Book Log 2022 #27: The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury

When I was a kid one of the magazines we got at the house was Reader's Digest. I'm pretty sure we got a gift subscription every year, as I don't recall ever seeing my parents sending in the renewal.  And say what you will about America's favorite source of abridged stories, but it was the publication that introduced me to Ray Bradbury.

There may have been others, but I remember two chapters of his novels that I first read in the magazine. One was "The Sound of Summer Running" from Dandelion Wine, the other was "There Will Come Soft Rains" from this book. 

This was a re-read rather than my first time through, and this time through I found the similarities between 21st century Mars and 1950s America a bit distracting. I know this was more or less done intentionally as a way to depict how current thinking and values can have significant impacts in the future, but I don't think it's aged all that well. Still worth reading if you like Bradbury, though.

 Book Log 2022 #26: Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch

A part-time jazz drummer dies during a gig, and when London constable Peter Grant arrives to investigate he senses the tune of a jazz standard coming from the body, a sign that the death is not just unnatural, but likely supernatural.

Grant soon discovers this is just the latest unexpected death of someone in London's jazz scene. The broader scope of the investigation leads him to involve both his boss, the wizard Inspector Nightingale, and a music journalist with an understanding of the London jazz scene. The case quickly becomes personal for Grant, given that his dad is a jazz musician and that the relationship with the journalist starts heading in a romantic direction. 

This description probably doesn't do the book justice, as it's a highly imaginative (and often funny) mix of mystery and fantasy. I've come to like this series quite a bit over the first two novels, and am looking forward to continuing on.

 Book Log 2022 #25: Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

A novel of the Shakespeare family rather than of the Bard himself, this book is named for William Shakespeare's son Hamnet, who (spoiler alert) died at the age of 11. O'Farrell uses his death to tell two different but related stories, one on how his illness and death affected Shakespeare's work and relationship with his wife, and the other going back to when the pair met and fell in love 15 years before Hamnet's death.

For all the talk of William and Hamnet, the main character of the book is Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare's wife and Hamnet's mother. We know very little about her in real life, possibly not even her first name (at least one surviving document refers to her as Agnes). O'Farrell uses this largely blank canvas to depict Anne as an eccentric, with an interest in healing and falconry. We see how her marriage to Shakespeare leads to conflicts between her original self and her as a wife and mother, and how the loss of Hamnet causes grief, but also an opening through which to reclaim part of herself.

Most commercial reviews of the book were highly positive, while reader reviews seemed more split (a number of people complained about the pacing, as well as finding the characters flat). I did not find either of those to be issues, though as a parent (and as someone who lost a sibling at a relatively early age) I may have connected more with the issues of grief and loss and not noticed other shortcomings. 

 Book 2022 #24: Oh, Florida! by Craig Pittman

Pittman, a native Floridian (so a Florida man, but not Florida Man), brings his personal and journalistic experiences together in this book whose subtitle, "How America's Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country," fits both the state's general vibe and its cultural weight. 

More than just a compendium of stories involving men, alligators, and liquor stores, this book is an honest (and funny) attempt to explain why Florida is the way it is. Not surprisingly, Florida was kind of weird from the get go, and has only become weirder as time gave us more ways to be weird and more ways for that weirdness to be noticed outside of the state.

Pittman does a great job of balancing humor, history, and a kind of pride about living in Florida. He's also a good interview, as he's been on Rick Steves's radio show a number of times to talk about the state (this show has an interview about this book, but he's appeared on other episodes, too). 

 Book Log 2022 #22: Benjamin Franklin's Last Bet by Michael Meyer

Before Benjamin Franklin died, he added a bequest in his will to the cities of Boston and Philadelphia, leaving both 1000 pounds. But it wasn't a simple gift, as he also put specific conditions on the use of the money. For the first 100 years after his death, the funds would only be available to help fund apprenticeships, similar to the one that got him started in the printing business. Any money not loaned out would be invested to collect interest.

After than 100 years, 75 percent of the principal could be used for a public works project, with the remaining money staying invested and available for apprenticeship loans. After another 100 years, whatever money was left could be used as seen fit with no restrictions.

This book tells the story of how the money was spent over time, and the issues that came up along the way. Not surprisingly, there are stories of bad investments and politicians using the money for themselves. But there were also questions of how to manage a bequest as times changed. For example, as apprenticeships became less popular, what options do you have to loan money that would still meet the letter of the gift?

I did like the book, but I felt like there was probably more Franklin backstory than was strictly necessary.

 Book Log 2022 #23: Runnin' With the Devil by Noel Monk

Monk, who served as tour manager and then personal manager for Van Halen, tells the story of his time with the bank in this book, which roughly covers the band's beginnings to the departure of David Lee Roth. 

Most of the behind the scenes stuff is what you'd expect - they trashed a number of hotel rooms and had a fondness for cocaine - but there were some more revelatory aspects to the story as well.  Alex and Eddie Van Halen's home life when they were growing is presented as deeply dysfunctional, making it easy to draw a line to issues in their adulthood (Eddie is depicted as emotionally needy, while Alex is shown as having more issues with being part Indonesian). The Van Halens and Roth were also depicted as not treating bassist Michael Anthony as an equal member of the band, and he does kind of come off as being a bit apart from the others (though Monk always describes him positively).

I also hadn't really known what an overnight success the band was, probably as they became popular right when I first started noticing bands and listening to the radio. They're one of those bands that, to my mind, has always been there.

I did enjoy the book quite a bit, it's not the most penetrating analysis of the band but the stories are good and it fills in a lot of history for those of us who might not be aware. One suggestion I came across online was to read this and Van Halen Rising, as that book covers the period up to their signing with Warner, with this book adding on the history up to Roth's leaving. Seems like a good suggestion.