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May 27
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Pat
gave  to:
Ninth Wave (Paperback)
by
Burdick
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my rating:
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read in May, 2009
Pat said:
"Eugene Burdick, known to friends and colleagues as Bud, was one of those authors with an incredible c.v.: a decorated Naval officer in WWII, a Rhodes Scholar, a political science professor at Berkeley. He studied writing under Wallace Stegner at Stan...more
Eugene Burdick, known to friends and colleagues as Bud, was one of those authors with an incredible c.v.: a decorated Naval officer in WWII, a Rhodes Scholar, a political science professor at Berkeley. He studied writing under Wallace Stegner at Standford and went on to publish numerous books. His most famous were co-written: The Ugly American with William Lederer and Fail-Safe with Harvey Wheeler. Both were made into films.
The Ninth Wave was Burdick's first novel and a Book-of-the-Month club selection. It's a sprawling California epic the main themes of which are power, personal ambition and politics. The book, which is flawed in many ways (e.g., there are too many long, descriptive passages and some characters -- especially the female characters -- are thinly drawn and lack credibility), takes a very dark and disturbing view of humanity, perhaps befitting a combat veteran who saw action at Guadalcanal.
That Burdick is scarcely remembered today is probably due to his untimely end. He suffered a heart attack and died on a San Diego tennis court at age 46. The obituaries inevitably noted that he won the match. (less)
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Pat
gave to:
California: A History (Modern Library Chronicles)
by
Kevin Starr
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my rating:
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Pat said:
"This is Starr's boiled-down version of his multi-book history of California and it reads like it. That is to say, it's very good and I'm glad I read it, but I'm left wanting to delve into some or all of the longer project. On the other hand, it's dou...more
This is Starr's boiled-down version of his multi-book history of California and it reads like it. That is to say, it's very good and I'm glad I read it, but I'm left wanting to delve into some or all of the longer project. On the other hand, it's doubtful I ever will get to read that whole series, so I'm thankful for this condensed version. (less)
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Pat
gave to:
California: A History (Modern Library Chronicles)
by
Kevin Starr
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my rating:
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Pat said:
"This is Starr's boiled-down version of his multi-book history of California and it reads like it. That is to say, it's very good and I'm glad I read it, but I'm left wanting to delve into some or all of the longer project. On the other hand, it's dou...more
This is Starr's boiled-down version of his multi-book history of California and it reads like it. That is to say, it's very good and I'm glad I read it, but I'm left wanting to delve into some or all of the longer project. On the other hand, it's doubtful I ever will get to read that whole series, so I'm thankful for this condensed version. (less)
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February 17
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Pat
gave to:
The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon (Hardcover)
by
David Grann
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my rating:
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read in February, 2009
Pat said:
"I've enjoyed Grann's NYer pieces and was always intrigued by the story of Col. Fawcett, so I was primed to like this one. It's telling, then, that I didn't even finish the book. I couldn't get past the silly chapter where he goes shopping for gear an...more
I've enjoyed Grann's NYer pieces and was always intrigued by the story of Col. Fawcett, so I was primed to like this one. It's telling, then, that I didn't even finish the book. I couldn't get past the silly chapter where he goes shopping for gear and marvels at all the gadgetry. ... (less)
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Pat
gave  to:
Mr. Clemens and Mark Twain: A Biography (Hardcover)
by
Justin Kaplan
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my rating:
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read in February, 2009
Pat said:
"Interesting bio in that it starts in medias res, with Twain already grown into his pseudonym and his vocation as a humorist, writing and working in San Francisco. Twain came to his vocation late, so this means that many years are skipped over. But it...more
Interesting bio in that it starts in medias res, with Twain already grown into his pseudonym and his vocation as a humorist, writing and working in San Francisco. Twain came to his vocation late, so this means that many years are skipped over. But it allows the biographer to focus more on the Twain we care about, and the one who in any event, mined his earlier years thoroughly for his stories. Still, if you were looking for a cradle-to-grave account, this ain't it. (less)
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January 15
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Pat
gave to:
Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes
by
Daniel Klein
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my rating:
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read in January, 2009
Pat said:
"Philosophical concepts explained with jokes. Brilliant idea, nicely executed. And, for the most part, pretty good jokes.
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December 06, 2008
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Pat
gave to:
Classic Crews: A Harry Crews Reader (Paperback)
by
Harry Crews
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my rating:
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Pat said:
"The memoir, A Childhood, is the best part of this collection from tough-guy writer Harry Crews. And the essay at the end isn't bad either. I hope he was telling it true, but even if he wasn't, it was a fine read.
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Pat
gave to:
The Way We Die Now (Paperback)
by
Charles Willeford
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my rating:
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Pat said:
"What is it about South Florida and pulp crime novels?
Anyway, I'd have read this one for the title alone, but then Willeford was good with titles. Also, I like Hoke Moseley as a character. But, you know, in the end, it's just pulp and while...more
What is it about South Florida and pulp crime novels?
Anyway, I'd have read this one for the title alone, but then Willeford was good with titles. Also, I like Hoke Moseley as a character. But, you know, in the end, it's just pulp and while it was fine as far as that goes, it's not the best story or storytelling or prose. So ... 3 stars. (less)
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Pat
gave to:
Pop. 1280 (Paperback)
by
Jim Thompson
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my rating:
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Pat said:
"Sick man, Jim Thompson. Or at least sick mind. Still, great writer. Lots of Thompson's novels have been made into movies -- mostly so-so movies -- including The Getaway and The Grifters. This one was adapted by French filmmakers and set in West Afric...more
Sick man, Jim Thompson. Or at least sick mind. Still, great writer. Lots of Thompson's novels have been made into movies -- mostly so-so movies -- including The Getaway and The Grifters. This one was adapted by French filmmakers and set in West Africa. It's called Coup de Torchon and, if you ask me, it's far better than the Hollywood versions. (less)
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Pat
gave to:
Drop City (Paperback)
by
T.C. Boyle
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my rating:
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Pat said:
"A novel about hippiedom that takes its cast of characters from a relatively cush California commune to the hard realities of life in Alaska. Things turn out somewhat predictably, but Boyle's a skillful enough writer that I didn't really mind. I'd giv...more
A novel about hippiedom that takes its cast of characters from a relatively cush California commune to the hard realities of life in Alaska. Things turn out somewhat predictably, but Boyle's a skillful enough writer that I didn't really mind. I'd give it four stars, but it didn't really stick with me. (less)
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