I have always wanted to meet Mark Twain, but now I am not so sure鈥hat if he didn鈥檛 like me? He didn鈥檛 think much of Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of CI have always wanted to meet Mark Twain, but now I am not so sure鈥hat if he didn鈥檛 like me? He didn鈥檛 think much of Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science and he so thoroughly roasts her I can still smell the char 110 ten years after its first printing. Just the deadly criticism of her grammar should have driven Eddy to a self-induced banishment, but given her character Eddy shield of infallibility no doubt effectively shielded her from an criticism.
Twain spends less time discussing the tenants of Christian Science, rather focusing more on Eddy鈥檚 elevation to the level of deity, crowning herself with more autocratic power than the Pope and an insistence of infallibility of her decisions both in theology and secular matters.
As always Twain鈥檚 humor goes from droll, to hilarious, to biting. Great book. ...more
I can鈥檛 even fix the valve on my toilet, and this book is an instruction manual on how to build a brain. Well, screw the toilet, I can poop in the yarI can鈥檛 even fix the valve on my toilet, and this book is an instruction manual on how to build a brain. Well, screw the toilet, I can poop in the yard 鈥� I need to spend my weekends building an electronic brain. And best of all, per Kurzweil, if I work hard enough utilizing my feeble organically based brain, I will be able to eventually build an artificial brain I could actually download my existing brain into a digital format. Yep, the whole kit and caboodle can be loaded onto a thumb drive and when by body has gone caput all my memories can be placed in storage. Then when a spare body comes around you can just upload me into that form. Voila, immortality. Sign me up. ...more
Couples is about various married people clandestinely swapping partners. Updike has always been sex obsessed. Well I guess we all are, but this is jusCouples is about various married people clandestinely swapping partners. Updike has always been sex obsessed. Well I guess we all are, but this is just a dirty book. Don鈥檛 get me wrong, I have read a number of books written by 鈥淎nonymous,鈥� which also had convenient and educational photos (at least to an 11-year-old) contained therein. But this book is dirty in that the fornicators are not good but flawed people; they are from my perspective, amoral.
There is a huge difference between people who cheat who are in bad marriages and what occurs in this book. As I can tell the marriages are fine, though not perfect, however these self-indulgent people cavalierly copulate about the neighborhood.
This is not The Scarlett Letter 鈥� a book about adultery in which a good woman cheats on a cold man and eventually uses her 鈥渟in鈥� to become an even better person 鈥� this is just unsympathetic characters huddled in dark corners鈥�.so since I did not care if all the characters dropped dead, I am not recommending this book. ...more
A Gentle Madness is a book about bibliophiles. This is the approximate equivalent of sluts talking about nymphomaniacs.
For anyone who loves books A GA Gentle Madness is a book about bibliophiles. This is the approximate equivalent of sluts talking about nymphomaniacs.
For anyone who loves books A Gentle Madness is horrible torture. Much of the book (though not all) provides profiles of people with the means and the time to acquire great libraries. Why do these pampered bastards get to indulge their whims and not me?
Jealousy aside, these people served a purpose. Many saw themselves as caretakers of these volumes and without whom valuable pieces and scholarship would have been lost. Even the most interesting character thought that he was 鈥渟aving鈥� the books 鈥� he did this by stealing them from libraries. To his credit he was damn good at it, literally undermining complex security systems and driving away with truckloads of books. Often times the victims did not realized they were robbed until years later.
Madness is a wonderful and unique history covering a quirky psychological niche. ...more
All of Atwood鈥檚 books remind us that no matter how bad things are, don鈥檛 worry, they can get worse.
Atwood has created a parallel dystopian world to heAll of Atwood鈥檚 books remind us that no matter how bad things are, don鈥檛 worry, they can get worse.
Atwood has created a parallel dystopian world to her previous novel, Oryx and Crake. Contrary to the dystopian works that are popping up everywhere (Hunger Games, Divergent), the violence that slowly crushes society is not terribly overt 鈥� it is always implied or spoken of as always a 鈥減otential鈥� 鈥� that is until the flood (actually disease) strike and death begets violence.
The characters seem to passively accept or endure, finding solace in their own manufactured religion and finding humanity when they can.
Atwood is one of our great modern writers. Read her. ...more
Well, I thought this would be a novel about Henry VIII. However Henry is a secondary character and when he does appear it is not the caricatured HenryWell, I thought this would be a novel about Henry VIII. However Henry is a secondary character and when he does appear it is not the caricatured Henry that we have all become acquainted. You will not see huge gorgings of mutton legs, ill-gotten attempts of conception and a cavalcade of woeful wives. Henry is not the corpulent parody of himself yet (though his pants are certainly being let out) and he only just in the process of chucking the first wife for Anne Boleyn.
Most of the story revolves around Thomas Cromwell. This storyline posits that real government is done by the bureaucracy 鈥� and Tom is the head bureaucratic dealmaker, somewhat supplanting the positions predecessor Cardinal Wolsey.
This novel had lots a hullabaloo 鈥� awards and such, but it did not capture me. The writing and story were well done, but the characters did not seem three dimensional to me and the story occasionally wanders.
So it is OK鈥�.but also OK to give it a pass. ...more
The faction Erudite continues to war and attempt to gain power over the other factions, particularly Abnegation. If being Erudite is bad then that wouThe faction Erudite continues to war and attempt to gain power over the other factions, particularly Abnegation. If being Erudite is bad then that would make me a saint. Yeah dumb!!! Though the first book of this trilogy had plenty of action, it is more for the purpose of setting the stage. Now the primary character, Tris, is a fully developed, more confident and a somewhat melancholy character. With this greater maturity characters are more likely to act decisively and violently if necessary.
According to Walter Isaacson computer technology was almost always a collaborative endeavor 鈥� to put it crudely it takes two to conceive. Thought it tAccording to Walter Isaacson computer technology was almost always a collaborative endeavor 鈥� to put it crudely it takes two to conceive. Thought it took many dorks (giggle) to give birth to the computer there were of course some key players. The first is Ada Lovelace, who helped develop calculation machines during the early 19th century. Ironically Ada was the daughter of Lord Byron who was literally a Luddite (The followers of Ned Ludd who advocated destroying technology and labor saving devices).
From these humble beginnings we are taken through the development of vacuum tubes, transistors, chips and the web. Through it all innovators clamored on top of the shoulders of their predecessors. It was sometimes contentious and petty (Microsoft vs Apple) and at other times a kind of kumbaya love fest (think Linux). Of course there is considerable time spent on Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Paul Allen and Bill Gates, but we all delve into such things as the development of Wikipedia and Google.
Through it all Isaacson spins a lucid and compelling story 鈥� and unlike many histories a lot of the key players are still vertical and breathing, allowing for some compelling interviews. ...more
Pat Conroy has been overcoming his childhood for 40 years 鈥� specifically he has daddy issues. Typically people respond to this by either becoming a stPat Conroy has been overcoming his childhood for 40 years 鈥� specifically he has daddy issues. Typically people respond to this by either becoming a stripper or by turning to alcohol. Well, I have seen photos of Mr. Conroy and fortunately he chose the latter. His emotional disorders not only resulted in excessive boozing, they also spawned some fantastic books. Therefore I really have to thank Mr. Conroy鈥檚 dad 鈥� if he did not beat his child we would have really missed out 鈥� therefore I nominate Conroy鈥檚 dad for a Pulitzer Prize for domestic abuse.
Bull Meecham (AKA 鈥淭he Great Santini鈥�) a fictionalized version of papa Conroy is a fighter pilot who is not in the Marine Corps 鈥� he IS the Marine Corps. He brings home to his wife and children the ridged demands of the Corps. Though domineering, Bull Meecham is a bigger than life personality 鈥� his pushing breeds excellence and terror. This is a fantastic portrait of a family packed into a crucible. ...more
Have your ever got some fancy pants idea in your noggin鈥� but didn鈥檛 have no purty words in your stack of chatter to blather on about high fallutin鈥� coHave your ever got some fancy pants idea in your noggin鈥� but didn鈥檛 have no purty words in your stack of chatter to blather on about high fallutin鈥� cognigatin鈥�. Then once you huddle with Roget and you got your stream of lingo down, turns out you got things all mixed up 鈥� you got apostrophes claiming that they own things that they never paid for and commas jumping in making speed bumps in the middle of an interstate highway. Don鈥檛 you worry none, we鈥檝e all been embarrassed when caught with our pants down and our participle dangling and Mr. Pinker is coming to the rescue.
The Sense of Style is a grammar book that says Strunk and White and other grammar Nazis need to light up. It is important to write clearly and succinctly, but sometimes the passive voice is OK (the Marquis de Sade like this in his lovers 鈥� more about this when I review Juliette), poetic license is sometimes fine and new uses for old words is part of the dynamism of English.
I didn鈥檛 entirely agree with Pinker and his liberal view of grammar, as I am a stogy prig, but he has an interesting perspective and a humorous manner of presenting what could be rather dry material. ...more
Sinclair Lewis always looks on Americans as being rather provincial 鈥� but also seems to appreciate the American character, flawed though it is.
Our herSinclair Lewis always looks on Americans as being rather provincial 鈥� but also seems to appreciate the American character, flawed though it is.
Our hero, Hayden Chart is a Colorado architect, who to his great good fortune manages to kill his wife in a car accident. He doesn鈥檛 feel so at the time, but after being introduced to his wife I think most readers would agree that her mangled corpse is must better company than the living woman.
Mr. Chart runs off to Europe to brush the American hay out of his hair and eventually settles in Florence Italy. There he takes up with a woman who should beaten, shot, then thrown down a well, but I think Mr. Lewis want us to see her as a somewhat sympathetic manner. I am not an ogre 鈥� I would only kill her once and with minimal giggling 鈥� well, until later.
Through the romance and wandering about Hayden confronts intellectual pretense and the hypocrisy which is so common to the human animal; this, as always, done with Lewis鈥� almost patented satirical style.
This is not Arrowsmith or Babbitt, but still damn good. ...more
Elizabeth I was known as the virgin queen, but she sure screwed the Spanish 鈥� three times. Every time the Spanish would get a gaggle of ships togetherElizabeth I was known as the virgin queen, but she sure screwed the Spanish 鈥� three times. Every time the Spanish would get a gaggle of ships together, Elizabeth, God鈥檚 right arm and an outnumbered English navy would send a lot of Iberian canon to the depths. I did not know that the Spanish kept coming back for more punishment until I read Margaret George鈥檚 fine novel.
There were other crisis including, treason and Irish uprisings. She punished the traitors and forced the Irish to wear itchy sweaters for 400 years 鈥� a cruel, cruel woman.
I recommend this book but it is slow growing on you. You may have to get past page 250 before being taken in to Elizabeth鈥檚 world....more
I have been concerned about my upper body strength. The solution -- I read much of this book in the bath 鈥� keeping this hefty tome over the waterline I have been concerned about my upper body strength. The solution -- I read much of this book in the bath 鈥� keeping this hefty tome over the waterline has resulted in rippling biceps. The length is understandable as the novel begins with wooly mammoth and ends in the modern era? If you want to learn the entire scope of Alaskan history without slogging through a textbook you can鈥檛 beat Michener.
Some facts. 1. The stereotype of the drunken Indian (Eskimos) has a good basis in fact. 2. The Alaskan gold rush was actually a rush to buy a bunch of equipment to dig for gold, and then going broke. 3. There are still buckets of money to be made in Alaska (in particular the north slope) if you cool with considering negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit as beach weather.
During the late 16th century people started killing each other in a wholesale fashion. Among other things they were arguing about if people should recDuring the late 16th century people started killing each other in a wholesale fashion. Among other things they were arguing about if people should recognize the Pope. He stuck out like a sore thumb 鈥� big hat, scepter et cetera, but...well, I will let it go.
Mostly because of exhaustion and they ran out of people to kill, the peace of Westphalia ensued. It worked like this: if any country gets too strong all the other countries ganged up and clobbered the upstart. Often times countries would switch sides midstream just to keep the power balance. So there was no peace but a bunch of little wars kept everyone in check for 400 years 鈥� then there was World War I.
Kissinger considers Westphalia one of the great diplomatic triumphs. With Westphalia as the anchor he maps the history of diplomacy in China, Europe and the United States while also addressing the threat of Islam. This is a nice little tour of the history of foreign affairs which is much more digestible than some of the 1000 page tomes for which Henry is known. ...more
Mr. Kaku explores such items as the possibility of archiving immortality by having our brains downloaded. Thereby, while our bodies turn to worm food Mr. Kaku explores such items as the possibility of archiving immortality by having our brains downloaded. Thereby, while our bodies turn to worm food our brains will be live and ticking on some hard drive. Of course beware of some future family member who may decide to free up some disk space so he can store holograms of busty women doing jumping jacks. Leave your 鈥渂rain drive鈥� with a trusted source.
In addition to such high tech speculations, Kaku explains how the brain functions, how we came to understand what we currently know. This is neat explanation for the layman 鈥� you do not need to be as smart as Mr. Kaku who when he is not explaining neuroscience also dabbles with theoretical physics. ...more
People of Detergent鈥檚 world are divided by personality trait into five distinct factions. They are only allowed one personality trait. If they have a People of Detergent鈥檚 world are divided by personality trait into five distinct factions. They are only allowed one personality trait. If they have a complex personality with any nuance they are 鈥淒ivergent,鈥� and therefore dangerous. To draw a contemporary example of a divergent personality think of an atheistic conservative who is in favor of the legalization of pot, a strong military and Oprah.
It may seem like a preposterous premise that any person could have only one overriding personality trait. Well, I live in a city that consistently votes 90% Democrat (I live in Chicago, which is also the location in which Divergent is set). So yes, being a brain numbed automaton is the norm in this burg.
Beatrice has a foot in both the Dauntless (brave) and Abnegation (selfless) factions. I won鈥檛 go into details of what this means, that is for you to find out.
This is a fine debut novel for Ms. Roth and worth the time for your teenager or any adult that thinks good writing is not confined to 鈥済rown-up鈥� books. ...more
Prior to reading this book I never realized that there is such tension between the Cuban and black communities in Miami. Apparently Cubans enter and sPrior to reading this book I never realized that there is such tension between the Cuban and black communities in Miami. Apparently Cubans enter and support the police force and blacks constitute the loyal opposition. One needs to remember this when sending dinner party initiations.
Tom Wolfe loves to hold a mirror to society and he often comes back to the same conclusion 鈥� shallow pretensions are a major motivator for how we act and how we prioritize our existence. This explains why I once kicked an old lady into a gutter when she tried to grab the last first edition copy of The Bonfire of the Vanities.
The cast of characters are a cop who is vain about his biceps, a physiologist overly impressed with wealth, the tramp who is impressed by the psychologist and all his outer sheen, a Russian con-man and a WASPY reporter. All are immersed in the hedonistic milieu called Miami. The cop (an ultimately sympathetic character) needs to navigate through unfair accusations and conflicting desires in order to ultimately find what is important.
Love Tom Wolfe. This is not his best work, but he is always insightful. ...more
I wonder if my great, great, great, great, great grandpa realized that he was living through the birth of the modern era during the early 19th centuryI wonder if my great, great, great, great, great grandpa realized that he was living through the birth of the modern era during the early 19th century. Perhaps doing backbreaking labor six days a week and dying of syphilis in some back alley in Hamburg at the age of 36 didn鈥檛 make him appreciate his good fortune.
Grandpa鈥檚 life not withstanding the early 19th century was dynamic if look at in a historical context. With Napoleon safely fuming in St. Helena, the British were safe to dip a waterwheel in local streams and start the industrial revolution. Leisure and wealth breeds the arts 鈥� Mary Shelly wrote Frankenstein and Lord Byron fornicated about Europe while still feeling deeply melancholy about it.
The British dominated the era, but things were happening elsewhere. The Erie Canal was bringing grain from Illinois to New York. This was made into whiskey which was given to Indians, who in turn became easier for General Jackson to shoot, thereby freeing up land for civilized people.
The first arch light was developed. Good thing too, as the first locomotive was being developed. When one is rocketing along at 15 miles and hour you have to see what is ahead of you 鈥� by golly it was like Times Square, a circus and a K-Mart blue light special all together.
Paul Johnson is a somewhat quirky writer (this does not discount that he is also a fine scholar). He is not afraid of moseying down some tangent if it suits his fancy, so do not look to book for a chronological history. If you want a broad picture of the world environment at during a interesting period of history, this book is a great place to start. ...more
Chicago, A Biography meets my criterion for both history books and books about Jayne Mansfield 鈥� if you are going to bring up interesting points I wanChicago, A Biography meets my criterion for both history books and books about Jayne Mansfield 鈥� if you are going to bring up interesting points I want to see pictures of them. So rest assured that Mr. Paeyga had dug through the archives and finely illustrates the volume from when the Indians first paddled up the Chicago River and began taking Polaroids well into the recent era.
Paeyga stresses that Chicago is not so much a city, but a polyglot of ethnic enclaves, that somehow works. It is a dirty, grubbing, avaricious city that still finds it way to be a shining light of culture and down-home sophistication. Well done Mr. Paeyga. ...more
Joe McCarthy gets bashed for saying there were communists in the state department. As it turns out he was right, unfortunately he did not bother to gaJoe McCarthy gets bashed for saying there were communists in the state department. As it turns out he was right, unfortunately he did not bother to gather all the facts before pointing fingers.
Joe McCarthy (the book, not the man) is a bit dry. The first 25% of the book is probably the most interesting. It shows a young man on the make 鈥� he had charm and intelligence (though perhaps not a lot of curiosity). Then we see a slow long decline. Oddly enough he was destroying himself as he continued to rise in popularity. As a matter of fact his delusions seemed to fuel his popularity.
We need a man now with McCarthy鈥檚 energy and courage to clean out the Aegean stables, but there would be more effective work done with a scalpel than a sledgehammer 鈥� lying on small things in order to support a broader truth does not help ones credibility. ...more
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