false 7 15 15 true 5882238 read 0 true 364312 currently-reading 0 true 364311 to-read 8 false 637516 audiobooks http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/994.White_Nights Adam joined the White Nights and Audiobooks groups. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6867904 to: Cancer Ward (Paperback) by Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6867878 to: 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus (Audio CD) by Charles C. Mann
bookshelves: audiobooks
This is a well researched compilation of various aspects of the cultures that inhabited the "New World" in 1491. There is a good bit of overlap with Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel" and "1491" helped me understand what was lacking in GG&S - what could be called the human factor. Diamond seems to ignore the intricate complexities of human cultures - even ancient cultures. Mann describes how the mysterious collapse of the Mayan civilization has often been blamed on a drought which occurred at the same time. He then paints a much different picture of the forces at work in the destruction of the empire - political, social, economic, religious forces. He compares the drought reasoning to a claim that the reformation was caused by the mini ice-age affecting Europe in the early 16th century. These are the kinds of forces in human culture that I believe Diamond often ignores.
This was another abridged book, which is sad, I know, but honestly I don't know if I could have handled a lot more listing of archaeological events and interpretations. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5937400 to: Ender's Shadow (Shadow Series, Book 1) by Orson Scott Card
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5541237 to: Ender's Game (Ender's Saga, #1) by Orson Scott Card
Well, five stars is a bit much, but looking at my other ratings I felt I had no choice. It appears my ratings are suffering from grade inflation. At any rate, this book was quite an enjoyable read. By the time I put it down, I was content and well pleased with the completion of the story. Too often I have found with stories of this nature the author has a terrible time finishing everything. It leaves me longing for the next book in the series instead of, well, content. I would like to read the other books in this series, but mostly because I enjoyed this book so much. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5325041 to: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Paperback) by Jonathan Safran Foer
bookshelves: audiobooks
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4716718 to: Homegrown Democrat: A Few Plain Thoughts from the Heart of America (Paperback) by Garrison Keillor
bookshelves: audiobooks
The author has a refreshing perspective on subjects like civic responsibility and what he calls the social compact of the Common Good. He argues that our society has been encouraged to discard these things in favor of self-centered, bullying individualism. I am always pleased to stumble upon A Prairie Home Companion on the radio and this book has shown me that while the show is a bit satirical, it is also a bit prescriptive - there are bedrock principles of American democracy alive in that town.
The book is a bit disjointed but that didn't keep me from seeing the picture he was trying to create. It was definitely a bonus to hear him reading his own book, too. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2271-who-are-your-favorite-narrators Adam made a comment in the Audiobooks group:

I just finished In Cold Blood by Truman Capote read by Scott Brick. It was more like a one-man stage performance than a narration. His characters were well studied and consistent. Very well done. I will look for more of his work in the future. ]]>