This is a no-spoiler post I was a college freshman when I first read Robert Jordan's "The Eye of the World." That was 19 years ago. Over the past month and a half, I've been re-reading my way through Jordan's epic series which now stands at 12 volumes. It's the sort of thing you have […]
I'm continuing to work clearing my bookshelves this summer and in the past few days have finished both Dean Koontz's "The Face" and John Scalzi's "Old Man's War." Let's get Koontz out of the way first. "The Face" is the story of about 72 hours in the life of a man who is the head […]
As part of my continuing unemployment experience, I am churning through the books on my bookshelf in anticipation of downsizing my library. Late last week I finally wrapped up Neil Gaiman’s “American Gods.” I had previously read Gaiman’s “Stardust” and “Neverwhere,” both of which were very good. Gaiman’s “Stardust” is substantively different than the movie […]
Being unemployed at least gives me the opportunity to catch up on my reading and let me start out by saying that I wholeheartedly endorse each of these books. Let's start with the candy -- Dean Koontz's "The Husband." I'm usually a pretty streaky Koontz fan. I'll read a few of his books in rapid […]
New York Times columnist Nick Kristof was interviewed by The Daily Pennsylvanian and made the following observation about what it's like to live under the enlightened leadership of the great Obama. DP: Are there any issues you would like to see Barack Obama's presidency focus on? NK: It's a tremendous relief to have smart, intellectually […]
Last year, Adm. Eugene Fluckey died at the ripe old age of 93. Upon reading his obituary, I bought his book where he recounts his service commanding the USS Barb submarine in World War II. I finally got around to reading it the past few days, and despite what some may think, Fluckey's matter-of-fact recounting […]
Andrew Ferguson's "Land of Lincoln: Adventures in Abe's America," isn't so much about America's 16th president as it is about how America's views of Lincoln have changed over the decades. Ferguson starts the book with the dedication of a statue honoring Lincoln in Richmond, Va. -- the heart of the Confederacy -- and the controversy […]
It would surprise most Americans to know that Greeley, Colo., founded as a temperance colony, was such a decadent place that it inspired modern anti-American terrorism. It's surprising, but that's the starting point for Lawrence Wright's Pulitzer-Prize winning book which draws a line from Sayyid Qutb time spent in the post-WWII Greeley to the rise […]
It took me about four days to get through "Brisingr," the latest volume in young Christopher Paolini's "Inheritance" quadrilogy. Paolini made a splash several years ago with the first volume, "Eragon," written when he was only 16. Now Paolini is 24 and his writing has improved. The first book was well done -- likely a […]
In the past couple of years my reading on climate change has consisted of ClimateAudit.org and WattsUpWithThat on the Web and the book "Unstoppable Global Warming." Yesterday, I finished "Climate Confusion," by Roy W. Spencer, a book perfect for the layman ("Unstoppable Global Warming" is a little more on the heavy side) when it comes […]