This is the definitive work on the music of Paul McCartney as a solo artist, following the breakup of the Beatles. It is clear that a massive amount oThis is the definitive work on the music of Paul McCartney as a solo artist, following the breakup of the Beatles. It is clear that a massive amount of research went into this volume, and it reminds me of Mark Lewissohn's magisterial Tune In in the depth of detail. It is clear that they not only searched out everything on the public record, but interviewed many people close to McCartney. The portrait they reveal is that of an artist with definite flaws, but also undeniable genius. Unlike John Lennon, who wanted nothing more than to tell everything that was in his mind, Paul McCartney is a very careful man in interviews who wants to control exactly what is said about him. That is why interviewing him would not be all that useful since the very things you would want to find out he would want to conceal. Lennon, on the other hand, would be very candid, and the next day he would also be very candid and contradict everything. And one of the themes that runs through this volume (and sums it up in the final chapter) is that Paul just could never give up control. You see that in the Get Back video, and it caused the first incarnation of Wings to break up. But there is a lot more as well. As a big McCartney fan, I enjoyed every word of this book, and recommend it highly to any other fans....more
This does exactly what the title says it does: it covers the history of Webcomics from 1993-2005. Now, that is a pretty specialized topic, I will granThis does exactly what the title says it does: it covers the history of Webcomics from 1993-2005. Now, that is a pretty specialized topic, I will grant, but as it happens I like Webcomics and have a group of them I read every day, and I was interested in exploring this history in more detail, and maybe even picking up a few leads on ones I might want to add to my daily reading. Sadly, that didn't work out because all of the ones that piqued my interest had either stopped producing or were already in my list. Ones that have stopped include, for instance, the wonderful User Friendly, which I miss, and Realm of Atland. Some of the ones covered, like Penny Arcade, I tried and decided were not to my interest. But the book still was enjoyable. I would say this is not a compulsive page turner, but a book to read a little from time to time as the mood takes you...more
I first encountered Patrick Wyman from his podcast The Fall of Rome, which I highly recommend. History is a funny thing, there are so many ways to appI first encountered Patrick Wyman from his podcast The Fall of Rome, which I highly recommend. History is a funny thing, there are so many ways to approach a topic. Wyman's take in this podcast was to look at the lives of some ordinary people during the period when the Western Roman Empire was falling. For example, one episode looked at the life a Romanized Goth who was a soldier in the legions, and what life was like for him and his family. When that was completed, he started a new podcast called Tides of History, which I subscribe to. So when he published this book, I wanted to get it, and I am glad I did. This book looks at a 40 year period in European history, 1490-1530, and again he looks at key developments through the lives of individuals, but in this case not anonymous average people but instead the major players, people like Christopher Columbus, Jakob Fugger, and Martin Luther. And this period was when Europe made the changes that took it from a minor backwater on the world stage to a the dominant culture in the space of a few centuries. I loved the book, and recommend it to anyone interested in history....more
The Goldsborough Nero Wolfe books are a little controversial among serious Wolfe fans. I would never claim that they match up to Stout's work, but I hThe Goldsborough Nero Wolfe books are a little controversial among serious Wolfe fans. I would never claim that they match up to Stout's work, but I have derived sufficient pleasure from them to keep reading them. After all, it is the only way to get new Wolfe stories, and I am a big Wolfe fan. This book is a case of Lon Cohen asking a favor of Wolfe, and as Wolfe has asked many favors of Lon in the past he feels bound to help out if he can. The Gazette has an acid-tongued gossip columinst who has made a lot of enemies. But 5 in particular have made threats that are deemed serious. Lon would like Wolfe to look into it, and maybe help to protect the columnist. And when said columnist turns up dead from a gunshot wound, suspicions abound. Yet the police insist that it was a suicide. But the managemnt of The Gazette hires Wolfe to uncover the killer. There is a neat twist at the end which I won't give away. This is not a classic, but it is good enough to while away a few hours if you enjoy Nero Wolfe....more
You don't know what to expect when one writer finishes a work started by another writer, particularly when that other writer is considered one of the You don't know what to expect when one writer finishes a work started by another writer, particularly when that other writer is considered one of the greats in the field. Happily, Spider Robinson is a pretty darned good writer himself, as the Callahan's series demonstrates, and is a big Heinlein fan as well. So I was delighted to find that this book read to me like a Heinlein I had somehow missed reading that came from his prime period. It is rather like a typical YA novel that Heinlein wrote, and indeed that was its intended use, but somehow it got put aside in the form of detailed notes. So the characters and plot are all Heinlein, and like most of his YA novels it is about a young fellow (named Joel Johnston) who nearly finds himself married to the richest heiress in the solar system, but then decides he can't do that and goes on a one-way journey to the stars. And as things happen he gradually grows up and learns a few things. So like all Heinlein YA novels, it is essentially a coming-of-age story. I not only read it with great pleasure, it is a novel I will certainly re-read in the future. This may well be the last new Heinlein I ever come across, given that he died in 1988. But if anyone wants to read something has definite touches of Heinlein, I can also recommend John Scalzi's Old Man's War....more
This is the kind of book that on its own is not a masterpiece, though it is interesting enough. The main character, Nigel Walmsley, is an astronaut whThis is the kind of book that on its own is not a masterpiece, though it is interesting enough. The main character, Nigel Walmsley, is an astronaut who stumbles across an alien derelict and it changes his life. The setting is a future that has some elements of dystopia, but they are mostly offstage and just refered to in passing. Walmsley is Brit who is also employed by NASA and ends up working at the JPL in the middle of the book, then manages to get assigned to a moon base when more alien technology is discovered there. The way he gets involved in all of this stuff is just little unrealistic, but you have to suspend disbelief. The thing about this novel is that it is setting up the rest of the series. After all, the Galactic Center makes no appearance here, but it will show up later. So all in all it is worth your time if you want to read a sereis that is considered a classic in the genre....more
This continuation of the story of The Expanse universe maintains the pace set in the first volume, Leviathan Wakes. It also continues the writing techThis continuation of the story of The Expanse universe maintains the pace set in the first volume, Leviathan Wakes. It also continues the writing technique of switching the viewpoint character with every chapter. This might sound confusing, but it works because the plot involves the interaction of different characters in different places on this wide canvas. Returning characters include Jim Holden and the crew of the Rocinante. And a wonderful new character, Chrisjen Avasarala, makes an appearance here. She is a very smart politician in the U.N. and she manages to play a crucial role in preventing an interplanetary war. Then there is the alien presence represented by the proto-molecule that was the focus of the first book. It is up to something, but just what? A little bit of that mystery is hinted at, but there is much more to come. Now at this point I should admit I have not yet watched the TV series made from this. I prefer to read the source material first. But I have all of the DVDs ready for when I make it to the end of the books. This is a series of novels worth your time. There is not a lot of good SF these days that is set in the solar system, but this has the feeling of reality that makes you think it could actually work out like this....more
In 1980 Heinlein published a novel called The Number of the Beast. It involved parallel universes, The World as Fiction, and dragged in Lazarus Long, In 1980 Heinlein published a novel called The Number of the Beast. It involved parallel universes, The World as Fiction, and dragged in Lazarus Long, as Heinlein seemed to do in most of his later books. While parts of it were fun, it was also confusing and disjointed in my opinion. I will read any Heinlein for the writing alone, so I am a fan (in fact, I was for a time the webmaster for The Heinlein Society), but I can see that some of his stuff is better than others. So when I heard there was an alternate version of this novel, I had to check it out. And The Pursuit of the Pankera keeps the same basic setting and has the same beginning as The Number of the Beast, but I think it is much better. The plot is a lot more cohesive and the novel just flows in way the previous didn't. This is the one I will reread in the future. And as a huge fan of the Lensman universe the part of the book that goes there was quite a treat. For those who don't know, the idea of The World as Fiction is that fictional worlds are real in other universes, so the characters here visit Barsoom, Oz, and the Lensman universe. Tons of fun....more
This series of Sherlock Holmes pastiches is quite good for the fan. It is not quite up to the standards of Conan Doyle, but then, what is? It is stillThis series of Sherlock Holmes pastiches is quite good for the fan. It is not quite up to the standards of Conan Doyle, but then, what is? It is still an enjoyable return visit to 221b Baker Street, and deserves a place on the bookshelf of Sherlockians. I have purchased all of the volumes so far released in electronic form (pdf), since I am getting away from physical stuff as much as possible. Calibre does a reasonable job of taking the pdf and putting it on Kindle in the correct format. MX does these books as Kickstarters, which I am seeing more of for niche books....more
I first encountered Mike Duncan through his amazing History of Rome podcast and fell in love with his style of historical presentation. Whe he releaseI first encountered Mike Duncan through his amazing History of Rome podcast and fell in love with his style of historical presentation. Whe he released his first book, The Storm Before The Storm, which cames out of that podcast, I bought it and was not disappointed. When he finished with The History of Rome he started a new podcast, Revolutions, which covered a series of revolutions from the English Civil War, through the US, Haiti, Gran Columbia, Mexico, France, and up to Russia, the final one (still in progress as I write this.) I think he must have gotten intrigued that one person showed up in three revolutions, the Marquis de Lafayette, and then discovered that not much had been written in English about this fascinating and important figure. This biography follows Lafayette from his childhood through his adventures in America, the French Revolution, and finally the 1830s, up to his death. Duncan does not hide the contradictions involved in a man who was opposed to slavery but also owned slaves that he never quite got around to freeing. I recommend this book, as indeed I recommend anything by Mike Duncan....more
Loading...
