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DAVE K's 50 BOOKS READ IN 2014
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47.
by Jade Gurss (no photo)Finish Date: July 24, 2014
Genre: Sports/Auto Racing
Rating: B+
Review: Beast is the nickname given by driver Emerson Fittipaldi to a very special and very powerful engine that was created specifically for the 1994 Indy 500, and this book is the behind-the-scenes story of how it came to be. Successful team owner and businessman Roger Penske decided to take advantage of a lapse in the rule makers' good judgment and commission an engine that wound up running just one race. The amazing part of the story - well documented and told in a vivid manner - is that the designers and engineers produced this engine in less than 11 months. That is truly an amazing feat.
The early chapters alternate between the 1993-94 story line and background on the principals involved and racing itself. At times, Gurss seems have trouble walking the line between assuming we know some facts and assuming we know nothing about racing. At times he dumbs it down too much for a fan like me, but at other times I would read something that only afterwards I realized was probably confusing to a lot of people. Most of the time, he struck a good balance. And when it came to the internal, technical aspects of engines, I think he did a great job of using analogies and other tricks to make it understandable for the non-mechanically inclined like me.
At the same time I was reading this book, I was also reading a biography of rocket engineer Wehrner Von Braun (my report on that book will probably come in August). But it was fascinating that, while the design process has changed dramatically since WWII with the use of computers, the testing process really didn't change much. Test the rocket or the engine - whichever it may be - until something breaks. Improve the area that failed, and test it again, hoping to go farther or higher or faster until something else breaks. Improve that part and repeat. The basics of testing and improving a design hadn't really changed in 50 years.
I enjoyed the book. Probably it will attract mostly auto racing fans, but I think it's an interesting enough story that others will enjoy it too.
by Michael J. Neufeld (no photo)
48.
by
H.G. WellsFinish Date: July 30, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: A-
Review: As part of my efforts to catch up on classics I should have read long ago, I picked up a copy of this H. G. Wells volume, first published in 1896. As always, I had some challenges with some of the archaic (for us, now) word usages and writing style. Still, it held my attention better than some others I've read from that same era.
This is not a book that was just quickly thrown together to make a buck. It's full of imagery and symbolism - much of which went right past me until I read an essay by Margaret Atwood that was included in this edition. Many books before and after Wells have built on the theme of man playing god, but it's interesting to see how it was treated around the turn of the 20th century, when science and technology were getting serious about promising new wonders and solutions to all our problems.
Margaret Atwood
AUGUST49.
by
Jay BarbreeFinish Date: August 1, 2014
Genre: Biography
Rating: B
Review: Like so many, I can recall exactly where I was when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the moon's surface. (And let's not forget Michael Collins, circling above, keeping their ride home safe and ready to swoop down and rescue them should their craft fail to achieve its planned altitude after liftoff from the moon. His potential role is just one of the things that I learned in this book.) Dating myself, I was at a Boy Scout camp, watching on a black & white portable TV screen that one of the counselors brought along. We were outside, being eaten alive by bugs that were attracted to the light of the small screen, and I kept looking from the screen to the moon above. As a long-time science fiction geek, this moment was magic.
This book brings back some of that magic. Jay Barbree, who covered NASA's space program for NBC from it's beginning is as big a fan as I was, and captures that excitement in his words. As a biography, though, I had to give it a B, because he's not only a fan, but became a friend of Armstrong's - and he doesn't hesitate to reveal that. It's often more hagiography than biography at times. Still, based on interviews with many of the principal actors on this stage, it just may be that Armstrong was every bit as good, and well, a boy scout, as he appears in this book. I recently moved to Cincinnati where Armstrong lived and taught for many years, and I've met others who knew him - and they all echo some of the same praise for him.
Still, I think Barbree goes a little over the top in both his gushing, and inserting himself into the story at times. Nevertheless, It's still a great read. As the subtitle says, it's a life in flight. we don't learn much about his childhood. It picks up with his days as a pilot in the Korean War.
One last thing. All the time I was reading this book, I kept hearing a song in my head from one of my favorite singer-songwriters, John Stewart, who was a part of the Kingston Trio before launching his solo career, building a cult following. It's called "Armstrong," and was written shortly after the moon landing on July 20, 1969. I'm glad I was part of the "whole world who stopped to watch it."
Here's the only online version I could find by Stewart. It's a little distorted, but a great song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1zde...
50.
by
Larry McMurtryFinish Date: August 3, 2014
Genre: Western Fiction
Rating: B
Review: If you enjoy light-hearted westerns with a cast of classic characters, you'll enjoy this book. We glimpse many historical characters in this book, including the Earp brothers, Doc Holliday, Quanah Parker, Charles Goodnight and others. But don't read it as history. Before he even begins the book, McMurtry quotes director John Ford as saying that if you have to choose between history and legend, print the legend. And he does - most of the time. I won't spoil anything. I'll just say that the gunfight at the OK Corral in this book isn't quite the way legend tells it, but may be closer to the truth. Who knows anymore?
The book is a little disjointed at times, and it's sometimes difficult to discern a plot line, but it's still fun. Enjoy.
51.
by
Stephen L. CarterFinish Date: August 9, 2014
Genre: Alternate History
Rating: C
Review: This book takes us through a fascinating "What if" scenario based on Lincoln surviving an assassination attempt by John Wilkes Booth in Ford's Theatre, April 1865. The Radical Republicans - extremists in his own party - begin impeachment proceedings two years later on four counts - two factual that occurred during the Civil War and two fictional that took place over the next two years as he tried to bring the nation back together.
The story focuses on a young black woman, educated at Oberlin College in Ohio studying now to become a lawyer, who is working as a clerk in the firm that will defend the President. The story becomes a classic mystery complete with Perry-Mason-style courtroom scenes. There is a conspiracy against the President - or are there two? One side seems willing to stop at nothing - even murder.
Overall, Carter's use of historical facts is excellent. Lincoln's actual successor, Andrew Johnson, of course, was impeached for some of the same reasons as used against Lincoln in this alternate history, and Carter uses many speeches and quotes from that trial to bring this fictional one to life.
But the book seems to drag on longer than it needed to - especially after what seemed to be the climactic scenes. It could have wrapped up more quickly. And I think his ending was a bit too neat - maybe even trite. That may not be the best word for it, but it's the way it struck me at the moment I finished it.
Finally - my other reason for giving the book a lower score is that for alternate fiction to work, it needs a reasonable jumping off point from history. There are so many ways to have legitimately brought Lincoln through the assassination attempt alive, but Carter didn't even try. Lincoln simply began to waken the next day, and slowly recovered. Sorry. That doesn't cut it.
Dave......I thought that might be a good book but I think, based on your review, I won't be moving it up on my TBR list.
Good plan, Jill. I wouldn't remove it completely from your list. It does have merit. But I wouldn't rush into it either. There are too many really good books waiting for you, right? So many books and so little time...
52.
by
Ben BovaFinish Date: August 11, 2014Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: B-
Review: This is just one of those light bits of fluff that I enjoy while I'm reading something heavier. It's not art, but it's fun. It's part of a series that Bova created in which our hero, Orion, is placed in Macedonia during Philip II's reign, and as Philip's son Alexander (eventually known as "the Great") is learning his military lessons.
Orion is not exactly human. He was created by the cleverly named Creators to serve them as needed, usually as a warrior. The Creators, while based in the distant future, are recognized by humans in this era as their gods - Apollo, Hera, Athena and the rest of the gang.
The Creators see this point as a critical nexus in time, and need to be sure that things go the way the want. It's up to Orion to help ensure this - but by this time, he isn't exactly fond of the Creators and has his own plans.
I read the first Orion book when I was in high school and really enjoyed it. I don't get the same pleasure now as I did then, but it's still a fun diversion. And Bova does make a decent effort to get the history right - with some of his own interpretations.
Oh, and what the heck is that cover art about? In no scene in this book is Orion dressed in modern clothes, or carries a weapon more advanced than a sword.
53.
by Michael J. Neufeld (no photo)Finish Date: August 12, 2014
Genre: Biography
Rating: A-
Review: This was a fascinating look at rocket engineer Wehrner Von Braun's life. If you're on the younger side, you may not know the name. But if you're a boomer who followed the space race at all, he was likely the only non-astronaut that you were familiar with. In the late 1950s and early '60s, he was the PR face of NASA while he led a group of German scientists and engineers increating the rockets that would eventually propel the Apollo missions to the moon.
Neufeld is the Chair of the Space History division at the Smithsonian, so I'm inclined to believe he has the right sources and knows how to use them. He doesn't shy away from Von Braun's Nazi Germany background as the engineer behind the V-2 rockets that bombed England in the late years of WWII. More importantly, Neufeld points to the likelihood that Von Braun was aware of and took advantage of slave labor in concentration camps to build his rockets. The evidence is sketchy, and it's hard to say what Von Braun could have done about the situation, so Neufeld stops before leveling serious accusations. He makes what facts are known available to us in as neutral a manner as possible.
I have to admit, though, that as I read this book, a clever little song kept running through my head - one that my older sister introduced me to in the mid 1960s by a Harvard math professor turned part-time satirical songwriter, Tom Lehrer. I've attached a link here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjDEs...
54.
by
Frank HerbertFinish Date: August 19, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: B+
Review: this was a re-read for me because a local club I'm in decided to read it. I was curious to see how it held up so many years later. All in all, pretty darn well. Herbert's world creation is excellent - both in terms of the literal world of Dune, but also in terms of the various cultures depicted. Probably the only real weakness is that many of his characters are quite one-dimensional, which is odd since others are quite complex.
55.
by
Nick HarkawayFinish Date: August 25, 2014
Genre: Biography
Rating: A-
Review: An interesting novel, all in all, set in an odd but all too plausible corner of the modern world. Sergeant Lester Ferris is a British sergeant, a veteran of Afghanistan, Iraq and other hot spots. He's serving out a few months before retirement as a brevet-consul on a tiny island with serious environmental problems caused by a chemical plant. So serious that the nations of the world have decided to literally blow it up to prevent toxic disasters from being released into the rest of the world. That gives you some idea of the levels of intelligence the author ascribes to the powers that be.
As many depart the island, Ferris befriends a 12-year-old boy who is obsessed with comic book heroes. Paternal feelings develop even as the island really heats up, and the two wind up creating a super hero - Tigerman - to battle the forces of evil. It sounds fun, and sometimes it is, but it has a very serious tone overall and sometimes gets a bit grim.
56.
by
Brian Herbert and Anderson Kevin J 1962- (no photo)Finish Date: August 31, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: C+
Review: If you've read any of my reviews of other books by these authors, you know how critical I am of their EXTREMELY one-dimensional characters. Yet their premises are interesting enough that I keep reading their stuff. I guess their books are some of my guilty pleasures of reading. Still, they don't deserve high ratings. Ah well. One of those little contradictions in life.
This is the conclusion of a trilogy in which an evil empire is trying to defeat the oh-so-pure and good rebels. At the same time, life for the rebels is complicated by a race of aliens with strong powers that has been awakened on their planet. There's a twist here that isn't totally unexpected, but is still ALMOST nicely done.
SEPTEMBER57.
by
John IrvingFinish Date: September 3, 2014
Genre: Fiction
Rating: C-
Review: This is the first book I've read by John Irving, and I expected so much more. His reputation is such that I'll give him another try, but this seemed awfully amateurish (albeit with occasional moments of golden prose) and I wonder whether he's reached the stature that he can overrule any editor's suggestions. If so, bad move, John.
The story follows a TV journalist for a sensationalist TV News network who loses his hand to a lion while the camera is rolling. He has an opportunity to undergo the first successful hand transplant. we get to know him, the surgeon and the widow of the transplant donor. Sort of. Sometimes it's impossible to understand the motives of key characters. That's just one of the flaws. The plot at times gets ridiculous and often seems to wander off on its own with the author unable to reel it in. Where's that editor?
58.
by
Terry PratchettFinish Date: September 5, 2014
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: A
Review: Ahh, the refreshing humor of Terry Pratchett and Discworld. Each book employs satire, parody, puns and his dry British wit - along with magic - both in the story and in his writing. In this book, he pokes a bit of fun at the early communist revolution in China. There's nothing funny about the real thing, but Pratchett skewers it nicely. And if you've read some of the Discworld books and enjoy the wizzard (sic) Rincewind and his luggage, pick this book up for another dose. Enjoy.
59.
by
David MitchellFinish Date: September 12, 2014
Genre: Fiction
Rating: A
Review: Not sure how to categorize this book. It tells the story of 9 people, and each story could stand on its own, but all are linked. Sometimes it's a very direct link, sometimes tangential, but they all tie together. In reading the cover synopsis, I was not wildly enthusiastic about this book, but the author came highly recommended, and this is his first book, so I dove in. I thoroughly enjoyed the book for the stories and for Mitchell's often subtle connections from one story to another. The stories are all told in the first person and I was especially impressed with the uniqueness of each voice. I read far too many authors whose protagonists are often just extensions of their own personality. In this book, Mitchell succeeds at giving each character - from a transmigrating spirit in Mongolia to an old village woman in Mao's China to an Irish quantum physicist - his or her own voice.
60.
by
Jim C. HinesFinish Date: September 15, 2014
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: B
Review: It's not art, but it's fun. That's a phrase I've often used to describe books and movies, and it certainly applies to this book. Jim Hines describes one possible tale of what happens after Cinderella and her prince make plans to live happily ever after. It's not what they plan on. Cinderella's stepsisters aren't through with her yet. They kidnap Prince Armand, and Cinderella, with the help of a very non-traditional Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, set out like medieval and magical Charlie's Angels to rescue him. There is much more going on behind the stepsisters' plot. Sometimes I felt like we needed a fuller explanation, but most of the time, you just roll with the action.
61.
by William Schafer (no Photo) and
Gardner R. Dozois EditorsFinish Date: September 20, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction Short Stories
Rating: A
Review: Science fiction authors old and new contribute stories set in the many worlds created by Robert Silverberg. This tribute collection was thoroughly enjoyable, even though I wasn't familiar with every world. I'll be digging through my library's files to see whether they have some of his older books that I somehow missed.
62.
by
Walter MosleyFinish Date: September 30, 2014
Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction
Rating: B+
Review: This book contains two novellas - the first more of a fantasy story, the second science fiction. If you've mostly read Mosley's mysteries (which are enjoyable too), consider broadening your interests. His writing is wonderful. I never get tired of it, and I'll always be envious of his gift. I usually love his plots too, but these two didn't feel as strong as some of his other books I've read.
I enjoyed the first book more than the second. In The Gift of Fire, Prometheus manages to escape the punishment of the gods for giving humans fire. After his escape, he wanders into modern-day Los Angeles with plans to give us a second gift of fire - greater enlightenment. Not everyone is ready for that gift, however, and we learn of the travails of his disciples.
On the Head of a Pin is an interesting story of scientists working with a new digital technology that suddenly goes far beyond what they expected. It reminded me of the style of stories from an earlier age of science fiction - say the 1940s or 1950s. I have a hard time with that style. The science is often a bit vague and sometimes it's more mystical. At times, that's the way this story felt to me.
OCTOBER
63.
by
Stieg LarssonFinish Date: October 4, 2014
Genre: Adventure/Suspense Fiction
Rating: A
Review: I'm not sure why I waited so long to read the third book in this series. Maybe because I wanted to go to sleep at a decent time rather than stay up all night reading. This book picks up immediately after the second book finishes, and the suspense kicks right in and never lets up.
by
Stieg Larsson64.
by
Geoffrey C. WardFinish Date: October 5, 2014
Genre: American History
Rating: A
Review: I have always enjoyed the companion books to Ken Burns' PBS documentaries, and this was no exception. They allow me to linger over the people and events a little longer, and usually add more background information. this one may have had less additional information, in part because the series itself was so massive - 14 hours. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I used to read Ward's columns in American Heritage magazine and always enjoyed his attention to detail, research, and his way of bringing history to life without going too far.
65.
by
Robert SilverbergFinish Date: October 7, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: A-
Review: As I mentioned in an earlier review of a book in tribute to Robert Silverberg, I realized that it was time to catch up on some of his earlier works that I had missed. This is the first in that effort. Written in the late 60s, I was pleased to see that, for the most part, it holds up very well. The language isn't archaic, there's only one reference to women that might not be quite as politically correct now, and - the most important part - it's a good story.
In the near future (actually about now), a time machine has been developed. By this time, the US government isn't quite the democracy we know and love, and political activists are sent into the far distant past where they can do no harm (long before dinosaurs or any land creatures, so they can't step on an insect and change the future - a classic SF story line since Ray Bradbury's early writings).
Anyway, it's an interesting study of how people deal with being cut off from all they've known. And then things change. A mysterious person arrives in this prehistoric prison who doesn't answer many questions and has some of the current residents thinking the worst.
by William Schafer (no photo)
Ray Bradbury
Great, Dave, I should add this to my TBR pile. I enjoy SF.
66.
by
S.M. StirlingFinish Date: October 12, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Rating: C
Review: I'm going to start out by saying I've loved this series - the "Novels of the Change." In 1998, something weird and mysterious happens. Electrical power doesn't work. Gunpowder doesn't work. Gasoline doesn't burn. The world is plunged into medieval times, but with modern knowledge. I've been fascinated by how the survivors at first converted products of our technology to their needs (converting automotive and truck leaf springs into swords, for example). And the different personalities of the various communities and cultures as they evolved were fascinating to watch. And there's usually plenty of action.
Until this book. We learn a few new things here, meet a new generation of characters, and make a new connection that is crucial to the ongoing story. But in this book, Stirling gets so bogged down in describing the landscape and refreshing us on the society that not too much really happens. I believe that this could easily have been folded into the next volume of the series. Maybe there's a better reason that I can't see yet, but I sure hope it's not the publisher getting greedy and pressuring the author to stretch it out.
67.
by Robin Wildman (no photo)Finish Date: October 18, 2014
Genre: Comic Books
Rating: B
Review: I admit it. I was a huge fan of The Man of Steel in the 1960s. I was willing to part with 12 cents of my hard-earned paper route money over and over again to read his latest adventures. And then there was Superboy, Action comics, World's Finest comics (usually a teaming of Superman and Batman), The Justice League of America and more. Those 12 cent contributions added up. Had I invested them in Xerox stock instead, I'd be a millionaire today. But I would have missed the joy of comics. This book brings back some of those memories, as well as giving me a better view of what came before and what followed.
I have always known the story of the two kids from Cleveland who created Superman, but I had never read the original comic itself. That original story is reproduced here, along with key editions over Superman's 75 year history. I knew the quality improved in recent years, but I was stunned by the artwork, and even by the more sophisticated story lines. Kids might still enjoy them, but the current comics and graphic novels aren't aimed at 10-year -old paperboys anymore.
If you're looking for more of a history of the writers and industry, this isn't it. there are just a few pages that give a little background. This is purely reproductions of the comics themselves - fun at times, hokey at others, and often quite grim in the later issues - but still entertaining for this former comic book geek.
68.
by Larry Schweikart (no photo)Finish Date: October 19, 2014
Genre: Politics/History
Rating: C-
Review: So, here I was one night, looking for an audio book to download for an upcoming trip. I wanted one that might have a series of short essays because one of my passengers would not be returning, and I didn't want to leave her hanging, desperate to hear the conclusion. I came across this one. The title sounded interesting. I knew nothing of the author, but figured I'd give it a try.
Well, it deals with history, but from a decidedly right wing viewpoint - which is fine. I just wasn't ready for it. I was expecting more even-handed history. I know that historians can't completely hide their biases. I've read biographies where the author seemed to imply that the subject could do no wrong. But the language in this was over the top. And in several cases, I'm quite certain that Schweikart needed a fact checker.
Still - it was an interesting concept and I enjoyed much of the history part of the book. Schweikart wasn't looking at one-day events like battles that changed the course of history. It was more of a philosophical change that he was looking at. Some examples: 1) Relief efforts for natural disasters in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that were much more effective than anything FEMA has done in the late 20th century. 2) Ike's heart attack that somehow led to the government telling us what to eat and how to live. 3) Reagan's decision to send troops to Lebanon with no clear mission (I was shocked! He actually laid a little blame on the gipper - but it was mild compared to what he reserved for later presidents of the Democrat persuasion), which led to our current messes in the Middle East.
It was interesting at times. I don't want to read just authors and pundits I agree with. But as a professor of history, he could have made his points in a more reasoned, less extreme tone.
Mike wrote: "Bryan wrote: "Have you read this one? I have it on my TBR pile:Thanks Mike and Bryan. Haven't caught that one yet. I did come across another Superman history last year that gets into some of the battles between Shuster Siegel and DC Comics but it's more of a general overview of the history of Superman in all the different media - including a forgettable Broadway musical. Fortunately the Christopher Reeve movies came along shortly after the musical to wipe the memory of that Broadway flop from our minds. The second book down below is a companion book to a PBS series on Superheroes in general. It's very broad in its coverage of the various publishers and heroes but not very deep. Still enjoyable though.
by Larry Tye (no photo)
by Laurence Maslon (no photo)
69.
by
Mary ShelleyFinish Date: October 25, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction, Classic Fiction
Rating: B+
Review: A local speculative fiction club that I belong to adds one classic book to the list each year. This year, it was Frankenstein. The book probably deserves a higher grade, and probably got one in its own time. It's just hard to read, especially the dialogue. Did they really talk on and on like that?
I have to say, though, not bad for a teenage author. It lacks detail about how the monster was created - something you wouldn't see in today's sub-genre of hard science fiction. It's interesting, though, that when I've read some of the classic science fiction from the 1920s and 1930s, the same is often true. So things didn't change much in a hundred years or so.
More important, I don't think we really understand how Victor Frankenstein could just walk away from his creation with no apparent second thoughts - until bad things start to happen.
If you only know the Frankenstein story from the movies, it's worth checking out the original, if only to see how things have changed over the years.
70.
by
George R.R. MartinFinish Date: October 26, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction/Alternate History
Rating: A
Review: This is the first in a series of 20 or so books that feature short stories set in a world after WWII when things changed rather dramatically. An alien virus was released over Manhattan in 1946. Some people were killed instantly. Some became twisted in mind, body or both. These came to be known as the Jokers. Those who came to be known as Aces gained powers that could be used for good or evil - and sometimes a little of both.
I really enjoyed this first book that traces the history of those affected by the Wild Card virus from 1946 to the mid 1980s, when this book was first published. There's a lot of sadness here - especially when the House Un-American Activities Committee goes after not just communists, but Jokers and Aces too. But there really isn't a weak story in the bunch. George R.R. Martin edits this first book. I'm curious to see what other editors pull together in the rest of the volumes.
NOVEMBER71.
by
Walter IsaacsonFinish Date: November 15, 2014
Genre: History
Rating: A
Review: This is a well organized and fascinating look at the people who pioneered the hardware and software that made modern computing and digital networking possible. From Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace in the 19th century, to some amazing advances as early as the 1930s, to the online communities we take for granted every time we post a review here on Goodreads, the human stories are as interesting as the tech they were working on.
One of Isaacson's themes is the importance of collaboration and teamwork rather than the sole genius. We see that theme again and again in this book.
It was also interesting to see how many of the computer geeks came from the Midwest. With just a few exceptions, they were from places like Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois. If Stanford University hadn't been so friendly to young entrepreneurs, maybe some of them would have stayed in their home states and kept the rust belt economy from being quite so rusty. But the Stanford attitude compared to the attitude of other major universities is another part of what made the digital marketplace possible, and that another element of fascination to the story.
There's history and science in this book spanning generations, each generation building on the work of the previous one. And in spite of all the jokes, Al Gore really did have a role to play in helping to make the internet possible - championing legislation that made collaboration and research more realistic.
You'll know some of these stories already. You'll perhaps learn the truth behind the stories you thought you knew, and you'll probably meet some new people you hadn't heard of before. The book is a great blend of science, history and storytelling.
Mod
72.
by
Michael ConnellyFinish Date: November 7, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: A
Review: I really enjoy Michael Connelly's fiction and this book is no exception. He still manages to keep you guessing, and you still pull for poor old detective Harry Bosch, even as you cringe at his inability to play the political games within the LAPD, or when he seems to go out of his way to alienate everyone around him.
In this book, Harry has been back from retirement for a while now, working on unsolved cases. One of his old unsolved cases from years before gains new life and the roller coaster ride begins.
73.
by
Octavia E. ButlerFinish Date: November 16, 2014
Genre: Fiction
Rating: A
Review: This is an amazing book. Butler usually writes science fiction, and while this involves some sort of time travel, it really isn't science fiction. Dana, a black woman from the late 1970s (when the book was written) is somehow thrown into the past - Maryland in the early 1800s. Of course, Maryland is a slave state at that time, and she has to learn a new way to behave while she's there. She's like a yoyo, returning to her own time, and repeatedly being called to the past to save the life of a slave-owning ancestor. The book is very well written. You really get to know the characters, and feel what they're feeling. There are one or two minor plot points that I questioned, otherwise I would have graded it A+. It's still a great book.
74.
by
Steven PinkerFinish Date: November 17, 2014
Genre: Reference, How to Write
Rating: A-
Review: I enjoy writing, and aspire to write more than advertising. So I often check out books like this in an effort to improve my writing. This is sort of a more modern version of the classic Strunk and White Elements of Style. It's all about writing more correctly - proper grammar and all that sort of thing. I agree with much of his willingness to loosen the old rules a bit. Many of the rules were handed down from rules in another language, and they just don't apply well to English. Yet for centuries, Americans tried to force these rules to apply. His reasoning for changing the rules is very precise and logical - sometimes a bit complicated - so even when I disagreed with the change, I could certainly see his point. (I still think something is unique or not. I disagree that it can be somewhat or very unique. But so it goes.) It's a very good book for someone who wants to improve the clarity of their writing. I read a library copy, but this is a reference I may have to add to my collection.
by
William Strunk Jr.
75.
by
Dick CavettFinish Date: November 19, 2014
Genre: Essays
Rating: A
Review: Dick Cavett has still got it. This is a collection of columns he wrote for the New York Times, roughly from 2009 to 2012. He is an intelligent writer and I appreciate his often dry, sometimes in-your-face, humor. I especially enjoyed some of the stories of his on-air interviews with politicians and celebrities, as well as other acquaintances he made. If you love old movies, you'll really appreciate his story of meeting Stan Laurel.
76.
by
Anthony DoerrFinish Date: November 26, 2014
Genre: Fiction
Rating: A+
Review: I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but it turned out to be hard to put down. It looks at two young European people from 1938 to 1945 (with a little epilog that takes us closer to today). One is French (a blind girl) and one is German (a boy with a talent for fixing radios), but their stories intertwine beautifully.
77.
by
Bill MaherFinish Date: November 29, 2014
Genre: Humor
Rating: A
Review: I needed an audiobook for a drive over the holiday weekend. This one popped up and I thought, why not? It will probably keep me awake more easily than Moby Dick (sorry, Herman Melville). I was right. It was entertaining and I didn't fall asleep at the wheel. Some of the comments/essays were very short - just a sentence or two. And some were stretching the humor a bit to make a political point. Still, I enjoyed the drive much more than I otherwise would have.
by
Herman Melville
You have been doing some great reading, Dave. Thanks for the reviews. I am particularly interested in All the Light We Cannot See, which you gave an A+. It is on my Kindle right now. It sounds wonderful.
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Anthony Doerr
Ann wrote: "You have been doing some great reading, Dave. Thanks for the reviews. I am particularly interested in All the Light We Cannot See, which you gave an A+. It is on my Kindle right now..."It has some very dark moments. Growing up as a young boy in Hitler's Germany apparently wasn't for sissies, to paraphrase a current bumper sticker. But the book is wonderfully written and the story is fascinating. Enjoy.
78.
by
Patrick RothfussFinish Date: November 30, 2014
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: B-
Review: I'm torn. I'd like to give this book a higher grade. It's beautifully written, so maybe I should. Rothfuss warns in foreword and afterword that not everyone is going to like this book because it doesn't offer much of what we've come to expect from novels. Like...umm...a plot. But it's so well written. Ah well. I guess I'm more of a traditionalist than I like to think.
The book is seven days in the life of Auri, a character in his fantasy series The Kingkiller Chronicles. She's a mysterious character, and after this book, we know her a little better, but not very well. We still know nothing of her history. That, as much as anything, is a reason for my disappointment. Still - it's beautifully written...
DECEMBER
79.
by
Phil KlayFinish Date: December 3, 2014
Genre: Short Stories
Rating: A
Review: Impactful. Moving. Challenging. These are just a few of the words that came to me when I finished this book and thought about how to describe it. This book is a collection of short stories focused on individuals - mostly marines - and their experiences while deployed in Iraq. Study up on your military acronyms. You'll see a lot of them. One story is intentionally loaded with one after another. There's also some humor in the story "Money As a Weapons System." But mostly they're pretty intense and emotional - often leaving you hanging at an abrupt but appropriate ending. This isn't light reading, but Klay does a great job of telling some difficult stories.
80.
by
Steven JohnsonFinish Date: December 5, 2014
Genre: History/Science
Rating: A
Review: This is my favorite kind of book, blending two of my favorite topics, history and science. And it was translated into a PBS series. Does it get any better than that? In some ways, this reminds me a little bit of another series of books that were companions to a PBS series - Connections by James Burke. Both take a starting point - a particular technology or a need that technology would answer - and follow developments that sprang from that technology to a modern development. In Johnson's case, though, he often goes farther outside the box than even Burke did. He sees consequences of an invention or technological achievement and explores how it led to changes in our lives in unexpected, often non-tech related ways.
by
James Burke81.
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Emily St. John MandelFinish Date: December 9, 2014
Genre: Fiction
Rating: A
Review: This is my year of trying to read some of the nominees and award winners of big-time book awards. I've been rewarded by some pretty amazing reads. This is one of them. It's another of those post-apocalyptic stories as the survivors of a pandemic try to soldier on and maintain some level of civilization. The author deftly moves us back and forth in time from the start of the Georgian Flu to the world of a traveling music and theatre troupe 20 years later, and a few people and places in between that help us see the world as it evolves. We meet one of the characters early on as an eight-year-old aspiring actress, and we meet her again performing Shakespeare in that traveling company. The interconnections are fascinating as they unfold. Some predictable, but never in a disappointing way.
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Bentley wrote: "My goodness Dave you are a reading machine. The books you have just read look fascinating."Thanks. I'm trying to broaden my horizons and read some books I wouldn't normally have done. But I may have to cut back a little on books because my magazines are going unread. Sigh. So much to read.....
82.
by Bill Nye (no photo)Finish Date: December 10, 2014
Genre: Science
Rating: B
Review: This is another audiobook I listened to because I've been doing a lot of driving lately. It was read by the author. The book was written after his debate early in 2014 with Ken Ham, the founder of the Creation Museum and an organization called Answers in Genesis. It essentially fleshes out his arguments and expands them in different directions, including how scientists have applied lessons they've learned from studying evolution. For me, much of the book is preaching to the choir since I'm a firm believer in evolution and an earth more than four billion years old. Still, it was interesting to hear some of the evidence that I wasn't as familiar with, explained in a very clear way.
I was surprised by one section of the book - his opposition to genetically modified grains and other food. Most of the opposition to GMOs that I've heard centers on the dangers that we may be building in the food itself. He was more concerned about what these new creations might do to the environment surrounding their fields. I guess I was surprised that a guy like him who is so gung ho about science and scientists felt the need to put the brakes on in this area. His arguments were compelling, and have me curious to learn more.
A very good book, but perhaps a little too exuberant at times. (And I'm amazed that Goodreads doesn't have a photo of Bill Nye the Science Guy?!)
Ken Ham83.
by
Terry PratchettFinish Date: December 13, 2014
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: A
Review: Another refreshing visit to Pratchett's Discworld. These books are sometimes satire, sometimes parody, always amusing. In fact, I was reading part of the book in a room with others, and couldn't stop myself from chuckling out loud. A friend commented that she wanted to read a book that was as much fun as mine.
Maskerade is a parody of Phantom of the Opera, and it's got everything from the mask to the chandelier. What it lacks is any reverence for the operatic form. It's a thoroughly enjoyable read.
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84.
by Sara Paretsky (no photo)Finish Date: December 14, 2014
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B
Review: This was another audiobook that I enjoyed while doing a bit of driving. Jean Smart has a wonderful voice for this character. This is a collection of three longish short stories (not quite novellas) that were interesting but not drastically unpredictable. Fun and diverting.
85.
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Tom HollandFinish Date: December 15, 2014
Genre: History
Rating: B
Review: I read this book as part of the HBC group read that wrapped up last month. I've read a fair amount of Roman history, but mostly about the empire, not much about what brought on the fall of the republic. I enjoyed this book, but I think the author tried to take on too much material for the size of the book. I often felt he was glossing over some of the events or individuals - possibly assuming we already knew the gist of the story, or just to save time. Still, it was a decent introduction to the times, and provided enough information to send me off looking for more details.
86.
by Laura Swan (no photo)Finish Date: December 18, 2014
Genre: History
Rating: C
Review: I read a synopsis of this book in the "New Arrivals" section of my library's website, and it sounded interesting. It tells of a religious movement for women in the Middle Ages that was independent of the church. Heck, I didn't think there was much that happened in Europe in the Middle Ages that was independent of the Church. These were women who tended to the sick and the poor, and actually had the audacity to preach as if they were men. They also often owned land that the church coveted and tried in several cases to make its own. Amazingly enough, some of these groups lasted into the 20th century. And somehow I never heard of them. So the history was fascinating, but the telling of it was a bit dry and biased.
83.
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Dan Gediman and Jay Allison (no photo)Finish Date: December 21, 2014
Genre: Essays
Rating: A-
Review: This was my final audiobook of the holiday travel season, and I'm really glad that I listened to it rather than just reading it. In the 1950s, Edward R Murrow and CBS radio carried a program called This I Believe which featured 3 to 5 minute essays from individuals' core beliefs. Initially it featured the famous and powerful, but later included everyday people. Recently, NPR followed this same formula to create new essays. this book is a compilation of essays from both eras, read by the writer. So we not only hear Helen Keller's words, but her voice - along with many others. Sure, some are trite, but many are fascinating and surprising.
83.
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Stephen KingFinish Date: December 13, 2014Genre: Fantasy
Rating: A
Review: I'm not sure why I hate to admit it, but I do. Once I start a book by Stephen King, I usually have a hard time putting it down. Not all have been so addictive, but this one was. It's a story told by Jamie Morton, who we meet as a young boy in (surprise!) Maine. At this time, we meet the minister who will enter and change Jamie's life several times. As usual with Stephen King, his characters learn that everything has a price, and it's quite a steep price in this book.
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The History Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
Revival (other topics)This I Believe 2 (other topics)
Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic (other topics)
Windy City Blues (other topics)
The Wisdom of the Beguines: The Forgotten Story of a Medieval Women’s Movement (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Sara Paretsky (other topics)Stephen King (other topics)
Laura Swan (other topics)
Dan Gediman (other topics)
Tom Holland (other topics)
More...
Finish Date: July 19, 2014
Genre: Science
Rating: B-
Review: This is actually a very interesting book, and I'm only giving it a B- for me personally. Quite honestly, some of the essays were just a bit over my head, either mathematically or philosophically. Still, I would rate many of the individual essays as A or A+.
John Brockman runs a website called edge.org, which is loaded with thought-provoking writings by some pretty impressive minds in a wide range of disciplines. Once a year, he invites these minds to answer a question, and he combines their answers into a book. This year's question was, "What Should We Be Worried About?" Brockman groups the questions into general categories, depending on the nature of the response. There are essays on everything from climate change, water resources, war, economic concerns, the coming decline of population rates, the state of publishing results in the science world, the exploding number of newly and illegally created psychoactive drugs, unmitigated arrogance, popular culture interfering with science, worries about worrying and many more topics.
Overall fascinating, if a bit overwhelming.