than the timing of the announcement, but how can you pass up posting about a samurai saint?
Day 31: I don't make saints, but if I did there'd be a samurai
Samurai, Martyr, Soon a Saint: Dom Takayama Justo https://t.co/BRpSyzsVBA move over Mother Theresa for the Samurai Saint! #Catholic #Lent— Monk(ish) Habits (@MonkishHabits) March 16, 2016
Really not much to do with Lent other than the timing of the announcement, but how can you pass up posting about a samurai saint?
15 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 30: Remind Him to clean around the baseboards this time
Consider sin like the messiest room in your house, then sit down and have a little conversation with Jesus. #Lent. #40Days. #Reconciliation.— St. Bernard L.A. (@stbernardla) March 15, 2016
14 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 29: Here's your Netflix lineup for Holy Week
Day 29: Here's your Netflix lineup for Holy Week
If you're in the mood for some reflective movie-watching this #Lent, why not revisit our Seven Deadly Sins on Film? https://t.co/q1I2givtaL— Thinking Faith (@ThinkingFaith) March 14, 2016
12 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 28: I'm guessing the first reminder is rhetorical
The second reminder, though, is something we can all use from time to time.
Day 28: I'm guessing the first reminder is rhetorical
— Pat Durham (@PatDurhamAuthor) March 12, 2016
The second reminder, though, is something we can all use from time to time.
11 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 27: "Knot bread" - you get it?
I guess this means I should stop eating waffle pretzels for the next few weeks?
Day 27: "Knot bread" - you get it?
Did you know that the pretzel is a traditional food for #Lent? See why from @CatholicIcing: https://t.co/2MahfLKl7r pic.twitter.com/MMjFs2qRnX— Catholic Review (@CatholicReview) March 11, 2016
I guess this means I should stop eating waffle pretzels for the next few weeks?
10 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 26: I assume there will be no windows of Mercy once the doors are closed
So this is a Jubilee Year of Mercy, of which one of the symbols is the opening of a door of mercy, such as they Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica. Walking through such a door is supposed to have some sort of spiritual benefit, so if you're so inclined, here's a list of all the holy doors in the US.
Day 26: I assume there will be no windows of Mercy once the doors are closed
— CatholicBishops (@CatholicBishops) March 10, 2016
So this is a Jubilee Year of Mercy, of which one of the symbols is the opening of a door of mercy, such as they Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica. Walking through such a door is supposed to have some sort of spiritual benefit, so if you're so inclined, here's a list of all the holy doors in the US.
09 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 25: Probably no Easter egg hunts in this one
The targeted marketing for this movie has been interesting. Whenever I've seen an ad on cable, it's included positive blurbs from well known conservative sources like Focus on the Family, Hugh Hewitt, and... Kathie Lee Gifford? The ads on local TV only include blurbs from one person: Sean Cardinal O'Malley. Know your audience, I suppose.
Day 25: Probably no Easter egg hunts in this one
Praying the Movies for #Lent: Reflection on #TheYoungMessiah https://t.co/SSunJwrWZB pic.twitter.com/AJApppH2Yi— Marie Paul Curley (@SisterMPaul) March 9, 2016
The targeted marketing for this movie has been interesting. Whenever I've seen an ad on cable, it's included positive blurbs from well known conservative sources like Focus on the Family, Hugh Hewitt, and... Kathie Lee Gifford? The ads on local TV only include blurbs from one person: Sean Cardinal O'Malley. Know your audience, I suppose.
08 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 24: in case you want to coordinate with your priest.
While not as interesting/funny as the unique haberdashery of the Catholic church, this explanation of the liturgical colors is a pretty good basic explanation of when what color is worn and why.
Day 24: in case you want to coordinate with your priest.
What do the purple and pink mean again? #Lent https://t.co/YiiwbqyBQg @acatholicherald pic.twitter.com/UyQNy7dsr2— Arlington Diocese (@arlingtonchurch) March 8, 2016
While not as interesting/funny as the unique haberdashery of the Catholic church, this explanation of the liturgical colors is a pretty good basic explanation of when what color is worn and why.
07 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 23: or Day 1 if you live in Cairo
So while Christians in the west have been dealing with a lack of coffee and meat on Fridays for about three weeks, Orthodox Christians are just getting started. Everyone uses the same starting point to determine when to start figuring out when Easter is, but not the same calendar - western Christians use the Gregorian calendar (the same one we use day to day), while Orthodox use the Julian calendar. Without going into details, this alters the calculations enough that the dates can be, like this year, more than a month apart.
But then there's next year, when they're on the same date. Time is hard.
Day 23: or Day 1 if you live in Cairo
First day of #Lent in #Coptic #Orthodox calendar. Praying it is a blessed time of spiritual growth preparing for Glorious Resurrection Feast— Bishop Angaelos (@BishopAngaelos) March 7, 2016
So while Christians in the west have been dealing with a lack of coffee and meat on Fridays for about three weeks, Orthodox Christians are just getting started. Everyone uses the same starting point to determine when to start figuring out when Easter is, but not the same calendar - western Christians use the Gregorian calendar (the same one we use day to day), while Orthodox use the Julian calendar. Without going into details, this alters the calculations enough that the dates can be, like this year, more than a month apart.
But then there's next year, when they're on the same date. Time is hard.
05 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 22: Note: actual refreshments not served
Day 22: Note: actual refreshments not served
Did you know? The fourth Sunday of #Lent is known as #LaetareSunday - "Rejoice, O Jerusalem!" pic.twitter.com/HUVUhKCm1g— Archdiocese of TO (@archtoronto) March 5, 2016
04 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 21: In case you weren't having enough trouble giving something up
Day 21: In case you weren't having enough trouble giving something up
Pretty sure anybody going through #Lent can relate to these struggles. https://t.co/SBw8DZLSrl pic.twitter.com/SECHlo65WF— Latina Magazine (@Latina) March 4, 2016
03 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 20: Halftime show!
Also, in a textbook example of understatement, that choir is performing in the King's College Chapel. I've seen less impressive cathedrals.
Day 20: Halftime show!
— Dawn (USMC Mom) (@3Quarters2Day) March 3, 2016
Also, in a textbook example of understatement, that choir is performing in the King's College Chapel. I've seen less impressive cathedrals.
02 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 19: Without the visual, this has a very different meaning.
Day 19: Without the visual, this has a very different meaning.
— Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) March 2, 2016
01 March 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 18: Yeah!
And now I'll have Lil Jon reciting the Our Father in my head. "Give us this day our daily bread... THAT'S RIGHT!"
Day 18: Yeah!
Trying to read Augustine's work, 'Confessions', but all I hear in my head is Usher with "these are my confessions" .... #Lent— Leah Darrow (@leahdarrow) March 1, 2016
And now I'll have Lil Jon reciting the Our Father in my head. "Give us this day our daily bread... THAT'S RIGHT!"
29 February 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 17: Just hope you didn't give up french fries for Lent. Or chocolate. Or beer.
Though being there for Carnival means you've not started to give anything up yet. So enjoy!
Day 17: Just hope you didn't give up french fries for Lent. Or chocolate. Or beer.
Belgian's Best: The Craze for #Carnival >> https://t.co/Hzgrt1bqPM #Belgium #Lent #MardiGras #travel— GoAbroad (@GoAbroad) February 29, 2016
Though being there for Carnival means you've not started to give anything up yet. So enjoy!
27 February 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 16: I'll stick with fish, thanks
Day 16: I'll stick with fish, thanks
— Benjamin Cooper (@BenCooper_MA) February 27, 2016
26 February 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 15: 99 bottles of Chianti on the wall, 99 bottles of Chianti...
Day 15: 99 bottles of Chianti on the wall, 99 bottles of Chianti...
A "cold call" pick from #PopeFrancis asking "favor," Italian Servite to lead #Lent Curia Retreat...Bus departs Mar 6 pic.twitter.com/NUFG7FQnAW— Rich Raho (@RichRaho) February 26, 2016
25 February 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 14: Seriously, a good option for alms giving
CAFOD is the aid agency for the Catholic church in England and Wales, and they've gotten the UK agency for international development to match donations for water projects in Uganda. Seems like a decent idea, even if the Ugandan government is dodgy.
Day 14: Seriously, a good option for alms giving
Double the impact of your donations this #Lent! @DFID_UK will match what you give £1 for £1> https://t.co/RqrWqHp7gF pic.twitter.com/eHmEobRVSU— CAFOD (@CAFOD) February 25, 2016
CAFOD is the aid agency for the Catholic church in England and Wales, and they've gotten the UK agency for international development to match donations for water projects in Uganda. Seems like a decent idea, even if the Ugandan government is dodgy.
24 February 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 13: Um, I think that's actually a dog.
Day 13: Um, I think that's actually a dog.
9yo sister got her hair chopped off! That's 11 inches for Locks of Love. I couldn't be more proud. #Lent #BigFamily pic.twitter.com/SF6aZHVMSz— Martha Myrick-W (@MarthaMyrick) February 24, 2016
23 February 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 12: Let's keep this in mind for the other 325 days, too.
Day 12: Let's keep this in mind for the other 325 days, too.
Our diverse team works to break barriers and reach all young people irrespective of how they might differ. #LENT pic.twitter.com/2fvI2YgPl6— e:merge (@emergeonlineUK) February 23, 2016
22 February 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 11: They didn't say it was a good idea.
I hadn't planned on back-to-back food posts, but found this too unusual to pass up. I really would like to know in what way is ketchup a Lenten idea - use it, give it up, add some reality to your passion play? Inquiring minds and all that.
Day 11: They didn't say it was a good idea.
I have eked a whole LJ post out of my supermarket's ketchup-for-Lent suggestion https://t.co/UPp0pLkzee #Lent pic.twitter.com/AzlyL4OQjR— one more voice (@morinotsuma) February 22, 2016
I hadn't planned on back-to-back food posts, but found this too unusual to pass up. I really would like to know in what way is ketchup a Lenten idea - use it, give it up, add some reality to your passion play? Inquiring minds and all that.
20 February 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 10: You've heard of vegetables, right?
This is actually something that hits close to home, as the wife doesn't really like fish (other than tuna out of a can). Her dinner this past Friday: an appetizer sampler with fries, mozzarella sticks, jalapeno poppers, and fried pickles (which she doesn't care for and give to me, to my everlasting thanks). Admittedly we were on the road and had fairly limited options (she was going to have pancakes, only the restaurant was out of batter)
Remember: a garden salad with beans is always a nice choice. Your local Indian restaurant will also have a number of tasty vegetarian dishes, which you can bulk out with paneer (a type of cheese), lentils (look for dal), or chickpeas (also used in dal sometimes, but usually called channa or chole). Just because it's Lent doesn't mean you can't widen your palate.
Day 10: You've heard of vegetables, right?
This is what happens on Fridays during #Lent when you don't like fish pic.twitter.com/te7NjGTz9q— Chris Knoblock (@cknoblock17) February 19, 2016
This is actually something that hits close to home, as the wife doesn't really like fish (other than tuna out of a can). Her dinner this past Friday: an appetizer sampler with fries, mozzarella sticks, jalapeno poppers, and fried pickles (which she doesn't care for and give to me, to my everlasting thanks). Admittedly we were on the road and had fairly limited options (she was going to have pancakes, only the restaurant was out of batter)
Remember: a garden salad with beans is always a nice choice. Your local Indian restaurant will also have a number of tasty vegetarian dishes, which you can bulk out with paneer (a type of cheese), lentils (look for dal), or chickpeas (also used in dal sometimes, but usually called channa or chole). Just because it's Lent doesn't mean you can't widen your palate.
19 February 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 9: Mixed messages
These appeared in order in my most recent search for Lenten tweets:
Which led me to think about the number of people who give up social medial for Lent. I can say anecdotally this is a growing thing, as it seems like I've seen more mention of it this year than last. Based on this article about Google's research into what people are giving up, there are four states where some form of social media topped the list.
I can see why this would be a popular choice - social media is time consuming (says the guy on his blog) and can be relentlessly negative. Taking some time away would give a person a chance to clear their minds and focus on the season. On the other hand, I did see one tweet (right when I started to think about this year's theme, which I forgot to save/bookmark/do whatever you do in Twitter to save posts) which wondered if Lent was the right time to abandon relationships, even digital ones, when they can be so supportive.
For me, I tend towards the latter camp (says the guy on his blog). It's not that I don't think that giving up social media isn't worthy of Lent, as I do think it would provide a tangible loss (if not an actual physical sacrifice). But like many people I use social media to keep in touch with friends and family, and while I could do something crazy like actually call or write, I think the value of more frequent, less formal contact outweighs what good I could get from giving it up. But as they say online, YMMV (does anyone actually say that anymore?).
Day 9: Mixed messages
These appeared in order in my most recent search for Lenten tweets:
Consider a digital fast this #Lent and exchange some screen time for prayer time. He is eager to listen to you and speak to your heart!— Bishop Paul Loverde (@Bishop_Loverde) February 18, 2016
Listen to the free podcast of Reflections for #Lent. https://t.co/H89p6bk0Jw pic.twitter.com/0kXxNZbPiH— Ch House Publishing (@CHPublishingUK) February 18, 2016
Which led me to think about the number of people who give up social medial for Lent. I can say anecdotally this is a growing thing, as it seems like I've seen more mention of it this year than last. Based on this article about Google's research into what people are giving up, there are four states where some form of social media topped the list.
I can see why this would be a popular choice - social media is time consuming (says the guy on his blog) and can be relentlessly negative. Taking some time away would give a person a chance to clear their minds and focus on the season. On the other hand, I did see one tweet (right when I started to think about this year's theme, which I forgot to save/bookmark/do whatever you do in Twitter to save posts) which wondered if Lent was the right time to abandon relationships, even digital ones, when they can be so supportive.
For me, I tend towards the latter camp (says the guy on his blog). It's not that I don't think that giving up social media isn't worthy of Lent, as I do think it would provide a tangible loss (if not an actual physical sacrifice). But like many people I use social media to keep in touch with friends and family, and while I could do something crazy like actually call or write, I think the value of more frequent, less formal contact outweighs what good I could get from giving it up. But as they say online, YMMV (does anyone actually say that anymore?).
18 February 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 8: Stay right there, Jesus is coming over from the last post with a special message.
I'm as much a fan of solid financial planning as the next guy, but maybe this isn't the best angle for drumming up business.
Day 8: Stay right there, Jesus is coming over from the last post with a special message.
Failed in the first week of #Lent? Don't fail in the future! Here's our tips for funding your #retirement: https://t.co/dAFe1nisDP— Parasol (@parasolgroup) February 17, 2016
I'm as much a fan of solid financial planning as the next guy, but maybe this isn't the best angle for drumming up business.
17 February 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 7: Bernie Sanders approves! (Inasmuch as he can as a non-Christian).
Day 7: Bernie Sanders approves! (Inasmuch as he can as a non-Christian).
Tuesday in the 1st week of #Lent: "#Jesus entered the temple of God & cast out all those who were selling & buying" pic.twitter.com/JHto7CB9jE— Silverstream Priory (@cenacleosb) February 16, 2016
16 February 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 6: And if he doesn't... there are still 40 days in Lent.
Day 6: And if he doesn't... there are still 40 days in Lent.
— Susan Russell (@revsusanrussell) February 15, 2016
15 February 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 5: Thanks for the clarification!
There's always confusion about how Sundays fit into Lent, and this is a pretty good one sheet explanation of how things work. Those Canadians, always so helpful!
I was trying to find a tweet about Lent and Valentine's Day, but the first two that kind of fit the bill put me off of further searching:
Day 5: Thanks for the clarification!
If we gave something up for #Lent, can we indulge in it on Sundays? pic.twitter.com/27tpwUzs7d— Archdiocese of TO (@archtoronto) February 14, 2016
There's always confusion about how Sundays fit into Lent, and this is a pretty good one sheet explanation of how things work. Those Canadians, always so helpful!
I was trying to find a tweet about Lent and Valentine's Day, but the first two that kind of fit the bill put me off of further searching:
Hey, Christians. This is not Valentine's Day. This is the 1st Sunday in #Lent. (Unless you are Orthodox, in which case, you get a pass.)— Drew McIntyre (@DrewBMcIntyre) February 14, 2016
I'm just trying to fuck all of you for #lent— kylie aqua (@circaqua) February 14, 2016
14 February 2016
With things heating up in the US Presidential primaries, it's time to give out the coveted Blogalicious endorsements.
On the Democratic side, Blogalicious endorses Bernie Sanders. We don't think he'd make a particularly great President, but do think he's spot on about the increasingly corruptive influence of dark money on politics and the burgeoning financial-governmental complex. A Sanders presidency would also make various GOP heads explode, which would be entertaining.
Speaking of the GOP, Blogalicious endorses John Kasich, due to his positive campaign and executive experience. He's not as moderate as portrayed - we think he gets the label by being graded on a curve, and he's been pretty conservative where abortion is involved - but is moderate enough that bipartisan governing is a possibility. He's not exactly the candidate for this cycle where the party is concerned, but in the long term is more likely to attract independents and conservative Democrats, which will help in the swing states that someone like Ted Cruz is unlikely to win.
So there you go, endorsements for candidates who have almost no shot at winning - until now!
On the Democratic side, Blogalicious endorses Bernie Sanders. We don't think he'd make a particularly great President, but do think he's spot on about the increasingly corruptive influence of dark money on politics and the burgeoning financial-governmental complex. A Sanders presidency would also make various GOP heads explode, which would be entertaining.
Speaking of the GOP, Blogalicious endorses John Kasich, due to his positive campaign and executive experience. He's not as moderate as portrayed - we think he gets the label by being graded on a curve, and he's been pretty conservative where abortion is involved - but is moderate enough that bipartisan governing is a possibility. He's not exactly the candidate for this cycle where the party is concerned, but in the long term is more likely to attract independents and conservative Democrats, which will help in the swing states that someone like Ted Cruz is unlikely to win.
So there you go, endorsements for candidates who have almost no shot at winning - until now!
13 February 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 4: Crossover episode!
Today's installment not only works for Lentorama but for the Book Log as well. It's actually an interesting list, with a couple of books that I've read but never considered in a Lenten context.
Day 4: Crossover episode!
The best novels, poetry, and more for #Lent https://t.co/5S9VF7aX45— Christianity Today (@CTmagazine) February 13, 2016
Today's installment not only works for Lentorama but for the Book Log as well. It's actually an interesting list, with a couple of books that I've read but never considered in a Lenten context.
12 February 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 3: Monetizing the suffering of our Lord!
Just three of the many tweets from companies who want tomake a buck off of Catholics help maintain Lenten discipline. Honestly, though, these may have helped, as there were very few "OMG, I ate meat!" tweets. But that could just be my lack of search skills on Twitter.
Day 3: Monetizing the suffering of our Lord!
On this first Friday of #Lent, try one of these 5 classic New Orleans shrimp recipes https://t.co/pLjI3IDtye pic.twitter.com/yGsKIILydc— NOLA.com (@NOLAnews) February 12, 2016
#Lent is here. We are stocked, but #crawfish will be tight around town this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/dKdbkcz1p2— Bevi Seafood Co (@BeviSeafoodCo) February 12, 2016
Looking for a seafood option for lunch or dinner? Our fresh oysters are the obvious choice. #Lent #MeatlessLent pic.twitter.com/xjTjWlv5Zo— Doc Crow's (@DocCrows) February 12, 2016
Just three of the many tweets from companies who want to
11 February 2016
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Day 2: Clearly, someone is better at this than I am.
Yes, a Lenten bracket for saints. And to think how much time I've wasted here! Well done.
Day 2: Clearly, someone is better at this than I am.
The #Lent Madness Saintly Smackdown bracket is pure genius: https://t.co/FWFQbuyC0N— Ally Ley (@allyley) February 11, 2016
Yes, a Lenten bracket for saints. And to think how much time I've wasted here! Well done.
10 February 2016
It looked for a while like this may be the year that Lentorama finally went by the wayside. I didn't even have any marginally interesting ideas, and didn't think anything I could come up with would reach even my incredibly modest goals for humor. But then I had an idea: why not let others come up with my entries for this year. Which is how we got to:
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Yes, 40 days of letting someone else do the heavy lifting while all I do is search and repost the tweets that I like the best. Hope Twitter doesn't go under before we get to Easter!
Day 1: #AshWednesday
Lentorama 2016: #Lent
Yes, 40 days of letting someone else do the heavy lifting while all I do is search and repost the tweets that I like the best. Hope Twitter doesn't go under before we get to Easter!
Day 1: #AshWednesday
— someecards (@someecards) February 18, 2015
01 February 2016
A few weeks back I was driving home from work and heard Adele's "Hello" and The Police's "Don't Stand So Close to Me" back to back. Ever since then, I can't hear Adele's song without thinking she's singing from the point of view of the girl in "Don't Stand So Close to Me," who is trying to reconnect with the teacher from the song.
It's not a perfect fit, but I do get some humor out of thinking that the girl (now woman, really) is trying to get back in touch with the teacher, and maybe doesn't understand that the teacher would be reluctant to talk to the person over whom he (probably) threw away his career. No, he never did make it out of that town where nothing ever happens because he can't afford to move based on what he's making by working as Tesco. Not that it isn't his fault.
It's not a perfect fit, but I do get some humor out of thinking that the girl (now woman, really) is trying to get back in touch with the teacher, and maybe doesn't understand that the teacher would be reluctant to talk to the person over whom he (probably) threw away his career. No, he never did make it out of that town where nothing ever happens because he can't afford to move based on what he's making by working as Tesco. Not that it isn't his fault.
Book Log 2016 #2: The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz
So when we last left the Millennium trilogy the talk of a fourth book was stalled as Stieg Larsson's long-time partner was in possession of a partial manuscript for a fourth book and all of Larsson's notes. But thanks to an improperly witnessed will, Larsson's estate was awarded to his father and brother. And with ownership of the series, they hired Lagercrantz to write this book.
And I'm not sure he was the best choice, based on the results. The book is OK, but it just feels like your average thriller steeped in the Edward Snowdon/shadowy intelligence community zeitgeist, but with the Millenium characters. It does set up the future conflict between Lisbeth Salander and her twin sister (who now heads the criminal empire started by their father), but I don't know if I'm all that interested in that story at this point.
I suppose it was too much to hope that all of the parties would get together and figure out a way to get the Millennium series written more towards what Larsson had in mind. But I hope that future attempts to cash in on the characters will be more of a piece with the original books.
(2016 Popsugar Reading Challenge: a book translated into English)
So when we last left the Millennium trilogy the talk of a fourth book was stalled as Stieg Larsson's long-time partner was in possession of a partial manuscript for a fourth book and all of Larsson's notes. But thanks to an improperly witnessed will, Larsson's estate was awarded to his father and brother. And with ownership of the series, they hired Lagercrantz to write this book.
And I'm not sure he was the best choice, based on the results. The book is OK, but it just feels like your average thriller steeped in the Edward Snowdon/shadowy intelligence community zeitgeist, but with the Millenium characters. It does set up the future conflict between Lisbeth Salander and her twin sister (who now heads the criminal empire started by their father), but I don't know if I'm all that interested in that story at this point.
I suppose it was too much to hope that all of the parties would get together and figure out a way to get the Millennium series written more towards what Larsson had in mind. But I hope that future attempts to cash in on the characters will be more of a piece with the original books.
(2016 Popsugar Reading Challenge: a book translated into English)
26 January 2016
Book Log 2016 #1: Alex's Wake by Martin Goldsmith
The recent debate over whether or not the US should admit refugees from Syria saw a brief revival of interest in the SS St. Louis, a ship carrying Jewish refugees that was refused entry in a number of Western Hemisphere ports before returning to Germany, dooming many of its passengers to dying in a concentration camp. This book traces the journey of two of the passengers - the author's grandfather and uncle - as they left home in Germany, saw refuges slip through their fingers, and eventually wind up in Auschwitz, where they both perished.
Goldsmith makes this trip for a number of reasons, from honoring his family to confronting his own feelings about the Holocaust and the way average Germans did nothing while genocide unfolded around them. Most notably, he makes the trip as a way to make up for his parents' apparent lack of effort to get their family out of Germany before it was too late. It makes for a highly emotional tale, but one that pays off as the author and the many people he encounters along the way make some amount of peace with history.
That being said, I had a hard time connecting with the book until I got fairly deep into it. Not sure why; it could have been having to reconcile the travelogue/historical aspects of the book with the deeply personal tragedy, or just not having enough of a personal connection to get into it right away. I am happy that I stuck with it, though.
(2016 Popsugar Reading Challenge: a book about a road trip)
The recent debate over whether or not the US should admit refugees from Syria saw a brief revival of interest in the SS St. Louis, a ship carrying Jewish refugees that was refused entry in a number of Western Hemisphere ports before returning to Germany, dooming many of its passengers to dying in a concentration camp. This book traces the journey of two of the passengers - the author's grandfather and uncle - as they left home in Germany, saw refuges slip through their fingers, and eventually wind up in Auschwitz, where they both perished.
Goldsmith makes this trip for a number of reasons, from honoring his family to confronting his own feelings about the Holocaust and the way average Germans did nothing while genocide unfolded around them. Most notably, he makes the trip as a way to make up for his parents' apparent lack of effort to get their family out of Germany before it was too late. It makes for a highly emotional tale, but one that pays off as the author and the many people he encounters along the way make some amount of peace with history.
That being said, I had a hard time connecting with the book until I got fairly deep into it. Not sure why; it could have been having to reconcile the travelogue/historical aspects of the book with the deeply personal tragedy, or just not having enough of a personal connection to get into it right away. I am happy that I stuck with it, though.
(2016 Popsugar Reading Challenge: a book about a road trip)
01 January 2016
Book Log 2015 Extra: The 2015 Popsugar Reading Challenge
I tried to tailor my reading for 2015 to complete the reading challenge put out by Popsugar, but didn't quite finish. Which wasn't surprising, given some of the entries. So what didn't I read?
Classic romance - not a genre I typically read, so it wasn't shocking that I didn't read something here.
A book a friend recommended - kind of a ridiculous miss, as how hard would it have been to ask for recommendations on Facebook?
A book you mom loves - my mother's reading was almost exclusively of Harlequin romances, which she favored as it was easy to put them down when needed (she worked overnights at a nursing home, so the books filled the time between patient calls). She would occasionally branch out to the more popular romance authors, but rarely anything beyond. And as I've already noted that I'm not a romance person, it was unlikely that I'd read something to meet this part of the challenge.
A book that scares you - also not much of a horror reader. Or taking this in a different direction, I was apprehensive about tackling Moby Dick, and considering I've been a third of the way through it since March my apprehension was apparently correct.
A play - I started Othello, but didn't get that far into it. I should have chosen something contemporary.
A book that takes place in your hometown - my hometown has about 5500 people and is unlikely to be the setting for a novel (but a movie...). Even my current home, in a city of about 40,000, is an unlikely book setting. The 2016 challenge changes this to a book set in your home state, which will be much easier to complete.
A book that makes you cry - I don't know that I've ever cried while reading. It certainly didn't happen in 2015.
A book set in high school - another one that looks easy that I didn't knock off.
A book with bad reviews - I did try a bit to cross this off, but more often than not by retroactively checking reviews for books I didn't quite care for. That's probably not the best method.
A book that came out the year you were born - possibly the easiest entry that I didn't complete, given that there are several books that would fit the bill that I'd be interested in reading- A House for Mr. Biswas, Slaughterhouse-Five, I Sing the Body Electric, The Godfather, Portnoy's Complaint, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and so on.
A book with antonyms in the title - well, OK, I couldn't be bothered with this one.
So there you are. I am mulling trying to do this with the 2016 challenge, but don't know if I'll bother as I expect my reading time will decline this year.
I tried to tailor my reading for 2015 to complete the reading challenge put out by Popsugar, but didn't quite finish. Which wasn't surprising, given some of the entries. So what didn't I read?
Classic romance - not a genre I typically read, so it wasn't shocking that I didn't read something here.
A book a friend recommended - kind of a ridiculous miss, as how hard would it have been to ask for recommendations on Facebook?
A book you mom loves - my mother's reading was almost exclusively of Harlequin romances, which she favored as it was easy to put them down when needed (she worked overnights at a nursing home, so the books filled the time between patient calls). She would occasionally branch out to the more popular romance authors, but rarely anything beyond. And as I've already noted that I'm not a romance person, it was unlikely that I'd read something to meet this part of the challenge.
A book that scares you - also not much of a horror reader. Or taking this in a different direction, I was apprehensive about tackling Moby Dick, and considering I've been a third of the way through it since March my apprehension was apparently correct.
A play - I started Othello, but didn't get that far into it. I should have chosen something contemporary.
A book that takes place in your hometown - my hometown has about 5500 people and is unlikely to be the setting for a novel (but a movie...). Even my current home, in a city of about 40,000, is an unlikely book setting. The 2016 challenge changes this to a book set in your home state, which will be much easier to complete.
A book that makes you cry - I don't know that I've ever cried while reading. It certainly didn't happen in 2015.
A book set in high school - another one that looks easy that I didn't knock off.
A book with bad reviews - I did try a bit to cross this off, but more often than not by retroactively checking reviews for books I didn't quite care for. That's probably not the best method.
A book that came out the year you were born - possibly the easiest entry that I didn't complete, given that there are several books that would fit the bill that I'd be interested in reading- A House for Mr. Biswas, Slaughterhouse-Five, I Sing the Body Electric, The Godfather, Portnoy's Complaint, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and so on.
A book with antonyms in the title - well, OK, I couldn't be bothered with this one.
So there you are. I am mulling trying to do this with the 2016 challenge, but don't know if I'll bother as I expect my reading time will decline this year.
31 December 2015
Book Log 2015 #47: The Fifth Gospel by Ian Caldwell
A little over a decade ago, Ian Caldwell co-wrote a novel called The Rule of Four, a literate thriller about four roommates and the obsession with a mysterious 15th century book. It was on the best-seller lists for months. Great things were expected from both men.
But both of them fell off the radar, book-wise. Dustin Thomason found work writing and producing TV shows, but did have another best-selling book in 2012 with a plot focused on the Mayan calendar and the potential end of the world. Caldwell spent a good decade coming up with this book, his follow-up. It uses the schism between Roman Catholics and Orthodox churches to drive the plot, with a Greek Catholic priest (a member of one of the Eastern rites that kind of straddle the schism) trying to figure out who killed a local museum curator who was working on an exhibit about the Shroud of Turin, its history between the Roman and Orthodox communities, and how a work called the Diatessaron could shed added light on the shroud's pre-Turin whereabouts.
Throw into that mix added Vatican politics and the sudden reappearance of the main character's wife after years of absence, and you have a pretty packed story. Thankfully, Caldwell is writer enough to pull this off, balancing story lines and providing explanations that help keep the plot moving. It's much more realistic than the breathless exposition of Dan Brown and the like.
That being said, an afterword that went into a further discussion of the factual basis of the book would have been helpful. Still, I hope it's not another ten years before we get another book from Caldwell.
A little over a decade ago, Ian Caldwell co-wrote a novel called The Rule of Four, a literate thriller about four roommates and the obsession with a mysterious 15th century book. It was on the best-seller lists for months. Great things were expected from both men.
But both of them fell off the radar, book-wise. Dustin Thomason found work writing and producing TV shows, but did have another best-selling book in 2012 with a plot focused on the Mayan calendar and the potential end of the world. Caldwell spent a good decade coming up with this book, his follow-up. It uses the schism between Roman Catholics and Orthodox churches to drive the plot, with a Greek Catholic priest (a member of one of the Eastern rites that kind of straddle the schism) trying to figure out who killed a local museum curator who was working on an exhibit about the Shroud of Turin, its history between the Roman and Orthodox communities, and how a work called the Diatessaron could shed added light on the shroud's pre-Turin whereabouts.
Throw into that mix added Vatican politics and the sudden reappearance of the main character's wife after years of absence, and you have a pretty packed story. Thankfully, Caldwell is writer enough to pull this off, balancing story lines and providing explanations that help keep the plot moving. It's much more realistic than the breathless exposition of Dan Brown and the like.
That being said, an afterword that went into a further discussion of the factual basis of the book would have been helpful. Still, I hope it's not another ten years before we get another book from Caldwell.
Book Log 2015 #46: Idiot America by Charles Pierce
One of the many books that have come out in recent years about the anti-intellectual streak in American life and politics, this one does forward a specific theory about the trend based in three premises: anything can be true if you say it loud enough, fact is what a person believes and the truth of that fact is how strongly its believed, and any theory based on these truths or facts is validated by how well it sells. The rest of the book shows in various ways how these premises are put into action by our leaders, from the Iraq war to global warming.
There are some interesting diversions in the book - an early chapter talks about cranks and their role in American life before the rise of mass communications - but a lot of it is familiar to anyone who reads Pierce with any regularity (his Esquire work refers to his theory frequently). It's also slightly outdated, as it doesn't really consider the impact of social media and Citizens United (though you can imagine what the impacts have been).
Still, Pierce writes well and is clearly personally invested (the chapter on the Terry Schiavo case is equal parts application of theory and personal animus towards Jeb Bush and his ilk). It's worth a read in the coming political season.
One of the many books that have come out in recent years about the anti-intellectual streak in American life and politics, this one does forward a specific theory about the trend based in three premises: anything can be true if you say it loud enough, fact is what a person believes and the truth of that fact is how strongly its believed, and any theory based on these truths or facts is validated by how well it sells. The rest of the book shows in various ways how these premises are put into action by our leaders, from the Iraq war to global warming.
There are some interesting diversions in the book - an early chapter talks about cranks and their role in American life before the rise of mass communications - but a lot of it is familiar to anyone who reads Pierce with any regularity (his Esquire work refers to his theory frequently). It's also slightly outdated, as it doesn't really consider the impact of social media and Citizens United (though you can imagine what the impacts have been).
Still, Pierce writes well and is clearly personally invested (the chapter on the Terry Schiavo case is equal parts application of theory and personal animus towards Jeb Bush and his ilk). It's worth a read in the coming political season.
Book Log 2015 #45: The Golden Princess by S.M. Stirling
A battle against Haida raiders and an unexpected remnant of the Church Universal and Triumphant results in the deaths of the High King of Montival and the Emperor of Japan. Now it is up to the two new leaders, both young women in their early 20s, to avenge their fathers and secure this part of the world from further incursion.
They do this by talking. To each other, to leaders of other groups, to their subordinates. They talk a lot. As do the subordinates, who are still wondering if their new leaders are up to the task (less so with the future High Queen of Montival, who now carries the sacred sword her father did, but apparently now tailored to her). I found myself wishing for more songs about elves and overheated descriptions of horse tack, as that usually came with battle scenes.
Speaking of swords, it turns out that this series of Emberverse books will be about another sword quest, as the Japanese were in the former US looking for a sword which is apprently in Palm Springs or a similar desert location in what was California. I feel like we've done this before.
This is also the first book in the series (I think) that didn't have an appearance by an original character. There were mentions, but no actual dialogue. There weren't even that many appearances by second generation characters. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I do wonder if the transition is being rushed a bit.
Still, in for a penny, in for a pound. I'm a book behind in the series, which I'll eventually get to.
A battle against Haida raiders and an unexpected remnant of the Church Universal and Triumphant results in the deaths of the High King of Montival and the Emperor of Japan. Now it is up to the two new leaders, both young women in their early 20s, to avenge their fathers and secure this part of the world from further incursion.
They do this by talking. To each other, to leaders of other groups, to their subordinates. They talk a lot. As do the subordinates, who are still wondering if their new leaders are up to the task (less so with the future High Queen of Montival, who now carries the sacred sword her father did, but apparently now tailored to her). I found myself wishing for more songs about elves and overheated descriptions of horse tack, as that usually came with battle scenes.
Speaking of swords, it turns out that this series of Emberverse books will be about another sword quest, as the Japanese were in the former US looking for a sword which is apprently in Palm Springs or a similar desert location in what was California. I feel like we've done this before.
This is also the first book in the series (I think) that didn't have an appearance by an original character. There were mentions, but no actual dialogue. There weren't even that many appearances by second generation characters. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I do wonder if the transition is being rushed a bit.
Still, in for a penny, in for a pound. I'm a book behind in the series, which I'll eventually get to.
Book Log 2015 #44: A Christmas Far From Home by Stanley Weintraub
This book tells the story of the American soldiers who, in 1950, had to fight their way to safety in the face of a Chinese offensive, bitter cold, and poor living conditions. The book opposes this with the actions and lifestyle of supreme commander Douglas MacArthur, who was trying to run the war from his comfortable digs in Tokyo. The book comes down very strongly against MacArthur, portraying him as out of touch and completely disinterested in opinions and facts that countered his own beliefs.
I have to admit I didn't get more than a third into the book before quitting. I could never quite get into the story, as I was trying too hard to keep up with the unit names and other details to keep things straight. Weintraub has found a niche in writing books about was and Christmastime, and I don't know if this is typical of his efforts. Maybe his earlier books are better.
This book tells the story of the American soldiers who, in 1950, had to fight their way to safety in the face of a Chinese offensive, bitter cold, and poor living conditions. The book opposes this with the actions and lifestyle of supreme commander Douglas MacArthur, who was trying to run the war from his comfortable digs in Tokyo. The book comes down very strongly against MacArthur, portraying him as out of touch and completely disinterested in opinions and facts that countered his own beliefs.
I have to admit I didn't get more than a third into the book before quitting. I could never quite get into the story, as I was trying too hard to keep up with the unit names and other details to keep things straight. Weintraub has found a niche in writing books about was and Christmastime, and I don't know if this is typical of his efforts. Maybe his earlier books are better.
Book Log 2015 #43: Y: The Last Man by Brian Vaughan and Pia Guerra
An unknown sickness kills every male creature in the world - except for Yorick Brown and his pet monkey. Yorick wants to go to Australia to find his girlfriend, but others - including his mother - have other ideas. They want to figure out why Yorick and his monkey survived, and if they can be used to create new males. Yorick gets hooked up with a mysterious secret agent and an ethically-challenged geneticist, with the group trying to get to California to get to the doctor's lab. Along the way, they run into various militant feminists, including a group whose members now include Yorick's sister, who would happily kill Yorick and his monkey.
I've read about half of the issues of this graphic novel, and am enjoying it, though I'm not sure if I'm that into graphic novels generally. Still, I'm looking forward to the second half of the series.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: a graphic novel)
An unknown sickness kills every male creature in the world - except for Yorick Brown and his pet monkey. Yorick wants to go to Australia to find his girlfriend, but others - including his mother - have other ideas. They want to figure out why Yorick and his monkey survived, and if they can be used to create new males. Yorick gets hooked up with a mysterious secret agent and an ethically-challenged geneticist, with the group trying to get to California to get to the doctor's lab. Along the way, they run into various militant feminists, including a group whose members now include Yorick's sister, who would happily kill Yorick and his monkey.
I've read about half of the issues of this graphic novel, and am enjoying it, though I'm not sure if I'm that into graphic novels generally. Still, I'm looking forward to the second half of the series.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: a graphic novel)
Book Log 2015 #42: Layover in Dubai by Dan Fesperman
A corporate auditor stops over in Dubai to check in on a colleague who likes to live on the edge a bit, causing concerns that he may hurt relations between the company and the authorities. When that colleague ends up dead, and a visit by the firm's chief security officer leads the local police right to the auditor's door, he has to team up with an unorthodox police detective to get to the bottom of things.
This is a very solid thriller, which benefits greatly from its unique setting. I only wish it had been written during the global financial slowdown, as that would have added an additional interesting angle to things. Still, a good choice if you're looking for something contemporary and set outside of the usual locations for this sort of book.
A corporate auditor stops over in Dubai to check in on a colleague who likes to live on the edge a bit, causing concerns that he may hurt relations between the company and the authorities. When that colleague ends up dead, and a visit by the firm's chief security officer leads the local police right to the auditor's door, he has to team up with an unorthodox police detective to get to the bottom of things.
This is a very solid thriller, which benefits greatly from its unique setting. I only wish it had been written during the global financial slowdown, as that would have added an additional interesting angle to things. Still, a good choice if you're looking for something contemporary and set outside of the usual locations for this sort of book.
Book Log 2015 #41: Dead Wake by Erik Larson
Larson's skill at narrative non-fiction is well on display in this telling of the Lusitania sinking, which bounces between the passengers and crew of the ship and the men of the U-boat that sank it. The strength of the book probably lies with the Germans, as we get a much clearer idea of why the policy around sinking passenger lines changes and why this specific U-boat was in the right place at the right time to fire her torpedoes.
Which isn't to say that the parts about the boat and its passengers aren't informative and entertaining. These sections only serve to underscore the human tragedy of the sinking, as characters we've followed throughout the voyage are put in harm's way, with not all of them surviving (which doesn't even begin to address the hundreds of unmentioned passengers who died).
The only thing about the book I didn't care for was the story of President Wilson and his courting of future wife Edith Galt. I don't feel like the stories meshed very well, and didn't really add much to the overall proceeedings.
Very much recommended, even so.
Larson's skill at narrative non-fiction is well on display in this telling of the Lusitania sinking, which bounces between the passengers and crew of the ship and the men of the U-boat that sank it. The strength of the book probably lies with the Germans, as we get a much clearer idea of why the policy around sinking passenger lines changes and why this specific U-boat was in the right place at the right time to fire her torpedoes.
Which isn't to say that the parts about the boat and its passengers aren't informative and entertaining. These sections only serve to underscore the human tragedy of the sinking, as characters we've followed throughout the voyage are put in harm's way, with not all of them surviving (which doesn't even begin to address the hundreds of unmentioned passengers who died).
The only thing about the book I didn't care for was the story of President Wilson and his courting of future wife Edith Galt. I don't feel like the stories meshed very well, and didn't really add much to the overall proceeedings.
Very much recommended, even so.
Book Log 2015 #40: Wrath of the Furies by Steven Saylor
The latest entry in the series following the young Gordianus the Finder sees him still in Alexandria, waiting out the war in the Italian peninsula where Rome is fighting its local client states, while closer to Egypt Mithradites is taking over many of Rome's Asian territories. Gordianus's former tutor and agent for Mithridates, Antipater, apparently finds himself in trouble, forcing Gordianus to enter enemy territory - Romans found in Mithradates's territory are likely to be executed - to find Antipater and save him from harm.
This book feels much more like an entry from the original series, though it captures enough of Gordianus's youth and inexperience to keep things interesting. There's also the continued development of his relationship with Bethesda, which is still pretty much in her favor.
The best of the young Gordianus books to date, which makes me look forward to future entries.
The latest entry in the series following the young Gordianus the Finder sees him still in Alexandria, waiting out the war in the Italian peninsula where Rome is fighting its local client states, while closer to Egypt Mithradites is taking over many of Rome's Asian territories. Gordianus's former tutor and agent for Mithridates, Antipater, apparently finds himself in trouble, forcing Gordianus to enter enemy territory - Romans found in Mithradates's territory are likely to be executed - to find Antipater and save him from harm.
This book feels much more like an entry from the original series, though it captures enough of Gordianus's youth and inexperience to keep things interesting. There's also the continued development of his relationship with Bethesda, which is still pretty much in her favor.
The best of the young Gordianus books to date, which makes me look forward to future entries.
Book Log 2015 #39: When to Rob a Bank by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner
For their most recent book, the Freakonomics guys package up some of their favorite blog posts in this volume. And while some entries were as interesting and insightful as what's in their regular books, a lot of it is closer to the bulk of the 8000 posts that the authors consider rubbish. So it's probably worth a read if you're a Freakonomics completist, or a browse if you're interested in specific topics.
For their most recent book, the Freakonomics guys package up some of their favorite blog posts in this volume. And while some entries were as interesting and insightful as what's in their regular books, a lot of it is closer to the bulk of the 8000 posts that the authors consider rubbish. So it's probably worth a read if you're a Freakonomics completist, or a browse if you're interested in specific topics.
24 November 2015
Book Log 2015 #38: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Turns out that A Passage to India wasn't old enough to fulfill the "read a book that's over 100 years old" part of the Popsugar reading challenge. But this one, which I'd been thinking about reading, did.
The basic story: Dorian Gray is a young, handsome man just starting to make his way in London. He is having his portrait painted by Basil Hallward (who is quite taken with Gray) when he meets of friend of Hallward's, Sir Henry Hotton. Gray and Hotton develop a friendship (generally dominated by Hotton), which leads Gray toward a life of aesthetics and hedonism. As part of that life, Gray wishes that his looks would never fade, but rather that they'd be reflected in his portrait. This is exactly what happens; as Gray lives a life where he does not deny himself any sensation, regardless of the consequences, he continues to look like the unblemished youth who first sat for Hallward.
Originally published as a serial, reaction was not favorable. As tame as the book seems now, charges of immorality were bandied about quite widely, with threats of legal charges against publisher and author alike. The publisher even removed what it considered the most questionable passages, to little relief. Wilde would later rework the story, adding chapters and a preface about the philosophical nature of the work and the importance of art in society (this is the version I read).
Unlike A Passage to India, this book stands up better to the ravages of time, thanks to Wilde's prose and the familiarity of the themes. Its brevity also helps keep the book from dragging where it might if it were longer.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: a book more than 100 years old; a popular author's first novel)
Turns out that A Passage to India wasn't old enough to fulfill the "read a book that's over 100 years old" part of the Popsugar reading challenge. But this one, which I'd been thinking about reading, did.
The basic story: Dorian Gray is a young, handsome man just starting to make his way in London. He is having his portrait painted by Basil Hallward (who is quite taken with Gray) when he meets of friend of Hallward's, Sir Henry Hotton. Gray and Hotton develop a friendship (generally dominated by Hotton), which leads Gray toward a life of aesthetics and hedonism. As part of that life, Gray wishes that his looks would never fade, but rather that they'd be reflected in his portrait. This is exactly what happens; as Gray lives a life where he does not deny himself any sensation, regardless of the consequences, he continues to look like the unblemished youth who first sat for Hallward.
Originally published as a serial, reaction was not favorable. As tame as the book seems now, charges of immorality were bandied about quite widely, with threats of legal charges against publisher and author alike. The publisher even removed what it considered the most questionable passages, to little relief. Wilde would later rework the story, adding chapters and a preface about the philosophical nature of the work and the importance of art in society (this is the version I read).
Unlike A Passage to India, this book stands up better to the ravages of time, thanks to Wilde's prose and the familiarity of the themes. Its brevity also helps keep the book from dragging where it might if it were longer.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: a book more than 100 years old; a popular author's first novel)
Book Log 2015 #37: A Passage to India by E.M. Forester
We were assigned this book in a world civilizations class (either 7th or 9th grade, can't remember which), and I didn't get past the first 50 pages. I'd been told since then that the book gets much better as it goes along, so when the Popsugar reading challenge said to read something you were suppose to read in high school but didn't, this seemed like a good choice.
I believe the people who told me the book gets better were lying. Or repeating what they'd heard from others. Because even though I managed to read the whole thing, it was quite the slog. The piece I linked to above kind of hits the nail on the head - it's a dated book, certainly in style, but its observations about the various relations (east-west, racial, and religious) still resonate.
Consider the incident involving Adela Quested and Dr. Aziz, the sort of mistaken identity plot twist that even in Forster's time was a bit of chestnut. Out of it, though, we get Miss Quested's realization that her desire to see the "real" India is naive at best, and Dr. Aziz's rededication to his faith and the cause of Indian nationalism. The event is tired, but the results are the sorts of things we see today.
I don't know if there's an easy way to reconcile this problem, as it's too easy to bail on this book before you start to see how its themes are still fresh. Maybe you can't reconcile it. So if you do pick this book up (or pick it up again, as I did), be prepared to work for your insights, and mostly not in a pleasurable way.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: a book you were supposed to read in school but didn't)
We were assigned this book in a world civilizations class (either 7th or 9th grade, can't remember which), and I didn't get past the first 50 pages. I'd been told since then that the book gets much better as it goes along, so when the Popsugar reading challenge said to read something you were suppose to read in high school but didn't, this seemed like a good choice.
I believe the people who told me the book gets better were lying. Or repeating what they'd heard from others. Because even though I managed to read the whole thing, it was quite the slog. The piece I linked to above kind of hits the nail on the head - it's a dated book, certainly in style, but its observations about the various relations (east-west, racial, and religious) still resonate.
Consider the incident involving Adela Quested and Dr. Aziz, the sort of mistaken identity plot twist that even in Forster's time was a bit of chestnut. Out of it, though, we get Miss Quested's realization that her desire to see the "real" India is naive at best, and Dr. Aziz's rededication to his faith and the cause of Indian nationalism. The event is tired, but the results are the sorts of things we see today.
I don't know if there's an easy way to reconcile this problem, as it's too easy to bail on this book before you start to see how its themes are still fresh. Maybe you can't reconcile it. So if you do pick this book up (or pick it up again, as I did), be prepared to work for your insights, and mostly not in a pleasurable way.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: a book you were supposed to read in school but didn't)
22 November 2015
Book Log 2015 #36: World Gone By by Dennis Lehane
The final book in the Coughlin trilogy sees an older Joe trying to come to grips with the changes to the underworld brought by the end of Prohibition, World War II, and the opening up of Cuba. Joe is as comfortable as ever moving among criminals and the straight world - from high rollers to military intelligence - but there's a pall over things as events of the past start to catch up with him.
It's a fitting end to the trilogy, underscoring the brutal efficiency that maintains power for those who run criminal organizations. I'm glad that I overcame my original reluctance over reading The Given Day so that I didn't miss out on these three books.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: Read a trilogy)
The final book in the Coughlin trilogy sees an older Joe trying to come to grips with the changes to the underworld brought by the end of Prohibition, World War II, and the opening up of Cuba. Joe is as comfortable as ever moving among criminals and the straight world - from high rollers to military intelligence - but there's a pall over things as events of the past start to catch up with him.
It's a fitting end to the trilogy, underscoring the brutal efficiency that maintains power for those who run criminal organizations. I'm glad that I overcame my original reluctance over reading The Given Day so that I didn't miss out on these three books.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: Read a trilogy)
20 November 2015
Book Log 2015 #35: Live by Night by Dennis Lehane
Set 7 years after the events of The Given Day, it's an odd sort of sequel as it focuses on Joe Coughlin, the youngest brother of Danny Coughlin, the main character of the first book. He doesn't show up much in that book, so he's a bit of a blank canvas, which allows Lehane to make him the son who goes in the exact opposite direction of his police-oriented household. The book opens with Joe participating in a robbery that may be a set up, forcing him to go on the run and, eventually, to Tampa, where he quickly asserts himself as someone to be reckoned with in the local underworld.
While I was hoping that this book would continue to follow Danny, his path seems a little dull (he winds up working in Hollywood as a writer and sometimes actor in the movies). One difference I did miss was the historical subplot, which in the first book followed Babe Ruth. I don't know if there would have been an easy way to include one, to be honest.
One interesting way that this book did have some continuity with the first one was in the way Joe is able to work with a multiethnic set of criminals, much in the way Danny cultivated friends and associates who weren't just Irish Catholics. Very forward thinking for the times.
So if you go into this book not expecting it to be a traditional sequel, you should be pretty happy with it. And even if you did, it's certainly the equal to the first book.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: Read a trilogy. Granted, I read The Given Day a few years ago, but I'm counting it.)
Set 7 years after the events of The Given Day, it's an odd sort of sequel as it focuses on Joe Coughlin, the youngest brother of Danny Coughlin, the main character of the first book. He doesn't show up much in that book, so he's a bit of a blank canvas, which allows Lehane to make him the son who goes in the exact opposite direction of his police-oriented household. The book opens with Joe participating in a robbery that may be a set up, forcing him to go on the run and, eventually, to Tampa, where he quickly asserts himself as someone to be reckoned with in the local underworld.
While I was hoping that this book would continue to follow Danny, his path seems a little dull (he winds up working in Hollywood as a writer and sometimes actor in the movies). One difference I did miss was the historical subplot, which in the first book followed Babe Ruth. I don't know if there would have been an easy way to include one, to be honest.
One interesting way that this book did have some continuity with the first one was in the way Joe is able to work with a multiethnic set of criminals, much in the way Danny cultivated friends and associates who weren't just Irish Catholics. Very forward thinking for the times.
So if you go into this book not expecting it to be a traditional sequel, you should be pretty happy with it. And even if you did, it's certainly the equal to the first book.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: Read a trilogy. Granted, I read The Given Day a few years ago, but I'm counting it.)
16 November 2015
Book Log 2015 #34: The Death Head's Chess Club by John Donoghue
An Israeli chess grand master is in Amsterdam for a tournament that may lead to him becoming world champion. But he is approached by a retired bishop - and former Nazi officer at Auschwitz, where the chess player was imprisoned - who is seeking reconciliation for the past. The chess player, who is stridently anti-German (to the point of almost forfeiting an opening match against a German player), resists his advances, but as they talk (and include the German player in their meetings), it becomes clear that everyone has something they want to atone for, and the best way to do it may be bringing each other into their stories.
This plot line (set in the 1960s) is interspersed with a story set at Auschwitz during WW2, where the bishop - assigned to the camp as an administrator due to an injury - starts a chess club as a way to improve camp morale. And it's a success - until it's discovered that there's a prisoner who may be a better chess player than any Nazi at the camp. And perhaps better than any Nazi, period. This puts the future bishop under pressure from superiors and from those who are using the club and tournaments for their own gain.
It took me a while to warm up to this book, but once I did I really got pulled in. The Auschwitz story line is compelling even though you know that the grand master and the future bishop survive, and the "present" story leads to questions about forgiveness, both within the framework of the Holocaust and within the personal relationship between these three men who, for the most part barely know each other.
The one thing I wasn't crazy about was the title. Otherwise, a very worthy read.
An Israeli chess grand master is in Amsterdam for a tournament that may lead to him becoming world champion. But he is approached by a retired bishop - and former Nazi officer at Auschwitz, where the chess player was imprisoned - who is seeking reconciliation for the past. The chess player, who is stridently anti-German (to the point of almost forfeiting an opening match against a German player), resists his advances, but as they talk (and include the German player in their meetings), it becomes clear that everyone has something they want to atone for, and the best way to do it may be bringing each other into their stories.
This plot line (set in the 1960s) is interspersed with a story set at Auschwitz during WW2, where the bishop - assigned to the camp as an administrator due to an injury - starts a chess club as a way to improve camp morale. And it's a success - until it's discovered that there's a prisoner who may be a better chess player than any Nazi at the camp. And perhaps better than any Nazi, period. This puts the future bishop under pressure from superiors and from those who are using the club and tournaments for their own gain.
It took me a while to warm up to this book, but once I did I really got pulled in. The Auschwitz story line is compelling even though you know that the grand master and the future bishop survive, and the "present" story leads to questions about forgiveness, both within the framework of the Holocaust and within the personal relationship between these three men who, for the most part barely know each other.
The one thing I wasn't crazy about was the title. Otherwise, a very worthy read.
13 November 2015
Book Log 2015 #31: The Westing Game by Ellen Rankin
So the Popsugar reading challenge that I've been trying to finish includes a book from your childhood, and as I had fond memories of the book I thought I'd go back and see how it holds up.
I'm happy to say it held up pretty well, even for generally remembering how it ends. In some respects it may befuddle young readers now - why is Turtle listening to a radio to get stock quotes when she can get them on her phone? - but the core mystery will still engage.
One thing that threw me was that I thought this book was dotted with footnotes. I apparently confused this with another Rankin book, The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel), which I now think I have to read as well.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book from your childhood)
So the Popsugar reading challenge that I've been trying to finish includes a book from your childhood, and as I had fond memories of the book I thought I'd go back and see how it holds up.
I'm happy to say it held up pretty well, even for generally remembering how it ends. In some respects it may befuddle young readers now - why is Turtle listening to a radio to get stock quotes when she can get them on her phone? - but the core mystery will still engage.
One thing that threw me was that I thought this book was dotted with footnotes. I apparently confused this with another Rankin book, The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel), which I now think I have to read as well.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book from your childhood)
Book Log 2015 #33: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
I was ready for this book to fall into the expected path of a story where a woman disappears and her husband becomes the prime suspect. I was happily surprised when it failed to do so, and even more surprised in a couple of spots where the book completely subverted my expectations. I also liked some of the commentary on how our culture approaches these missing person cases, mostly in skewering Nancy Grace and her ilk in the televised anger factory.
What I liked most about the book, though, was they way it showed how we never really know people, even those who are closest to us. Almost none of the characters - with the exception of Nick's mom, maybe - really know their spouses, siblings or children as well as they think they do. I don't know if this is universally true (it may just be that I have a shallow personal inner life), but it's an idea that's caused me to ponder my relationships. The book also has given me at instruction in at least one way to turn your child into a sociopath, so thanks for giving me an idea of what not to do.
It's a pager-turner for sure, and I whipped through it fast enough that I probably missed some things that I might have complained about otherwise. Not necessarily a bad thing, I guess.
I was ready for this book to fall into the expected path of a story where a woman disappears and her husband becomes the prime suspect. I was happily surprised when it failed to do so, and even more surprised in a couple of spots where the book completely subverted my expectations. I also liked some of the commentary on how our culture approaches these missing person cases, mostly in skewering Nancy Grace and her ilk in the televised anger factory.
What I liked most about the book, though, was they way it showed how we never really know people, even those who are closest to us. Almost none of the characters - with the exception of Nick's mom, maybe - really know their spouses, siblings or children as well as they think they do. I don't know if this is universally true (it may just be that I have a shallow personal inner life), but it's an idea that's caused me to ponder my relationships. The book also has given me at instruction in at least one way to turn your child into a sociopath, so thanks for giving me an idea of what not to do.
It's a pager-turner for sure, and I whipped through it fast enough that I probably missed some things that I might have complained about otherwise. Not necessarily a bad thing, I guess.
Book Log 2015 #32: The Martian by Andy Weir
A quick synopsis for the three of you who haven't seen an ad for the movie version of the book - a manned mission to Mars has to abort due to a violent storm, and accidentally leaves one member behind, thinking he was dead. That man, an engineer and botanist named Mark Watney, has to figure out a way to survive in the hope of a rescue by the next mission - four years away. Along the way he encounters a number of challenges, while NASA tries to figure out the best way to get him back without alerting Watney's crewmates that he's actually alive.
Most of the story is told through Watney's journal, and telling the story in this near past tense sort of way maintains the suspense of what happened while allowing Watney to retell the story with a good blend of humor and sarcasm. That also juxtaposes nicely with his eventual interactions with NASA, whose straightlaced culture contrasts deeply with both Watney and how his former crewmates are considered.
Weir put a lot of research into making sure the science of the book is right (with the one notable, admitted exception of the storm that sets the story in motion), giving it an added level of realism that most authors wouldn't have bothered to develop.
It's not perfect - I did find some of the NASA sections a little stilted (which may also be the result of painstaking research, for all I know). But it's more engrossing than a book based on a series of engineering challenges would normally be, and I'd certainly recommend it.
A quick synopsis for the three of you who haven't seen an ad for the movie version of the book - a manned mission to Mars has to abort due to a violent storm, and accidentally leaves one member behind, thinking he was dead. That man, an engineer and botanist named Mark Watney, has to figure out a way to survive in the hope of a rescue by the next mission - four years away. Along the way he encounters a number of challenges, while NASA tries to figure out the best way to get him back without alerting Watney's crewmates that he's actually alive.
Most of the story is told through Watney's journal, and telling the story in this near past tense sort of way maintains the suspense of what happened while allowing Watney to retell the story with a good blend of humor and sarcasm. That also juxtaposes nicely with his eventual interactions with NASA, whose straightlaced culture contrasts deeply with both Watney and how his former crewmates are considered.
Weir put a lot of research into making sure the science of the book is right (with the one notable, admitted exception of the storm that sets the story in motion), giving it an added level of realism that most authors wouldn't have bothered to develop.
It's not perfect - I did find some of the NASA sections a little stilted (which may also be the result of painstaking research, for all I know). But it's more engrossing than a book based on a series of engineering challenges would normally be, and I'd certainly recommend it.
11 November 2015
Book Log 2015 #30: Joe Steele by Harry Turtledove
This may be the first alternative history book I've read that was inspired by a Janis Ian song (though it's original version appeared in an entire anthology of stories based on her songs). Anyway, in the song "God & the FBI," Ian sings that Stalin was a Democrat, which got Turtledove thinking what would have happened had Stalin actually been an American and a Democratic politician.
In this case, Stalin's parents emigrate to the US before his birth in California. He grows up in the Fresno area, steeped in the politics of the region and it's agricultural workers. When 1932 comes around he is the only person who has a chance to win the Democratic nomination for President from FDR, a chance that he may or may not have advanced by applying rough and tumble tactics - and a liberal amount of flammable material - to take FDR out of the picture. From there on out, we see how Steele applied his personal brand of leftist, totalitarian politics to get the country through the Depression, World War II, and everything else that happened during his many terms in office.
The story is mostly told through the eyes of two journalist brothers, one who is supportive enough of Steele to start working for the administration in the White House. The other, not so much. Their relationship frames the central conflict of freedom versus security that's at the heart of the book.
I don't know if really accept that Steele would become an Americanized version of Stalin, or that there wouldn't be more resistance to a politician who took such extreme measures as depicted in the book. On the other hand, desperate people can be manipulated fairly easily, so I may just be deluding myself.
One positive is that I think this is the first Turtledove book in about a decade where no one sketched a salute at someone else. Some of his favorite terms to describe people smoking do pop up, but overall the hackneyed phrase quotient seemed to decline. The use of real life people in supporting roles - such as J. Edgar Hoover and references to Richard Nixon towards the end of the book - was also well done, and helped to set up the next book in what I assume will be a series. So overall, better than some of the recent Turtledove work, which is not necessarily a high bar to clear (looking at you, Supervolcano books).
This may be the first alternative history book I've read that was inspired by a Janis Ian song (though it's original version appeared in an entire anthology of stories based on her songs). Anyway, in the song "God & the FBI," Ian sings that Stalin was a Democrat, which got Turtledove thinking what would have happened had Stalin actually been an American and a Democratic politician.
In this case, Stalin's parents emigrate to the US before his birth in California. He grows up in the Fresno area, steeped in the politics of the region and it's agricultural workers. When 1932 comes around he is the only person who has a chance to win the Democratic nomination for President from FDR, a chance that he may or may not have advanced by applying rough and tumble tactics - and a liberal amount of flammable material - to take FDR out of the picture. From there on out, we see how Steele applied his personal brand of leftist, totalitarian politics to get the country through the Depression, World War II, and everything else that happened during his many terms in office.
The story is mostly told through the eyes of two journalist brothers, one who is supportive enough of Steele to start working for the administration in the White House. The other, not so much. Their relationship frames the central conflict of freedom versus security that's at the heart of the book.
I don't know if really accept that Steele would become an Americanized version of Stalin, or that there wouldn't be more resistance to a politician who took such extreme measures as depicted in the book. On the other hand, desperate people can be manipulated fairly easily, so I may just be deluding myself.
One positive is that I think this is the first Turtledove book in about a decade where no one sketched a salute at someone else. Some of his favorite terms to describe people smoking do pop up, but overall the hackneyed phrase quotient seemed to decline. The use of real life people in supporting roles - such as J. Edgar Hoover and references to Richard Nixon towards the end of the book - was also well done, and helped to set up the next book in what I assume will be a series. So overall, better than some of the recent Turtledove work, which is not necessarily a high bar to clear (looking at you, Supervolcano books).
Book Log 2015 #29: The Patriot Threat by Steven Berry
The latest Cotton Malone romp has him flitting around the Adriatic trying to prevent a rouge North Korean (modeled on the brother of the current leader, who was busted trying to enter Japan on a fake passport so he could visit the Disney park there) from using doubts about the legality of the 16th Amendment (based on missing state records and some shaky legal machinations on the federal level) and a potential multibillion dollar debt owed to the heirs of a Revolutionary War financier to bankrupt the US. Can Malone, teamed up again with the obnoxious Luke Daniels and a female Treasury agent with her own shaky past keep the US solvent?
I'm still not sure this turn to basing books on fringe theories about the US government is a great move, either from giving the theories credence or from treading on ground that other authors have covered before (William Martin used Revolutionary War financing to drive the plot of City of Dreams, while the Masonic angles have been used in pretty much any thriller involving the Founding Fathers). I suppose I'll take it if it means avoiding another book like The Paris Vendetta, which was awful.
It also allows for a guessing game of what weirdness will drive the next book. Maybe something about the supposed one day presidency of David Rice Atchison? Or something tying in the recent trend toward marijuana legalization and George Washington's documented cultivation of hemp? Nope, it's about an apparent failure of the succession law to cover what happens if the President and VP-elect die before inauguration day, and something called The Society of Cincinnati and their past plans to invade Canada. Hmm.
The latest Cotton Malone romp has him flitting around the Adriatic trying to prevent a rouge North Korean (modeled on the brother of the current leader, who was busted trying to enter Japan on a fake passport so he could visit the Disney park there) from using doubts about the legality of the 16th Amendment (based on missing state records and some shaky legal machinations on the federal level) and a potential multibillion dollar debt owed to the heirs of a Revolutionary War financier to bankrupt the US. Can Malone, teamed up again with the obnoxious Luke Daniels and a female Treasury agent with her own shaky past keep the US solvent?
I'm still not sure this turn to basing books on fringe theories about the US government is a great move, either from giving the theories credence or from treading on ground that other authors have covered before (William Martin used Revolutionary War financing to drive the plot of City of Dreams, while the Masonic angles have been used in pretty much any thriller involving the Founding Fathers). I suppose I'll take it if it means avoiding another book like The Paris Vendetta, which was awful.
It also allows for a guessing game of what weirdness will drive the next book. Maybe something about the supposed one day presidency of David Rice Atchison? Or something tying in the recent trend toward marijuana legalization and George Washington's documented cultivation of hemp? Nope, it's about an apparent failure of the succession law to cover what happens if the President and VP-elect die before inauguration day, and something called The Society of Cincinnati and their past plans to invade Canada. Hmm.
09 October 2015
Book Log 2015 #28: Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
If you ever wondered what would happen if the moon suddenly broke into several large pieces, this book is for you.
As it turns out, having the moon break into several large pieces would be a bad thing. The large pieces, as they collide with each other, would create smaller pieces, and at some point in that process the smaller pieces would start to fall to Earth. And not stop for several hundred years (if not longer). In this case, the people of Earth have comparatively little time - two or three years at most - to figure out the best way to save whatever remnant of humanity it can.
That takes up a majority of the book, with the eventual plan threatened at every turn by the venality of politicians and the dangers of living and working in space. Orbital mechanics is involved. A lot.
Move forward 5000 years. A new human civilization (or, maybe more accurately, seven new human civilizations) based in space is beginning to reinhabit an Earth. But it's not going as smoothly as it appears, as seen when a landing party investigates what's behind some mysterious sightings in one part of the planet.
It's an epic work on an epic scale (what was the last book Stephenson wrote that was under 800 pages?), and it is very entertaining. Still not sure I fully buy how things turned out in the future (that the seven Eves of the title would lead to seven human races with noticeable distinctions between the seven), but the combination of genetic engineering and time (and Stephenson's imagination) doesn't put that out of reach. Probably his best book since Cryptonomicon.
If you ever wondered what would happen if the moon suddenly broke into several large pieces, this book is for you.
As it turns out, having the moon break into several large pieces would be a bad thing. The large pieces, as they collide with each other, would create smaller pieces, and at some point in that process the smaller pieces would start to fall to Earth. And not stop for several hundred years (if not longer). In this case, the people of Earth have comparatively little time - two or three years at most - to figure out the best way to save whatever remnant of humanity it can.
That takes up a majority of the book, with the eventual plan threatened at every turn by the venality of politicians and the dangers of living and working in space. Orbital mechanics is involved. A lot.
Move forward 5000 years. A new human civilization (or, maybe more accurately, seven new human civilizations) based in space is beginning to reinhabit an Earth. But it's not going as smoothly as it appears, as seen when a landing party investigates what's behind some mysterious sightings in one part of the planet.
It's an epic work on an epic scale (what was the last book Stephenson wrote that was under 800 pages?), and it is very entertaining. Still not sure I fully buy how things turned out in the future (that the seven Eves of the title would lead to seven human races with noticeable distinctions between the seven), but the combination of genetic engineering and time (and Stephenson's imagination) doesn't put that out of reach. Probably his best book since Cryptonomicon.
Book Log 2015 #27: The City Under the Skin by Geoff Nicholson
Women in an unnamed city are being kidnapped, tattooed with cryptic markings, and then let go otherwise none the worse for wear. This draws the attention of one of the city's leading criminals, a killer with a map obsession who sees the markings as related to both his work and his hobby. He recruits a low-level hood trying to make good to get these women for him, a process which winds up bringing a rare map store clerk and a mysterious woman together in investigating just what these women represent, and how much danger everyone is in.
The book is a perfect marriage of Nicholson's crime fiction past and his interest in urban decay (prior to this novel he wrote the non-fiction book Walking in Ruins). Each character is compelling without being overly complex or unlikely, and the story does a great job of blending the personal aspects of the mystery with the larger, more common themes of crime fiction (the politics of organized crime, political corruption, etc.).
I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to delving into the author's previous works.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: a book chosen based on its cover)
Women in an unnamed city are being kidnapped, tattooed with cryptic markings, and then let go otherwise none the worse for wear. This draws the attention of one of the city's leading criminals, a killer with a map obsession who sees the markings as related to both his work and his hobby. He recruits a low-level hood trying to make good to get these women for him, a process which winds up bringing a rare map store clerk and a mysterious woman together in investigating just what these women represent, and how much danger everyone is in.
The book is a perfect marriage of Nicholson's crime fiction past and his interest in urban decay (prior to this novel he wrote the non-fiction book Walking in Ruins). Each character is compelling without being overly complex or unlikely, and the story does a great job of blending the personal aspects of the mystery with the larger, more common themes of crime fiction (the politics of organized crime, political corruption, etc.).
I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to delving into the author's previous works.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: a book chosen based on its cover)
07 October 2015
Book Log 2015 #26: The Alphabet House by Jussi Adler-Olsen
This departure from the Department Q novels is set during World War II and the Munich Olympics. In the first part, we follow a pair of British airmen who, after being shot down, escape from their pursuers by jumping on a train. It turns out to be a medical train, and the duo survive by pretending to be patients, almost all of whom are catatonic. Their ruse proves too good, and they are both sent to a special medical facility - the Alphabet House in question - for the treatment of psychological cases. The pair take very different routes in trying to maintain their ruse while avoiding the patients who are also faking, and will do anything to protect their secrets.
The story moves ahead to the 1970s, when one of the pair sets out to find his former mate. This descends into a longish game of cat and mouse with those other patients who are now part of German society and are still willing to do anything to protect their secrets.
Both sections of the book feel over long - the 1970s section in particular, which reminded me of The Marco Effect a little bit with action padding the story. On the other hand, this is a bit of a labor of love, as Adler-Olsen got the idea for the book in part from his parents and their discussions of psychology. I didn't care for this book as much as the Department Q novels, but it is a different sort of war novel (the author goes so far as to state that it's not a war novel at all in the preface), so it could be worth a look if you're looking for a WW2 novel with a different approach.
This departure from the Department Q novels is set during World War II and the Munich Olympics. In the first part, we follow a pair of British airmen who, after being shot down, escape from their pursuers by jumping on a train. It turns out to be a medical train, and the duo survive by pretending to be patients, almost all of whom are catatonic. Their ruse proves too good, and they are both sent to a special medical facility - the Alphabet House in question - for the treatment of psychological cases. The pair take very different routes in trying to maintain their ruse while avoiding the patients who are also faking, and will do anything to protect their secrets.
The story moves ahead to the 1970s, when one of the pair sets out to find his former mate. This descends into a longish game of cat and mouse with those other patients who are now part of German society and are still willing to do anything to protect their secrets.
Both sections of the book feel over long - the 1970s section in particular, which reminded me of The Marco Effect a little bit with action padding the story. On the other hand, this is a bit of a labor of love, as Adler-Olsen got the idea for the book in part from his parents and their discussions of psychology. I didn't care for this book as much as the Department Q novels, but it is a different sort of war novel (the author goes so far as to state that it's not a war novel at all in the preface), so it could be worth a look if you're looking for a WW2 novel with a different approach.
Book Log 2015 #25: The Fear Index by Robert Harris
This book takes one of the growing trends in the financial sector - the use of algorithms and AI in tracking markets and making trades based on automated predictions - and takes it to the place where Michael Critchton would have taken it were he still alive.
Alex Hoffman is a world-renowned scientist who teams up with an investment banker to create a fund that makes everyone rich. But when they move on to the next level, trying to create a system that will use an actual fear index - one that reflects insecurities in the market - things start to spiral out of control.
The main drawback for me with this book is that it was much clearer to me what was happening than it was to anyone in the book - even the main character. But I was also expecting something dramatic, so it's not like I was approaching things from the same mindset as the characters.
It's well-written, but I do prefer Harris' historical fiction more than his contemporary novels. Still, if you're a fan it's worth a read.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: Read a book where the main character isn't human. I'm counting this here given the role the AI plays in driving the plot.)
This book takes one of the growing trends in the financial sector - the use of algorithms and AI in tracking markets and making trades based on automated predictions - and takes it to the place where Michael Critchton would have taken it were he still alive.
Alex Hoffman is a world-renowned scientist who teams up with an investment banker to create a fund that makes everyone rich. But when they move on to the next level, trying to create a system that will use an actual fear index - one that reflects insecurities in the market - things start to spiral out of control.
The main drawback for me with this book is that it was much clearer to me what was happening than it was to anyone in the book - even the main character. But I was also expecting something dramatic, so it's not like I was approaching things from the same mindset as the characters.
It's well-written, but I do prefer Harris' historical fiction more than his contemporary novels. Still, if you're a fan it's worth a read.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: Read a book where the main character isn't human. I'm counting this here given the role the AI plays in driving the plot.)
Book Log 2015 #24: Lost at Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries by Jon Ronson
I needed a book at the end of a vacation, and found this for five Euros at a souvenir shop. It was easily the best five Euros I spent on that trip (non-Guinness division).
The book is a collection of stories that continue Ronson's quest to understand life and the fringe and how people cope in extraordinary situations. The stories are grouped into rough thematic sections ("Rebellious Lives," "Everyday Difficulty," etc.), though I would have just as happily read the stories if they were just thrown in there in chronological order.
Some of the stories have an investigative quality (most notably the title story, about a young female staffer on a cruise who apparently killed herself by going overboard, and the cruise line's apparent stonewalling of family and law enforcement), while others are more out there (for example, attending a UFO convention with the apparently dedicated UFO believer Robbie Williams). There's even an example of Ronson becoming part of his own story in coverage of a pedophilia trial involving a well-known British music producer. Also highly recommended is a story about Stanley Kubrick and his voluminous archives.
The collection is probably more in line with Them or Out of the Ordinary than The Men Who Stare at Goats, but it very much worth perusing, even if you only read selected stories.
(PopSugar Reading Challenge: A book of short stories. I know they probably meant fiction, but I'll take it).
I needed a book at the end of a vacation, and found this for five Euros at a souvenir shop. It was easily the best five Euros I spent on that trip (non-Guinness division).
The book is a collection of stories that continue Ronson's quest to understand life and the fringe and how people cope in extraordinary situations. The stories are grouped into rough thematic sections ("Rebellious Lives," "Everyday Difficulty," etc.), though I would have just as happily read the stories if they were just thrown in there in chronological order.
Some of the stories have an investigative quality (most notably the title story, about a young female staffer on a cruise who apparently killed herself by going overboard, and the cruise line's apparent stonewalling of family and law enforcement), while others are more out there (for example, attending a UFO convention with the apparently dedicated UFO believer Robbie Williams). There's even an example of Ronson becoming part of his own story in coverage of a pedophilia trial involving a well-known British music producer. Also highly recommended is a story about Stanley Kubrick and his voluminous archives.
The collection is probably more in line with Them or Out of the Ordinary than The Men Who Stare at Goats, but it very much worth perusing, even if you only read selected stories.
(PopSugar Reading Challenge: A book of short stories. I know they probably meant fiction, but I'll take it).
Book Log 2015 #23: Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason
This is the third book in a series following Icelandic detective Erlendur Sveinsson, who is the stock representation of a police detective in Scandinavian noir fiction. In this case he's trying to solve the murder of a seventysomething man which apparently has links to a 30-plus year old death of a young girl.
I can't say I was too taken with this book. Erlendur is too much the bedraggled, world-weary murder cop, and the complicated relationship he has with his junkie daughter doesn't help. I also found the dialog pretty stilted, which I assume is an issue with translation. Finally, I found Elendur's approach to solving the crime - fart around for a while, and then have a hunch made out of seemingly nowhere pay off - to not be that rewarding. Again, maybe there was some nuance lost in translation, but in my reading things seemed to wrap up more or less at random.
The name of the book refers to a collection of unique medical samples that had gone from storage at a hospital into the hands of private collectors. This is treated as a pretty serious breach of trust, but I had a hard time mustering the same level of outrage (I suppose Iceland doesn't have a Mutter Museum). There's a sample that plays an important part in solving the case, which Erlendur has to recover for genetic testing. I've read that the genetic testing aspect of the book was a critique of biotech firm's attempt at creating a genetic database of Icelanders as part of finding ways to use genetic information to cure diseases. I didn't get that, but I also live in a country whose pluralistic nature is obvious. Were I from Iceland, and convinced of having a certain genetic solidarity with other Icelanders, I would likely have taken more away from Jar City on this front.
In any case, not a series I'll be racing to keep up with, though it does generate some interest by being set in Iceland if nothing else.
This is the third book in a series following Icelandic detective Erlendur Sveinsson, who is the stock representation of a police detective in Scandinavian noir fiction. In this case he's trying to solve the murder of a seventysomething man which apparently has links to a 30-plus year old death of a young girl.
I can't say I was too taken with this book. Erlendur is too much the bedraggled, world-weary murder cop, and the complicated relationship he has with his junkie daughter doesn't help. I also found the dialog pretty stilted, which I assume is an issue with translation. Finally, I found Elendur's approach to solving the crime - fart around for a while, and then have a hunch made out of seemingly nowhere pay off - to not be that rewarding. Again, maybe there was some nuance lost in translation, but in my reading things seemed to wrap up more or less at random.
The name of the book refers to a collection of unique medical samples that had gone from storage at a hospital into the hands of private collectors. This is treated as a pretty serious breach of trust, but I had a hard time mustering the same level of outrage (I suppose Iceland doesn't have a Mutter Museum). There's a sample that plays an important part in solving the case, which Erlendur has to recover for genetic testing. I've read that the genetic testing aspect of the book was a critique of biotech firm's attempt at creating a genetic database of Icelanders as part of finding ways to use genetic information to cure diseases. I didn't get that, but I also live in a country whose pluralistic nature is obvious. Were I from Iceland, and convinced of having a certain genetic solidarity with other Icelanders, I would likely have taken more away from Jar City on this front.
In any case, not a series I'll be racing to keep up with, though it does generate some interest by being set in Iceland if nothing else.
20 August 2015
Book Log 2015 #22: Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene
Greene's novel The Third Man is a classic in the espionage genre, with its tense depiction of postwar Vienna as it segues from hot war to Cold War.
This is not The Third Man.
Instead, this novel takes a humorous look at spying (if I remember correctly, Greene called this an entertainment rather than a novel in the forward to the edition I read). A vacuum salesman in Havana is approached by British intelligence to serve as their eyes and ears in the Cuban capital. While he doesn't quite have a head for espionage, the salesman does have a head for fiction, and creates a network of fictional contacts (and drawings of imaginary weapons, which are actually close-up drawings of vacuum parts). At first this helps him pad his income (which he needs to keep his daughter in school and on her horse), but things quickly turn dangerous when the Brits, the Russians, and the Cuban police start to take his lies seriously.
I really enjoyed this, as the humor and satire balanced out well with the more serious back end. It's a quick read, too, as it's on the shortish side (more of a long novella, really).
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: nothing I haven't used yet, but it would count for a book that became a movie and a book set in another country)
Greene's novel The Third Man is a classic in the espionage genre, with its tense depiction of postwar Vienna as it segues from hot war to Cold War.
This is not The Third Man.
Instead, this novel takes a humorous look at spying (if I remember correctly, Greene called this an entertainment rather than a novel in the forward to the edition I read). A vacuum salesman in Havana is approached by British intelligence to serve as their eyes and ears in the Cuban capital. While he doesn't quite have a head for espionage, the salesman does have a head for fiction, and creates a network of fictional contacts (and drawings of imaginary weapons, which are actually close-up drawings of vacuum parts). At first this helps him pad his income (which he needs to keep his daughter in school and on her horse), but things quickly turn dangerous when the Brits, the Russians, and the Cuban police start to take his lies seriously.
I really enjoyed this, as the humor and satire balanced out well with the more serious back end. It's a quick read, too, as it's on the shortish side (more of a long novella, really).
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: nothing I haven't used yet, but it would count for a book that became a movie and a book set in another country)
Book Log 2015 #21: One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson
Charles Lindbergh crosses the Atlantic. Babe Ruth keeps hitting home runs. Calvin Coolidge tours the west and announces he won't be running for re-election. There are some of the major events that marked the summer of 1927, which Bill Bryson recounts in this highly engaging book. It's not just the major events and their detailed recounting that makes the book so engaging (the in-depth review of the failures of trans-Atlantic flight is a great example of this), it's also the way that minor events (or events that were major at the time but have faded over time) are woven in to give a fuller account of the summer. Flagpole sitters, sash weight murderers, and oddly named socialites all give added color.
I brought this book on vacation, figuring that two weeks and two longish plane flights would give me enough time to finish this. I wound up blowing through it before the first week was up, stealing time during the trip to continue reading. So yes, recommended.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: a book with a number in the title, a book you own but never read)
Charles Lindbergh crosses the Atlantic. Babe Ruth keeps hitting home runs. Calvin Coolidge tours the west and announces he won't be running for re-election. There are some of the major events that marked the summer of 1927, which Bill Bryson recounts in this highly engaging book. It's not just the major events and their detailed recounting that makes the book so engaging (the in-depth review of the failures of trans-Atlantic flight is a great example of this), it's also the way that minor events (or events that were major at the time but have faded over time) are woven in to give a fuller account of the summer. Flagpole sitters, sash weight murderers, and oddly named socialites all give added color.
I brought this book on vacation, figuring that two weeks and two longish plane flights would give me enough time to finish this. I wound up blowing through it before the first week was up, stealing time during the trip to continue reading. So yes, recommended.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: a book with a number in the title, a book you own but never read)
19 August 2015
Book Log 2015 #20: The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
A girl runs away from her home in 1980s London and becomes involved in a supernatural battle between two groups of immortals in which regular humans (the "bone clocks" of the title) are either semi-willing supporters or a kind of food source. We follow the girl throughout her life, up to an old age where scarce resources is driving civilization to the edge, but with the occasional insertion into a war where she may be the key to victory.
I had similar feelings about this book as I did Cloud Atlas- I enjoyed it a great deal but felt like I was missing something. It could just be that I'm still not used to Mitchell's style of writing, which merges timelines and dimensions seamlessly. Getting used to it won't be the worst thing in the world.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: book with more than 500 pages, a book with magic)
A girl runs away from her home in 1980s London and becomes involved in a supernatural battle between two groups of immortals in which regular humans (the "bone clocks" of the title) are either semi-willing supporters or a kind of food source. We follow the girl throughout her life, up to an old age where scarce resources is driving civilization to the edge, but with the occasional insertion into a war where she may be the key to victory.
I had similar feelings about this book as I did Cloud Atlas- I enjoyed it a great deal but felt like I was missing something. It could just be that I'm still not used to Mitchell's style of writing, which merges timelines and dimensions seamlessly. Getting used to it won't be the worst thing in the world.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: book with more than 500 pages, a book with magic)
Book Log 2015 #19: Why Preists? by Gary Wills
In this book, Wills examines what he calls the "failed tradition" of the Catholic priesthood. This mostly looks at the way the church developed the priesthood using a specific - and perhaps not that accurate -reading of certain Bible passages coupled with later writings by Aquinas to create the tradition of Jesus as priest, a power then handed down through St. Peter and eventually to the popes, cardinals and the rest.
At least that's what I think it did, as (a) I had trouble following Wills' argument due to my own deficiencies in theology and history, and (b) I didn't finish the book due to those deficiencies.
I think the topic is interesting, and a version written for your average layperson would be helpful.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: not applicable, not going to use a book I didn't finish)
In this book, Wills examines what he calls the "failed tradition" of the Catholic priesthood. This mostly looks at the way the church developed the priesthood using a specific - and perhaps not that accurate -reading of certain Bible passages coupled with later writings by Aquinas to create the tradition of Jesus as priest, a power then handed down through St. Peter and eventually to the popes, cardinals and the rest.
At least that's what I think it did, as (a) I had trouble following Wills' argument due to my own deficiencies in theology and history, and (b) I didn't finish the book due to those deficiencies.
I think the topic is interesting, and a version written for your average layperson would be helpful.
(Popsugar Reading Challenge: not applicable, not going to use a book I didn't finish)
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