Joseph Baneth Allen's Blog, page 60
July 1, 2023
"Science Left Behind - Feel-Good Fallacies And the Rise of The Anti-Scientific Left" by Alec B. Berezo and Hank Campbell
Just finished reading "Science Left Behind - Feel-Good Fallacies And the Rise of The Anti-Scientific Left" by Alec B. Berezo and Hank Campbell, published by PublicAffairs in 2012.
As some of the readers of my reviews here on Facebook, Goodreads, and other social media platforms have already may have guessed, "Science Left Behind" is another example of a book that I had bought and which had gotten lost among the stacks of hundreds of books I still have yet to read in my home library and the oh so rather convenient storage space of my sister's long unused room! Thanks Selma Franz!
I do like to give credit where credit is due after all.
Now because I waited a little over 11-years to read and review this book, I initially feared that some of the issues might have become rather dated with the passage of over a decade. I shouldn't have worried. All the issues covered in the book about how science has been hijacked by progressive liberal policies that actually do far more harm to the environment and people than those "evil Conservatives and Republicans" ever do are still in the main frame of public debate today.
Berezow and Campbell present effective arguments about the dangers of throwing science out the window for popular feel good thoughts that have no basis in facts and hard science.
Highly Recommended!
Five Stars!
https://www.amazon.com/Science-Left-B...
As some of the readers of my reviews here on Facebook, Goodreads, and other social media platforms have already may have guessed, "Science Left Behind" is another example of a book that I had bought and which had gotten lost among the stacks of hundreds of books I still have yet to read in my home library and the oh so rather convenient storage space of my sister's long unused room! Thanks Selma Franz!
I do like to give credit where credit is due after all.
Now because I waited a little over 11-years to read and review this book, I initially feared that some of the issues might have become rather dated with the passage of over a decade. I shouldn't have worried. All the issues covered in the book about how science has been hijacked by progressive liberal policies that actually do far more harm to the environment and people than those "evil Conservatives and Republicans" ever do are still in the main frame of public debate today.
Berezow and Campbell present effective arguments about the dangers of throwing science out the window for popular feel good thoughts that have no basis in facts and hard science.
Highly Recommended!
Five Stars!
https://www.amazon.com/Science-Left-B...
"Arabesque"
Just finished watching "Arabesque" released by Universal.
"Arabesque" is another one of Universal romantic comedy thrillers that follow in the grand tradition of "Charade". If director Stanley Donen's classic 1963 comedy-thriller "Charade" is Hitchcock Lite, then "Arabesque" is Hitchcock Lite after taking a few classes in James Bond 101 (including an opening title sequence by Maurice Binder, who also did the honors for "Charade" as well as for most of the Bond movies). Based on the original novel, "The Cipher" by Gordon Cotler, follows the misadventures of a college professsor who is a hieroglyphics expert who becomes embroiled in Middle Eastern intrigue after he gets hired to decode a cipher everyone's after, Gregory Peck's usual woodenness is oddly effective as he tries to deliver Cary Grant-like witticisms. Peck may not be Mr. Glib, but he seems so delighted to get an opportunity to deliver bon mots Sophia Loren is at her most alluring as an Arab fem-fatale who may not be at all what she seems to be.
Great FAB 1960s Fun!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Arabesque-Greg...
"Arabesque" is another one of Universal romantic comedy thrillers that follow in the grand tradition of "Charade". If director Stanley Donen's classic 1963 comedy-thriller "Charade" is Hitchcock Lite, then "Arabesque" is Hitchcock Lite after taking a few classes in James Bond 101 (including an opening title sequence by Maurice Binder, who also did the honors for "Charade" as well as for most of the Bond movies). Based on the original novel, "The Cipher" by Gordon Cotler, follows the misadventures of a college professsor who is a hieroglyphics expert who becomes embroiled in Middle Eastern intrigue after he gets hired to decode a cipher everyone's after, Gregory Peck's usual woodenness is oddly effective as he tries to deliver Cary Grant-like witticisms. Peck may not be Mr. Glib, but he seems so delighted to get an opportunity to deliver bon mots Sophia Loren is at her most alluring as an Arab fem-fatale who may not be at all what she seems to be.
Great FAB 1960s Fun!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Arabesque-Greg...
"D.C. Jones - Adventure Command International - Rescue At The Arctic Outpost" by Jim Beard
Just finished reading "D.C. Jones - Adventure Command International - Rescue At The Arctic Outpost" by Jim Beard, released by Becky Books.
Picking up about a year after the events of the first book in this series of adventures and characters strongly based on the original G.I. Joe action figures mass marketed to boys and their disapproving fathers; and to be fair, in some cases their equally disapproving mothers, grandparents, along with other adult family members. The titles of each book in the series is also based on the original play sets and accompanying toy gear and vehicles designed to put Barbie's Dream House to shame.
Feeling responsible for the death of a consultant and a recruit to the Adventure Command team, D.C. Jones has gone on a leave of absence and is missing in action when the team gets a request from the Soviet Union for assistance with a rescue mission in the arctic - where Adventure Command also has a scientific outpost.
Though it seems impossible, something is manipulating the weather in the Arctic, creating an area of tropical splendor, that threatens not only the mission, but the native Yetis in the region. There is also a NASA cover-up that they have to contend with concerning a discovery made during the last Apollo moon mission and signs of the snake cult again in a region of the world imperiled by a volcano.
Great pulpy gun, though I suspect the introduction of Dixie as the first female member of the team is going to raise someone's hackles with her thick Southern accent.
Recommended.
Four Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/D-C-Jones-Adve...
Picking up about a year after the events of the first book in this series of adventures and characters strongly based on the original G.I. Joe action figures mass marketed to boys and their disapproving fathers; and to be fair, in some cases their equally disapproving mothers, grandparents, along with other adult family members. The titles of each book in the series is also based on the original play sets and accompanying toy gear and vehicles designed to put Barbie's Dream House to shame.
Feeling responsible for the death of a consultant and a recruit to the Adventure Command team, D.C. Jones has gone on a leave of absence and is missing in action when the team gets a request from the Soviet Union for assistance with a rescue mission in the arctic - where Adventure Command also has a scientific outpost.
Though it seems impossible, something is manipulating the weather in the Arctic, creating an area of tropical splendor, that threatens not only the mission, but the native Yetis in the region. There is also a NASA cover-up that they have to contend with concerning a discovery made during the last Apollo moon mission and signs of the snake cult again in a region of the world imperiled by a volcano.
Great pulpy gun, though I suspect the introduction of Dixie as the first female member of the team is going to raise someone's hackles with her thick Southern accent.
Recommended.
Four Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/D-C-Jones-Adve...
"D.C. Jones - Adventure Command International - Secret Of The Sunken Tomb" by Jim Beard
Just finished reading "D.C. Jones - Adventure Command International - Secret Of The Sunken Tomb" by Jim Beard, published by Becky Books.
Basically D.C. Jones is a "clone" of the highly popular boy's action figure G.I. Joe that enjoyed perhaps it's highest period of popularity as a children's toy back in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. My Dad, who was an officer in the United States Marine Corps for a little over 35 years before he retired back in 1992, was quite vehement against me having a G.I. Joe because he considered it "nothing but a doll." Keep in mind that it was considered extremely "feminine" for a boy to want to play with dolls - even if it was an action figure male doll - and made the boy appear to be less masculine. Gender crossing toys - and I really can believe I'm using that terminology - did not come into existence until the late 1970s when the original Star Wars toys were released - though those toys were originally targeted and marketed to boys - it became acceptable for a boy to have a Princess Lea action figure among his Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Darth Vader action figures. It was only with the release of the G.I. Joe animated series that gave included women as G.I. Joes in the mid-80s that you saw the blurring of traditional gender lines in dolls/action figures marketed for both boys and girls at least here in America. You could make an argument that Space: 1999 Year Two action figures also broke the mold with the introduction of Maya, who usually saved everyone at least once per episode in the Year Two series with her metamorphic abilities which allowed her to turn into a variety of alien creatures.
The popularity of G.I. Joe did spin off a variety of "clone" action figure toys based on the G.I. Joe model. And Beard is clearly doing that here with "Secret Of The Sunken Tomb" which pays homage to the original G.I. Joe concept of a former military man going on adventures provided by the popular and price play sets that could be bought individually - G.I. Joe did learn a few thing from Barbie over the years.
"Secret Of The Sunken Tomb" is written in the traditional pulp adventure style and sets up the ongoing theme of the series where the Adventure Command International team finds itself dealing with a snake cult that is bent on remaking the world in its own image.
Star Wars also inspired a "rip-off/copycat" series of novels and toys set apart the original movie that was looking to cash in on the popularity of George Lucas' science fiction creation.
Beard is an enthusiast of the original G.I. Joe action figures from the late 1960s and 1970s, and I believe he is a G.I. Joe historian - at least from what I can determine he promotes the original action figure and can be considered an uber-fan.
"Secret Of The Sunken Tomb" is an open love letter written in the Modern Pulp tradition style of writing.
Recommended for G.I. Joe enthusiasts who want to read adventures based on the original action figure, but with indirect references to the animated series.
Four Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/D-C-Jones-Adve...
Basically D.C. Jones is a "clone" of the highly popular boy's action figure G.I. Joe that enjoyed perhaps it's highest period of popularity as a children's toy back in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. My Dad, who was an officer in the United States Marine Corps for a little over 35 years before he retired back in 1992, was quite vehement against me having a G.I. Joe because he considered it "nothing but a doll." Keep in mind that it was considered extremely "feminine" for a boy to want to play with dolls - even if it was an action figure male doll - and made the boy appear to be less masculine. Gender crossing toys - and I really can believe I'm using that terminology - did not come into existence until the late 1970s when the original Star Wars toys were released - though those toys were originally targeted and marketed to boys - it became acceptable for a boy to have a Princess Lea action figure among his Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Darth Vader action figures. It was only with the release of the G.I. Joe animated series that gave included women as G.I. Joes in the mid-80s that you saw the blurring of traditional gender lines in dolls/action figures marketed for both boys and girls at least here in America. You could make an argument that Space: 1999 Year Two action figures also broke the mold with the introduction of Maya, who usually saved everyone at least once per episode in the Year Two series with her metamorphic abilities which allowed her to turn into a variety of alien creatures.
The popularity of G.I. Joe did spin off a variety of "clone" action figure toys based on the G.I. Joe model. And Beard is clearly doing that here with "Secret Of The Sunken Tomb" which pays homage to the original G.I. Joe concept of a former military man going on adventures provided by the popular and price play sets that could be bought individually - G.I. Joe did learn a few thing from Barbie over the years.
"Secret Of The Sunken Tomb" is written in the traditional pulp adventure style and sets up the ongoing theme of the series where the Adventure Command International team finds itself dealing with a snake cult that is bent on remaking the world in its own image.
Star Wars also inspired a "rip-off/copycat" series of novels and toys set apart the original movie that was looking to cash in on the popularity of George Lucas' science fiction creation.
Beard is an enthusiast of the original G.I. Joe action figures from the late 1960s and 1970s, and I believe he is a G.I. Joe historian - at least from what I can determine he promotes the original action figure and can be considered an uber-fan.
"Secret Of The Sunken Tomb" is an open love letter written in the Modern Pulp tradition style of writing.
Recommended for G.I. Joe enthusiasts who want to read adventures based on the original action figure, but with indirect references to the animated series.
Four Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/D-C-Jones-Adve...
"The Mind Of A Bee" by Lars Chittka
Just finished reading "The Mind Of A Bee" by Lars Chittka, published by the Princeton University Press.
Lars Chittka, who is a full professor at Queen Mary, University of London, has produced a masterful book based on his decades of field and laboratory research into the sensory world of bees (honey bees, bumblebees), their intelligence, learning and instincts. Chittka and his graduate students are exploring the cutting edge of bee brains and their neurophysiology. We have lively stories of their own research as well as historical and modern bee researchers who made other key discoveries. Here, we learn than bees can count to four, successfully walk through mazes, find their way home based upon hidden (to us) polarization patterns in the sky, see ultraviolet patterns on flowers invisible to us, keep time and many other fascinating behaviors. He, along with his graduate students and post docs have also demonstrated that bumblebees use tools. That is, by watching hive mates foraging bees pulled at strings attached to plastic disks that concealed a well containing a sugar reward. Similarly, by using an artificial bee on a stick, they were able to train other bees to roll a ball. Even more impressively, Chittka has just demonstrated that bumblebees may engage in a simple form of play by rolling wooden balls even when they are not being rewarded.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Bee-Lars-...
Lars Chittka, who is a full professor at Queen Mary, University of London, has produced a masterful book based on his decades of field and laboratory research into the sensory world of bees (honey bees, bumblebees), their intelligence, learning and instincts. Chittka and his graduate students are exploring the cutting edge of bee brains and their neurophysiology. We have lively stories of their own research as well as historical and modern bee researchers who made other key discoveries. Here, we learn than bees can count to four, successfully walk through mazes, find their way home based upon hidden (to us) polarization patterns in the sky, see ultraviolet patterns on flowers invisible to us, keep time and many other fascinating behaviors. He, along with his graduate students and post docs have also demonstrated that bumblebees use tools. That is, by watching hive mates foraging bees pulled at strings attached to plastic disks that concealed a well containing a sugar reward. Similarly, by using an artificial bee on a stick, they were able to train other bees to roll a ball. Even more impressively, Chittka has just demonstrated that bumblebees may engage in a simple form of play by rolling wooden balls even when they are not being rewarded.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Bee-Lars-...
June 30, 2023
"Space Flight - The Coming Exploration of the Universe" by Lester Del Rey
Just finished reading "Space Flight - The Coming Exploration of the Universe" by Lester Del Rey, published by The Golden Library of Knowledge back in 1959.
As frequent readers of my reviews here on Facebook, Goodreads, and other social media platforms know, several years ago I began what I have dubbed my "Great Re-Reading of Favorite Books of My Youth" project which not only includes my favorite fiction books and favorite non-fiction books of my youth.
"Space Flight - The Coming Exploration of the Universe" by Lester Del Rey was one of those books which I remembered and enjoyed reading. I remember seeing it in the library of the Tarawa Terrence II Elementary School Grades 1-4, which I attended back at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and I did check it out and read it. Now in fairness to the Camp Lejeune School System, I never had any teachers complain to Mom and Dad about what I was reading at Tarawa Terrence. The teachers and principal at Tarawa Terrence II Elementary School had two "encounters" with Mom - one involving an anti-Semitic teacher who was promptly fired, that wouldn't happen today, and the ending of a gymnastics program when I broke my collar bone after a teacher forced me to do a back flip with a half twist despite me repeatedly telling her that I didn't want to do it. That teacher also got fired and the gymnastic program ended there for several years.
Curiously Lester Del Rey predicted the use of reusable spacecraft, but not how the initial exploration of space exploration would begin - he failed to predict the Space Race to the moon. He did predict refueling of rockets in low Earth orbit, but oddly stated that the moon would only be explored once since it had nothing to offer. Now to be fair, it was not known at the time of the resources that the moon has and how those resources would be of value to future manned exploration and colonization. Again oddly, Lester Del Rey for some reason did not think that the moon would be colonized - a rather interesting approach for a science fiction writer.
An interesting look at space exploration in the early age of the Space Race.
Well written, and intriguing look at the thoughts of the time.
Recommended.
Three Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/PLANETS-Worlds...
As frequent readers of my reviews here on Facebook, Goodreads, and other social media platforms know, several years ago I began what I have dubbed my "Great Re-Reading of Favorite Books of My Youth" project which not only includes my favorite fiction books and favorite non-fiction books of my youth.
"Space Flight - The Coming Exploration of the Universe" by Lester Del Rey was one of those books which I remembered and enjoyed reading. I remember seeing it in the library of the Tarawa Terrence II Elementary School Grades 1-4, which I attended back at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and I did check it out and read it. Now in fairness to the Camp Lejeune School System, I never had any teachers complain to Mom and Dad about what I was reading at Tarawa Terrence. The teachers and principal at Tarawa Terrence II Elementary School had two "encounters" with Mom - one involving an anti-Semitic teacher who was promptly fired, that wouldn't happen today, and the ending of a gymnastics program when I broke my collar bone after a teacher forced me to do a back flip with a half twist despite me repeatedly telling her that I didn't want to do it. That teacher also got fired and the gymnastic program ended there for several years.
Curiously Lester Del Rey predicted the use of reusable spacecraft, but not how the initial exploration of space exploration would begin - he failed to predict the Space Race to the moon. He did predict refueling of rockets in low Earth orbit, but oddly stated that the moon would only be explored once since it had nothing to offer. Now to be fair, it was not known at the time of the resources that the moon has and how those resources would be of value to future manned exploration and colonization. Again oddly, Lester Del Rey for some reason did not think that the moon would be colonized - a rather interesting approach for a science fiction writer.
An interesting look at space exploration in the early age of the Space Race.
Well written, and intriguing look at the thoughts of the time.
Recommended.
Three Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/PLANETS-Worlds...
Star Gate by Andre Norton
Just finished reading "Star Gate" by Andre Norton, published by Harcourt, Brace, & Co. Inc. in 1958.
Now as long time readers of my reviews here on Facebook, Goodreads, and other social media platforms will recall, I'm a long time, consummate Andre Norton fan - I was fortunate to be one of her many, many pen pals during her lifetime. Yet what may shock some people, especially Zack Newsome, I haven't read every book that she wrote during her long life.
I first discovered "Star Gate" when it was re-released by ACE Books back in the 1970s on the shelves of the new arrival section of the Science Fiction section at Michele's Book Store at Bryn Marr Shopping Center in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and I did get it.
Now as my sister, Zack, Jeff H., and many of other friends know, I have hundreds of books that I have bought and haven't read yet. "Star Gate" was one of those books in my to be read stacks.
In many ways "Star Gate" is a precursor to Andre Norton's multi-volume Witch World series where science and magic co-exist as it did in the first Witch World novels. It's not set in the Witch World universe and I'm not exactly sure where it fits in her Forerunner Universe, though I would set it at least 1,000 years after the events of Star Born where humanity is reaching out to the stars again after a devastating nuclear war on Earth. It is one of her few stand alone novels. With the exception of her ongoing Witch World series, Andre Norton usually wrote novels in duet, and/or quartet series - The Zero Stone and Time Trader series being the best example.
About 500 years after humanity arrived on the world of Gorth and interacted and intermarried with the native Gorthians, the long-lived humans have decided that it would be best for their adopted home world if they leave it so that the Gorthians can develop their own society free of human interference.
Yet there are some Gorthians who loathe the Star Lords - humans - and are taking advantage of their leaving to raise hatred against the children of the Star Lords and Gorthians and those Star Lords who have chosen another way depart Gorth. Kincar s'Rud, the son of a Star Lord and Gorthian mother, is forced to leave his hold when it becomes obvious that he would be killed if he stayed. He joins up with other Star Lord offspring and Star Lords and depart Gorth through an artificial gateway leading to an alternative Gorth. Only in this Gorth, the Star Lords are evil oppressors who kill and rule by fear. And in the Witch World tradition, before his departure Kincar was given a talisman with mystical powers of the three gods of Gorth.
Kincar and his friends are successful and depart this alternative Gorth that they originally fled to for yet another Gorth and Norton hints that their quest for a new home will never end.
Perhaps I am mistaken, but I think "Star Gate" served as inspiration for C.J. Cherryh's highly popular Gate series.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Star-Gate-Andr...
Now as long time readers of my reviews here on Facebook, Goodreads, and other social media platforms will recall, I'm a long time, consummate Andre Norton fan - I was fortunate to be one of her many, many pen pals during her lifetime. Yet what may shock some people, especially Zack Newsome, I haven't read every book that she wrote during her long life.
I first discovered "Star Gate" when it was re-released by ACE Books back in the 1970s on the shelves of the new arrival section of the Science Fiction section at Michele's Book Store at Bryn Marr Shopping Center in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and I did get it.
Now as my sister, Zack, Jeff H., and many of other friends know, I have hundreds of books that I have bought and haven't read yet. "Star Gate" was one of those books in my to be read stacks.
In many ways "Star Gate" is a precursor to Andre Norton's multi-volume Witch World series where science and magic co-exist as it did in the first Witch World novels. It's not set in the Witch World universe and I'm not exactly sure where it fits in her Forerunner Universe, though I would set it at least 1,000 years after the events of Star Born where humanity is reaching out to the stars again after a devastating nuclear war on Earth. It is one of her few stand alone novels. With the exception of her ongoing Witch World series, Andre Norton usually wrote novels in duet, and/or quartet series - The Zero Stone and Time Trader series being the best example.
About 500 years after humanity arrived on the world of Gorth and interacted and intermarried with the native Gorthians, the long-lived humans have decided that it would be best for their adopted home world if they leave it so that the Gorthians can develop their own society free of human interference.
Yet there are some Gorthians who loathe the Star Lords - humans - and are taking advantage of their leaving to raise hatred against the children of the Star Lords and Gorthians and those Star Lords who have chosen another way depart Gorth. Kincar s'Rud, the son of a Star Lord and Gorthian mother, is forced to leave his hold when it becomes obvious that he would be killed if he stayed. He joins up with other Star Lord offspring and Star Lords and depart Gorth through an artificial gateway leading to an alternative Gorth. Only in this Gorth, the Star Lords are evil oppressors who kill and rule by fear. And in the Witch World tradition, before his departure Kincar was given a talisman with mystical powers of the three gods of Gorth.
Kincar and his friends are successful and depart this alternative Gorth that they originally fled to for yet another Gorth and Norton hints that their quest for a new home will never end.
Perhaps I am mistaken, but I think "Star Gate" served as inspiration for C.J. Cherryh's highly popular Gate series.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Star-Gate-Andr...
June 24, 2023
The Master of Samar
Just finished reading "The Master of Samar" by Melissa Scott, released by Candlemark & Gleam.
Melissa Scott is one of my favorite writers who can effortlessly blend mystery and the twisty and convoluted political intrigue of family drama against a backdrop of rigid societies in her fantasy and science fiction novels.
Gil Irichels has been content to make his living as a traveling curse-breaker, working with his lover, the feral mage Envar Cassi, and their bodyguard, swordswoman Arak min'Aroi. Yet, after a series of deaths leave him the sole heir to the family's house and fortune, Irichels's main concern is to do whatever he must to settle the estate and return to his previous life. But these is something very wrong in seaborne Bejanth, starting with the deaths of his kin and spreading into the complex web of politics and magic that holds the city together. As he struggles to discover the truth behind his family's losses, he realizes that there is more at stake than the fall of one house. Someone is unraveling the web of curses on which the city depends, and Irichels is the only person who can stop them-if it's not already too late.
Once again Scott displays here talent in this tale that includes her trademark and fascinating world building with an unique magic system that makes sense in a way magic often doesn’t.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
Melissa Scott is one of my favorite writers who can effortlessly blend mystery and the twisty and convoluted political intrigue of family drama against a backdrop of rigid societies in her fantasy and science fiction novels.
Gil Irichels has been content to make his living as a traveling curse-breaker, working with his lover, the feral mage Envar Cassi, and their bodyguard, swordswoman Arak min'Aroi. Yet, after a series of deaths leave him the sole heir to the family's house and fortune, Irichels's main concern is to do whatever he must to settle the estate and return to his previous life. But these is something very wrong in seaborne Bejanth, starting with the deaths of his kin and spreading into the complex web of politics and magic that holds the city together. As he struggles to discover the truth behind his family's losses, he realizes that there is more at stake than the fall of one house. Someone is unraveling the web of curses on which the city depends, and Irichels is the only person who can stop them-if it's not already too late.
Once again Scott displays here talent in this tale that includes her trademark and fascinating world building with an unique magic system that makes sense in a way magic often doesn’t.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
June 22, 2023
The Second Son
Just finished reading "The Second Son" by Charles Sailor, published as an original paperback book by Avon Books back in 1979.
I remember seeing "The Second Son" on the shelf of the new fiction arrival section at Michele's Bookstore in the Brywn Marr Shopping Center in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
Now there were several reasons why I did not buy "The Second Son" at the time of its release. The first and foremost was that it was "Christian Theology Fiction" and that type of fiction was taboo and off limits being the good Jewish young man that I was at the time, and still am. While Mom and Dad never censored anything that I read, I don't think they would have been too thrilled with me reading "The Second Son" since it deals with the unexpected arrival of a second Christian messiah. And since I was considered a "militant Jew" by my teachers at Camp Lejeune High School for my steadfast refusal to consider converting to Christianity, it probably wouldn't have been a great idea to actually seen reading "The Second Son." Really wrong assumptions probably would have been made.
So when I stumbled up a much read copy of "The Second Son" on the shelves of the alphabetized fiction section at Chamblin's Bookmine, I snatched it up and for about 10 years it's been sitting in my ever growing pile of unread books. So I decided to finally read it.
I was surprised at how well "The Second Son" has aged. It's a compelling story that at one time was even option by MGM.
Joseph Turner is an everyman who works as an iron worker connector for a New York City construction company. When he manages to save his friend and co-worker Sammy from falling off the building they are working on, Joseph slips and falls from a dizzying height of nearly 24-stories. Miraculously, despite hitting the payment hard, Joseph walks away without a scratch and attracts the attention of local and national media by refusing to grant interviews about what happened. Then by accident, he discovers that he has the power to heal people and is immune to anything that would harm a normal person when he heals a shooting victim and rescues two children from a burning building.
Rejecting those who would proclaim him the second coming, Joseph tries to navigate what is happening to him on his own, but is kidnapped by the Catholic Church. According to the Pope, Joseph's role as the Second Son of G_D is known by the Catholic Church due to a secret prophecy - which the Pope puts to the test by authorizing the shooting of Joseph, which doesn't affect him. But Joseph rejects the title of "Holy Son" and decides to reach out to people around the world with his own message - that everyone has the power to perform their own miracles and make an impact on their lives and everyone else. Joseph's message gives hope, but is not well received by those in power and a new Pope decides that Joseph is actually the Son of Satan and authorizes measures to kill him - only a new covenant is made before the clock finally runs out on the church's prophecy leading to a startling revelation about Joseph's ultimate destiny.
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Second-Son-Cha...
I remember seeing "The Second Son" on the shelf of the new fiction arrival section at Michele's Bookstore in the Brywn Marr Shopping Center in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
Now there were several reasons why I did not buy "The Second Son" at the time of its release. The first and foremost was that it was "Christian Theology Fiction" and that type of fiction was taboo and off limits being the good Jewish young man that I was at the time, and still am. While Mom and Dad never censored anything that I read, I don't think they would have been too thrilled with me reading "The Second Son" since it deals with the unexpected arrival of a second Christian messiah. And since I was considered a "militant Jew" by my teachers at Camp Lejeune High School for my steadfast refusal to consider converting to Christianity, it probably wouldn't have been a great idea to actually seen reading "The Second Son." Really wrong assumptions probably would have been made.
So when I stumbled up a much read copy of "The Second Son" on the shelves of the alphabetized fiction section at Chamblin's Bookmine, I snatched it up and for about 10 years it's been sitting in my ever growing pile of unread books. So I decided to finally read it.
I was surprised at how well "The Second Son" has aged. It's a compelling story that at one time was even option by MGM.
Joseph Turner is an everyman who works as an iron worker connector for a New York City construction company. When he manages to save his friend and co-worker Sammy from falling off the building they are working on, Joseph slips and falls from a dizzying height of nearly 24-stories. Miraculously, despite hitting the payment hard, Joseph walks away without a scratch and attracts the attention of local and national media by refusing to grant interviews about what happened. Then by accident, he discovers that he has the power to heal people and is immune to anything that would harm a normal person when he heals a shooting victim and rescues two children from a burning building.
Rejecting those who would proclaim him the second coming, Joseph tries to navigate what is happening to him on his own, but is kidnapped by the Catholic Church. According to the Pope, Joseph's role as the Second Son of G_D is known by the Catholic Church due to a secret prophecy - which the Pope puts to the test by authorizing the shooting of Joseph, which doesn't affect him. But Joseph rejects the title of "Holy Son" and decides to reach out to people around the world with his own message - that everyone has the power to perform their own miracles and make an impact on their lives and everyone else. Joseph's message gives hope, but is not well received by those in power and a new Pope decides that Joseph is actually the Son of Satan and authorizes measures to kill him - only a new covenant is made before the clock finally runs out on the church's prophecy leading to a startling revelation about Joseph's ultimate destiny.
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Second-Son-Cha...
June 19, 2023
Back To The Moon - The Next Giant Leap For Humankind
Just finished reading "Back To The Moon - The Next Giant Leap For Humankind" by Joseph Silk, published by Princeton University Press.
I'm not exactly sure where Joseph Silk was trying to accomplish with this book. "Back To The Moon" seems to be a mishmash of promoting the notion of building giant radio and observational telescopes on the moon and the insights those types of telescopes could provide into the early years of the universe and to the universe at large. Silk skips over much what the early days of the new age of lunar exploration will look like and how it will impact life on Earth.
Strong on future astronomy, but weak on actual lunar exploration.
Recommended for the insights it provides on lunar astronomy.
Three Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Back-Moon-Next...
I'm not exactly sure where Joseph Silk was trying to accomplish with this book. "Back To The Moon" seems to be a mishmash of promoting the notion of building giant radio and observational telescopes on the moon and the insights those types of telescopes could provide into the early years of the universe and to the universe at large. Silk skips over much what the early days of the new age of lunar exploration will look like and how it will impact life on Earth.
Strong on future astronomy, but weak on actual lunar exploration.
Recommended for the insights it provides on lunar astronomy.
Three Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Back-Moon-Next...
