An exploration of evil by a crime novel writer who came to Christ after seeing the vacuity of thinkers like Nietzsche and de Sade and Foucault. He explores famous murders and murderers and films and novels about them and ends with personal notes and a somewhat fanciful treatment in the form of a poetic approach to theodicy. A book more to be appreciated than enjoyed.
Saturday, October 4, 2025
A Plague Upon Our House: My Fight at the Trump White House to Stop COVID from Destroying America by Scott W. Atlas M.D.
A retelling from the inside of the early days of COVID and the first Trump administration. Basically Atlas subscribed or previewed the focused intervention view of the Barrington Declaration. Dr Birx and Fauci pushed alarm and lockdowns and deprecated natural immunity. The press was pro-Fauci and anti-Trump. The Stanford faculty was rabidly opposed to Atlas.
Deception: The Great COVID Cover-Up by Rand Paul
A long recounting of the COVID pandemic. Paul remained firm throughout. He thought the virus might have come from a lab, that natural immunity was real, that children were at extremely low risk, that masks didn't help, that Fauci was funding gain-of-function research in China. All of these ideas were ridiculed then found to be very likely true. A sad accounting by an often lone voice.
Collisions: A Physicist's Journey from Hiroshima to the Death of the Dinosaurs by Alec Nevala-Lee
A biography of Luis Alvarez, grandson of evangelical missionaries to China and Nobel Prize-winning physicist. Very varied career with many contributions. Not very well liked it seems. Worked with cyclotron, developed bubble chamber, worked on A-bomb and H-bomb. Surprisingly interesting to me even though I have read many books about these discoveries.
Hoover: An Extraordinary Life in Extraordinary Times by Kenneth Whyte
A balanced, long biography about a surprisingly interesting figure. An orphan raised in Oregon, he became a wealthy mining engineer around the world through ambition and some chicanery. His political career began with amazing compassionate administrative work in post-WWI relief in Belgium, where he probable saved hundreds of thousands of lives. He served with distinction as Secretary of Commerce in Harding's cabinet, won the presidency in a major landslide. Probably through no fault of his own the country and world economy cratered, possibly from effects of Versailles Treaty in Europe and stock market greed in U.S. Roosevelt rose to power on blaming Hoover and the nation's tiredness of prohibition and resultant lawlessness. Hoover was bitter in defeat, hoped to get back in politics, but no-one was interested. He was wealthy, ethical (in politics) and actually a very competent administrator.
The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
Thursday Murder Club - missing heroin and a friend's death. Fun, overdrawn characters and a clever plot twist. Lots of deaths. Enjoyable escape read.
Cool: How Air Conditioning Changed Everything by Salvatore Basile
The history of air conditioning. An early patent by J. Gorrie #8080 was forgotten for 70 years after being ridiculed by the so-called science of the day. Also the book is remarkable for the ignorance of building ventilation and sun exposure.
God's Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible by Adam Nicolson
Tells the story of King James setting in motion the translation of the KJV. This was a complex time in England and Scotland and in the protestant church with many factions. The Puritans and Church of England and others were all involved. Author loves the King James Bible and makes a good case for its genius.
Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams
A young woman sees the potential of Facebook to change the world. She pitches her qualifications, and with much difficulty, is hired. She is from New Zealand and brings international insight sorely needed. Rising quickly she is effective and rewarded. She is sexually harassed by a top executive while also being disillusioned by "careless" people at the top. Her attitude betrays her and she is fired. She is interesting and well-spoken but we just see her side.
The Women by Kristin Hannah
(read aloud)
War is terrible, the Vietnam War was terrible in many ways. There were heroes and forgotten heroes. This sad, disturbing novel is about volunteer nurse soldiers who suffered all the horrors of war and served and saved lives and came home traumatized and forgotten. The hero of the book suffers and survives. The book is very good, very sad, and yet only those who were there can tell us really how true.
No More Tears: The Dark Secrets of Johnson & Johnson by Gardiner Harris
This is about Johnson & Johnson and decades of unethical, immoral, and criminal behavior in medication, medical devices, vaccines, and research. It is well-documented and thorough. It is hard to read. The author claims that thousands have died and more suffered severely because of the knowing behavior of Johnson & Johnson's leadership.
Orientalism by Edward W. Said
I had heard about this book, almost all very negative, so I started being very skeptical. At first I thought he was pedantic and I sniffed out anything that was in the slightest post-modern. About a third of the way through he specifically defined Orientalism, which I should have already understood, but it helped me understand. Gradually I began to be persuaded that Orientalists were describing from their worldview and they were not "listening." In coming into contact with the "other" it is understandable to have some "unease" but it seems appropriate to avoid a "rush to judgment" without some self-reflection and self-awareness. Some of Said's examples are flagrant bigotry by well-known scholars.
This is as everyone knows an important, indeed seminal, book. The edition I read had an afterward by the author 25 years after the original edition. He deals with some of the misunderstandings of the book, which really helped my understanding. Some of these "misunderstandings" seemed badly motivated, almost intentional, which may account for my initial misgivings starting the book.
Long after this book appeared, we are faced still with Islam, colonialsim, racism, oppression. As Said tells us, these involve real people.
Abraham's Silence: The Binding of Isaac, The Suffering of Job, and How to Talk Back to God by J. Richard Middleton
A very in-depth discussion of Abraham's offering of Isaac in light of Job, a theology of lament, and an analysis of all the Christian and rabbinic musings over the centuries. The passage is much more problematic than I realized and his discussion raises many interesting questions.
Islam: A New History from Muhammad to the Present by John Tolan
A recent book by a non-Muslim historian. Gives the entire history of Islam. My main impression is that Islam is very diverse, fragmented, and deeply influenced by geography, tribes, language and politics and war. Book is good, very involved and detailed.
Ordinary Heroes by Scott Turow
A man finds out troubling things about his deceased father's WWII service.Investigating it, he finds a memoir of his father's time in the war. The book is vivid and intriguing and there is a surprise at the end but not about his father. Long book, good writing, read on Kindle.
Rogue Lawyer by John Grisham
A defense lawyer who is endangered by his clients because they are all the dregs of humanity. His life is basically a shambles but he actually and reluctantly does some good and lives to stumble on.
Rethinking Medications: Truth, Power, and the Drugs You Take by Jerry Avorn, M.D.
A very comprehensive review of what is wrong with our development, verification, marketing, and financing of medications. Author seems ethical, informed, and fearless. Appears not to have conflicts of interest. Seems liberal but not anti-capitalist unless capitalism harms the patient. Small riff about Paul Farmer I enjoyed.
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
(read aloud)
This book is long. It is very sad and full of tragedy. It is deeply Christian and at the same time skeptical and full of doubt about God. There is much medical lore and history which is to my mind accurate and reliable. It is a very good book. It is very sad.
The Technological Republic by Alexander C. Karp & Nicholas W. Zamiska
Founder of Palantir makes a case for capitalism, western culture, and almost faith communities in contrast to Silicon Valley's non-moral, dare I say, pseudo-neutrality.
Nightshade by Michael Connelly
A new lead character, a new location; Catalina Island and its police chief, a disgraced LAPD homicide cop. The island is interesting and almost exotic. Interesting mystery and a good story.
Obelisk Odyssey by Mark Ciccone
An engaging trip seeing Egyptian obelisks where they have ended up. Citing their history and each one's unique story, the author is accurate and interesting. With frequent detours and stories from his numerous travels he writes in a casual style that is delightful. Even his comments about religion (that I mostly disagree with) are given in a pleasant, plausible way.
It's Your Ship by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff
About a navy captain who rescued the USS Benfold from mediocrity to excellence basically by listening to his men, trusting them, and expecting great things.
Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green
A review of the history of tuberculosis, which is helpful and nuanced. Main new thread is the complicity of drug makers in pricing new drugs out of reach of the most needy patients and countries. Pepfar is the paradigm, it seems. Vaccine is needed.
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