Book Review (for recreational reading)

[Astronuc]

I've read two of three of Obama's books. I still have to get the third one.

Sanger's book is quite interesting. He is very critical of the Bush administration with respect to Iraq and several failed opportunities. But the really important part is the look forward, and what, besides the US and global financial crisis, the US has to deal with competition from China, which is moving toward technological and political parity with the US, and the international scene, including international terrorism and security.


I also plan to find - The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World (Hardcover) by Eric Weiner
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0446580260/?tag=pfamazon01-20

I heard an interview with the author yesterday. He mentioned that from his experience, the level of happiness of an individual is correlated with the quantity and quality of relationships, particularly friendships. This has been mentioned by others. In addition, happiness is more related to experience than wealth.

 

[physics girl phd]

I'm reading 'Far from the Madding Crowd', by Thomas Hardy. The style of writing is delightful and the story is light and engaging.

Both my brother and I like Hardy a lot (we probably read all his main works). We both REALLY like 'The Mayor of Casterbridge' best, though 'Jude the Obscure' is up there too.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

We both REALLY like 'The Mayor of Casterbridge' best.

I read that last year. I like 'Far' far better. It's more humorous, where 'Mayor' is darker. There's a fair amount of math and science in it too. 'Too many twins by half' caught my ear.

 

[The Bob]

I'll just list some books as history seems to be prevailing:
> 'Animal Farm' - George Orwell
> 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' - George Orwell
> 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' Trilogy - Douglas Adams
> 'To Kill a Mockingbird' - Harper Lee
> 'The Marriage of Heaven and Hell' - William Blake
> Roald Dahl - Might be for children doesn't seem to really ages
> Anything by Jeffery Deavers (especially 'The Vanished Man')

The Bob

 

[Astronuc]

I just picked up Jay Winik's "The Great Upheaval", which is about the US, France and Russia during the period 1788-1800.

NYTimes Review - http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/15/books/15gord.html

The late 17th and especially the 18th century are remembered as the Age of Enlightenment, when an extraordinary burst of intellectual activity transformed Western civilization through advances in science and philosophy. In politics men like Locke, Montesquieu, Voltaire and Rousseau thought deeply and wrote extensively about how people should be governed and who should do the governing.

But until the late 18th century, their work had been almost entirely theoretical, for ancient monarchies ruled, and constitutions were unwritten. Except in Britain, where the aristocracy ran Parliament, power almost always flowed from the top down.

That began to change in 1789, as men on both sides of the Atlantic tried to turn intellectual theory into political reality. In that year the United States Constitution went into effect with the inauguration of George Washington, and the French Revolution began with the fall of the Bastille.

The two events were intimately interconnected. French help had been crucial to victory in the American Revolution, but it bankrupted the French government, and the ensuing fiscal crisis led directly to the collapse of the ancien régime. Lafayette, presented with the keys to the Bastille, sent one to George Washington. With the help of Thomas Jefferson, then minister to France, Lafayette would write a draft of the Declaration of the Rights of Man. Tom Paine, whose “Common Sense” was a major spark to the American Revolution, came within inches of losing his head to the guillotine in the French one.

. . . .

Author's homepage - http://www.jaywinik.com/index.php/books/the_great_upheaval/

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I read that (The Mayor of Casterbridge) last year. I like 'Far' (Far From the Madding Crowd) far better. It's more humorous, where 'Mayor' is darker.

I spoke too soon. 'Far' starts out light, but darkens considerably and is in fact darker than 'Mayor'. There is a recurring sentence pattern that I thought was intersting at first, but was repeated too many times: A was too small to be B, and yet not large enough to be C. Depending on A, B, and C, these can be amusing, but he overdid it.

 

[Astronuc]

I heard an interview with Martin Fletcher this morning. He's written about his 30-year experience as a war correspondent. It's a rather intense story.

Breaking News: A Stunning and Memorable Account of Reporting from Some of the Most Dangerous Places in the World
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O9CHJ8/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Currently NBC news bureau chief in Tel Aviv, Fletcher offers a vivid account of his 30-year career as a war correspondent in the hot spots of the globe. At age 25, Fletcher grew bored with his BBC desk job and grabbed a position as a cameraman with a video news agency. Five days after he arrived in Israel for his second assignment, Egypt and Syria invaded. With no experience under fire, Fletcher found himself dodging bullets on the front lines—and loved it. Over the following decades, wherever there was a conflict—Rhodesia, Somalia, Afghanistan, Kosovo, South Africa, the killing fields of Rwanda, the first and second intifadas—Fletcher covered the scene. While documenting his adventures, Fletcher also gives a riveting portrayal of the suffering around him and of the macho adrenaline junkies who make up his profession. Fletcher has a clear understanding of the ambiguities of his position as a purveyor of misery and death—for one story, he finds a Somali refugee near death and films her until she stops breathing. . . .

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

so many good books out there to read!
do you know if those books come in paperback astro? I should look it up. if not I may be able to find a good price on one in the B&N bargain section.
there's also a nice looking little used book store down the street from me I have yet to visit. maybe I can find Hardy there. jimmy/physics girl, do you think his books might be hard to find used?

 

[Astronuc]

so many good books out there to read!
do you know if those books come in paperback astro? I should look it up. if not I may be able to find a good price on one in the B&N bargain section.
there's also a nice looking little used book store down the street from me I have yet to visit. maybe I can find Hardy there. jimmy/physics girl, do you think his books might be hard to find used?

I found Winik's history book at B&N for $7, and it looks like Fletcher's book is discounted at Amazon, and it may be at B&N for similarly low price.

Hardy is classic literature, and B&N probably has a few of his books. Just call them, or drop in and browse.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

so many good books out there to read!
do you know if those books come in paperback astro? I should look it up. if not I may be able to find a good price on one in the B&N bargain section.
there's also a nice looking little used book store down the street from me I have yet to visit. maybe I can find Hardy there. jimmy/physics girl, do you think his books might be hard to find used?

I get them from the library. I just finished 'Far From the Madding Crowd' and have started on 'Jude the Obscure'.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I've read a lot of good manuals lately. Does that count? I keep wanting to get back to reading for enjoyment, but I have to read so much for my job that the desire goes away.

I noticed recently that the second Twilight Zone series did show based on one of my favorite short stories - Tom Godwin's "Cold Equations".

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I've read a lot of good manuals lately. Does that count? I keep wanting to get back to reading for enjoyment, but I have to read so much for my job that the desire goes away.

lol that's why I specified recreational reading. so many book threads on pf wind up discussing textbooks and the like.
ofcourse if you happen to have read a really great manual you're more than welcome to talk about it. ;-)

I'm fortunate I guess that my job offers lots of reading time. one of the reasons I've never really gotten around to my writing is that I always wind up reading instead. I'm also afraid that the books I'm reading at the time are going to influence my writing. I suppose I should start doing reading for research.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

lol that's why I specified recreational reading. so many book threads on pf wind up discussing textbooks and the like.
ofcourse if you happen to have read a really great manual you're more than welcome to talk about it. ;-)

I'm fortunate I guess that my job offers lots of reading time. one of the reasons I've never really gotten around to my writing is that I always wind up reading instead. I'm also afraid that the books I'm reading at the time are going to influence my writing. I suppose I should start doing reading for research.

With the diversity of technology out there and the rate of change, as a systems integrator I spend a good bit of my life reading technical manuals. It goes with the territory.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Recent reads:
Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare. Classic.

The House of Mirth, by Edith Wharton. I like the story, but the writing doesn't move me. Lily Bart has a glib answer for every question and never tells us what is really on her mind. In my opinion, this is just poor writing. After I read it, I started with "The Age of Innocence" by the same author. The writing is considerably better, but couldn't finish it. Both books give an insight into the world of the idle rich, written by one of their own.

Candide, by Voltaire. A satirical look at various philosphies by a noted philosopher.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I just finished reading The Bourne Identity. I found it difficult to suspend belief, but stuck with it. I started on The Bourne Supremacy, but could not sustain the suspension and so suspended reading. Now I am reading Tristram Shandy. If you haven't read it, then stop what you are doing right now and get a copy. This is a delightful book.

 

[VeeEight]

Cool thread, I will have to read through it when I get a chance. I just recently went on a library run and read a bunch of cool books.

DeLorean by John Z DeLorean
I'm not familiar with engineering or business but I always liked the Pontiac GTO and I began reading about DeLorean after reading about some stuff on automotive engineering on one of the PF forums. This is an autobiography of DeLorean, but it skips a lot of details. Only a couple of chapters talk about his younger years while he focuses on very specific things during his time at GM and forming his own company (situations in Northern Ireland, conflicts at GM, etc). Half of the book chronicles the drug entrapment scheme, which, in my opinion, could have been done in 50 pages rather than the (approx) 200 he does it in. I'm glad I read it but I probably wouldn't suggest it to anyone unless you are really into the automotive industry.

E=mc2: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation by David Bodanis
Interesting book that talks about the 'uses' of the famous equation. It does not go very in depth about anything but gives a good overview of some physics topics such as nuclear fission, electromagnetism, etc. Definitely not a book for someone who knows a lot about physics, and even if you don't, it's one of those books to read and then look further into the topic talked about since it doesn't go in depth for a lot of interesting concepts. The book began to get a little boring towards the end when talking about the atomic bomb and Einstein's later years. It gives some cool info on female scientists I did not know much of such as Lise Meitner and Émilie du Châtelet.

Lewis Carroll in Numberland His Fantastical Mathematical Logical by Robin Wilson
Kind of disappointing - I expected much more about his work in math and less of his life but it ended up being more of a biography. Still an interesting read and worth reading if you enjoy his books, but don't expect much (or any) interesting stuff on math.

All Cats Have Asperger's Syndrome by Kathy Hoopmann
This is actually a children's book - so I guess it counts as recreational reading. Someone suggested this to me while talking about why cats are around book shops, records stores, etc. and feel at home, chilling in the stacks of books. I like cats so I enjoyed the book. It has a picture of a cat doing something on each page and describes the behaviour of a child with Asperger's. For example, one page has a cat chilling in a pile of blankets and says they prefer squishy places then being held. I think there is also a similar book called All Dogs Have ADHD that I was thinking about my getting for my sister for Christmas (she has a two crazy dogs and it might be a good first book for her daughter)

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I just finished reading The Bourne Identity. I found it difficult to suspend belief, but stuck with it. I started on The Bourne Supremacy, but could not sustain the suspension and so suspended reading. Now I am reading Tristram Shandy. If you haven't read it, then stop what you are doing right now and get a copy. This is a delightful book.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it in this thread but I read one of Ludlum's books and it was horrid. I watched the movies and they were much better in that medium. The books read like cheesy scripts for action movies.

I have heard of Tristram Shandy. Another classic I need to read.

Unfortunately I have not read any good books lately really. I read one children's book written by a friend of a friend called The Leprechaun and the Cauldron. The author's name is Kristin Unkelbach. You will be unlikely to find it anywhere except for on Amazon.
The story is very simple and contrived like most children's books so I am unsure that many adults will enjoy it. Its primary value is that the author treats Celtic mythology and folklore with fairly high accuracy through out the book. It is of course kept simple so if you know much of the subject you will not be learning anything. The story here is really an introduction to a bigger story, and to the mythology, and not much else.

I feel bad that I am not able to give the book more praise.



edit: and thank you VeeEight for your contributions.

 

[BobG]

I'm glad this thread came back. I'm going to have to check out some of these books.

Young Men and Fire - Norman McClean (author of "A River Runs Through It"). This is non-fiction and researches the Mann Gulch Fire of 1949. Good book, but my opinion is slightly influenced by the ability to read several reports about the fire on the internet that supplement what you read in the book. I think it's the whole package of info available that makes the fire and the story about it very appealling.

Sometimes a Great Notion - Ken Kesey (author of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"). Very good book that doesn't get mentioned as much as his first book. In fact, for those that have read Tom Wolfe's "Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test", Wolfe's story was about the bus ride Kesey and his friends took so Kesey could accept an award for "Sometimes a Great Notion".

Lambs War - Jan DeHartog. Very good book. The first half can be a little depressing for some people. The hero of the first half is a German doctor in a Jewish concentration camp. In the second half, the doctor's mistress comes to America and the story gets very bizarre.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I just finished reading Wuthering Heights. It gave me acrophobia. The only character in the book worth a darn is Heathcliff. I wanted him to destroy the property of Hareton and Cathy and so force them to make something of themselves. Instead, he holds their fate in the palm of his hand and won't take the trouble to crush them. As a result, they live happily ever after. Yuck, was it a made-for-TV book?

 

[Integral]

Being out of work I have had some reading time. Last summer I read Bernard Cornwall including Agincourt, The Archer, and The Saxon Tales which is a 7 vol series. These all are a good look into life from the time of the Norse Invasion into the middle ages. If you like historical novels Cornwall is pretty good, his characters are predictable, but the history is good.

I needed a change after ~10 Cornwall books so switched gears and read Gore Vidal's Burr. Highly recommended, a very good read. After reading Aaron Burr's story I had to be fair and balanced so picked up a biography of Alex Hamilton by Chernow continuing in the same vein I found an unremarkable biography of Tom Jefferson and finally McCullough's biography of John Adams. I would love to continue with Madison and Monroe but have once again shifted gears and am working on James Lovelock's Gaia books.

 

[Alienjoey]

Candide, by Voltaire. A satirical look at various philosphies by a noted philosopher.

The crazy things that happen to Candide and his never changing outlook on life are so ridiculous that I think that may be one of my favorite books of all time.

I've recently read John Hodgman's "Areas of My Expertise" and "More Information Than You Require", both of which are completely made up almanacs of "complete world knowledge". The stuff he thinks up is just hilarious.

 

[Astronuc]

Has anyone yet read And Another Thing by Eoin Colfer

From Publishers Weekly
At long last, the motley band from Douglas Adams's renowned five-book Hitchhiker's Guide Trilogy have returned, thanks to Artemis Fowl author Colfer. When the Vogons return to finish obliterating Earth in our universe and all alternatives, Arthur Dent and his companions find themselves hitchhiking on the spacefaring Viking longship of Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged, an immortal with a death wish who is an expert at mass insults. Readers may find this volume paradoxical. On its own it is a funny novel, but Adams set a legendary, nearly impossible standard. Wacky humor reminiscent of the original Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy rings true, as do most of the characters, but newer elements, such as the brief appearance of Cthulhu, feel out of place. Most notably absent is the supreme inventiveness that hit us with the Infinite Improbability Drive, and the comic-sublime moments like Arthur flying with Fenchurch. You can't go home again, but Adams fans will still appreciate the reunion with old friends.

DNA and HHGG is a hard act to follow.

He's [Colfer] written several novels for adults as well. His most recent was commissioned by the estate of Douglas Adams (who died of a heart attack in 2001), the author of the five The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. It's meant to be the sixth book in the "trilogy," which is what the series is still referred to despite the fact that it's long been technically inaccurate. Eoin Colfer has been a fan since childhood and said that being offered the chance to continue the series was "like suddenly being offered the superpower of your choice."

The book, entitled And Another Thing ... came out last year, on the 30th anniversary of Douglas Adams' first Hitchhiker book.

. . .

http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=2010/05/14

 

[rootX]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0743243358/?tag=pfamazon01-20

I just started reading this book. It's wonderful!

 

[True Cherokee]

I think my all time favorite book would have to be "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss.
From the back of the book:
"I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I have burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurion and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during the day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.

You may have heard of me.​

So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature-the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man's search for the meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend"

I think my favorite thing about this book is that the main character feels human. In so many books these days, the main character always seems to be a perfect, infallible human being (or other race). The only time they make mistakes is when it is convenient to the plotline.

The book is an impressive 722 pages in the paperback version, but it has an immersive story that will draw you in and make you completely forget the number of pages. If you like the fantasy genre, you must pick up this book. It is the first in a trilogy, with the next book coming out next year.

 

[chaoseverlasting]

Being out of work I have had some reading time. Last summer I read Bernard Cornwall including Agincourt, The Archer, and The Saxon Tales which is a 7 vol series. These all are a good look into life from the time of the Norse Invasion into the middle ages. If you like historical novels Cornwall is pretty good, his characters are predictable, but the history is good.

I needed a change after ~10 Cornwall books so switched gears and read Gore Vidal's Burr. Highly recommended, a very good read. After reading Aaron Burr's story I had to be fair and balanced so picked up a biography of Alex Hamilton by Chernow continuing in the same vein I found an unremarkable biography of Tom Jefferson and finally McCullough's biography of John Adams. I would love to continue with Madison and Monroe but have once again shifted gears and am working on James Lovelock's Gaia books.

I'll need to check some of these out. Its been some time since I've read decent historical novels.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier. The less said the better.

From Emperor to Citizen, by Aisin-Gioro Pu Yi (the last emperor of China). This book starts out well with the author taking a hard cold look at himself and his times up until his capture by the Soviets. However, it then devolves into trivialities, a brochure advertising the Communist Party. He speaks of his own remolding, but in anecdotes that fail to reveal any of the real mental struggle. His life as a free citizen takes up the last 10 pages of the 482 page book. These were the only years of his life when he was not in some kind of cage, gilded or otherwise. I wanted him to reveal as much about himself during that time as he did for earlier times. Alas, all we get are more trivial anecdotes.

 

[The legend]

I am currently reading ElfSorrow by James Barclay.

And it's fun, especially if you like fantasy. The story revolves around a tiny band of warriors known as The Raven ... but I would say you better read from the very first part (Dawnthief) so that you can understand what happens in the story better.

 

[Evo]

I think my all time favorite book would have to be "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss.
From the back of the book:
"I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I have burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurion and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during the day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.

You may have heard of me.​

So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature-the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man's search for the meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend"

I think my favorite thing about this book is that the main character feels human. In so many books these days, the main character always seems to be a perfect, infallible human being (or other race). The only time they make mistakes is when it is convenient to the plotline.

The book is an impressive 722 pages in the paperback version, but it has an immersive story that will draw you in and make you completely forget the number of pages. If you like the fantasy genre, you must pick up this book. It is the first in a trilogy, with the next book coming out next year.

I was just going to look for a new book, I love fantasy. Thank you!

The thing is I have read the best, Jordan, Eddings, Feist, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, Terry Goodkind, Terry Brooks.

 

[Integral]

I just finished Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt. An interesting read. A Autobiography of McCourts youth, first on the streets of New York, then in Limerick Ireland. A story of abject poverty during the depression and WWII, one often wonders how the author not only survived but apparently completely overcame it. I am just starting the 2 sequels.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Nicholas Nickelby, by Charles Dickens. A child's tale. Everybody is either all good or all bad, no gray areas. The most interesting character is Ralph who lends money to high risk borrowers at high rates of interest. You would think that after decades in the business he would be good at it. However, he risks all on a single borrower who then dies in default and Ralph is ruined. At the same time he finds out that he didn't kill his son with malice when he was young, but in fact had killed him with malice when he was old. For some reason, this distinction is enough to unnerve him. In the end everyone gets married.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

The last really good book I read was What-the-Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy by Gregory Maguire. It is cute and entertaining; the story of the story of an orphan tooth fairy as told on a dark and stormy night ("the story of the story of" is not a typo).

Since then I read Anne Rice's The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned. I found the former rather long winded and over dramatic. Queen of the Damned was much better though the feminazi philosophy towards the end was a bit over bearing. Over all I would say Rice is not as bad a writer as I thought she might be.

Most recently I have been reading the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. They are fairly good as children's novels but rather predictable and pedantic for adults. The whole of the last novel in the series I read was spent hinting at the "twist" at the end which was rather apparent two chapters in. Obviously a Harry Potter clone, and not nearly as imaginative or interesting, they are decent as kids novels anyway.
If you have seen the movie it is absolutely horrible in comparison to the books so do not judge based off the film.

 

[chaoseverlasting]

I've just finished the Millenium Trilogy (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo etc.). Very good detective stories. I'm starting 'Of Mice and Men' next; heard a lot about it.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I needed a book to read and, yet again, only had the newstand available. I went against my better judgement and bought Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol. It seems Brown has decided to add crackpot psuedoscience to crackpot conspiracy theories. As usual the forward notes include one saying that all of the places and organizations mentioned are "real" but he adds the "science" to the list this time and includes the Institute of Noetic Science among the "real organizations". For those of you who do not get your giggles listening to Coast to Coast "Noetics" is basically supposed to be the study of "the power of the mind". Of course he trots out the old quantum mysticism and claims that Heisenberg hinted at observers willing particles into existence, entanglement "proving" that all matter is connected in a "universal oneness", and even calls the 10 sephiroth as described in the Zohar an ancient model of string theory.
I suppose its entertaining if you find that sort of thing amusing but I would recommend steering clear of it and I do find that sort of thing amusing.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I finished reading The Lost Symbol and it was even more horrible than I had anticipated. The ending was ridiculous. After 600 pages of people being tortured, murdered, nearly murdered, and running about frantically to figure out an encrypted map that will lead them to a "long lost masonic secret treasure" that will "unlock The Ancient Mysteries" Brown ultimately reveals the "treasure" is a common everyday item you can pick up just about anywhere. Not only that but one of the main characters who allowed all these hijinks to go on apparently knew what and where it was the entire time! The end of the book essentially reveals that none of the foregoing events really needed to happen at all and does so without even a trace of irony.

 

[Astronuc]

I've been reading The Greatest Trade Ever (2009) by WSJ writer Gregory Zuckerman. It tells the story of John Paulson, how worked through Wall Street to set up his hedge fund, and how in 2006 and 2007 he shorted the sub-prime market with CDS contracts. His hedge fund made $20 billion betting against the subprime securities and ABX. A few others also did this. All this while the administration was telling the nation that "the economy is strong".

John Paulson simply took advantage of others' negligence, incompetence, greed, . . . . He didn't create the crisis, but he profited very handsomely from it.

I've read several other books on the subject, as well as various reports from the Fed and other institutions.