Dick - The United States (24 books)

Dick is now friends with Cadi

Dick made a comment on Camille's review of A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3)

"Josh is right you should read it...I dont think you will like it but you should read it."

Dick made a comment on Camille's review of A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, #4)

"I think the best way to understand George R.R. Martin is to understand a little of his interest and what he wanted to do with the books. Orginally he...more "

Dick made a comment on his review of Wizardology

"I need to look at that one."

Dick rated a book 5 of 5 stars

Wizardology
by Dugald A. Steer

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I really love this series. I didnt think this book was quite as good as the Pirateology but it is a very good read with great production values. I cant wait to read it with grandchildren. The art work is superb. Each page has interesting topics such...more

Dick rated a book 5 of 5 stars

Pirateology
by Dugald A. Steer

read in January, 2007

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This is a book for any child's bookshelf or proudly displayed on their desk at all times. The book is a good read about pirates and their history, costume, weapons, women pirates, battles, treasures etc. The art work is a throwback to those wonderful...more

Dick rated a book 5 of 5 stars

The Road
by Cormac McCarthy

read in February, 2008

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I have wanted to read Cormac McCarthy for a long time. There are two journalist/writers I read every week on the web. Roger Ebert and Peter King. I read Roger's reviews of movies because I love the way he writes. His writing moves me. How many movie...more I have wanted to read Cormac McCarthy for a long time. There are two journalist/writers I read every week on the web. Roger Ebert and Peter King. I read Roger's reviews of movies because I love the way he writes. His writing moves me. How many movie critics can you say that about? I admire his prose and his art. Peter King is a sports writer. I dont watch much sports but I do find that I enjoy reading about it. I like Peter because he is a great writer and seems like one of those people you would love to be seated next to on an airplane. Someone you would love to just talk to. Both of them in the last six months have stated that Cormac McCarthy is perhaps the greatest living author writing in English. High praise indeed. After seeing No Country For Old Men and then reading Tophie's review of this book I decided to leap in.
The first thing that struck me about the book was the prose. I found myself rereading sentences simply because of their beauty or cleverness. He invents words sometimes. It is a haunting book. Perhaps the darkest book I have read of the post-Apocalypse. A gray burning world with no life but human. Oh the cleverness of us to have destroyed it all. The story is about a father and son trying to get to the coast. Hoping for life where all there is is horror. Frighting and sad. When they meet other people in their travels one is rightfully afraid. "The horror, the horror!" Not a book for the timid or for people looking for action, romance or happy endings.
Throughout the book the son keeps asking the father if they are the good guys. The father always says yes and they are the keepers of the fire. It doesnt take long to realize that the father is doing what he must to survive. His morals, like the world around him is gray. His son, is absolute innocence and good. The son always wants to do the ethical and morally right thing even if it puts them in danger. The father is more realistic. Perhaps this is our great responsibility as adults, to protect the perfectly innocent. Perhaps this is the fire that must be preserved?
As I read the book I kept wondering if this is the literature of the Apocalypse? Is this what is meant by, "The love of men will wax cold having no natural affection one for another?" Are we that close or like all other generations do we see the changes of our times as those leading to destruction? Karl Polyani argued decades ago that our civilization is so very fragile and we have lost our sense of community such that if we fall we will never rebuild. I wonder if that is a simple truth?
I also thought of game theory. Research has discovered that 20-40% of all people are 'takers' and the rest are 'givers.' Cooperation prevails and works if there are enough givers who are also punisher's. In other words, some givers must think that people should obey rules and customs. If someone does not obey the rules or acts unethically they must be taught a lesson by some sort of punishment. This group imposes punishment on takers and is what keeps takers from destroying the outcomes of everyone else. In this view, the father can be seen as a good guy who is a punisher. We need both the innocent givers who give without qualifications (they are the ideal that everyone is measured against) and the givers who also punish those who act unethically in order to have a society. The later protect the former. What hope there is in this book is that both types still do exist at the end of the book even if it is not for very long.
This book is not for the light of heart. I would recommend that everyone read the first 20 pages just to see the wonder of McCarthy's writing. Anything beyond that will be meaningful but painful.(less)

Dick rated a book 4 of 5 stars

The Spiderwick Chronicles Box Set by Holly Black

The Spiderwick Chronicles Box Set (The Spiderwick Chronicles, #1-5)
by Holly Black (Goodreads Author)

read in January, 2005

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This is a delightful series for young readers. The art work is amazing. I love the pen and ink drawings by Tony Di Terlizzi. The story is good but not great. I thought the earlier books were better then the later ones. The characters are delightful a...more

Dick rated a book 5 of 5 stars

Dune (Dune Chronicles, #1)
by Frank Herbert

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Another old favorite. When I was in Junior High I was on the track team and we had a big meet at BYU. I was quite excited to strut my stuff in the 100 yard dash. Roger mentioned that he wanted me to buy the book Dune at the BYU bookstore while I was...more

Dick rated a book 5 of 5 stars

The Lord of the Rings
by J.R.R. Tolkien

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True story (sad when you have lived your life such that you have to add that):

When I was a child we did our yearly camping trip to the West Coast and Mootie always gave us an allowance for books/comics to read on the trip. It made traveling in the ca...more True story (sad when you have lived your life such that you have to add that):

When I was a child we did our yearly camping trip to the West Coast and Mootie always gave us an allowance for books/comics to read on the trip. It made traveling in the camper a little more bearable (barely). Roger and I had read in Parade magazine (Roger can correct me if I am wrong because it was a long time ago...the summer after fourth grade for me) that the hippie community was madly in love with Lord of the Rings. Well, I loved anything hippie at the time, probably because Lowell hated them so much. So Roger and I decided to buy the series but we couldnt find The Fellowship of the Ring. He started first with the Two Towers and I waited for him to finish. Luckily, we didnt have to wade through those first hundred pages of the Fellowship.
I remember after I finished the appendix (I so love the appendix) of just weeping and then I had an epiphany. I realized I would never read anything I would love again, as much as I loved the Lord of the Rings. I have loved many books and reread some books many times but nothing has moved me as much as this series.
When I had my pre-mission interview the Bishop, he asked me how many times I had read the Book Of Mormon. I replied 12 times and he was shocked. Then the Mormon guilt crept in and I mentioned that I had read Lord of the Rings 27 times. Yes, I use to keep track. I think I have finally reversed the order of which one I have read the most but it has been an herculean effort.
Just awhile ago I was mentioning to Kirsten that I wish that Tolkien had done more with women in the series. She had an interesting insight. She said, "Given what is happening to men in our society, increased pornography addiction, video game addictions, lack of desire to get higher education and to have a career (30% of American males now no longer finish High School) men need stories of heroes who are noble and right. Men need to be inspired and have heroic friendships with each other." Word.(less)

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Dick is now friends with Cadi
Jul 21, 2008 09:06pm · like
Dick made a comment on Camille's review of A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3) "Josh is right you should read it...I dont think you will like it but you should read it."
Apr 29, 2008 11:54am · see review
Dick made a comment on Camille's review of A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, #4) "I think the best way to understand George R.R. Martin is to understand a little of his interest and what he wanted to do with the books. Orginally he...more "
Mar 26, 2008 01:32pm · see review
Dick made a comment on his review of Wizardology "I need to look at that one."
Mar 13, 2008 10:37am · see review
Dick rated a book 5 of 5 stars Wizardology by Dugald A. Steer	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I really love this series. I didnt think this book was quite as good as the Pirateology but it is a very good read with great production values. I cant wait to read it with grandchildren. The art work is superb. Each page has interesting topics such...more
Mar 12, 2008 08:53pm · see review
Dick rated a book 5 of 5 stars Pirateology by Dugald A. Steer read in January, 2007	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This is a book for any child's bookshelf or proudly displayed on their desk at all times. The book is a good read about pirates and their history, costume, weapons, women pirates, battles, treasures etc. The art work is a throwback to those wonderful...more
Mar 02, 2008 10:59am · see review
Dick rated a book 5 of 5 stars The Road by Cormac McCarthy read in February, 2008	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I have wanted to read Cormac McCarthy for a long time. There are two journalist/writers I read every week on the web. Roger Ebert and Peter King. I read Roger's reviews of movies because I love the way he writes. His writing moves me. How many movie...more
Mar 01, 2008 08:32pm · see review
Dick rated a book 4 of 5 stars The Spiderwick Chronicles Box Set (The Spiderwick Chronicles, #1-5) by Holly Black (Goodreads Author) read in January, 2005	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This is a delightful series for young readers. The art work is amazing. I love the pen and ink drawings by Tony Di Terlizzi. The story is good but not great. I thought the earlier books were better then the later ones. The characters are delightful a...more
Mar 01, 2008 07:34pm · see review
Dick rated a book 5 of 5 stars Dune (Dune Chronicles, #1) by Frank Herbert	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Another old favorite. When I was in Junior High I was on the track team and we had a big meet at BYU. I was quite excited to strut my stuff in the 100 yard dash. Roger mentioned that he wanted me to buy the book Dune at the BYU bookstore while I was...more
Feb 15, 2008 08:40am · see review
Dick rated a book 5 of 5 stars The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
True story (sad when you have lived your life such that you have to add that): When I was a child we did our yearly camping trip to the West Coast and Mootie always gave us an allowance for books/comics to read on the trip. It made traveling in the ca...more
Feb 15, 2008 08:34am · see review

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