An historical fiction about the V2, the birth of rocketry and from both German and British points of view. If developed earlier in the war the outcome might have been different. It was a terrible weapon used in an awful manner. Fairly well-written with interesting main characters and an enigmatic Werner von Braun in the wings.
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
V2 by Robert Harris
Black Elk Speaks by Black Elk
Story of the last days of free Indians in the Black Hills area as told in the words of Black Elk and his contemporaries. Black Elk was a "holy" man who had visions. Engaging if painful story told from a completely "alien" point of view with pre-Christian almost revelation-type visions. Unlike any other book I can recall offhand. It is sad but every American would benefit reading it.
The Shadow of the Sword by Tom Holland
(half read aloud, ended by the more usual method)
As the reviews stated, this ~400-page book takes 300 pages to get to Islam itself. As I understand his thesis, he is saying the origins of Islam are obscure and the dominant narrative is implausible. He doesn't say this, but it is implied, I feel. The vocabulary of the book is quite remarkable. The cast of characters is overwhelming.
A Better Man by Louise Penny
Interesting plot, good characters though her Armand is more saint than human. And her old ladies are too profane for my taste. Explores the desperation of family ties and the sad legacy of domestic violence.
Night of the Confessor by Tomáš Halík
(read for book group)
Very thoughtful writing which probes the meaning of belief and doubt. He is interested in those who don't believe in God but believe in "something." Also he thinks that using words about God's "existence" makes it seem like God is a "thing" or "noun" and that more properly, in short, God exists in a different way than anything else in his creation exists. Perhaps "narration" as in Bible stories is closer than theological and philosophical speculations.
Never too Old for a Pierhead Jump by David Black
Book 6 of 6. Continues the story of Harry Gilmour finishing the war as captain of his sub. Engaging, well-told stories, good characters and pacing, seeing the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and South Asian seas. Stories all historically true it seems, woven into a plausible reality.
The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larsen
For a history so well-known, this account of Churchill and the leadership of WWII was interesting, fresh, and even exciting. The author purposely uses information from a bodyguard, a top aide, and his young daughter to shed a new light on this remarkable man. An engaging read done with respect and delight without ignoring flaws, failures, and the evil of war.
Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
(read aloud)
This is a wonderful book. The writing is luminous. This is a deeply spiritual work. It gives a wonderful flavor to the early southwest church planting of the Roman church with its French and Spanish outreaches. The characters are warm and full of humanity.
Unix: A History and a Memoir by Brian Kernighan
Started when computers were slow, minimally connected with small memories. Unix grew, morphed into Linux, and now is everywhere and runs the internet and phones and perhaps (unfortunately) human life. A memoir of genius and geniuses.
Great Formulas Explained by Metin Bektas
Author is an excellent explainer and has chosen very interesting examples like roller-coasters. Just the right level for me.
The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu by Joshua Hammer
First part of book is good about gathering old Islamic documents held by families in and around Timbuktu, also some history of Mali. The rest of the book is the terrible influx of Jihadis and their eventual ouster by the French and restoration of manuscripts to museums in Timbuktu. However, it gave me no confidence about their safety. Overall not that interesting. Would love to learn more history of Timbuktu and more about early Arabic manuscripts. Some of these have been digitized.
Madame Fourcade's Secret War by Lynne Olson
A very interesting account of the woman who ran one of the largest French resistance spy organizations in WWII. Though dealing with marked chauvinism, she overcame all odds and was highly valued and a very effective leader, though a great personal price, mental physical, and family. A book that has a cast of hundreds but still is very exciting and captivating. It was a terrible time but a time of heroism in the face of cruelty and betrayal.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
(read aloud)
A long convoluted book with many characters and subplots which comes together nicely in the end. About secrets, lost loves, books, friendship and beauty and obsession.
Cold Flat Junction by Martha Grimes
A second book in a series, a murder mystery from the point of view of a very grown-up 12-year-old. She is largely left to herself and making her way as best she can, with wit and moxie. She is cynical and somewhat jaded but sees through a lot of adult pretensions. She has an attitude but with good reason. A well-drawn character but plot is obscured by too many excursions.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
A warm witty novel with characters you care about. Written in letters, which is clever and enjoyable. Serious about effects of occupation and value of society and relationship, about literature informing life. About everyone's stories.
The Goat by Roger Simon
This is a fun read, basically Faust on the pro tennis circuit. Enjoyable, clever, not really profound.
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
Good writing. Definitely spiritual without sharp edges, gently crafted characters, love and respect modeled and valued.
Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horowitz
(read aloud)
A fun romp with James Bond by Horowitz. Quite clever, good period references Not too explicit. Not Horowitz's best but his prose is enjoyable.
The Bonny Boy by David Black
Book 4 of 5, good action, good characters. Bit of hanging ending, theme of entire series emerges. As a reader I feel more of a submariner as series progresses. Good leadership themes and a sense of the futile randomness of war.
The Good Shepherd by C. S. Forester
A U.S. destroyer is escorting a convoy of merchant ships with valuable supplies across the Atlantic, avoiding and attacking "wolf packs" of U-boats. No sleep and little chance even to eat for the captain, who is in charge of his ship and the other escorting ships.
Turn Left for Gibraltar by David Black
WWII subs working out of besieged Malta. Harry Gilmour is moving up and doing well but difficulties abound, reads true and holds the reader's attention. Book 3 of 5
Camino Winds by John Grisham
(read aloud)
About nursing home fraud. A kind of sequel to Camino Island, about a bookstore owner on Camino Island who in the previous book "sold" a manuscript back to Princeton, in this book an author friend is murdered to prevent his manuscript being published.
this post refers back to a 2017 review: http://frompagetopage.blogspot.com/2017/11/camino-island-by-john-grisham.html
The Millionaires by Inman Majors
A novel of the new south, of good old boys moving to the "big" city. Business, politics, networking, and loyalty all interweave. Two brothers bound together conquer a fictional Knoxville, Tennessee and bring the World's Fair by hook and by crook. The writing is very good, the plot is actually quite sophisticated, and at the end of the book you realize it is really not about the brothers but about a secondary character who is present but background in most every scene.
Virgil Wander by Leif Enger
(read aloud)
A simply wonderful book about a decent man who suffers a head injury and starts a new chapter in his life in a small Minnesota town where he has lived his entire adult life. Vivid characters you really care about abound. The tone is gentle, the plot interesting, the setting northern-midwest unpretentious, but the ideas are profound and thought-provoking. Very highly recommended.
A Skipper's Dog Called Stalin by David Black
Second of the "Gilmour" novels, Harry is now on a French sub as liaison, since the Free French sub (under deGaulle) is with and not with the British navy. The clash of cultures in the Allies, as reflected on the boat, is very interesting. The plot is exciting and satisfying. Submarining was dangerous!
Gone to Sea in a Bucket by a David Black
A World War II submarine adventure seen through the eyes of an up-and-coming Scottish reserve officer. Very interesting look at the British navy, its traditions, its language and pretensions. Chapters of description and character building, with chapters of mayhem and fear, mimics the rhythm of wartime naval life. "Bucket" is an uncomfortable boat manned by men used to discomfort. The first of five books, it is very good and quite different from other sub books. Similar to Run Silent Run Deep but based more on a single character and less self-confident about the naval equipment provided, including the boat.
False Assurances by Christopher Rosso
A book about a financially motivated terrorist attack and an unlikely hero, an FBI analyst thrust into field work. A fun quick read.
Dominion by Tom Holland
(read aloud)
This is a long, sweeping survey of Christian history, making the argument that Christianity has molded the thinking of the west. It has done this to an extent that is so great as to be almost paradoxically invisible. Despite the decline of Christianity, it still even influences atheistic attempts at morality. Religio and Reformatio are key terms and defined more by examples than rigorous definition. Well-written, and relentless in supporting his thesis.
109 East Palace by Jennet Conant
A very good book about Los Alamos and Oppenheimer. Very different from the definitive Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes. It is less about the technical and more about life in Los Alamos. It also is wonderfully sourced by Oppenheimer's female assistants and some other women so it gives a very grounded view of the project and some of the mystery and stress from the point of view of the families and singles. I believe the author is related to James B. Conant and this was a very high-level source. The technical parts are well done as well. If you read one book, read Rhodes, but if you read more, this is the second one to read about this amazing project.
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
(No Fear Shakespeare)
Has been reviewed before by more capable reviewers. I do very much like the "no fear" format.
The Vision of the Anointed by Thomas Sowell
A brilliant analysis of the elitist 'aristocracy' and their disdain of the masses and the 'average person.' How problems are noted and the solutions were almost always wrong. A very detailed book but quite wonderful and full of wisdom.
Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz
(read aloud)
Well-written mystery with a very clever twist but an unsatisfying ending, leaving the reader feeling betrayed, though this betrayal is absolutely in character, Moriarty after all being the world's greatest criminal. Holmes, whose shadow is everywhere, never appears.
Still Letting my People Go by Jack R. Davidson
A very good discussion of Rev. Caruthers's Manuscript Against American Slavery based on Exodus 10:3. Written by our former pastor and covering in detail the reasoning and exegesis and hermeneutic.
The Heavenly City of the Eighteenth-Century Philosophers by Carl L. Becker
A series of historical lectures given at Yale concerning enlightenment philosophers. It is a remarkable display of erudition and delightful prose with the immediacy of an oral presentation. It avoids polemic and as such is somewhat breezy and tentative, wanting to please all.
How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan
About mushrooms, pot, LSD and use applications and proponents. Long text with many interviews and descriptions of 'trips,' including the author's. Interesting in terms of therapeutic possibilities but much more research needed.
The Obesity Code by Jason Fung
Very good book and well-documented. Excellent discussion of insulin hypothesis and good discussion of weakness of low-fat heart hypothesis. Main point is about fasting and its benefits. Very good on what not to eat. Emphasizes longer fasts, 24 to 36 hours.
The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell
This book is in two parts. The first is a moving and very well-written description of the plight of the mining community and working class in England. It is an amazing example of journalism and descriptive writing. It is hard to read as it portrays so vividly the plight of so many workers of the time. The second part of the book is a political polemic about socialism. It is well-written and very thought-provoking.
The Philadelphia Chromosome by Jessica Wapner
The story of Gleevec, which shows basic science preparing the way for a theoretical breakthrough. While this is probably an example of theory preceding or at least coinciding with praxis, on further reflection the theory is surely incomplete as there are a multitude of kinases and the specificity of inhibition is somewhat trial and error. Nonetheless the success of Gleevec is really wonderful and at least gives hope.
Conquistador by Buddy Levy
(read aloud)
A breathtaking account of battle, intrigue, and exploitation. Montezuma and Cortez and a clash of cultures, religions, and destinies. Both wonderful and terrible. Much more interesting than I expected. The Aztec culture must have been amazing at its zenith.
Human Nature by David Berlinski
Berlinski's prose style is not for everyone; some would find it overwrought but I like it. I have noticed after reading almost all his works that he has a habit of sentences bifurcated in an almost dialectic manner, with hints of rabbinical or perhaps Jesuitical reasoning. This book is a series of essays, only two or three directly relating to human nature, the rest of course relating by having a human source, thus serving as exhibits. The passages on essentialism are thought-provoking and valuable. His occasional sexual, provocative excursions are relevant, it seems, only due to the title of the book, and as exhibits of urbanity. His comments on the Notre Dame fire are moving and almost, we hesitate to say, spiritual. More recently he seems more agnostic than atheist, though he seems unable to leave his cynicism aside.
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