Book Review (for recreational reading)

[binzing]

I just got done with "The Count of Monte Cristo (Abridged)". It's the basis of my summer project for Pre-AP English 10. It was pretty good...

 

[GeorginaS]

I'm currently mid-about four books right now (excluding my school reading) but the main one, I suppose, is Germaine Greer's new book Shakespeare's Wife . If you have any interest at all in an extremely well researched look at daily common people's lives in Tudor England, this book is fantastic. Of course, it's written as a response to books and essays written by people who disparage Ann Hathaway and claim that she tricked Shakespeare into marrying her and that he didn't really love her. Greer lays out the reality that, truly, there isn't enough known or concretely proven to make those claims or any claims about their relationship. What Greer does do is present possibilities within the context of how the majority of people lived their lives during that time, including stats on marriage ages, and employability of women, and whether or not newlyweds routinely lived with their families and etc. Her scope of research is breathtaking, and it's a very, very readable work of non-fiction.

 

[Astronuc]

I read The Hobbit, by Tolkien and didn't think much of it either. Then I started on the LOTR, but found it unreadable and gave up after about half of the first volume.

I read the Hobbit years ago to my son, then followed with the LOTR trilogy.

The first part of the first vol of LOTR drags on. It's probably best to start at Farmer Maggots - after they trudge through the forest. The 2nd and 3rd vols are better.

 

[binzing]

I found you could summarize much of LOTR like this:
Journey along
Set up camp, eat mutton and elf hardtack
Continue journeying along
Get attacked, come to some obstacle, etc.
Repeat

 

[arildno]

Thanks! I just bought it.


There is this - C Courtois: Les Vandales et l'Afrique (1955) - which I found at
http://www.scaruffi.com/politics/medieval.html

and I found this

Vandals, Romans and Berbers: New Perspectives on Late Antique North Africa (Hardcover)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0754641457/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Merrils' book was a bit steep.

I have just bought Jones' book right now, along with Heather's.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I just finished reading Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley. Before that I read the Iliad and the Odyssey. Next will be The Fountainhead, by Ayn Rand. I read Atlas Shrugged and didn't think much of it. But I will give her a second chance. I read Catch-22 when I was 20 or so and liked it. I don't remember having trouble getting involved in it. But I was unable to read Gravity's Rainbow, by Thomas Pynchon and gave up after about 200 pages. I'm told that the first 200 pages were written to get rid of the riff-raff reader. I read The Hobbit, by Tolkien and didn't think much of it either. Then I started on the LOTR, but found it unreadable and gave up after about half of the first volume.

I ought to make a list of classics to pick up. When ever I walk into the book store I can't think of anything I had meant to look for.

I've not read Rand yet. I fear I just won't like her. I think there is a copy of Atlas Shrugged lying around at work somewhere that I could borrow though. No worry over spending on something I don't like that way. I picked up Don Quixote not that long ago and it was an uphill battle. Lacking knowledge of spanish history and knight errantry mythos I believe I missed most of the jokes leaving little but the slapstick and toilet humour, which was unfortunate. I still have a copy of Finnagan's Wake which daunted me after only a couple pages. :-/

I also want to read some more history though I think I may have trouble getting into the books Astronuc and Arildno are discussing.

 

[arildno]

Why??

What could be more exciting than the destruction of the Roman empire??

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Why??

What could be more exciting than the destruction of the Roman empire??

I'm sure that I would find a lot of it interesting. Its just that the particular books you are mentioning mostly give me the impression of being very dense.
Can you recommend something in say comic book form? ;-p

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I've not read Rand yet. I fear I just won't like her. I think there is a copy of Atlas Shrugged lying around at work somewhere that I could borrow though.

Try the library. Rand was not a native speaker of English and her writing style rots. (Neither was Nobokov and his style rocks). You read her for ideas or you toss her aside. I think most people would say that since they don't agree with her ideas, there is no point in reading her books and finding out what they are.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Learning about her philosophy is my main reason for wanting to read her.

 

[Astronuc]

I'm sure that I would find a lot of it interesting. Its just that the particular books you are mentioning mostly give me the impression of being very dense.
Can you recommend something in say comic book form? ;-p

Peter Heather's book is a bit dense, but it is an excellent narrative. One could consider it dense like LOTR, but it's real history.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Peter Heather's book is a bit dense, but it is an excellent narrative. One could consider it dense like LOTR, but it's real history.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0195159543/?tag=pfamazon01-20
This one? It looks like a good suggestion. I'll have to put it to my list. I'm sure my roomie will be interested aswell.


Reading Dumas made me want to read more on France in the era that the Musketeers stories took place. Even without Dumas' ability for drama the period seems like it is very exciting. Again I've yet to pick up anything.


Having just moved I have all of my books sitting next to me and I see that I have a Barnes & Noble publication 'Encyclopedia of the World's Religions' that I have only skimmed. What I have read though looks like a very simple and concise overview. Unfortunately almost half of it is devoted to just the three major Abrahamic religions. Though I suppose that makes sense.

 

[arildno]

I haven't as yet read (or bought) the Victorian classic, Thomas Hodgkin's 8-volume "Italy and her invaders", but it is supposed to be well written.

I HAVE read extracts of Gibbon's "Decline and Fall", and his footnotes, at least, are rather juicy..

 

[Astronuc]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0195159543/?tag=pfamazon01-20
This one? It looks like a good suggestion. I'll have to put it to my list. I'm sure my roomie will be interested as well.

That's the one. It is really well written. I didn't find it dry at all. It reads like a good novel, only it is real history.

. . . I have a Barnes & Noble publication 'Encyclopedia of the World's Religions' . . .

I'm assuming that's the one by R.C. Zaehner. I'm not familiar with it. I have Huston Smith's book "The Religions of Man (now retitled The World's Religions)," which is pretty good.

I think it's hard to find a comprehensive book on all the world's religions, particularly one balanced between east and west. Smith does a pretty good job though.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I'm assuming that's the one by R.C. Zaehner.

That's the one. It was on sale so I figured I would pick it up.

I think it's hard to find a comprehensive book on all the world's religions, particularly one balanced between east and west. Smith does a pretty good job though.

An overview of some of the more prominent is good enough for me. If there are any I find particularly intriguing I think I would rather find a book specific to it. I picked up some other books that were on sale at B&N. Among them was one on the Norse mythology which unfortunately was rather skimpy. A decent summery though I guess along with some analysis.
One of the best sale finds I picked up though was the 'Element Encylopedia of Magical Creatures'. Its HUGE and covers creatures from all sorts of mythologies including the roles of certain animals in various tribal myths. The only problem is that it is formatted like an encyclopedia with alphebetical entries, so not exactly a smooth read. The entries are generally well written though.

 

[arildno]

To tempt Astronuc:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521325919/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[Astronuc]

To tempt Astronuc:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521325919/?tag=pfamazon01-20

I'm tempted! I'll add it to my list to acquire.

So there are series on Ancient History and Medieval History.

There's only 19 volumes in the Ancient History series, which are available for a mere $3500. http://www.cambridge.org/us/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521850735
Perhaps in time. Apparently the entire set is unavailable, so I'll have to collect them individually.

And then the The New Cambridge Medieval History Hardback Set
http://www.cambridge.org/us/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521853605
A bargain at $1600

I have to find the reference for a book on Central Asian tribes and their migrations. There is one book which apparently provides a comprehensive treatment of the various tribes, including Huns.

 

[arildno]

One book I have placed in "saved items" concerns the steppe peoples of South Eastern Europe:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/9004163891/?tag=pfamazon01-20
It concerns Cumans, Bulgars, Khazars and Avars (and Pechnegs, I think)
The Cumans arrived in nowadays Hungary somewhat later than the Magyars, and retained their nomadic culture for quite some time.

The Khazars is a very interesting people of the Caucasus region; their nobility converted to Judaism in the tenth century.

THe Avars drove the Lombards into Italy in 568, and for 200 years were in control of a huge empire from the Caucasus and deep into Eastern Europe. They were crushed by Charlemagne's forces in the early ninth century.


As for the Avars, the standard work is the german "Die Awaren" by Walter Pohl, which I'll probably by sometime.

 

[Astronuc]

Re: Khazars - yes their history is very interesting. They had a great Empire (in what is now primarily Ukraine and the Crimean peninsula) adjacent to the Byzantine Empire. See the change from about 650 to 800 CE.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khazaria#Formation_of_the_Khazar_state


Seems to be a propensity for westward movement.


Thanks for the reference on Avars.



Here some more books to consider.

The Narrators of Barbarian History (A.D. 550-800): Jordanes, Gregory of Tours, Bede, And Paul the Deacon (Publications in Medieval Studies) (Paperback)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0268029679/?tag=pfamazon01-20

The Gothic History of Jordanes (Christian Roman Empire) (Paperback)https://www.amazon.com/dp/1889758779/?tag=pfamazon01-20

History of the Lombards (The Middle Ages Series) (Paperback)https://www.amazon.com/dp/0812210794/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Barbarians and Romans, A.D. 418-584 by Walter A. Goffart
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0691102317/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Barbarian Tides: The Migration Age and the Later Roman Empire (Middle Ages Series) (Hardcover) * I have this one.
by Walter Goffart
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0812239393/?tag=pfamazon01-20

People and Identity in Ostrogothic Italy, 489-554 (Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought: Fourth Series) (Hardcover)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521571510/?tag=pfamazon01-20

The Early Middle Ages: Europe 400-1000 (Short Oxford History of Europe) (Paperback)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0198731728/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Rome's Gothic Wars: From the Third Century to Alaric (Key Conflicts of Classical Antiquity) (Hardcover)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521846331/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Visigothic Spain 409 - 711 (A History of Spain) (Paperback) by Roger Collins
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1405149663/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Imperial Ideology and Political Thought in Byzantium, 1204 - 1330 (Hardcover)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521857031/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Book Description
This is the first systematic study of Byzantine imperial ideology, court rhetoric and political thought after the Latin conquest of Constantinople in 1204 - in the Nicaean state (1204-1261) and during the early period of the restored empire of the Palaiologoi. The book explores Byzantine political imagination at a time of crisis when the Empire ceased to be a first-rate power in the Mediterranean. It investigates the correspondence and fissures between official political rhetoric, on the one hand, and the political ideas of lay thinkers and churchmen, on the other. Through the analysis of a wide body of sources (some of them little known or unpublished), a picture of Byzantine political thought emerges which differs significantly from the traditional one. The period saw refreshing developments in court rhetoric and political thought, some with interesting parallels in the medieval and Renaissance West, which arose in response to the new historical realities.

About the Author
Dimiter Angelov is a Research Fellow and Lecturer in the Centre for Byzantine, Ottoman and Modern Greek Studies at the University of Birmingham. He studied at Harvard University and has also taught at Western Michigan University.

I'll also throught this one in. It's not too expensive.

Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 500–1250
http://www.cambridge.org/us/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521894524


I think this is the book on Central Asia of which I'm thinking.

The Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia (Hardcover)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521243041/?tag=pfamazon01-20

http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521243049

Book on Google - The Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia


FYI - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Central_Asia

The history of Europe is intertwined with that of Central Asia through the various migrations. Heather elucidates the impact of the Huns upon the Roman Empire and the 'barbarian' tribes who were situated between the Huns and Romans.

 

[arildno]

I'm at the moment rifling through Salvian's "On the Government of God", written in 440, and available online
At that time, the Huns were military allies with the Romans (that didn't last long..).
It contains a condemnation of how the then functioning tax system in Gaul had depredating effects, for example by driving the poorer peasants into the arms of the Bagaudae.
It also rails against Carthagian immorality, where transvestites were dominant, it seems..

 

[Astronuc]

I'm at the moment rifling through Salvian's "On the Government of God", written in 440, and available online
At that time, the Huns were military allies with the Romans (that didn't last long..).
It contains a condemnation of how the then functioning tax system in Gaul had depredating effects, for example by driving the poorer peasants into the arms of the Bagaudae.
It also rails against Carthagian immorality, where transvestites were dominant, it seems..

Is this the text?

http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/salvian_gov_04_book4.htm

Check this out!

http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/

 

[arildno]

I know the site well.
And yes, that's where I found the text.

 

[arildno]

It seems that Bachrach wrote a book about the Alans, "The Alans in the West", an Iranian nomadic people eventually settling in Armorica, nowadays Brittany, of all places, back in the fifth century.

Apparently, the Bretons were renowned for their horsemanship, and we have references to that from both Gregory of Tours and later historians.

Thus, it seems, the future Bretons learned their skills from the Alans, or so Bachrach argues in an article I bought at jstor.


This fits very nicely with a hypothesis I had already formed when reading Ammianus, that there might be ALANIC elements in the Arthurian myths!

We know that the Arthurian cycle is mainly from Brittany, and a very interesting passage in Ammianus came to my attention:

Here, Ammianus is commenting on a ritual of commencing war among the Alans:
This cannot be done unless a SWORD HAS BEEN THRUST INTO THE GROUND.
(and presumably, dances, chants as such around the sword before retrieving it)

Could this be the historical basis for what eventually morphed into the Excalibur legend, with the true king takes the sword out of the stone (or ground)?


(Ammianus was a contemporary with Julian the Apostate, and Ammianus, who was a pagan, saw him as the greatest of Cæsars.)

 

[Evo]

It seems that Bachrach wrote a book about the Alans, "The Alans in the West", an Iranian nomadic people eventually settling in Armorica, nowadays Brittany, of all places, back in the fifth century.

Apparently, the Bretons were renowned for their horsemanship, and we have references to that from both Gregory of Tours and later historians.

Thus, it seems, the future Bretons learned their skills from the Alans, or so Bachrach argues in an article I bought at jstor.


This fits very nicely with a hypothesis I had already formed when reading Ammianus, that there might be ALANIC elements in the Arthurian myths!

We know that the Arthurian cycle is mainly from Brittany, and a very interesting passage in Ammianus came to my attention:

Here, Ammianus is commenting on a ritual of commencing war among the Alans:
This cannot be done unless a SWORD HAS BEEN THRUST INTO THE GROUND.
(and presumably, dances, chants as such around the sword before retrieving it)

Could this be the historical basis for what eventually morphed into the Excalibur legend, with the true king takes the sword out of the stone (or ground)?


(Ammianus was a contemporary with Julian the Apostate, and Ammianus, who was a pagan, saw him as the greatest of Cæsars.)

That's very interesting Aildno! I am always amazed by the breadth and depth of your knowledge of history in this period. It's one of my favorites. I wish there was a way I could just plug into your brain. Marcus is another I'd love to plug into.

You do seem to have the ability to recall in great detail all of the history you've read.

 

[Astronuc]

Alanic history is very interesting, as are the individual histories of each tribe from E. Europe and Central Asia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alans

and a map of their migration(s)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Alani_map.jpg

I think the Alans split up - perhaps on more than one occasion. In the Wikipedia article (and IIRC, in Heather's book), they are associated with the Sarmatians.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarmatians

The Sarmatians conquered areas north of the Black Sea ~ 1st cent BCE, and over 2-3 centuries migrated east to the Danube Valley south of the Carpatians. In the 4th century CE, the Huns moved from the Steppes west and south (toward the Don) and that put pressure on the Alans who moved west which displaced the Goths (Visigoths). At some point the Alans were under the domination of the Huns, or perhaps those who didn't escape further east. Eventually, during the 5th cent, the Alans combined with the Vandals and found their way to N. Africa. I suspect during these migrations, groups like the Alans splintered - some going north (to N. Gaul) and others going south (Iberia) with the Vandals.

Now the Alans, like other nomads from the Eurasian Steppes were horsemen. I believe they preferred lances/pikes and swords, which meant that they were not match for the Huns and their bows.

FYI - Sources on the Alans: A Critical Compilation (Handbook of Oriental Studies/Handbuch Der Orientalistik) (Hardcover)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/9004114424/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

By the way here is an interesting website for bibliophiles...
http://www.librarything.com/

 

[Astronuc]

By the way here is an interesting website for bibliophiles...
http://www.librarything.com/

Just what I need - http://www.librarything.com/groups/ancienthistory -

 

[Gokul43201]

It seems that Bachrach wrote a book about the Alans, "The Alans in the West", an Iranian nomadic people eventually settling in Armorica, nowadays Brittany, of all places, back in the fifth century.

Apparently, the Bretons were renowned for their horsemanship, and we have references to that from both Gregory of Tours and later historians.

Thus, it seems, the future Bretons learned their skills from the Alans, or so Bachrach argues in an article I bought at jstor.This fits very nicely with a hypothesis I had already formed when reading Ammianus, that there might be ALANIC elements in the Arthurian myths!

A hypothesis shared with others, I hear.

Being totally illiterate, I get all my knowledge from a brilliantly slanderous show called QI: http://www.guba.com/watch/3000035114

If you don't care about the show itself, skip ahead to about 13 min, for the segment on the Alans. Apparently, Pliny the Elder (my favorite dude of all time) had a not too favorable opinion of the Alans.

 

[arildno]

A hypothesis shared with others, I hear.

Being totally illiterate, I get all my knowledge from a brilliantly slanderous show called QI: http://www.guba.com/watch/3000035114

If you don't care about the show itself, skip ahead to about 13 min, for the segment on the Alans. Apparently, Pliny the Elder (my favorite dude of all time) had a not too favorable opinion of the Alans.

Thanks a lot, Gokul!

No Pulitzer Prize for me then, for making the discovery..

 

[Evo]

Being totally illiterate, I get all my knowledge from a brilliantly slanderous show called QI: http://www.guba.com/watch/3000035114

If you don't care about the show itself, skip ahead to about 13 min, for the segment on the Alans. Apparently, Pliny the Elder (my favorite dude of all time) had a not too favorable opinion of the Alans.

That was wild! Poor Pliny the Elder, killed by Vesuvius.

 

[Astronuc]

More contemporary reading -

Blind Man's Bluff: The Untold Story of American Submarine Espionage (Paperback)
by Sherry Sontag and Christopher Drew
https://www.amazon.com/dp/006097771X/?tag=pfamazon01-20

In an unusually successful amalgam, veteran journalists Sontag and Christopher Drew combine a gripping story with admirable research to relate previously unknown information. Throughout the Cold War, the U.S. depended heavily on submarines for intelligence gathering, whether tracking Soviet missile subs, monitoring Soviet harbors and missile tests or, in some cases, retrieving lost Soviet equipment. The U.S.S.R. responded with everything from comprehensive espionage operations to depth charge attacks on particularly intrusive snoopers. The broad outlines of this clandestine confrontation are relatively familiar, but the details have largely remained secret. Although the authors have based their book largely on interviews with submariners, intelligence operatives and politicians, they recognize the possibility of distortion and back up personal accounts with an elaborate and convincing system of verification. While necessarily incomplete, the resulting work depicts what was arguably the most successful long-term, large-scale intelligence operation in American history. From captains to seamen, the participants combined technical proficiency, . . . .

I've read the book. It is a great story!


Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War (Paperback)
by Robert Coram
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0316796883/?tag=pfamazon01-20

A great American hero-a 20th-century warrior and military strategist who lived outside the spotlight but whose work has been enormously influential-is brought brilliantly to life in this acclaimed biography. John Boyd was the finest fighter pilot in American history. From the proving ground of the Korean War, he went on to win notoriety as the instructor who defeated-in less than 40 seconds-every pilot who challenged him. But what made Boyd a man for the ages was what happened after he left the cockpit. He transformed the way military aircraft-in particular the F-15 and F-16-were designed with his revolutionary Energy-Maneuverability Theory. . . . .

Another great story. I actually exchanged emails with Coram after I read the book.


Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time (Paperback)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143038257/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Starred Review. Some failures lead to phenomenal successes, and this American nurse's unsuccessful attempt to climb K2, the world's second tallest mountain, is one of them. Dangerously ill when he finished his climb in 1993, Mortenson was sheltered for seven weeks by the small Pakistani village of Korphe; in return, he promised to build the impoverished town's first school, a project that grew into the Central Asia Institute, which has since constructed more than 50 schools across rural Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Coauthor Relin recounts Mortenson's efforts in fascinating detail, presenting compelling portraits of the village elders, con artists, philanthropists, mujahideen, Taliban officials, ambitious school girls and upright Muslims Mortenson met along the way. As the book moves into the post-9/11 world, Mortenson and Relin argue that the United States must fight Islamic extremism in the region through collaborative efforts to alleviate poverty and improve access to education, especially for girls. . . .

I'll read this after my wife finishes reading it. From what she described, it's quite a story.

 

[FrancisZ]

"Flatterland...Like Flatland, Only More So," by Ian Stewart.

I'm about 1/2 way now. I started reading it because a Math professor I once had, had mention it to me. Actually, he had mentioned the original "Flatland," by Edwin Abbott.

I would say that it is an easy read--both children and adults would enjoy it; maybe for different reasons, but nonetheless, because it is an interesting, creative, and witty reflection of our view of the universe.

The main characters are from different dimensions (and that is probably as much as I ought to say).

 

[FrancisZ]

"Flatterland...Like Flatland, Only More So," by Ian Stewart.

I'm about 1/2 way now. I started reading it because a Math professor I once had, had mention it to me. Actually, he had mentioned the original "Flatland," by Edwin Abbott.

I would say that it is an easy read--both children and adults would enjoy it; maybe for different reasons, but nonetheless, because it is an interesting, creative, and witty reflection of our view of the universe.

The main characters are from different dimensions (and that is probably as much as I ought to say).

 

[Integral]

I haven't as yet read (or bought) the Victorian classic, Thomas Hodgkin's 8-volume "Italy and her invaders", but it is supposed to be well written.

I HAVE read extracts of Gibbon's "Decline and Fall", and his footnotes, at least, are rather juicy..

Some years ago ~1980 I waded through the entire Decline and Fall. The English language has evolved since Gibbon wrote this in ~17xx. I found it a tough read, but boy was there a lot of information. I guess his views of the Catholic Church are pretty biased but I felt that it was a good history anyway. Perhaps because I do not have a great love of the Catholic church..even before Gibbon.

Currently I am working on a tale of King Author written by Jack Whyte, The Camulod series. He starts at the fading of the Roman Empire in Britain. It is my understanding that Jack Whyte is a bit of a historian so the events he weaves into his charters lives should be somewhat factual. I am working on the 3rd of maybe 9books.

 

[tribdog]

I was getting tired of reading crappy books, so I decided to read all the hugo winners. Here's what I've read so far:
Starship Troopers, Heinlein- I don't know how the crappy movie dared call itself Starship Troopers. It is nothing like this book. 7.5 out of 10

A Canticle for Leibowitz-Walter Miller. 9 out of 10

Stranger in a strange land, Heinlein- 9.5 out of 10. one of my favorite books

The Man in the High Castle, Philip Dick-7.5 out of 10

Dune, Frank Herbert-9.5 out of 10, I'd almost forgotten how good this is. might even deserve 9.9 out of 10

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Heinlein-7 out of 10, good, not my favorite

Ringworld, Larry Niven-7.5 out of 10, probably deserves higher, but I read the series and all the books together aren't as good as this one by itself

To Your Scattered Bodies Go, Philip Jose Farmer-9 out of 10, I really got into this one having a harder time with the sequels though

Rendezvous with Rama, Clark-7.5 out of 10, I sort of expected more

Gateway, Frederick Pohl-8.5 out of 10, too short

Neuromancer,William Gibson-4 out of 10, I could not get into this book, it was a chore to read it

Ender's Game & Speaker for the Dead, Orson Scott Card- 8 out of 10

The Vor Game, Lois McMaster Bujold-8.5 out of 10, I'll definitely need to read more of this series

Doomsday Book, Connie Willis-9 out of 10, slower than most of these others, but really well written

The Diamond Age, Neal Stephenson-8 out of 10, 90% of this book is 10 out 10, it just drifted a bit towards the end

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling-not as well written or as deep as others in this list, but I have never gotten into a world like I have with the Harry Potter books. I love this series and this is the best of them. I give it 10 out of 10 not because it is great literature but because I love every one of the people in it.

American Gods, Neil Gaiman-8.5 out of 10, another author I want to read more of

Hominids, Robert Sawyer-8.5 out of 10, very enjoyable and easy read

My grades here are only for the books in this list compared to each other. anyone of these books is a 10 out of 10 when compared to most the other books ever written.
I'm planning on reading Hyperion by Dan Simmons and The Gods Themselves by Asimov sometime soon. I have them but haven't read them.

Lastly, the final book in the Harry Potter Series was without a doubt the worst sequel EVER written. What a disappointing way to end such a great series. I cannot believe the publisher didn't pull JK aside and say let's work on this one a bit more. I read the fake Deathly Hallows which was written by a fan and it was better than the real one. I have never been more disappointed by anything I've ever read.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Neuromancer,William Gibson-4 out of 10, I could not get into this book, it was a chore to read it

His books are all of a rather similar style so I'm not sure if you would enjoy any of the others. I only hardly remember Nueromancer (which maybe says something about it).

American Gods, Neil Gaiman-8.5 out of 10, another author I want to read more of

The sequal, The Anansi Boys, is quite good but not as good as American Gods in my opinion. I would recommend any of his books as well as the calaborative effort with Terry Pratchet, Good Omens. I'm even considering looking for Gaiman's Sandman comic book series, only comic to ever win the World Fantasy Award or to hit the New York Times best seller list.




A good book I read recently was The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. Its somewhat a children's or young adult's book due to content but the narrative is really well written in mature and intelligent language. It has a rather interesting mix of genres with a bit of 'steampunk', 'gernsback continuum', and some fantasy for good measure. I'm just now reading as well that the trilogy is apparently an athiest's answer to The Chronicles of Narnia.
The story is set in the Victorian era with advanced (for the time) technology. Electricity is referred to as 'anbaric energy' and nuclear physics is referred to as 'atomcraft'. Science is still considered in the realm of philosophy and the church is still the primary political power in Europe. London is a high tech (for the time) metropolis powered by nuclear power plants and with zeppelins flying through the skies.
As for the fantasy aspects all persons have a familiar called a daemon which seems to be a metaphysical manifestation of their psyche. There are witchs with magical/metaphysical powers who live for hundreds of years and there is a race of intelligent warrior bears who live in the siberian tundra. There are also what seem to be poltergeists, referred to as ghasts.
The actual storyline follows a young girl who goes on an adventure to save her uncle and best friend who have both been taken prisoner by a mysterious secret organization who runs experiments on children. I find it hard to think of a way to describe the story without hiving anything away and already have with that first sentence so I'll just leave it at that.

By the way I have not seen the movie so I have no idea how they compare.

 

[tribdog]

The sequal, The Anansi Boys, is quite good but not as good as American Gods in my opinion. I would recommend any of his books as well as the calaborative effort with Terry Pratchet, Good Omens. I'm even considering looking for Gaiman's Sandman comic book series, only comic to ever win the World Fantasy Award or to hit the New York Times best seller list.

Good Omens isn't a discworld book is it? I've got 35 discworld audio books, but I don't have good omens.

 

[scorpa]

I haven't had much time to read for pleasure lately so I have just been reading some easy to read books that don't take much thinking haha. I just finished Long Way Round and Long Way Down, by Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor. It is about these actors that loaded up their motorbikes and went around the world (followed closely by a support team to bail them out if need be haha). The books aren't necessarily well written, but they are easy to read and entertaining as they describe all of the places and people they saw. Now that I have finished them I am starting Jupiter's Travels the inspiration for the previous two books. After that I think I would like to do some reading on Russian history and culture, and I should really read Anna Karenina (sp?) as I have had that book forever and not gotten around to it.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Good Omens isn't a discworld book is it? I've got 35 discworld audio books, but I don't have good omens.

Nope. It's entirely separate from discworld. I always describe it as "If Douglas Adams wrote the apocalypse".

 

[moe darklight]

I'm reading the Poetic Edda and I highly recommend it. Norse (vikings!) mythology and poetry is awesome; it's very imaginative and beautifully written.
I'm glad I read the Prose Edda first though, because it introduces the gods and myths without which I'd be kind of lost.

If you're a fan of Lord Of The Rings (which I can't say I am, but I might give it another chance some day) you'll probably enjoy it, as many of the ideas are inspired by these myths and stories.

 

[Astronuc]

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization (Politically Incorrect Guides) by Anthony Esolen. Interesting book I just started reading. The author describes some natural law or absolute moral authority, but so far has defined it.

So far it seems a bit of rant.

The Politically Incorrect Guide(TM) to Western Civilization takes on the prevailing liberal assumptions that make Western civilization the universal whipping boy for today's global problems, and introduces you to the significant events, individuals, nations, ideas, and artistic achievements that make Western civilization the greatest the world has ever known.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1596980591/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

"...the greatest the world has ever known."?
Wow... that looks scary Astro.

 

[Astronuc]

"...the greatest the world has ever known."?
Wow... that looks scary Astro.

Well - it's only someone's opinion.

I highly recommend "Three Cups of Tea"!

Listen to this about the program to build schools in northern areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan - http://clipcast.wpr.org:8080/ramgen/wpr/hoe/hoe060318k.rm (requires Real Player).

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I almost forgot...

I finished reading Phillip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy (which begins with The Golden Compass).
The second book "The Subtle Knife" is a bit slow, like a bridge between the first and second books, and loses a lot of the fantastic atmosphere of the first book. The third, "The Amber Spyglass", gets back closer to the original book and wraps up the strory rather well. I'd rather not describe them in detail to avoid ruining the series for anyone who has not read it.
Pullman maintains his anti-religious establishment view point through out the series both in obvious and subtle ways. One of his primary themes appears to be the notion that trust and ethical action need not be born of "faith" or fear of God but can come merely from a sense of what is "right".
All in all, for a children's (or young adult's) series, it contains fairly mature intellectual and philisophical material and I think that most adult fans of fantasy would enjoy it.


Since I finished that series I have read Gregory Maguire's "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister".
I almost forgot how much I enjoy his prose. Maguire writes the realistic story that could have sparked a Cinderella legend. Focusing on the complicated struggles of real people and how they may appear to outsiders he weaves the story of an amazingly beautiful but bizzarely eccentric "Cinderella" and the intelligent but haunted Iris, her "Ugly Stepsister", who attempts to understand a world where appearances mean everything.
Now that I am done with my cheesy go at a NY Times commentary, I have to say that it is a very good read. Maguire replaces the fantastic in the story with psychology and does a great job of it.



Oh and I watched the movie made of "The Golden Compass" and suggest that no one who has seen the movie bases their opinion of the book upon it. The story in the movie is a chopped and mixed around version of the original because they seem to have not been able to contain as rich and complex a story in such a short period of time.

 

[Astronuc]

I've been reading "Dreams from my Father" by Barack Obama. I've had many similar observations about the world. He is very thoughtful, insightful and introspective, and I think those qualities could make him a great president. I really hope that he becomes a great president, and that he does lead the nation in a more positive direction that enables greater prosperity and security for all, not only in the US but in all other nations too.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I've been reading "Dreams from my Father" by Barack Obama. I've had many similar observations about the world. He is very thoughtful, insightful and introspective, and I think those qualities could make him a great president. I really hope that he becomes a great president, and that he does lead the nation in a more positive direction that enables greater prosperity and security for all, not only in the US but in all other nations too.

I've been thinking of looking for his biography. Maybe I can find it at a used book store for not too much. I have to imagine that the market has been flooded with copies as of late.

 

[chaoseverlasting]

What about 'A Wrinkle In Time'? I read the series ages ago and was absolutely in love with it.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Series? There's more?
I read A Wrinkle In Time years ago myself. I never knew there were more than just the one. Time to go looking for them I guess. I think I heard they intend to make a movie, jumping on the childrens book movie bandwagon I guess.

Ah..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Wrinkle_in_Time_(film )
Disney made a television movie of it. Hmmmm..

 

[Astronuc]

I enjoyed this book, which is the story and tangled lives of Ernest Lawrence, Robert Oppenheimer and Edward Teller.

Amazon.com Review
. . . . is a serious look at invention, rivalry, and betrayal. One of the central episodes involves Oppenheimer's too-cozy relationship with radical-left politics--he carelessly associated with Communists, even though he occupied one of the most sensitive jobs in the U.S. government during the cold war--and Teller's momentous decision to testify against him. This event is one of the most controversial in the annals of American science, and Herken tells it straight, with barely a word of editorial comment. Fans of Richard Rhodes will enjoy this triple biography, as will anybody with an interest in science, politics, and top-secret security clearances. --John J. Miller


From Publishers Weekly
The personalities of the scientists who made the nuclear bomb are the focus of this detailed, engrossing history of one of the greatest scientific discoveries of the 20th century. Relying on author interviews and primary and secondary sources, Herken (The Winning Weapons) explains the backgrounds of the three physicists who were essential to the creation of the atomic bombs dropped over Japan during WWII. But even though the author focuses on Oppenheimer, Lawrence and Teller offering both brief bios of each and depicting the sometimes-tempestuous relationships among them it's the former who garners the lion's share of his attention. "Oppie," as he was known, has long been a controversial figure for his later opposition to weapons programs and his alleged Communist links (he was stripped of his U.S. government security clearance during the McCarthy years). As Herken notes, the trial might have had a backlash, turning many scientists against U.S. defense projects for years to come. But there's no smoking gun here: Herken argues that it is unlikely that Oppenheimer, despite his strong leftist sympathies, was ever a member of the Communist Party, let alone a spy. But he nicely details the intersection between the scientific and leftist communities (particularly during the 1920s and 1930s) and the government's attempt to infiltrate these communities after the war. The book is unlikely to end the debate over Oppenheimer's past or change any minds about the balances between security needs and civil liberties but if there was ever a question that politics plays a part in science, this book washes away any doubts.

Brighter than a Thousand Suns: A Personal History of the Atomic Scientists (Paperback)
by Robert Jungk (1970)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0156141507/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I'm reading the Poetic Edda and I highly recommend it. Norse (vikings!) mythology and poetry is awesome; it's very imaginative and beautifully written.
I'm glad I read the Prose Edda first though, because it introduces the gods and myths without which I'd be kind of lost.

If you're a fan of Lord Of The Rings (which I can't say I am, but I might give it another chance some day) you'll probably enjoy it, as many of the ideas are inspired by these myths and stories.

I checked out a library copy of 'The Elder Edda' by Taylor and Auden today and started reading. This volume has excerpts from various poems along with an introduction, glossary and notes. Without them, I would be as lost as you would have been without your preparation. I thought The Hobbit was OK, but I gave up on LOTR after about a third of the way into the first volume. I guess Tolkien's Middle Earth refers to the Midgard of the Edda.