Book Log 2012 #29: Making History by Stephen Fry
A middling graduate student and an aging physicist come together by chance(?) and concoct a plan to change history in one of the most predictable ways - prevent Adolph Hitler from being born. And as you might expect things do not go as planned.
I don't know what I was expecting from the book; Fry is well known as a comedic actor, so it would be natural to think that this would be a sci-fi comedy, but the comedic aspects of the book, while evident, aren't the focus. But there's enough comedy in the book that it doesn't read as it would if written in a typical alt-history style. The extent to which this works is probably very dependent on the individual reader. I thought it worked OK, not perfectly but enough to keep me reading.
05 December 2012
Book Log 2012 #28: The Fatal Touch by Conor Fitzgerald
The return of Commissario Alec Blume has him investigating a murder that may have connections to a spate of recent muggings and the world of art forgery. He also has to balance his investigation with the wishes of the carabinieri, who are trying to take over (and perhaps stall) the murder case.
I did like the book, probably not as much as the first book in the series, but well enough. I don't recall anything I specifically liked or disliked (having read this months ago and only getting to logging it now). Seeing that there's a third book out now, and a fourth coming in 2013, does pique my interest, so I suppose that's a vote in favor of this book as well.
The return of Commissario Alec Blume has him investigating a murder that may have connections to a spate of recent muggings and the world of art forgery. He also has to balance his investigation with the wishes of the carabinieri, who are trying to take over (and perhaps stall) the murder case.
I did like the book, probably not as much as the first book in the series, but well enough. I don't recall anything I specifically liked or disliked (having read this months ago and only getting to logging it now). Seeing that there's a third book out now, and a fourth coming in 2013, does pique my interest, so I suppose that's a vote in favor of this book as well.
Book Log 2012 #27: We All Fall Down by Michael Harvey
This installment in the Michael Kelly series pick up where The Third Rail left off, as one of the light bulbs full of a deadly pathogen finally falls and breaks, releasing its contents in the Chicago subway. As the bodies start to mount, Kelly has to juggle finding the perpetrator of this crime with a mayor who wants to downplay things to protect his own image and power and a collection of feds who worry about the security implications.
I was concerned after reading The Third Rail that pursuing this story would water down the Chicago-centric aspects and make the series less enjoyable. There was still plenty of Chicago color, and Kelly continues to hold his own as a character, but I'm still a little worried that if he (and the series) continues to move in circles with the feds that the series will change in a negative way. But we're not quite there yet, thankfully.
This installment in the Michael Kelly series pick up where The Third Rail left off, as one of the light bulbs full of a deadly pathogen finally falls and breaks, releasing its contents in the Chicago subway. As the bodies start to mount, Kelly has to juggle finding the perpetrator of this crime with a mayor who wants to downplay things to protect his own image and power and a collection of feds who worry about the security implications.
I was concerned after reading The Third Rail that pursuing this story would water down the Chicago-centric aspects and make the series less enjoyable. There was still plenty of Chicago color, and Kelly continues to hold his own as a character, but I'm still a little worried that if he (and the series) continues to move in circles with the feds that the series will change in a negative way. But we're not quite there yet, thankfully.
04 December 2012
Book Log 2012 #25 and #26: Prophecy and Sacrilege by S. J. Parris
The second and third books in the series of mysteries featuring Giordano Bruno, both involve plots to overthrow Queen Elizabeth I that become entwined with murders that Bruno is called upon to investigate.
In Prophecy, a girl at court is found dead, and with symbols carved into her that suggests an occult connection. Bruno is called in to see if that connection exists, and in turn discovers a link to a potential invasion by the European Catholic powers. The case also imperils Bruno's friend John Dee, whose occult leanings make Bruno's work that much more difficult.
Sacrilege moves the action to Canterbury, where the killing of a prominent citizen reintroduces Sophia Underhill, Bruno's love interest from the first novel. Bruno goes undercover to help her, and gets entangled with locals who want to use the local saint, Thomas Beckett, to launch a revolution.
Both books are of the same quality of the first, and are highly enjoyable. They're a good mix of the specific case and continuing plot points (the return of Sophia, Bruno's relationship with his patron, Sir Philip Sidney, and spymaster Walsingham). Looking forward to the next installment.
The second and third books in the series of mysteries featuring Giordano Bruno, both involve plots to overthrow Queen Elizabeth I that become entwined with murders that Bruno is called upon to investigate.
In Prophecy, a girl at court is found dead, and with symbols carved into her that suggests an occult connection. Bruno is called in to see if that connection exists, and in turn discovers a link to a potential invasion by the European Catholic powers. The case also imperils Bruno's friend John Dee, whose occult leanings make Bruno's work that much more difficult.
Sacrilege moves the action to Canterbury, where the killing of a prominent citizen reintroduces Sophia Underhill, Bruno's love interest from the first novel. Bruno goes undercover to help her, and gets entangled with locals who want to use the local saint, Thomas Beckett, to launch a revolution.
Both books are of the same quality of the first, and are highly enjoyable. They're a good mix of the specific case and continuing plot points (the return of Sophia, Bruno's relationship with his patron, Sir Philip Sidney, and spymaster Walsingham). Looking forward to the next installment.
30 November 2012
Book Log 2012 #24: The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco
The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is, perhaps, the most famous literary forgery in the world. Based on selections from 19th century fiction and first published in Russia at the start of the 20th century, its ultimate origin is unkown. In this novel, Eco introduces us to its original (and fictional) author, an Italian anti-Semite whose work as an intelligence agent and forger goes wrong during the wars of Italian unification, resulting in an exile in Paris, where he eventually works his way back into both professions.
Most of the book focuses on reminiscences written by the character after he's been robbed. The writings are an attempt to remember what happened, and are often interspersed with the writings of a mysterious French cleric who has strikingly good knowledge of the man and his life.
Eco said in writing the book he was trying to make the main character the most cynical and descpicable character in all of literature, and it was a pretty good attempt. The character has no great love for anyone, has no loyalties outside of himself, and gets into intelligence mainly as a way to make more money than from forging alone. The rest of the characters in the book are real-life figures, though it's unclear to me how much these characters deviate from their actual lives (I assume as much as to allow for the main character to operate, at least).
I liked the book, I think. I often find myself feeling like I don't get everything that Eco packs into his novels, either from not reading closely enough (he's not exactly light reading for the commute) or from not being as familiar with the historical background of the books as I could be. It's certainly more accessible than his more recent novels.
The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is, perhaps, the most famous literary forgery in the world. Based on selections from 19th century fiction and first published in Russia at the start of the 20th century, its ultimate origin is unkown. In this novel, Eco introduces us to its original (and fictional) author, an Italian anti-Semite whose work as an intelligence agent and forger goes wrong during the wars of Italian unification, resulting in an exile in Paris, where he eventually works his way back into both professions.
Most of the book focuses on reminiscences written by the character after he's been robbed. The writings are an attempt to remember what happened, and are often interspersed with the writings of a mysterious French cleric who has strikingly good knowledge of the man and his life.
Eco said in writing the book he was trying to make the main character the most cynical and descpicable character in all of literature, and it was a pretty good attempt. The character has no great love for anyone, has no loyalties outside of himself, and gets into intelligence mainly as a way to make more money than from forging alone. The rest of the characters in the book are real-life figures, though it's unclear to me how much these characters deviate from their actual lives (I assume as much as to allow for the main character to operate, at least).
I liked the book, I think. I often find myself feeling like I don't get everything that Eco packs into his novels, either from not reading closely enough (he's not exactly light reading for the commute) or from not being as familiar with the historical background of the books as I could be. It's certainly more accessible than his more recent novels.
29 November 2012
Book Log 2012 #23: Death of Kings by Bernard Cornwell
The latest book in the series featuring Uthred of Bebbanberg, the Saxon-born but Danish-raised warrior whose quest to regain his home is continuously delayed by his loyalty to Alfred, king of the combined Anglo-Saxon lands.
As you might guess from the title, there's a kingly death that leads to a struggle for the crown that also involves the greatest Danish excursion yet into Anglo-Saxon territory. Uthred's loyalties are tested yet again, as is his place among the Saxons when the vacuum in leadership opens up after Alfred's death.
As solid a book as any other in the series, though I do find myself longing for the book where we finally see Uthred get back his home, just to see how he'll do it and what sort of carnage results.
The latest book in the series featuring Uthred of Bebbanberg, the Saxon-born but Danish-raised warrior whose quest to regain his home is continuously delayed by his loyalty to Alfred, king of the combined Anglo-Saxon lands.
As you might guess from the title, there's a kingly death that leads to a struggle for the crown that also involves the greatest Danish excursion yet into Anglo-Saxon territory. Uthred's loyalties are tested yet again, as is his place among the Saxons when the vacuum in leadership opens up after Alfred's death.
As solid a book as any other in the series, though I do find myself longing for the book where we finally see Uthred get back his home, just to see how he'll do it and what sort of carnage results.
Book Log 2012 #22: The Impossible Dead by Ian Rankin
The second book featuring internal affairs cop Malcolm Fox, this one sees his team called to investigate an officer accused of trading sex for leniency with the local prostitutes. It seems like a straightforward case until the cop's uncle - who ratted his nephew out in the first place - winds up dead. And when it's discovered that the uncle was investigating a crime from the 1980s involving Scottish nationalists, things get more complicated in a hurry.
I've not read enough of the Rebus books to feel strongly about Rankin starting a new series, but I've enjoyed both of these books enough to not worry about it too much. You don't need to have read the first book (The Complaints) to understand this one, but it wouldn't hurt to read them in order.
The second book featuring internal affairs cop Malcolm Fox, this one sees his team called to investigate an officer accused of trading sex for leniency with the local prostitutes. It seems like a straightforward case until the cop's uncle - who ratted his nephew out in the first place - winds up dead. And when it's discovered that the uncle was investigating a crime from the 1980s involving Scottish nationalists, things get more complicated in a hurry.
I've not read enough of the Rebus books to feel strongly about Rankin starting a new series, but I've enjoyed both of these books enough to not worry about it too much. You don't need to have read the first book (The Complaints) to understand this one, but it wouldn't hurt to read them in order.
28 November 2012
Book Log 2012 #21: Death in the City of Light by David King
In the waning years of World War II, a startling discovery is made at a property of a Parisian doctor: a basement full of bones, a stove burning body parts, and a mysterious triangular room. As the hunt for the doctor and the investigation of his activities continue, more questions are raised. Is he working for the Resistance? The Gestapo? Or only for himself, getting rich off of the promises to smuggle people out of France? All of this is covered in great detail in this book, which benefits greatly from the author's ability to peruse records from the period that had been classified for decades.
As is often the case, what happens after the doctor is caught is at least as interesting as his pursuit. The growing monstrosity of his deeds continues to build, only to come to a bizarre end at his trial, which demonstrates how the legal peculiarities of the time could dramatically alter a case.
The book also gives a good glimpse into an occupied Paris that had both become familiar with life under the Nazis, and how the occupation only served to further confuse the possible motivations of the killer.
Well worth a read.
In the waning years of World War II, a startling discovery is made at a property of a Parisian doctor: a basement full of bones, a stove burning body parts, and a mysterious triangular room. As the hunt for the doctor and the investigation of his activities continue, more questions are raised. Is he working for the Resistance? The Gestapo? Or only for himself, getting rich off of the promises to smuggle people out of France? All of this is covered in great detail in this book, which benefits greatly from the author's ability to peruse records from the period that had been classified for decades.
As is often the case, what happens after the doctor is caught is at least as interesting as his pursuit. The growing monstrosity of his deeds continues to build, only to come to a bizarre end at his trial, which demonstrates how the legal peculiarities of the time could dramatically alter a case.
The book also gives a good glimpse into an occupied Paris that had both become familiar with life under the Nazis, and how the occupation only served to further confuse the possible motivations of the killer.
Well worth a read.
21 November 2012
Book Log 2012 #20: The Limit by Michael Cannell
The US has never shown a tremendous amount of interest in Formula 1 auto racing. The Indy 500 and NASCAR have dominated US motor sports in popular coverage, and few American drivers have even driven in F1. Which makes it all the more interesting that the first US F1 champion, Phil Hill, claimed his title in 1961. How he got to that point, and his battle to take that title, is the focus of this book.
Well, one focus of this book. The other is the constant specter of death than hung over F1 (and auto racing in general) in the mid-20th century, when races on dangerous (and often ill-planned or maintained) courses coupled with a lack of safety equipment or awareness led to regular fatalities among drivers and spectators alike. The body count in this book staggers belief, especially given how rare (and traumatic) it is today when a driver dies in competition. But the drivers at the time accepted it as a risk of their profession/mania.
Hill had a very specific mania for fast cars, fostered in the California car culture but relocated to Europe early, where he would work as a driver and/or mechanic for Jaguar and Ferrari. His adversary in the 1961 title chase was teammate Wolfgang von Trips, who raced in defiance of his parents, part of the German nobility.
Cannell wrote this book not as a racing fan - he admits to having never seen a race - but as a journalist, which helps him avoid the favoritism that often infects sports writing. It's accessible for anyone interested in auto racing but not familiar with F1. There may be some quibble with Cannell's lack of personal knowledge or his detached approach to writing the book, but I think it gives him enough remove to write the book as he did. It worked for me, at least.
The US has never shown a tremendous amount of interest in Formula 1 auto racing. The Indy 500 and NASCAR have dominated US motor sports in popular coverage, and few American drivers have even driven in F1. Which makes it all the more interesting that the first US F1 champion, Phil Hill, claimed his title in 1961. How he got to that point, and his battle to take that title, is the focus of this book.
Well, one focus of this book. The other is the constant specter of death than hung over F1 (and auto racing in general) in the mid-20th century, when races on dangerous (and often ill-planned or maintained) courses coupled with a lack of safety equipment or awareness led to regular fatalities among drivers and spectators alike. The body count in this book staggers belief, especially given how rare (and traumatic) it is today when a driver dies in competition. But the drivers at the time accepted it as a risk of their profession/mania.
Hill had a very specific mania for fast cars, fostered in the California car culture but relocated to Europe early, where he would work as a driver and/or mechanic for Jaguar and Ferrari. His adversary in the 1961 title chase was teammate Wolfgang von Trips, who raced in defiance of his parents, part of the German nobility.
Cannell wrote this book not as a racing fan - he admits to having never seen a race - but as a journalist, which helps him avoid the favoritism that often infects sports writing. It's accessible for anyone interested in auto racing but not familiar with F1. There may be some quibble with Cannell's lack of personal knowledge or his detached approach to writing the book, but I think it gives him enough remove to write the book as he did. It worked for me, at least.
Book Log 2012 #19: The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln by Stephen Carter
This stop on what appears to be a year-long pop culture tour of Abraham Lincoln sees the Railsplitter survive his assassination attempt, only to be subject to an impeachment trial where the charges against the President obscure the real motive of getting the Speaker of the House into the top job (Andrew Johnson having been a casualty of the conspiracy).
The book mostly involves two junior clerks of the law firm defending the president, one born into a Boston industrial family who may acting behind the scenes to get Lincoln convicted, the other an African-American woman hired by a partner who has gone conspicuously missing (the other partner immediately puts her on housekeeping duties). The pair become involved in trying to uncover the conspiracy against the President, which involves information from a spy carried over from the Civil War and Kate Chase, the daughter of Salmon P. Chase who is trying to clear the way for dad to become President down the line.
Our intrepid heroes also develop a personal relationship, difficult given their different races and prior engagements. It's handled well, adding just the right amount of complication to an already complicated situation.
After the disappointment of Jericho Falls, I was very happy to see Carter return to the themes of race, law and power that have run through his other novels. And while it was a gentle dip into the waters of alternative history (I mean, there was no time travel or cloned dinosaurs or anything), it was successfully done, drawing a sharp portrait of the political conflicts of the era.
Very much recommended, but not for purchase through Apple's bookstore. I purchased it this way, and had to delete and re-download the book five or six times where the book repeated one page several times and then moved on to the next chapter. Reloading restored the missing pages, but was highly annoying. Good thing I didn't read this book while on vacation as planned, as a lack of Internet access would have stranded me mid-read.
This stop on what appears to be a year-long pop culture tour of Abraham Lincoln sees the Railsplitter survive his assassination attempt, only to be subject to an impeachment trial where the charges against the President obscure the real motive of getting the Speaker of the House into the top job (Andrew Johnson having been a casualty of the conspiracy).
The book mostly involves two junior clerks of the law firm defending the president, one born into a Boston industrial family who may acting behind the scenes to get Lincoln convicted, the other an African-American woman hired by a partner who has gone conspicuously missing (the other partner immediately puts her on housekeeping duties). The pair become involved in trying to uncover the conspiracy against the President, which involves information from a spy carried over from the Civil War and Kate Chase, the daughter of Salmon P. Chase who is trying to clear the way for dad to become President down the line.
Our intrepid heroes also develop a personal relationship, difficult given their different races and prior engagements. It's handled well, adding just the right amount of complication to an already complicated situation.
After the disappointment of Jericho Falls, I was very happy to see Carter return to the themes of race, law and power that have run through his other novels. And while it was a gentle dip into the waters of alternative history (I mean, there was no time travel or cloned dinosaurs or anything), it was successfully done, drawing a sharp portrait of the political conflicts of the era.
Very much recommended, but not for purchase through Apple's bookstore. I purchased it this way, and had to delete and re-download the book five or six times where the book repeated one page several times and then moved on to the next chapter. Reloading restored the missing pages, but was highly annoying. Good thing I didn't read this book while on vacation as planned, as a lack of Internet access would have stranded me mid-read.
31 October 2012
With just under a week to go until election day, it's time to hand out some endorsements. As in the past, we're only dealing with what's on the ballot here in MA (and in my district specifically). Let's start with...
Ballot Questions
Question 1: The first question is about the "right to repair," and would require automakers to share proprietary information with independent repair shops, thus allowing them to fix things that currently require a trip to a dealership. The question's a moot point now, as the legislature passed a bill at the end of the last session that was basically a negotiated settlement between both sides. There's a fear that approving this question will screw up the new law, but as the legislature sees free to not act on ballot questions (we're still owed that lower tax rate we voted for back in the day), I'm not so concerned. But I do figure that it doesn't make sense to vote in favor of a question whose issue has apparently been addressed. Blogalicious endorses a NO vote on Question 1.
Question 2: This question seeks approval for legalized physician assisted suicide. I'm not a fan of some of the particulars of how this would be carried out - heirs can witness both the decision and death, the doctor does not need to be present when the death occurs, and the determination of terminal illness/six months to live is inherently problematic - so I'm going to pass. Blogalicious endorses a NO vote on Question 2.
Question 3: This question would legalize medical marijuana. Outside of all the usual wailing and gnashing of teeth about drugs being bad, the thing that gives me pause about this question is the involvement of the state Department of Public Health. Given the recent DPH chemist scandal, I'm not sure I trust them right now to administer a statewide program of pot dispensation and individual cultivation. We decriminalized possession in 2010, and while it still makes getting pot difficult, I don't know if this law is the best next step. I'd rather have the Department of Revenue be in charge, if only to smooth things over for the legalize-and-tax system that'd be on the ballot in, say, 2018.
Blogalicious endorses a NO vote on Question 3.
Public Offices
State Representative: the incumbent is running unopposed, so Blogalicious endorses writing someone in. Preferably me.
State Senator: Fred Berry retired, leaving Democrat Joan Lovely to square off against Republican Richard Jolitz. Both seem to hold positions typical of their party - Jolitz seems more conservative than the average Massachusetts Republican - but there's been sufficiently little coverage of the race to really get a lot of background. Jolitz doesn't seem to have a campaign website, opting to use social media as his main conduit for communications. The top hit for the Google search "jolitz state senate" is an article from when he ran in 2010. Based on the ability to at least learn what each candidate stands for, Blogalicious endorses Joan Lovely.
Governor's Council: I'm not even going to bother, because (a) no one knows who's running without looking it up, and (b) the Governor's Council is archaic and should be disbanded. Blogalicious endorses writing someone in here, too. Preferably Mickey Mouse.
US House MA-6: The only "issue" in this race is whether or not the incumbent, Democrat John Tierney, knew that his wife was involved in a gambling ring involving her brothers. He claims he didn't, and is quick to quote a judge in the case who says so. The challenger, Republican Richard Tisei, is equally quick to say that's nonsense. He doesn't have any proof of this, other than statements by his (now incarcerated) brothers in law. But there's enough traction there to make this a close race. Just not an interesting one, if you're concerned about what approach either candidate will take towards the economy, or education, or pretty much any substantive issue.
(Tierney, for his part, has worked hard to link Tisei with the Tea Party folks, which isn't the most natural fit given that Tisei is pro-choice and openly gay.)
The only candidate actually talking about issues is a first-time candidate for a third party, so he's gotten almost no coverage. Which is a shame, as he's regularly shown himself to be a thoughtful candidate unafraid to address serious issues and, in the big picture, the very role of government. For going where the muckrakers fear to tread, Blogalicious endorses Libertarian Daniel Fishman. Tell your friends.
US Senate: Hope sprang eternal in this race between incumbent Republican Scott Brown and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren. They agreed that if any third party ran an ad for them in this campaign, the candidate would have to make a donation equal to the amount of the ad buy to a charity of the opponent's choice (it happened once, and the donation was made). With that, it seemed like we could actually have a civil, issues-driven campaign.
Whoops.
What we've gotten is occasionally more dignified than the average mud-slinging. Brown has spent most of his campaign burnishing his bipartisan regular guy persona, getting plenty of barn coat time and making ads and debate references to various blue collar industries (fishing, for example) and "union guys." He's studiously avoided mentioning he's a Republican, and in at least one debate engaged in some pretty significant verbal gymnastics to avoid backing Mitt Romney and confirming that he would vote for Mitch McConnell as his party's leader in the Senate.
His other focus in the campaign has been to say that Elizabeth Warren isn't who she says she is (referring to her staking out a claim as the protector of the middle-class). This has mostly covered talk-radio friendly subjects, like her claim of Native American ancestry and her work for insurance companies in cases involving asbestos and steel workers. Hard to say how much of this has worked - you don't hear much of anything about these issues in these last days of the campaign.
Warren, for her part, has stuck to her main campaign theme - the political and financial systems are working together to stack the deck against average Americans - though at times she's stuck too closely to it (most notably in the debates, where references to "millionaires and billionaires" made a good drinking game counterpoint to Brown's effusive use of the title "Professor" when referring to Warren). She's mostly attacked Brown on his votes on women's issues and the potential for his re-election leading to a Republican-controlled Senate.
Over all of this, though, the thing that's surprised me the most about this race has been Brown's tendency towards dickishness.It was evident in the debates, and was especially evident in his (since recanted) suggestion that some of the people appearing in Warren's ads were paid actors. Combine this with his vague grasp of issues, and it's not much of a choice. Blogalicious endorses Elizabeth Warren.
President: Speaking of Republicans trying to grab the bipartisan mantle, we have Mitt Romney, who is looking to complete his Etch-a-Sketch/pivot campaign by tacking back to the middle after running to the right in the primaries. Which is all well and good as an electoral strategy, but leaves me with one lingering problem. I do not believe that Romney has any core principles outside of getting elected. As Gertrude Stein would say, there is no there there, though that doesn't seem to bother a significant portion of the electorate.
Which you think would lead me to endorse President Obama, But it doesn't. I tend to think that his focus on health care prevented a more substantive approach to improving the economy, and his willingness to bail out financial institutions while not holding anyone accountable for putting the economy into the tank in the first place doesn't smack of hope or change. It smacks of business as usual. There are any number of things that have happened during his administration that I can get behind (repeal of DADT and dispatching bin Laden, most notably), but I can't get worked up for four more years of this.
Which leads me to do pretty much the same thing I did in 2004 and 2008. If you're someone who tends to vote Republican, you have as an option another former governor, one who made his vetoes stick and who got balanced budgets passed. And for all of you who drift towards the fiscally conservative, socially liberal stance, he's (sort of) pro-choice, supports same-sex marriage, and wants to end the drug war. For those of you who tend to vote Democratic, there's a candidate who is consistently left of center on pretty much everything and supports a New Deal-style program for creating jobs though investing in clean energy and putting greater oversight on the financial services sector. Depending on how you swing, Blogalicious endorses either Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson or Green candidate Jill Stein.
Ballot Questions
Question 1: The first question is about the "right to repair," and would require automakers to share proprietary information with independent repair shops, thus allowing them to fix things that currently require a trip to a dealership. The question's a moot point now, as the legislature passed a bill at the end of the last session that was basically a negotiated settlement between both sides. There's a fear that approving this question will screw up the new law, but as the legislature sees free to not act on ballot questions (we're still owed that lower tax rate we voted for back in the day), I'm not so concerned. But I do figure that it doesn't make sense to vote in favor of a question whose issue has apparently been addressed. Blogalicious endorses a NO vote on Question 1.
Question 2: This question seeks approval for legalized physician assisted suicide. I'm not a fan of some of the particulars of how this would be carried out - heirs can witness both the decision and death, the doctor does not need to be present when the death occurs, and the determination of terminal illness/six months to live is inherently problematic - so I'm going to pass. Blogalicious endorses a NO vote on Question 2.
Question 3: This question would legalize medical marijuana. Outside of all the usual wailing and gnashing of teeth about drugs being bad, the thing that gives me pause about this question is the involvement of the state Department of Public Health. Given the recent DPH chemist scandal, I'm not sure I trust them right now to administer a statewide program of pot dispensation and individual cultivation. We decriminalized possession in 2010, and while it still makes getting pot difficult, I don't know if this law is the best next step. I'd rather have the Department of Revenue be in charge, if only to smooth things over for the legalize-and-tax system that'd be on the ballot in, say, 2018.
Blogalicious endorses a NO vote on Question 3.
Public Offices
State Representative: the incumbent is running unopposed, so Blogalicious endorses writing someone in. Preferably me.
State Senator: Fred Berry retired, leaving Democrat Joan Lovely to square off against Republican Richard Jolitz. Both seem to hold positions typical of their party - Jolitz seems more conservative than the average Massachusetts Republican - but there's been sufficiently little coverage of the race to really get a lot of background. Jolitz doesn't seem to have a campaign website, opting to use social media as his main conduit for communications. The top hit for the Google search "jolitz state senate" is an article from when he ran in 2010. Based on the ability to at least learn what each candidate stands for, Blogalicious endorses Joan Lovely.
Governor's Council: I'm not even going to bother, because (a) no one knows who's running without looking it up, and (b) the Governor's Council is archaic and should be disbanded. Blogalicious endorses writing someone in here, too. Preferably Mickey Mouse.
US House MA-6: The only "issue" in this race is whether or not the incumbent, Democrat John Tierney, knew that his wife was involved in a gambling ring involving her brothers. He claims he didn't, and is quick to quote a judge in the case who says so. The challenger, Republican Richard Tisei, is equally quick to say that's nonsense. He doesn't have any proof of this, other than statements by his (now incarcerated) brothers in law. But there's enough traction there to make this a close race. Just not an interesting one, if you're concerned about what approach either candidate will take towards the economy, or education, or pretty much any substantive issue.
(Tierney, for his part, has worked hard to link Tisei with the Tea Party folks, which isn't the most natural fit given that Tisei is pro-choice and openly gay.)
The only candidate actually talking about issues is a first-time candidate for a third party, so he's gotten almost no coverage. Which is a shame, as he's regularly shown himself to be a thoughtful candidate unafraid to address serious issues and, in the big picture, the very role of government. For going where the muckrakers fear to tread, Blogalicious endorses Libertarian Daniel Fishman. Tell your friends.
US Senate: Hope sprang eternal in this race between incumbent Republican Scott Brown and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren. They agreed that if any third party ran an ad for them in this campaign, the candidate would have to make a donation equal to the amount of the ad buy to a charity of the opponent's choice (it happened once, and the donation was made). With that, it seemed like we could actually have a civil, issues-driven campaign.
Whoops.
What we've gotten is occasionally more dignified than the average mud-slinging. Brown has spent most of his campaign burnishing his bipartisan regular guy persona, getting plenty of barn coat time and making ads and debate references to various blue collar industries (fishing, for example) and "union guys." He's studiously avoided mentioning he's a Republican, and in at least one debate engaged in some pretty significant verbal gymnastics to avoid backing Mitt Romney and confirming that he would vote for Mitch McConnell as his party's leader in the Senate.
His other focus in the campaign has been to say that Elizabeth Warren isn't who she says she is (referring to her staking out a claim as the protector of the middle-class). This has mostly covered talk-radio friendly subjects, like her claim of Native American ancestry and her work for insurance companies in cases involving asbestos and steel workers. Hard to say how much of this has worked - you don't hear much of anything about these issues in these last days of the campaign.
Warren, for her part, has stuck to her main campaign theme - the political and financial systems are working together to stack the deck against average Americans - though at times she's stuck too closely to it (most notably in the debates, where references to "millionaires and billionaires" made a good drinking game counterpoint to Brown's effusive use of the title "Professor" when referring to Warren). She's mostly attacked Brown on his votes on women's issues and the potential for his re-election leading to a Republican-controlled Senate.
Over all of this, though, the thing that's surprised me the most about this race has been Brown's tendency towards dickishness.It was evident in the debates, and was especially evident in his (since recanted) suggestion that some of the people appearing in Warren's ads were paid actors. Combine this with his vague grasp of issues, and it's not much of a choice. Blogalicious endorses Elizabeth Warren.
President: Speaking of Republicans trying to grab the bipartisan mantle, we have Mitt Romney, who is looking to complete his Etch-a-Sketch/pivot campaign by tacking back to the middle after running to the right in the primaries. Which is all well and good as an electoral strategy, but leaves me with one lingering problem. I do not believe that Romney has any core principles outside of getting elected. As Gertrude Stein would say, there is no there there, though that doesn't seem to bother a significant portion of the electorate.
Which you think would lead me to endorse President Obama, But it doesn't. I tend to think that his focus on health care prevented a more substantive approach to improving the economy, and his willingness to bail out financial institutions while not holding anyone accountable for putting the economy into the tank in the first place doesn't smack of hope or change. It smacks of business as usual. There are any number of things that have happened during his administration that I can get behind (repeal of DADT and dispatching bin Laden, most notably), but I can't get worked up for four more years of this.
Which leads me to do pretty much the same thing I did in 2004 and 2008. If you're someone who tends to vote Republican, you have as an option another former governor, one who made his vetoes stick and who got balanced budgets passed. And for all of you who drift towards the fiscally conservative, socially liberal stance, he's (sort of) pro-choice, supports same-sex marriage, and wants to end the drug war. For those of you who tend to vote Democratic, there's a candidate who is consistently left of center on pretty much everything and supports a New Deal-style program for creating jobs though investing in clean energy and putting greater oversight on the financial services sector. Depending on how you swing, Blogalicious endorses either Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson or Green candidate Jill Stein.
12 October 2012
The Boston University men's hockey team opens its 2012-13 season tomorrow night at home against Providence. I will not be there. It will be the first home opener I've missed going back to the team's tenure at Walter Brown Arena. More notable, however, is that this will likely be the first season in which I will not attend a single game since I first started at BU as a student - in 1987.
The reasons for this can be found in this document and in details uncovered in its preparation. The two arrests for sexual assault last year were troubling enough, but the fuller picture compounds things.
I'm not going to say I'm shocked by what's been revealed - it's hard to be truly shocked when you grow up on the Georgia academic scandal to the Oklahoma drug scandal and everything at Miami, not to mention SMU's death penalty and whatever basketball point shaving scandal you want to bring up - but I'm hugely disappointed that this occured at my alma mater. I certainly can't support it, and as a long-time season ticket holder I have no interest in subsidizing it.
Am I going to ignore the team entirely this season? I would like to say yes, but I know at some point I'll tune in to one of the many games that will be televised. Twenty-five years of fandom does not go away easily.
I will say that the university didn't play hard ball too much when we cancelled the tickets - there was a little harrumphing about being in the second year of a three year agreement - so I think someone realized it's in their long-term interest to forego a year or two of revenue for the potential of fans coming back as long-term season ticket holders in the future.
So what will it take for us to start up as season ticket holders again? Speaking only for myself, I can think of three fairly obvious requirements:
1. No arrests. For anything, for at least a couple of seasons.I would like to say no arrests ever again, but I know the reality is that some idiot is going to get picked up for urinating in public at some point, and for whatever reason I think I'd be better with that in 2015 than in, say, December.
2. Player turnover. Getting through the current crop of juniors and seniors will help, and while it's unfair to think that all of the players in these classes are potential felons, they are also veterans of a team where inappropriate behavior was not seen as such. My hope here is that the newer players are more of a reflection of what's expected from high profile athletes.
3. A new coach. This is the hardest condition to write, as Jack Parker is synonymous with BU men's hockey. It's easy to see him as the college hockey equivalent of Bear Bryant, a coach who would stay at the helm until the very last. I have no idea if he has any benchmarks he wants to hit before he retires - most wins, another Beanpot-Hockey East-NCAA treble - but he may want to amend his goals and get someone (Mike Bavis?) prepped to take over sooner rather than later.
As for this year, I may take in some of the BU women's hockey team games - they're also nationally prominent, and tickets will not be hard to come by. I'm also thinking I may get to a couple of men's basketball games this year, the last in which they'll play in the America East conference. Who knows, 25 years from now I may still be going to see these teams.
The reasons for this can be found in this document and in details uncovered in its preparation. The two arrests for sexual assault last year were troubling enough, but the fuller picture compounds things.
I'm not going to say I'm shocked by what's been revealed - it's hard to be truly shocked when you grow up on the Georgia academic scandal to the Oklahoma drug scandal and everything at Miami, not to mention SMU's death penalty and whatever basketball point shaving scandal you want to bring up - but I'm hugely disappointed that this occured at my alma mater. I certainly can't support it, and as a long-time season ticket holder I have no interest in subsidizing it.
Am I going to ignore the team entirely this season? I would like to say yes, but I know at some point I'll tune in to one of the many games that will be televised. Twenty-five years of fandom does not go away easily.
I will say that the university didn't play hard ball too much when we cancelled the tickets - there was a little harrumphing about being in the second year of a three year agreement - so I think someone realized it's in their long-term interest to forego a year or two of revenue for the potential of fans coming back as long-term season ticket holders in the future.
So what will it take for us to start up as season ticket holders again? Speaking only for myself, I can think of three fairly obvious requirements:
1. No arrests. For anything, for at least a couple of seasons.I would like to say no arrests ever again, but I know the reality is that some idiot is going to get picked up for urinating in public at some point, and for whatever reason I think I'd be better with that in 2015 than in, say, December.
2. Player turnover. Getting through the current crop of juniors and seniors will help, and while it's unfair to think that all of the players in these classes are potential felons, they are also veterans of a team where inappropriate behavior was not seen as such. My hope here is that the newer players are more of a reflection of what's expected from high profile athletes.
3. A new coach. This is the hardest condition to write, as Jack Parker is synonymous with BU men's hockey. It's easy to see him as the college hockey equivalent of Bear Bryant, a coach who would stay at the helm until the very last. I have no idea if he has any benchmarks he wants to hit before he retires - most wins, another Beanpot-Hockey East-NCAA treble - but he may want to amend his goals and get someone (Mike Bavis?) prepped to take over sooner rather than later.
As for this year, I may take in some of the BU women's hockey team games - they're also nationally prominent, and tickets will not be hard to come by. I'm also thinking I may get to a couple of men's basketball games this year, the last in which they'll play in the America East conference. Who knows, 25 years from now I may still be going to see these teams.
10 October 2012
Book Log 2012 #18: The Columbus Affair by Steve Berry
While this takes place in the same universe as the Cotton Malone series, this stand-alone book follows a disgraced newspaper reporter who is recruited by a shadowy billionaire to help solve a mystery involving Columbus and some of the most sacred artifacts in all of Judaism. Along the way the reporter has to come to terms with the two most painful broken relationships in his life (his father and his daughter) and the potential to restore his good name. There's also the involvement of a Jamaican crime lord, whose ambitions and cultural pride cause their own issues.
The background needed for the main character would not have allowed this book to be another Malone adventure, and I think that's a good thing. The Malone series could use a break; this year is the first year since 2006 that we won't have a new book in the series, and I hope writing a stand-alone work will help refresh the series.
This is a better outing than the last two or three Malone books, which I think comes from having new dynamics to explore between characters and, more importantly, having a good historical mystery to work with. For someone as well-known as Columbus there is a great deal of uncertainty about his background, and when you throw in some of the quirky facts about his first voyage there's ample room to create an interesting story. I kind of hope we get more stand-alone novels in the future.
While this takes place in the same universe as the Cotton Malone series, this stand-alone book follows a disgraced newspaper reporter who is recruited by a shadowy billionaire to help solve a mystery involving Columbus and some of the most sacred artifacts in all of Judaism. Along the way the reporter has to come to terms with the two most painful broken relationships in his life (his father and his daughter) and the potential to restore his good name. There's also the involvement of a Jamaican crime lord, whose ambitions and cultural pride cause their own issues.
The background needed for the main character would not have allowed this book to be another Malone adventure, and I think that's a good thing. The Malone series could use a break; this year is the first year since 2006 that we won't have a new book in the series, and I hope writing a stand-alone work will help refresh the series.
This is a better outing than the last two or three Malone books, which I think comes from having new dynamics to explore between characters and, more importantly, having a good historical mystery to work with. For someone as well-known as Columbus there is a great deal of uncertainty about his background, and when you throw in some of the quirky facts about his first voyage there's ample room to create an interesting story. I kind of hope we get more stand-alone novels in the future.
17 September 2012
Book Log 2012 #17: Dying Light by Stuart Macbride
The second book in the series featuring Logan "Lazarus" McRae, we find our detective transferred to the squad of misfits led by the similarly inept DI Steel thanks to a botched raid that's left a fellow officer in a coma. Stuck trying to rehab his reputation surrounded by losers, he finds himself on two investigations - one the slaying of prostitutes, the other a string of deadly arsons - though only one belongs to his squad. McRae sees solving the prostitute case as his way out - but so doesn't DI Steel, who takes every opportunity to claim credit.
Very much a worthy successor to Cold Granite, with the added office politics a nice counterweight to the crimes. There's also further developments in the relationship between McRae, his newspaper contact and the medical examiner who's dated them both, which adds an interesting (if a bit uncomfortable) personal note. Looking forward to reading the third book.
The second book in the series featuring Logan "Lazarus" McRae, we find our detective transferred to the squad of misfits led by the similarly inept DI Steel thanks to a botched raid that's left a fellow officer in a coma. Stuck trying to rehab his reputation surrounded by losers, he finds himself on two investigations - one the slaying of prostitutes, the other a string of deadly arsons - though only one belongs to his squad. McRae sees solving the prostitute case as his way out - but so doesn't DI Steel, who takes every opportunity to claim credit.
Very much a worthy successor to Cold Granite, with the added office politics a nice counterweight to the crimes. There's also further developments in the relationship between McRae, his newspaper contact and the medical examiner who's dated them both, which adds an interesting (if a bit uncomfortable) personal note. Looking forward to reading the third book.
Book Log 2012 #16: DNA USA by Bryan Sykes
Sykes is a geneticist who has used studies of mitochondrial DNA to trace our roots back to a small number of common female ancestors, as recounted in an earlier book The Seven Daughters of Eve. And if you've not heard of that book, you will run across mentions of it three or four dozen times in DNA USA, which the publisher says gives a "groundbreaking examination" of the country based on its citizens' genetic code.
Except that most of the book is not about that at all. The first part (or "movement," ugh) talks about how scientists have used genetics to get a clearer view of human development and migration. This is where you'll hear the most about Sykes' previous books, generally to explain why he's not going into detail over a given subject or finding. It makes sense in context, at least to start, but it happens enough to feel a little off-putting.
The second part follows Sykes as he takes a cross-country road/train/plane trip, collecting saliva samples and stories from Americans to see what their genes say about them. There is some interesting stuff here - there's apparently a real issue with Native Americans and this sort of testing, which I'd never heard before - but there's also a fair amount of personal reflection on traveling with his son (and then his wife) which I didn't really care about.
The final, short section actually goes into the results, which are limited as only about 25 people were tested. This pretty much debunks the idea that this is some sort of "groundbreaking examination," though it gives Sykes material to make some sweeping yet unproven generalizations.
It's not written badly, and the first part is interesting enough. I get the feeling there's a better book about genetics and genealogy that could have come from this, though.
Sykes is a geneticist who has used studies of mitochondrial DNA to trace our roots back to a small number of common female ancestors, as recounted in an earlier book The Seven Daughters of Eve. And if you've not heard of that book, you will run across mentions of it three or four dozen times in DNA USA, which the publisher says gives a "groundbreaking examination" of the country based on its citizens' genetic code.
Except that most of the book is not about that at all. The first part (or "movement," ugh) talks about how scientists have used genetics to get a clearer view of human development and migration. This is where you'll hear the most about Sykes' previous books, generally to explain why he's not going into detail over a given subject or finding. It makes sense in context, at least to start, but it happens enough to feel a little off-putting.
The second part follows Sykes as he takes a cross-country road/train/plane trip, collecting saliva samples and stories from Americans to see what their genes say about them. There is some interesting stuff here - there's apparently a real issue with Native Americans and this sort of testing, which I'd never heard before - but there's also a fair amount of personal reflection on traveling with his son (and then his wife) which I didn't really care about.
The final, short section actually goes into the results, which are limited as only about 25 people were tested. This pretty much debunks the idea that this is some sort of "groundbreaking examination," though it gives Sykes material to make some sweeping yet unproven generalizations.
It's not written badly, and the first part is interesting enough. I get the feeling there's a better book about genetics and genealogy that could have come from this, though.
27 August 2012
Book Log 2012 #15: 1493 by Charles Mann
I was a huge fan of 1491, Mann's book about the pre-Columbian Americas, and the rational way it went about showing the differences between the popular image of the hemisphere prior to Columbus and the vibrant, well-populated civilization that was actually here. I think my enjoyment of that book may have set the bar too high for the follow-up. It's as well-researched and written as the first one, but never quite hit the same heights for me.
As for why this is, I've come up with two theories. The first is that the links between the new and old world that are detailed here aren't as surprising as the revelations in 1491. Thanks to Thomas Friedman and all his world-flattening, the idea that Andean silver fueled Chinese growth isn't as shocking as it may have been a decade ago.
The other is that, in trying to be exhaustive, the book can get a bit exhausting. A later section of the book discusses independent settlements of freed/escaped slaves (such as the quilombos in Brazil or the settlments in the Great Dismal Swamp). It's an interesting topic, but it gets bogged down by the need to discuss all of the major settlements in the Americas.
There are still some interesting connections made - the linkage between various types of mosquitos, malaria bugs, human physiology and slavery, for example - and overall it's well worth reading. You just may find your attention wandering more than you'd expect.
I was a huge fan of 1491, Mann's book about the pre-Columbian Americas, and the rational way it went about showing the differences between the popular image of the hemisphere prior to Columbus and the vibrant, well-populated civilization that was actually here. I think my enjoyment of that book may have set the bar too high for the follow-up. It's as well-researched and written as the first one, but never quite hit the same heights for me.
As for why this is, I've come up with two theories. The first is that the links between the new and old world that are detailed here aren't as surprising as the revelations in 1491. Thanks to Thomas Friedman and all his world-flattening, the idea that Andean silver fueled Chinese growth isn't as shocking as it may have been a decade ago.
The other is that, in trying to be exhaustive, the book can get a bit exhausting. A later section of the book discusses independent settlements of freed/escaped slaves (such as the quilombos in Brazil or the settlments in the Great Dismal Swamp). It's an interesting topic, but it gets bogged down by the need to discuss all of the major settlements in the Americas.
There are still some interesting connections made - the linkage between various types of mosquitos, malaria bugs, human physiology and slavery, for example - and overall it's well worth reading. You just may find your attention wandering more than you'd expect.
18 July 2012
Book Log 2012 #14: We Is Got Him by Carrie Hagen
In 1874, a young boy is taken from his front yard by a pair of men (his brother is also taken, but is released shortly afterward). Shortly thereafter the father receives a ransom note, and thus begins what is believed to be the first kidnapping for ransom in US history. The search for the boy, Charley Ross, would play out in the press and gain nationwide attention.
At the same time, the city of Philadelphia (where the kidnapping occurred) is preparing to host the US centennial celebration. The men in charge - powerful, rich, connected - are concerned that the Ross case will hurt their fundraising efforts and impact attendance, and exert pressure on the mayor to either get the case wrapped up or buried as quickly as possible.
If this set-up sounds kind of familiar, it's because it follows the Devil in the White City template that Erik Larson set up so successfully. Even better, the two story lines in this case are actually related, avoiding the problem that some post-Devil books had in tying the two story lines together.
The result, for me at least, was kind of uneven. I felt that the centennial planners never quite came to the fore enough. I suppose that's fitting, as their exercise of power was mostly in the background, but more detail about these men, even if not related to the actual events in the book, would have helped flesh that group out. I also tended to think that the transition of the story from Philadelphia to New York was muddled, as it was less clear to me what characters knew what information at that point.
I don't know if I necessarily enjoyed the book, but I did find it an engaging look at the period and location, and of how ill-suited law enforcement was at the time to deal with anything like this, even when the crime was committed by men who were not exactly masterminds. Worth a read, certainly.
In 1874, a young boy is taken from his front yard by a pair of men (his brother is also taken, but is released shortly afterward). Shortly thereafter the father receives a ransom note, and thus begins what is believed to be the first kidnapping for ransom in US history. The search for the boy, Charley Ross, would play out in the press and gain nationwide attention.
At the same time, the city of Philadelphia (where the kidnapping occurred) is preparing to host the US centennial celebration. The men in charge - powerful, rich, connected - are concerned that the Ross case will hurt their fundraising efforts and impact attendance, and exert pressure on the mayor to either get the case wrapped up or buried as quickly as possible.
If this set-up sounds kind of familiar, it's because it follows the Devil in the White City template that Erik Larson set up so successfully. Even better, the two story lines in this case are actually related, avoiding the problem that some post-Devil books had in tying the two story lines together.
The result, for me at least, was kind of uneven. I felt that the centennial planners never quite came to the fore enough. I suppose that's fitting, as their exercise of power was mostly in the background, but more detail about these men, even if not related to the actual events in the book, would have helped flesh that group out. I also tended to think that the transition of the story from Philadelphia to New York was muddled, as it was less clear to me what characters knew what information at that point.
I don't know if I necessarily enjoyed the book, but I did find it an engaging look at the period and location, and of how ill-suited law enforcement was at the time to deal with anything like this, even when the crime was committed by men who were not exactly masterminds. Worth a read, certainly.
16 July 2012
Book Log 2012 #13: Cold Granite by Stuart MacBride
Logan MacRae is just back to work after a year off recovering (and perhaps not fully) from stab wounds suffered in solving a serial murder case, and finds himself in the middle of a string of child murders and disappearances. He's got to juggle the investigations with the press (and the inevitable leak), an ME who is hostile towards him, and a changed landscape among the brass. All of this takes place within the bleak backdrop of Aberdeen, where it seems to rain every day it doesn't snow.
I have to say I enjoyed this book very much, both straight-up as a crime novel and for the elements more specific to Tartan noir. Aberdeen is used to great effect, and the apology to the tourist board that MacBride puts at the start of the book was good for a laugh. I didn't find MacRae to be as anti-heroic as the genre suggests, but more of that may come out later in the series, which I intend to continue.
Logan MacRae is just back to work after a year off recovering (and perhaps not fully) from stab wounds suffered in solving a serial murder case, and finds himself in the middle of a string of child murders and disappearances. He's got to juggle the investigations with the press (and the inevitable leak), an ME who is hostile towards him, and a changed landscape among the brass. All of this takes place within the bleak backdrop of Aberdeen, where it seems to rain every day it doesn't snow.
I have to say I enjoyed this book very much, both straight-up as a crime novel and for the elements more specific to Tartan noir. Aberdeen is used to great effect, and the apology to the tourist board that MacBride puts at the start of the book was good for a laugh. I didn't find MacRae to be as anti-heroic as the genre suggests, but more of that may come out later in the series, which I intend to continue.
11 July 2012
Book Log 2012 #12: Detective Inspector Huss by Helene Tursten
The invasion of Scandanavian crime fiction brings not only new authors, but the catalogs of existing ones, as evidenced by this book, the first in a series featuring the title character, who plies her trade in Gothenburg, Sweden's second-largest city. The case at hand is the killing of one of the city's richest men, whose apparent suicide is quickly discovered to be something else. Family, friends and ex-cons now operating in the victim's neighborhood all come under investigation.
And that investigation seems interminable, with page after page of dialog that really felt off to me. I've run into this more than once with books in translation, and in most cases the translation either sorts itself out or I get used to whatever quirks originally bothered me. Not so with this book, which read as oddly on the last page as it did on the first.
Not helping is that for all of being the title character, I had a hard time building any interest in Huss, who doesn't appear to be any more gifted at criminal investigation than her colleagues (and in at least one case, a little less gifted, or at least a little less lucky). I suppose some of this was to come from her domestic life, mostly from having to address one daughter's decision to become a skinhead, but that wrapped up so cleanly - almost magically so - that it didn't help develop her character at all.
My other issue with the book is that it didn't use the city very well. There were long stretches where I lapsed into thinking the story took place in Stockholm, and for the most part it might as well have. Maybe I've gotten too used to Scottish crime authors making really good use of their location.
Can't say I'd recommend this one, and don't particularly plan to continue with the series.
The invasion of Scandanavian crime fiction brings not only new authors, but the catalogs of existing ones, as evidenced by this book, the first in a series featuring the title character, who plies her trade in Gothenburg, Sweden's second-largest city. The case at hand is the killing of one of the city's richest men, whose apparent suicide is quickly discovered to be something else. Family, friends and ex-cons now operating in the victim's neighborhood all come under investigation.
And that investigation seems interminable, with page after page of dialog that really felt off to me. I've run into this more than once with books in translation, and in most cases the translation either sorts itself out or I get used to whatever quirks originally bothered me. Not so with this book, which read as oddly on the last page as it did on the first.
Not helping is that for all of being the title character, I had a hard time building any interest in Huss, who doesn't appear to be any more gifted at criminal investigation than her colleagues (and in at least one case, a little less gifted, or at least a little less lucky). I suppose some of this was to come from her domestic life, mostly from having to address one daughter's decision to become a skinhead, but that wrapped up so cleanly - almost magically so - that it didn't help develop her character at all.
My other issue with the book is that it didn't use the city very well. There were long stretches where I lapsed into thinking the story took place in Stockholm, and for the most part it might as well have. Maybe I've gotten too used to Scottish crime authors making really good use of their location.
Can't say I'd recommend this one, and don't particularly plan to continue with the series.
09 July 2012
Book Log 2012 #11: Supervolcano: Eruption by Harry Turtledove
In the end notes to this book of alternative geology, Turtledove thanks his parents for subscribing him to National Geographic all those years ago, as an article from that magazine is what inspired this series that starts here by having the supervolcano that lies beneath Yellowstone National Park blow for the first time in 70,000 years or so. It just so happened that I'd unearthed what I believe is the issue in question (August 2009, article here) while I was reading the book, so I had added impetus to read the article.
And if you do opt to pick this book up, I would suggest reading the article first. For one reason, you'll get to see where much of the exposition comes from (including a Rhode Island reference that leads to the main character's odd and unexplained hatred for the state). For another, you'll actually get a decent idea of how and what such an explosion might entail.
Because the book, rather than having a chapter that describes the eruption in detail, only covers it from a distance. And while the towering clouds, fearsome roar and rolling ground under the characters' feet underscore just what a big deal this is, we never get a good feel or depiction of the event referenced in the title. It's like a book version of Terra Nova's distinct lack of dinosaurs, but in this case the reader gets shortchanged on the one event the book should address.
Instead, we get the aftermath of the eruption and its impact on the members of the Ferguson family and their associates. Which isn't bad in and of itself, but does get bogged down pretty badly in a narrative that can't go more than a sentence with making some allusion, riffing on a notable quote from literature, or using a phrase or slang term that may have been used semi-widely 30 years ago. This also infects a decent amount of the dialog, which certainly doesn't help. There are passages here that are in no way related to how people actually talk. All of this is too cute by half, and by trying to show how smart and/or clever he is, Turtledove detracts from the story.
There are some interesting bits - the Ferguson daughter becomes a refugee staying one step ahead of the ashfall, and the older son is snowbound in Maine touring with his band, whose name is like a bad joke come to life.
So would I recommend this book? No. But will I read the next one? Probably. Because I am a sucker.
In the end notes to this book of alternative geology, Turtledove thanks his parents for subscribing him to National Geographic all those years ago, as an article from that magazine is what inspired this series that starts here by having the supervolcano that lies beneath Yellowstone National Park blow for the first time in 70,000 years or so. It just so happened that I'd unearthed what I believe is the issue in question (August 2009, article here) while I was reading the book, so I had added impetus to read the article.
And if you do opt to pick this book up, I would suggest reading the article first. For one reason, you'll get to see where much of the exposition comes from (including a Rhode Island reference that leads to the main character's odd and unexplained hatred for the state). For another, you'll actually get a decent idea of how and what such an explosion might entail.
Because the book, rather than having a chapter that describes the eruption in detail, only covers it from a distance. And while the towering clouds, fearsome roar and rolling ground under the characters' feet underscore just what a big deal this is, we never get a good feel or depiction of the event referenced in the title. It's like a book version of Terra Nova's distinct lack of dinosaurs, but in this case the reader gets shortchanged on the one event the book should address.
Instead, we get the aftermath of the eruption and its impact on the members of the Ferguson family and their associates. Which isn't bad in and of itself, but does get bogged down pretty badly in a narrative that can't go more than a sentence with making some allusion, riffing on a notable quote from literature, or using a phrase or slang term that may have been used semi-widely 30 years ago. This also infects a decent amount of the dialog, which certainly doesn't help. There are passages here that are in no way related to how people actually talk. All of this is too cute by half, and by trying to show how smart and/or clever he is, Turtledove detracts from the story.
There are some interesting bits - the Ferguson daughter becomes a refugee staying one step ahead of the ashfall, and the older son is snowbound in Maine touring with his band, whose name is like a bad joke come to life.
So would I recommend this book? No. But will I read the next one? Probably. Because I am a sucker.
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