Firefly, the cowboys-in-space TV show that was cancelled before it could find its feet, has become a cult favorite among fans of science fiction on te...moreFirefly, the cowboys-in-space TV show that was cancelled before it could find its feet, has become a cult favorite among fans of science fiction on television. The series was followed up with a movie that tied up a few loose ends left by the show's cancellation, but ultimately, there's a feeling of what-might-have-been that surrounds the show (see Nathan "Captain Malcolm Reynolds" Fillion's recent much-hyped online comments about how he'd buy the rights and restart the show if he ever won the lottery).
I enjoyed the show very much - when I saw it later on DVD. So I was pleasantly surprised to find a volume of criticism about the show in our library system. The essays in Finding Serenity were, for the most part, good, although there were a few too many about gender and the female characters - those essays began to feel a little repetitive. I enjoyed the two essays about Asian culture and Chinese language as they appear on the show. The insights into the way the network treated the show (airing episodes out of order, using a completely different episode to start the show instead of the original pilot, sticking the show in the Friday night "death slot," and the list goes on) were very interesting, and it's not surprising that the show got the ax - it didn't really get a chance to shine. Two essays really stood out: Jewel "Kaylee" Staite's piece listing her recollections of being in the show, and John C. Wright's piece on chivalry, which asks how the concept of chivalry (a foundational piece in westerns, but almost always out of place in sci-fi)could possibly work in a hybrid show like Firefly. These two pieces give a great behind-the-scenes glimpse of the show and made me think about how the characters interact with each other in a way I hadn't considered before.
Overall, Firefly is a detailed and layered piece of television art, and hopefully future audiences will enjoy the show as much as I have. Now, I think I'll go watch "Out of Gas" again...(less)
Marcus, like his father before him, is an officer in the Roman army stationed on the barbaric island of Britain. Many years ago, Marcus' father and hi...moreMarcus, like his father before him, is an officer in the Roman army stationed on the barbaric island of Britain. Many years ago, Marcus' father and his Legion marched north of Hadrian's Wall and never returned. Rumors are now coming south of the Wall: the Eagle, the standard and symbol of the Ninth Legion has been seen in one of the temples of the barbaric tribes of the north. With such a symbol, the tribe could rally others and mount an attack on the lightly defended Wall. Marcus knows that this cannot be allowed to happen, so he volunteers to go north of the Wall and retrieve the Eagle. With his freedman friend Esca, a Briton, Marcus searches throughout Caledonia to find the Eagle and to find out the fate of his father.
This is an excellent story. The Roman Britain setting is well drawn and the characters that inhabit it are all realistic. Marcus was an interesting narrator and while the ending of the story was a bit predictable, I found his quest to be compelling. If you're looking for historical fiction that will bring the ancient world to life, this is a good story to try.(less)
The introduction of movies with sound - known at the time as "talkies" - brought about a revolution in Hollywood. The Songs of Hollywood exp...moreThe introduction of movies with sound - known at the time as "talkies" - brought about a revolution in Hollywood. The Songs of Hollywood explores how music, and more specifically, songs with words in them, shaped the movies they appeared in. Furia and Patterson explore the relationship between movie studios and sheet music publishers, the careers of many famous songwriting teams (many of whom are perhaps more well-known for their musicals) and the experiences of the performers who made their names singing and dancing on the silver screen.
Early directors and producers were unsure of using songs in movies; the idea of a character bursting into song to explain his or her feelings was too different from real life and it was thought that audiences wouldn't like to see that on screen. It wasn't until much later when several visionary directors began to really incorporate the songs into the characters and stories that movies were able to use songs in a setting other than a performance, ie, the character is a singer and is auditioning or performing a song in the course of the show.
It was very interesting to see how attitudes towards songs changed between the first talkies in the '20s and '30s and the way songs are used in movies today. The number of famous songs and famous singers and songwriters who came out of Hollywood is astonishing, particularly because I associate so many of them with settings other than the movies. This is a well-written and fascinating history.(less)
When Aoife turns 16, she's going to go crazy. She knows it will happen: her mother's in a sanitarium, her beloved brother disappeared awhile ago after...moreWhen Aoife turns 16, she's going to go crazy. She knows it will happen: her mother's in a sanitarium, her beloved brother disappeared awhile ago after he threatened her with a knife, and plenty of people have been struck down by the Necovirus (like the whole city of Seattle) which screws up human brains. Until then, Aoife has decided that she will learn everything she can about engineering, in the hope that maybe somehow she won't go crazy, and can spend her life working with machines like the gigantic one that powers the city of Bost...Lovecraft. Then Aoife gets a mysterious message from her brother saying that he needs her help. With her friend Cal and guided by Dean (who has secrets of his own), Aoife journeys to her father's house in Arkham, intent on finding her brother, even if he has finally gone crazy.
I gave this book the "fantasy" tag, and it is that, but I think a better descriptor would be "steampunk." The setting is full of machines, dirigibles and clockworks and Aoife's ambition is to become a mechanical engineer. It's a fascinating setting, even if it did take me awhile to figure out that "Lovecraft" was standing in for Boston. I suppose I probably would have got there sooner if I knew anything about the Lovecraft/Cthullu mythos (I don't, obviously). However, not knowing about that author or his works did not keep me from enjoying this one. I was mostly fascinated with the setting, although the twists and reveals for Aoife, Dean and finally Cal were all interesting (Cal's especially caught me by surprise). If I have a chance to visit the world again via a sequel, I'll most likely take it.(less)
After a freak volcanic eruption kills his entire family, Trei must leave his homeland to go and live with his aunt and uncle on the floating island ca...moreAfter a freak volcanic eruption kills his entire family, Trei must leave his homeland to go and live with his aunt and uncle on the floating island called Milendri. "Floating Island" is not a redundant term - the islands actually float high in the sky, kept aloft by the magic of the sky dragons and guarded by the kajuraihi, the men who wear wings and fly. When Trei sees one of these men on his journey to Milendri, he is immediately entranced and swears to himself that he will become one. Trei is warmly welcomed by his aunt and uncle and cooly welcomed by his cousin Araene, a girl with a quick tongue and a passion for cooking. Like Trei, Araene has a dream: to become the most famous chef on Milendri. However, circumstances are conspiring to keep Trei and Araene from fulfilling their dreams. Can the cousins work together to do the things they love best?
The idea of islands that float in the air is not a new one, but it's not one that I've seen too often (the other good example I can think of is the Firefly episode "Trash") and the corps of flying men who defend it is new. I liked the magic system Neumeier uses as well - the power is used by the people but it comes from dragons, who allow the people to use it. Trei was an interesting and likeable character, but the one I liked best was Araene. She is a strong and well-rounded heroine, stuck in a tough situation who has decided to deal with things her own way. I would love to see these characters again in another book.(less)
Sophie's favorite class is chemistry; Mr. Petersen is so handsome! Too bad all her classmates seem to know about her crush - they won't stop teasing h...moreSophie's favorite class is chemistry; Mr. Petersen is so handsome! Too bad all her classmates seem to know about her crush - they won't stop teasing her. Sophie's least favorite activity is the Friday night seances her great-aunt Tabitha makes her participate in. Unfortunately, spirituality is a major pastime of Ediburgh's fashionable ladies, so there's not much Sophie can do to get out of them, particularly when she starts showing signs of being a medium herself. Then the medium from great-aunt Tabitha's last seance is found brutally murdered, and Sophie and her friend Mikail are plunged into a mystery that reaches to the highest levels of Scotland's government. Can Sophie solve the mystery and keep Scotland and the Hanseatic League from going to war with Europe?
The Explosionist is set in a fascinating alternate history in which an independent Scotland is allied with the Scandinavian nations while most of continental Europe (and England) is under the dominance of the descendants of a victorious-at-Waterloo Napoleon. In Sophie's Edinburgh, the Enlightenment has come to full flower (with some horrifying results) and the only reason Scotland is an independent country is its factories that produce the explosives invented by Alfred Nobel. Davidson's ability to work in concepts and names from history is wonderful, and the world feels very real. Sadly, Sophie is not the most interesting character, and the murder mystery is a bit predictable. I would, however, be very interested to read another story with different characters set in the same world.(less)
Fitz is the illegitimate son of a prince and that's the root of all his problems. He has never met his father and doesn't remember his mother. He has ...moreFitz is the illegitimate son of a prince and that's the root of all his problems. He has never met his father and doesn't remember his mother. He has many enemies, doesn't really fit in anywhere in the castle, and his best talent is the Wit, a way of relating to animals that is frowned upon by pretty much everybody. Fitz struggles with feelings of aloneness and not belonging until he meets Chade, a mysterious nighttime figure who is the king's assassin, sent to teach Fitz his craft. Finally, Fitz has a purpose, but when he is sent to poison a prince in a neighboring kingdom, he hesitates. Can he bring himself to murder for the only person who he has ever felt close to?
Fitz himself was a bit of a dull character, but the world he inhabits is fascinating, and I found some of the other characters, like Chade the assassin and Verity, Fitz's uncle, to be pretty interesting. While the story is not predictable, there were a few plot points that I expected long before they were revealed. This is not a stand-alone book, but unfortunately, the other libraries in our consortium don't have any more of the series, so I may not ever get to find out the end of Fitz's story.(less)
Jack is a Spacer. He lives on the space station Freedom and spends his time working in Gert's pub to save up credits for a new zip scooter and sometim...moreJack is a Spacer. He lives on the space station Freedom and spends his time working in Gert's pub to save up credits for a new zip scooter and sometimes hanging out with his friends. But Jack's understanding of his world turns upside-down when he meets Kit, an Earthie fresh off the latest space freighter to dock at Freedom. Before he really knows what's happening, Jack is helping Kit escape the station and finding out that the things he thought he knew might not be true after all.
Margaret Bechard has created one of the most interesting sci-fi settings I've read in awhile. Her characters are interesting, and their future slang is easy to pick up on and fun to read. Like all really good science fiction, Spacer and Rat brings up questions about life and humanity, but it does so subtly and gracefully. I would absolutely *love* to see this book made into a movie - Bechard's space station setting would be fantastic on the big screen.(less)
Jim and Angie were thrown back in time to the Middle Ages - the 14th century, to be more precise - and have had to restart their lives. They have a co...moreJim and Angie were thrown back in time to the Middle Ages - the 14th century, to be more precise - and have had to restart their lives. They have a comfortable English castle, some fertile tracts of land, and 20th century sensibilities that keep clashing with the prevailing culture, but all in all, it's not too bad. Jim can even do magic to a small extent, so they have a pretty good life. That is, until Jim gets called away to go and save the English prince who has been captured while gadding about in France. Jim's not that great with magic, and he's not that great with weapons, but he's a knight and a vassal of the English king, so he has to go. Can he save the prince make it back to Angie alive?
As I was reading the book, it didn't take me long to get caught up in the story. Jim and Angie are interesting characters, and the juxtaposition of their 20th century mindset with their 14th century surroundings is fascinating. As I was writing the plot summary above, though, I realized that it seems like a bit much to try and swallow, even if you are the best at suspending your disbelief. Part of that is because I ended up jumping in to the second book of the series instead of the first book (I *hate* when that happens). When you're reading the book, it's pretty easy to just go with it. I may skip over the first book entirely (since I kinda know what happened, what with reading the second book and all) and see if I can find the third book in the series. (less)
For many centuries, Japan was a closed country inaccessible to outsiders, especially those from the West. As clipper ships and whaling became more pro...moreFor many centuries, Japan was a closed country inaccessible to outsiders, especially those from the West. As clipper ships and whaling became more prominent at the beginning of the 19th century, Americans wondered how they might open the country for trading. Japanese people, too, began to wonder about other countries, but they saw Westerners as barbarians and a danger to their culture and way of life.
In the midst of this, Manjiro, a poor 14-year-old Japanese boy is shipwrecked when the fishing boat he and some others are in gets caught in a storm. The Japanese are rescued by a passing American whaler, and Manjiro begins to learn their language, fascinated by the utterly foreign-ness of the Americans. When the captain of the ship offers to take Manjiro (known to the English speakers as John Mung) to his home in Massachusetts, Manjiro accepts, eager to see the world beyond Japan.
This is a fascinating book. Manjiro is a likeable narrator and the people he meets are all fascinating. Many of them, and many of the events in the book are based on real occurrences. This is excellent historical fiction, for it imparts an accurate understanding of the times and places that it describes.(less)
Turtle is realistic about life. She knows that times are tough right now, and that it makes sense for her to go and stay with relatives in Florida whi...moreTurtle is realistic about life. She knows that times are tough right now, and that it makes sense for her to go and stay with relatives in Florida while her mother works as a housekeeper in New Jersey. She also knows that the funny pages are the best part of the newspaper, that Shirley Temple is incredibly annoying and that kids are, in general, just as rotten as adults. What she doesn't know is that she will find a lot to like about Key West: the Diaper Gang, cut-ups, sponge fishing, hunting for pirate treasure and a grandma she never knew she had. As Turtle settles into life in Key West, there's just one thing missing: her mother. Will they ever get to be together again?
Jennifer Holm's tale of Depression-era Key West, Florida, is a wonderful piece of historical fiction. Turtle is understandable and likeable and the cast of characters she interacts with are fascinating and frequently funny. This is a light-hearted read that touches on the bigger things: family, dreams and opening up to others. I really enjoyed it!(less)
Nafai lives with his father and his brothers outside of the great city of Basilica. He's not a child any more, but he doesn't know what he wants to do...moreNafai lives with his father and his brothers outside of the great city of Basilica. He's not a child any more, but he doesn't know what he wants to do with his life. Then things get turned upside down when his father has a vision from the Oversoul. Nafai begins to wonder about his world, and soon discovers that the Oversoul, the world and everything he thought he knew is not what it seems. Now his family is caught up in the political intrigue of Basilica. How can Nafai keep his family safe and keep the city from going to war?
Card has created a fascinating world of the future. There's not much of a mystery here - the Oversoul is revealed to be a computer early on, and Nafai's discoveries come soon after his questions are brought up - but the setting itself is so novel that that doesn't matter. Nafai and his brothers are all interesting characters. Reading their interactions with each other reminded me of The Brothers Karamazov to a certain extent, and the family drama made me think of Abraham's or King David's families from the Old Testament. This is only the first volume in the series, and I am going to try and acquire the other volumes to see how Nafai's story ends.(less)
Sometimes when I read a book, I wonder about the characters; what they are thinking and feeling, why they act the way they do. Not the narrator - the ...moreSometimes when I read a book, I wonder about the characters; what they are thinking and feeling, why they act the way they do. Not the narrator - the reader sees that character's thoughts and feelings clearly - but other characters, secondary characters. Every once in awhile I wish that I could get in those other characters' heads, but that usually doesn't happen. The author chooses the narrator and sticks with that character and the reader never sees into the heads of the other characters.
Ender's Shadow is the exception to this rule. It's not a sequel to Ender's Game, although you should definitely read Ender's Game first. No, this volume is a companion. It tells the same story from the point of view of a different character. I got to see certain scenes play out completely differently because I was seeing them through the eyes of a different character. It's well written, compelling and an excellent story in its own right. I'm glad I got the experience the story again, for the first time.(less)
The war between the Clankers and the Darwinists rages on. The living airship Leviathan makes its way across the skies of the Mediterranean to Istanbul...moreThe war between the Clankers and the Darwinists rages on. The living airship Leviathan makes its way across the skies of the Mediterranean to Istanbul, capitol of the still-neutral Ottoman Empire, on a mission to gain the trust of the Ottomans and to get them to ally themselves to Britain and the Darwinists. But the city is filled with German Clankers who are building a powerful new weapon. Meanwhile, Prince Alek has fallen in with a rebel group intent on overthrowing the sultan and building a new country. Can Alek and Deryn Sharpe, Midshipman, save the Leviathan from a terrible fate?
Behemoth is an excellent sequel to Westerfeld's WWI alternate history Leviathan. I enjoyed the characters and the new technologies, and I was impressed with the rendering of Istanbul and the Ottoman Empire. Sadly, this volume also has a cliffhanger ending, so I'm stuck waiting for book 3. (less)
As a fan of the San Francisco Giants, I knew all about Willie Mays. He played center field, had a great arm and hit lots of home runs. His nickname wa...moreAs a fan of the San Francisco Giants, I knew all about Willie Mays. He played center field, had a great arm and hit lots of home runs. His nickname was the "Say Hey Kid" and he made an amazing catch in the 1954 World Series (I have a copy of the famous photograph on the wall of my office at work). So, yeah, I knew everything about Willie Mays.
At least, I thought I knew plenty about Mays, but after reading James Hirsch's entertaining biography, I realized that there was a lot that I didn't know before. Like how when Mays was growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, he played baseball, football and basketball (many people thought football was his best sport, but since there weren't black quarterbacks in college or pro football, Willie focused on baseball). He played for the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues and was one of the last Major League stars to start his career playing in the Negro Leagues; after Jackie Robinson integrated Major League Baseball, the Negro Leagues went into a decline. Mays loved sports cars, and bought big flashy ones with his major league paycheck. He hardly ever took a day off, usually playing all but one or two of the games each season. If asked to visit a school, kid's club or children's hospital, Mays would do his very best to get there, because he always enjoyed interacting with kids.
Hirsch's biography is chock-full of interesting facts and anecdotes like the ones above. Hirsch turns in a balanced report of Mays, not glossing over his relationship or money troubles, and talking frankly about both the racial insults Mays endured, and the criticisms he took from other black Americans for not speaking out about segregation and racism. But the Willie Mays that comes through the book is a genuine and very likeable human being, the kind of person that is easy to root for, not just because of his stellar play on the field, but also because of his positive attitude and actions off it. It makes me wish I could have seen him play.
While I remember reading this book for school when I was very young, I didn't remember much about the plot. It's really an interesting look at New Yor...moreWhile I remember reading this book for school when I was very young, I didn't remember much about the plot. It's really an interesting look at New York City in the middle of the 20th century, and was maybe one of my first introductions to the Big Apple. I remember wondering before reading the book if "Times Square" had something to do with time travel or some other kind of science fiction.
Of course, there's nothing like that in George Selden's classic book. It's a simple and sweet tale of someone far from home who is lucky enough to meet some good friends and to be able to use his talent to help those friends. In that sense, it's timeless. In other ways, the story hasn't aged too well. The depictions of Chinese are rather stereotypical (particularly regarding the way they talk), and I can't imagine children of the near future knowing what a newsstand is, since all the newspapers and journals are going online anyway. It will be interesting to see if this book is still in school reading lists or libraries in a few years. I will definitely be keeping my slightly battered used copy. (less)
G.K. Chesterton is an excellent author; it's really too bad that more people don't know about him. His works do take a little mental effort to read, b...moreG.K. Chesterton is an excellent author; it's really too bad that more people don't know about him. His works do take a little mental effort to read, but the rewards are always an interesting and well-told story.
The Club of Queer Trades is a set of short stories that are related to each other very slightly, by way of the titular Club. It's a very self-explanatory name; to get in to the group, you need to have invented a completely different occupation and to be able to make your living by your newly-invented job. The stories are all narrated by the same man, who, along with his friend Basil Grant, are presented with a series of hard-to-explain circumstances that turn out to relate to the club. The stories are interesting and quick reads, even though Chesterton can't resist putting in a bit of philosophy here and there. In many ways, they remind me of some of the Sherlock Holmes stories, although I think that Basil Grant is not so much a "functional sociopath" like Holmes, but more of an eccentric. He'd be easier to know, for sure.
It was a real treat to come back to these stories after having read them many years ago. I'll have to pick up some more of Chesterton's fiction soon.(less)
I do like a good mystery, and Ngaio Marsh delivers in her Inspector Alleyn books. Light Thickens is set in a London theatre company's production of Th...moreI do like a good mystery, and Ngaio Marsh delivers in her Inspector Alleyn books. Light Thickens is set in a London theatre company's production of The Scottish Play, that is, Macbeth. There are some mysterious doings around the play, leading to more skittishness than usual among the actors. The leading man is killed at the end of a performance while Inspector Alleyn is sitting in the third row, and it's up to him to prove that the murder was *not* a supernatural happening.
This particular whodunit was a pretty quick read. I like Inspector Alleyn quite a lot, and Marsh clearly knows all the ins and outs of a theatre company. I don't know Macbeth too well - I've read it a few times, but that was years ago - but that doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the mystery. I need to track down more of Marsh's books; a few more detective novels will tide me over until the new seasons of Castle and Psych start up again.(less)
I've lived in the state of Washington for about 10 years now, and this is the first actual history of the state that I read. I picked up a hardcover v...moreI've lived in the state of Washington for about 10 years now, and this is the first actual history of the state that I read. I picked up a hardcover version of this book at a booksale because I liked the way the cover looked and because it was cheap. When I got it home and looked more closely at it, I discovered it was published in 1941. So there was less history in it than there is in most similar books published today.
Reading a children's history book that was published 70 years ago is a fascinating experience. The text itself felt different - they don't write history books like this any more. Little attention was paid to black and Asian peoples in the state. The Native peoples were the focus of early chapters, but after Washington achieves statehood, they don't really show up again. Today's historians give much more "page-time" to minorities, so it was interesting to me to notice this. The amount of time devoted to facts and figures - i.e., how much timber was cut in 1910 vs 1930 - was much larger than it would likely be in a contemporary history. In fact, the large number of words devoted to the industrial, agricultural and overall economic output of the state was a little mind-numbing after awhile.
On the whole, however, I am glad that I read the book. I'll keep my eyes open for another, more recent, history of Washington state to supplement my newfound understanding.(less)
This third book in the Imaginarium Geographica trilogy brings back some of the old friends from the first two books - John, Jack and Charles, naturall...moreThis third book in the Imaginarium Geographica trilogy brings back some of the old friends from the first two books - John, Jack and Charles, naturally, and also Bert - but it also introduces some new characters: Hugo, Hank, and the badgers, Unca and Fred. The story is rather different as it concerns travelling through time rather than through the space of the archipelago. It's a complicated plot in many ways, but Owen does an excellent job of keeping things (mostly) understandable. And while the twist in this volume isn't as shocking as the one in Here There Be Dragons, it is still very good.
I enjoy the way Owen is constantly bringing in characters from history and fiction. Even though he is working with real people and well-known stories, his plots are interesting and his takes on these characters are fascinating. I look forward to a fourth volume!(less)
Giuseppe plays a violin on street corners for spare change. Frederick is an apprentice clockmaker with an interest in automatons. Hannah works as a ma...moreGiuseppe plays a violin on street corners for spare change. Frederick is an apprentice clockmaker with an interest in automatons. Hannah works as a maid in a swanky hotel to help pay her father's medical bills. All three of them have troubles, and it's only when they come together that the troubles are solved.
I read this book in one sitting because I could not put it down. I liked all of the characters and wanted badly to know how their stories turned out. It was a satisfying conclusion and this is definitely a story I would read again.(less)
Peter and Kate are thrown back in time by an experimental device, and end up in England in 1763. There's no phones, cars or football and everyone thin...morePeter and Kate are thrown back in time by an experimental device, and end up in England in 1763. There's no phones, cars or football and everyone thinks that they talk funny. How will they manage to get back to the 21st century, when a famous highwayman is looking for them?
I enjoyed how Kate and Peter react to the differences between 1763 and the present, and the people they met in the past were all very interesting. The story moves along quickly and thoroughly kept my attention. There weren't as many details about the time travel as I would like - the story stays focused on Peter and Kate - but the historical detail was very good. The cliffhanger ending means that I'll be keeping my eyes open for volume two. (less)
The planet Miranda has a distinctive feature: every few decades, the ice caps melt and the oceans rise to drown the land. The wizard Gregorian has sow...moreThe planet Miranda has a distinctive feature: every few decades, the ice caps melt and the oceans rise to drown the land. The wizard Gregorian has sown chaos in the time preceding the great Tides, and he must be stopped before he can disappear. But how to find him when he's probably hiding in a lost city?
The idea for this book was fascinating, and if it had more interesting characters, I think I would have liked it better. As it is, I'm beginning to get the feeling that I prefer my sci-fi on a screen; I need to be able to see the concepts to really enjoy the story. Having better developed characters would help too.(less)
While the most famous fairy tales take place in forests or isolated castles, there is plenty of fantasy in urban settings if you know where to look fo...moreWhile the most famous fairy tales take place in forests or isolated castles, there is plenty of fantasy in urban settings if you know where to look for it. In Paper Cities, 21 authors give brief and fascinating glimpses of fantastical cities where dogs lead gangs, sleep walkers are assassins and the tears of a young girl are more addicting than cocaine. Some of the stories were really interesting and some were very scary. I read through all of them very quickly, and I will look at my own city differently after this!(less)
Before I read this book I didn't know much about the origin of one of my most favorite treats: chocolate.
The authors spend a very large port...moreBefore I read this book I didn't know much about the origin of one of my most favorite treats: chocolate.
The authors spend a very large portion of the book talking about chocolate's very early history in Central America. Contrary to popular belief, the Aztecs didn't invent chocolate, although the drank lots of it. Earlier civilizations, like the Mayans and Olmecs can be credited with the invention of chocolate, although not in a form we would probably recognize today. All the early Central American civilizations drank chocolate instead of eating it. And they didn't put sugar in it, but used other spices instead.
Once chocolate got to Europe in the 1500s-1600s, it was still a drink, not a foodstuff. And it was the drink of the elite. Royalty, aristocrats and high Catholic clerics all drank a lot of chocolate. And they put things we might recognize today in it, like sugar and vanilla. It was treated as a medicine, though, not as a treat. It wasn't until the industrial era that chocolate became an eatable treat, sold in bar form, like we know it today.
This was a fascinating read, and I got through it pretty quickly too, although I would recommend having some chocolate around while you read it, it's pretty torturous to be reading about such a tasty treat without having some around for yourself! (less)
Jimerson's treatise on the field of archiving starts out very strongly. There are two very interesting chapters highlighting the development of archiv...moreJimerson's treatise on the field of archiving starts out very strongly. There are two very interesting chapters highlighting the development of archives. A later chapter on using new technologies to spread access to archival records is also valuable. However, Jimerson's later chapters on bringing about social justice through archives are numbingly repetitive. It's unfortunate, because this is otherwise an interesting look at archiving today.(less)
Carter Kane lives with his dad, an archaeologist who specializes in ancient Egypt. This means that Carter does a lot of traveling and has never attend...moreCarter Kane lives with his dad, an archaeologist who specializes in ancient Egypt. This means that Carter does a lot of traveling and has never attended school on a regular basis. His sister Sadie lives in London with their grandparents. She has her own room, goes to school every day and has two best friends. Neither one of them can decide who has it better.
Then, one Christmas, when Carter, Sadie and their dad are together for the holiday, they go to visit the British Museum. And that's when all the trouble starts...
The Red Pyramid is like Percy Jackson but with Egyptian gods. Well, that makes it sound really derivative and it isn't. Carter and Sadie are very different characters and both are interesting and likeable. They alternate narrating the book and it's always easy to tell who is talking at a particular time. The plot moves quickly, but everything is explained well and makes sense. I hope the sequel comes out soon!(less)
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