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July 22
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Don
gave
 
to:
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Hardcover)
by James Rollins
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in July, 2008
Don said:
"This is a pretty good novelization of a movie, giving us more insight into what's going on than we get in the hectic pace films usually give us (especially an Indiana Jones film). I enjoyed the way we got to see more of who Indy is at this later stag...more
This is a pretty good novelization of a movie, giving us more insight into what's going on than we get in the hectic pace films usually give us (especially an Indiana Jones film). I enjoyed the way we got to see more of who Indy is at this later stage in his life, with all the creaking of bones and injuries slowing him down, but also with all the knowledge and wisdom he's accumulated. The looks into his private life and the regrets he has for some of his life are very interesting. This is a good companion to the movie and I recommend seeing the movie first, then filling out the story with this book....less
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July 17
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Don
took the never-ending book quiz.
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July 16
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Don
gave
to:
Are We Rome?: The Fall of an Empire and the Fate of America (Hardcover)
by Cullen Murphy
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my rating:
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Don said:
"I'll admit I was surprised at the general objectivity of this book. When I saw it was by the former editor of The Atlantic Weekly and current editor of Vanity Fair, I was ready for much more of a slanted book. However, the author makes a good, genera...more
I'll admit I was surprised at the general objectivity of this book. When I saw it was by the former editor of The Atlantic Weekly and current editor of Vanity Fair, I was ready for much more of a slanted book. However, the author makes a good, generalized study of the similartities and differences between the Roman Empire and current America. This should not be confused with a history text, by any means (the "Batman Begins" screenplay is the bibliography, for cryin' out loud), but for a quick look at what the two countries may or may not have had in common, it's not too bad. Even with that, however, the author's bias comes through every now and then, as if he couldn't help himself in commenting on current events. The bibliography, as well, reads almost like a who's who of current liberal rants againt the current administration, from which he drew a lot of information.
Still, he makes some good observations at some of the more general similarities between Rome and America, mainly to caution against what happened to Rome. But, near the end of the book, he says we shouldn't make the comparison too tightly, since it all breaks down upon specifics. Great. Thanks.
He gives three things we can do to "avoid" what happened to Rome:
1. Have a greater appreciation of the wider world. Hmmm. Really? We should learn more about the world? Okay, fine, as long as it's not to the point that we look to the rest of the world for legal direction or guidance. That's why we have the Constitution.
2. Stop treating government as a necessary evil. Hmm. Why not? Sure, there are things government does well and is supposed to, but the rest should be taken care of by private citizens. Again, government governs best when it governs least.
3. Fortify the institutions that promote assimilation. I agree with this one, actually. The huge difference between immigration a hundred years ago and today is that the great majority of immigrants then WANTED to be Americans, to learn the language, to be a part of the country, and make it better. The majority of today's immigrants don't seem to want to do that. But, we shouldn't do this at the expense of what makes America unique and great....less
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July 14
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Don
gave
to:
The Second Civil War: How Extreme Partisanship Has Paralyzed Washington and Polarized America (Hardcover)
by Ronald Brownstein
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my rating:
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Don said:
"Note to author: partisanship is a good thing. It draws distinctions between political ideas and idealogies and forces people to make a choice. What's the point of having political parties if there's not any difference between them?
Anyway, this is...more
Note to author: partisanship is a good thing. It draws distinctions between political ideas and idealogies and forces people to make a choice. What's the point of having political parties if there's not any difference between them?
Anyway, this is a tediously boring book about the history of why our (American) political system is now so polarized and divided. Amid all the discussion about polls and statistics (given in underwhelming charts) is a slightly interesting look at the twentieth century and how politics worked in the different eras, but then it degenerates into a modern Bush-bashing diatribe by a political correspondent from the LA Times. It continues to yearn for the "good ol' days" when Congress got things done, not seeming to get that government governs best when it governs the least or not at all. The solutions it calls for (to overcome the divide and get things done) disregards the basic tenents of the Constitution that say the federal government only has power to do so much; the rest lies with the states.
For most of the history portions of the text, the writer is able to keep a "balanced" approach, but when he gets into the modern era (1980-present), his bias comes. This wouldn't be so bad if he stated his bias up front, but like most journalists today, he pretends objectivity. The things he castigates Republicans about I have no doubt he would crow about as wonderful if they had been done by Democrats....less
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Don
gave
to:
The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 4)
by Rick Riordan
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Don said:
"Another fine entry in this series. I knew it was going to live up to the other books when I laughed at the title of the first chapter. The humorous tone hasn't changed, which is the best thing about this series. As Percy grows older, the threats beco...more
Another fine entry in this series. I knew it was going to live up to the other books when I laughed at the title of the first chapter. The humorous tone hasn't changed, which is the best thing about this series. As Percy grows older, the threats become greater and he has to deal with developing problems, which he does with pretty good aplomb....less
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July 09
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Don
gave
to:
Fire In The Hills (Hardcover)
by Donna Jo Napoli
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Don said:
"This is a pretty good young/older readers book that tells a story not often told for this age group. It follows a young boy named Roberto as he tries to make his way across Sicily and then the Italian mainland during World War II after being held by ...more
This is a pretty good young/older readers book that tells a story not often told for this age group. It follows a young boy named Roberto as he tries to make his way across Sicily and then the Italian mainland during World War II after being held by the Nazis in a prisoner of war camp. It is a sequel to "Stones in the Water," which told of Roberto's time in the camp. While reading "Fire," I wish I had read the first book, as it would have made the groth of the character more compelling. As it is, Roberto's growth into one of the resistance fighters is quite impressive....less
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July 08
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Don
gave
to:
Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters (Hardcover)
by Lesley M. M. Blume
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Don said:
"This is an okay young reader's book about a young girl who retreats into the world of long and complicated words to keep people at arms' length to deal with the seemingly strained relationship with her mother, a famous pianist, who always seems to ov...more
This is an okay young reader's book about a young girl who retreats into the world of long and complicated words to keep people at arms' length to deal with the seemingly strained relationship with her mother, a famous pianist, who always seems to overshadow Cornelia. Cornelia meets Virginia Somerset, an older lady, and the two embark on a friendship in which Virginia tells Cornelia the stories of her and her three sisters as they travelled around the world, gradually drawing Cornelia out of her self-imposed isolation.
The problem is the stories. While they are well-written, detailed, and colorful, and give a great representation of what these different places around the world are like, they teach the wrong sort of messge to young Cornelia. The Somerset sisters (sans Virgina, for some reason) come across as entirely the wrong sort of world travellers to be, disregarding local customs and traditions and barging ahead with whatever they want to do whenever they want to do it regardless of the circumstances, from interfering in a Moroccan wedding, to making fools of themselves in front of Picasso and the French art scene, to violating a mens club and ruining a dog show in England, to disregarding Indian customs. This wouldn't all be as bad if it weren't for the fact that the people they are "rebelling against" are the very same people, in most cases, who have graciously taken them in and allowed them to stay with them on their voyage. The Somerset sisters' repayment of these offers of hospitality are egregious and should not be looked at by young readers as something to emulate.
The friendship between Virginia and Cornelia is very well done and the heart of the story, although I would have liked to have seen more of Cornelia herself, rather than a lot of flashback storytelling from Virginia. The relationship drawn between Cornelia and her mother is heartbreaking....less
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July 07
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Don
gave
to:
Heaven Is Real: Lessons on Earthly Joy--From The Man Who Spent 90 Minutes In Heaven (Hardcover)
by Don Piper, Cecil Murphey
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my rating:
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Don said:
"An inspirational book about how to live a more godly and loving life from a man who went to heaven for ninety mintues and came back. The stories are nice and inspiring, but since the focus of this book is more on what he's learned and wants to pass o...more
An inspirational book about how to live a more godly and loving life from a man who went to heaven for ninety mintues and came back. The stories are nice and inspiring, but since the focus of this book is more on what he's learned and wants to pass on to others rather than on what happened to him (which you can read in "90 Minutes in Heaven"), I found myself wishing I had read that book first, as it probably would have helped fill in some of the backstory (even though he does a "Reader's Digest" account of the accident) and what he saw in heaven....less
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Don
gave
to:
The magic flute, masonic opera;: An interpretation of the libretto and the music (Hardcover)
by Jacques Chailley
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my rating:
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recommended for: opera lovers, Masons, general people.
read in July, 2008
Don said:
"This is an incredibly interesting and detailed look at Mozart's great opera, The Magic Flute, from a Masonic perspective. There is no doubt it was intended as an allegory for Masonic principles and ideals, but that has been watered down or ignored ov...more
This is an incredibly interesting and detailed look at Mozart's great opera, The Magic Flute, from a Masonic perspective. There is no doubt it was intended as an allegory for Masonic principles and ideals, but that has been watered down or ignored over the years until a belief has arisen that Mozart composed wonderful music to an otherwise poor libretto. The opera is an intensely detailed, deep, and metaphorical story that is not easily understood. This book goes through all of the parts, characters, songs, score, and symbols and puts them in their proper Masonic context and refutes a lot of the beliefs concerning this opera (i.e., that it is anti-feminine).
This book is kept from being a five-star rating simply because a goodly portion of it near the end (when talking about the individual songs and pieces) is so incredibly detailed musically (talking in terms of keys, notes, chords, and various sundry things) of which I have no knowledge, that I was completely lost....less
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July 06
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Don
gave
to:
The Book of Air and Shadows (Hardcover)
by Michael Gruber
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my rating:
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recommended for: not many people
read in December, 2007
Don said:
"I usually try to give each book the first one hundred pages before deciding to quit. If it hasn't hooked me by then, it's doubtful it'll hook me any time soon. I gave this book the first forty pages and gave up. It's almost mind-numbingly boring. Wri...more
I usually try to give each book the first one hundred pages before deciding to quit. If it hasn't hooked me by then, it's doubtful it'll hook me any time soon. I gave this book the first forty pages and gave up. It's almost mind-numbingly boring. Written in first-person, so we know the narrator makes it through whatever it is that's coming up, there is no hook early on to make me want to keep reading. The narrator rambles on about things not connected to the main lost-manuscript-of-Shakespeare plot that's supposed to be the story, taking me away from that story and losing me in the process.
For a better and more interesting novel about a lost manuscript of Shakespeare, see Jennifer Lee Carrell's Interred with Their Bones....less
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hoo-ray. don! this place is fun. now i can see what you and meg are reading!
