false 19 51 44 true 5776270 read 0 true 1003592 currently-reading 7 true 1003591 to-read 14 false 1048885 sci-fi 1 false 1032542 wishlist <![CDATA[Matthew added 'A Sideways Look at Time']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7453219 to: A Sideways Look at Time (Paperback) by Jay Griffiths
It's not often that I will actually STOP reading a book, on purpose, once I've started. Sure, sometimes I'll put it down for a while and come back to it later, but like leaving in the middle of a movie, putting down a book--for good--without finishing it is something I just don't do.

Well, now I have.

The premise of this book intrigued me, with its vague intimations of a philosophic and Zen inspired discourse on time--how we perceive it, and how we might get back to a better relationship with it. Presumably, that discourse exists somewhere within the book, but I wasn't able to slog through the first few chapters to get to the meat of it.

The author is apparently of an American school of writing influenced heavily by the Beats. His prose attempts that Kerouackian stream-of-consciousness that Jack managed to pull off with energy and weight, but which this author only stumbles around with, coming off as amatuerish and disjointed. The book feels like a first draft, with the author repeating the same ideas several times in the course of several paragraphs, and revisiting them again later in the same chapter. By the third reading of the same statement, the reader is left saying "OK! I get it! Can we move on!"

Coupled with repeated assertions, the author employs broad, seemingly faulty interpretations of events or social phenomena to support his ideas. The first few times these weak arguments show up, the reader may be willing to overlook or forgive. But with each additional instance, the reader's patience is tried and the author begins to seem like a buffoon.

Ultimately, as I said, I only made it through the first few chapters before I had had enough of the faux-progressive prose and faulty logic. The book comes across as something that might have been an interesting idea for a 10-20 page essay, which has been expanded--to its great detriment--into a full-length book.

For the premise alone, I wish I could recommend the book... but I can't. Don't buy it, spend your precious time on something worthwhile. ]]> <![CDATA[Coffeemonk is on page 10 of A Sideways Look at T... ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7453219 Coffeemonk is on page 10 of 416 of A Sideways Look at Time ]]> <![CDATA[Matthew added 'A Treasury of Kahlil Gibran']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7453280 A Treasury of Kahlil Gibran (Paperback) by Kahlil Gibrán
]]> <![CDATA[Matthew added 'Star Trek: Academy—Collision Course']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/48883617 to: Star Trek: Academy—Collision Course (Hardcover) by William Shatner
bookshelves: sci-fi
It is always with a certain amount of trepidation that I watch or read something "historical" that is set within the Star Trek universe that I love. I am not the kind of geek who lives and dies by the canon, but still I don't quite like it when writers muck about too much with things that might not quite jive with it. This is one of (the many) reasons for my concern and hesitation regarding the forthcoming Star Trek movie "prequel," and it has ended up coloring, to a certain extent, my enjoyment of this very serviceable Trek novel.

As usual, Mr. Shatner is assisted by a couple of well-known (in Trek circles, anyway) co-writers, the Reeves-Stevenses, and it is unknown just what the extent of their involvement is. I was something of a fan of Shatner's "TekWar" series of novels, and though they were, I'm fairly certain, ghost-written, they were understood to be largely Mr. Shatner's work. My feeling is that he is the "idea man," and that he and his co-writers work together to build the plot and storyline, while they do most of the heavy-lifting. Ultimately, it's not really all that important, as this is still a Star Trek novel, whether it's written by William Shatner or Joe Bob Davis. What Shatner does bring to this novel, presumably, is a unique perspective into the mind and motivations of the main protagonist--James T. Kirk, rebellious youth.

Overall, this is a nice little book. There's some good character interaction, a bit of peril that's not too over-the-top, and a somewhat interesting main plot that ties into a part of Kirk's past and allows for a large helping of surprisingly good exploration of that part.

I particularly enjoyed some of the interactions between Spock and his parents. I felt like they captured these characters possibly the best out of all of them. We see Spock struggling with his human side, Sarek living in denial, and Amanda trying to be understanding to both and hold the family together. It's a good dynamic and well realized. The same cannot be said for the Kirk family characterization.

But where this book falters, for me, is in those parts that become a bit uncertain when held up to the light of canon Trek. Not that anything in the book (so far as I noticed, anyway) directly conflicts with anything that was explicitly covered by the original series episodes. The trouble is more in that, had these events happened, they most certainly would have been discussed in any of several of the original episodes where they might have been relevant.

That Kirk and Spock might have been friends before the vulcan served with Captain Pike on the Enterprise was never explicitly denied, but you would think that Kirk would have been more familiar with Spock's history with that captain, had they been friends all along. My impression was always that Kirk and Spock were both assigned to the Enterprise, and that they became friends while serving together in that capacity--a notion that this novel doesn't support.

Finally, the manner in which Kirk and Spock (and their small team) manage to solve the puzzle and save the day is a bit too contrived in the details for my taste. Not to give it away, but certain things happen in those closing chapters that would have been impossible for Kirk to never talk about.

I will say that the authors (or their editorial team) did a great job researching various canon and non-canon ideas. There were lots of touches not only from established classic canon, but also from Enterprise-series canon and non-canon sources as well.

Despite my misgivings, this was an enjoyable book, and well worth the read if you're a fan of the Kirk. If you have trouble looking past some of the liberties that authors take with gaps in the canon, you might want to avoid this 'til you get over yourself a bit. If you're new to (classic) Trek, this might be an interesting introduction to the two major characters, and to the universe as a whole. ]]> <![CDATA[Matthew added 'The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/47860107 to: The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream (Hardcover) by Barack Obama
It is hard to know what to say about a book like this... first of all, Obama is obviously a shrewd politician (with all the attributes that that implies). My impression of him, however, has always been that he is a sincere one, who truly has the best interests of the country and the people at heart. I also enjoy his oratorical style, over which, i've been led to understand, he exercises great control. It is with these impressions, and in the wake of his victory in the 2008 elections, that I finally grabbed this book off my shelf to read.

The primary feeling I have about this book is that it confirms my understanding the absolute sincerity of his belief in this nation. In every chapter, it is made clear that, while there are obviously hurdles across the long road the country still has to travel, he truly believes that if we just hold to the principles set down by the founding fathers, we can continue to perfect our union, and be the beacon of hope and prosperity that can lead the world itself into an era of peace and understanding.

He takes great care in pointing out how he, and those in his position are riding that razors edge, by necessity, between remaining advocates and representatives of the people, and becoming beholden to the rich and the special interests. He shows how he and his colleagues often have to go out of their way to connect with their constituents, and not get distracted by a schedule filled with private jets, black tie affairs, fundraisers, and lobbyists. Sometimes, yes, it seems like he's trying too hard to say "but look at all these real people I've talked to," and "look how grounded I am."

A good deal of the book is about his personal journey, his political and family history. He talks a lot about his wife and kids, his mom, and his grandparents. He also talks a lot about policy, even specific policy proposals that we've seen take shape and become further defined during his Presidential campaign. He also talks a lot about the troubles we still face, with the sharp partisan divide that's plagued the nation for so long. He places blame on both sides, and not undeservedly, I should think. And yes, he talks about race and the progress that we've made that should be celebrated, and the progress that's still to be made that has its roots in all sides of the debate.

He also, talks about the founding principles of the nation, and how we relate to them, how we remember them, and how, perhaps, we should re-embrace them for the betterment of our nation. He gives facts concerning the intention of the founding fathers, their beliefs, and how, in many instances the great compromises they had to make in order to ensure we had a strong foundation from which to build.

He relates all these things to the way that we, as a nation, have to come together. How we need to stop bickering for the sake of our entrenched and unreasonable positions, and come together by defining those things that we *can* agree on, and leveraging those to reach compromises on those things that we can't. American is not a nation of absolute truths, and black and white moral judgements, and it never has been. The only absolute truths to be found in the DNA of our nation are these: that all are created equal, and that all have the right to live their lives as they see fit in the pursuit of their happiness. As Americans, we have a common ground, we have a common language, and we have a common goal. If we cannot see them, it is because we've allowed ourselves to become distracted on our path to a more perfect union, by thinking that "the union will only be perfect when it's perfect for me."

Ok, well, some of that was me leaking out, but somewhere in there is the gist of what he was driving at.

Bottom-line is that this a really worthwhile read. For those who are already in Obama's camp, this will surely solidify your understanding and appreciation, not just of the man himself, but of his sincere belief that we can make this a better nation with hard work and compromise.

For those conservatives and ditto-heads out there still harboring resentment and distrust of our new President, I recommend this to you even more highly. If your judgments are based on soundbites, policy breakdowns, and the haranguing of the conservative talking head crowd, you'd do well to get a real introduction to your President, straight from his own pen. ]]> <![CDATA[Matthew added 'The Neverending Story']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/48883659 The Neverending Story (Hardcover) by Michael Ende
bookshelves: to-read
]]> <![CDATA[Matthew added 'Book of Dreams']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7453129 Book of Dreams (Paperback) by Jack Kerouac
bookshelves: to-read
]]> <![CDATA[Coffeemonk is on page 170 of The Audacity of Hope... ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/47860107 Coffeemonk is on page 170 of 375 of The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream ]]> <![CDATA[Matthew added 'The Good That Men Do: Star Trek Enterprise']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/47858052 to: The Good That Men Do: Star Trek Enterprise (Star Trek : Enterprise) by Andy Mangels
bookshelves: sci-fi
I have to admit it... I liked Enterprise. The premise had promise, and the characters, when well-written, were engaging and enjoyable. Whole volumes could be written about just how much, and why, the show sucked so bad, and exactly who was responsible (Berman, Braga, I'm lookin' at you). When in the fourth season they brought on a new Exec and head writer, it really started to fulfill its potential. Then, of course, it was canceled and they ended with one of the single worst, most offensive and disrespectful series finales I've ever witnessed. How the actors didn't raze Paramount's studios to the ground when they left, I'll never know.

But anyway, we're talking about a book.

Right out of the gate you must understand, this is pop-fiction (see my other Trek novel reviews for my feelings 'bout that). As a Star Trek novel, this is actually pretty good—I've read better, I've read worse. The plot is fairly well conceived and the story moves well and entertains.

The really interesting, and frankly welcomed, thing about this particular novel—compared to most other such novels—is the complete circumvention of established canon.

Not to spoil it for you (can you spoil something so terrible?) but in that travesty of a series finale, one of the main characters (arguably the best character) dies, in an incredibly lame way, for incredibly lame reasons.

So, what this novel offers to the offended fans of the show, is a complete rewrite of some of the events in that finale, transforming the steaming piles of shit into something at least a bit more palatable. Not only does the character not die, he becomes a singularly important (if mostly unsung) hero in the Trek universe.

I have to be honest though, the writing isn't all that hot. The story is good and compelling, but I often found myself cringing at awkward or redundant sentence structures. The writing was loose, and the editing seemed almost non-existent. But, we don't read Star Trek novels to be treated to shining examples of the English language.

If you're a Trek fan, dig in. If you're a disappointed Enterprise fan, you need to read this. If you're neither of those, why the hell are you bothering with this review?
]]> <![CDATA[Matthew added 'God's Mechanics: How Scientists and Engineers Make Sense of Religion']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/45139525 to: God's Mechanics: How Scientists and Engineers Make Sense of Religion (Hardcover) by Guy Consolmagno
Spirituality has always been a huge part of my life, despite the fact that, for quite some time, I've not been a church-going, God-fearing bible-thumper. I've also been (an amateur) student of the sciences since grade-school. If the lure of the amber screen (my first computer) hadn't been so great, and I hadn't sucked quite so badly at all forms of mathematics, I probably would have pursued a career in theoretical physics. Because of these facts, a large part of my inner journey has been involved in the reconciliation of religious faith and scientific knowledge.

God's Mechanics' intention is to share with the reader this peculiar journey, which is, to some extent, common amongst those in the science and technology fields. It asks and attempts to answer some common questions: how do we reconcile science and religion, are they really at odds with one another, what good does faith do in this world of facts and theories, and finally, why do we need a god in the first place?

The author—a Jesuit astronomer in the Vatican observatory—takes great pains to impress upon the reader that he is not a professional interviewer, a professional philosopher, a professional writer, or a professional sociologist. He's an astronomer, a scientist, and a student of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. It is those last two, he feels, that give him any qualifications to write the book.

The first two parts of the book were based on older work that he'd done—magazine articles, and talks that he'd given. These are actually quite good, with some interesting ideas and explanations concerning the common questions specifically and the "techie" worldview in general. Reading these first few parts, I had high hopes that some serious discoveries were to be found in the later chapters as the author should certainly get closer and closer to the heart of the matter.

Instead, what I found was that the rest of the book was a study in contradictions, apologies, evasions, and finally some good old-fashioned catholic rah-rah. In the author's defense, he as much as said (several times) that he was biased, and that the problem with theorizing is that often you have to begin with the conclusions... meaning his mind was made up, so it was hard for him to talk as if it wasn't.

The interviews, as described, seemed haphazard and probably a bit too leading. Often he mentioned discussing with the current group or individual the things that previous groups or individuals had said, thereby seeding the discussion rather than allowing it to define itself. Ultimately, I felt the interviews were mostly non-revelatory, and only served to confuse the issues.

The end of the book mostly dealt with the author's own spiritual quest, which essentially reads: i was born Catholic, I never left the church, and my attempts to define my faith, my beliefs, and the spiritual needs that drove them was an exercise in recursion—I believe, therefore I think I need to believe, therefore I believe.

Despite the book's faults, it was still a worthwhile read. If you're interested in philosophy, spirituality, or the areas in which those things and science collide, the first two sections are great. If you're looking for an unbiased discussion of religion in the lives of techies, this isn't really it. Likewise, if you're looking for a guidebook for your own spiritual journey, this book may make too many assumptions to be truly helpful.
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