Books I've Read

2012-01-17T13:32:00.000-06:00

You may sort by title (look for "Title Sort" at the bottom of the scrollable box) as well as by author (look for "Author Sort"). Then just use the search box on the left to find the blog entry that interests you.

Alternatively, use the blog date field in the table along with the archive list on the left side of the screen to get to the year and month of the entry that you seek.

Note: the index was last updated on 17 January 2012; I will continue to update it periodically.

2011 Best of List

2011-12-31T09:00:00.000-06:00

Once again in 2011, only five books made it on to my best of the year list.

Best fiction of the year:

* The Informationist, by Taylor Stephens
* Gates of Fire, by Steven Pressfield
* Topic of Night, by Michael Gruber

Best non-fiction of the year:

* Jesus on Death Row, by Mark Osler
* On China, by Henry Kissinger

As usual, I like to keep track of the numbers -- just because. I expected to have read more books in the latter part of 2011 but a move late in the year caused almost all of my reading queue to be boxed up, and my reading time to be consumed with packing and unpacking. In 2011, of the 116 books I read, fiction outweighed non-fiction at 67 to 49. But I'm expecting lots of reading time in 2011; I've promised myself to make it through the stack of books in the box before taking on any new titles!

Keeping Pet Chickens, by Paul, Windham, and Stahlkuppe

2011-12-22T09:08:00.000-06:00

This cute little book has excellent photos, but few of them as it is quite thin. There is a narrow purpose for which I think this book might be very good: if you are considering raising chickens and want to inch your way forward slowly as you determine if it will be fun for you, this, early on, provides just enough information to be a gate. It explains enough so that you will have sufficient understanding to say either, "nope, not for me," or "okay, I'm game, now let's get a real book and learn some more."

Reamde, by Neal Stephenson

2011-12-21T18:45:00.000-06:00

Neal Stephenson's "Cryptonomicon" is one of my favorite novels ever. Apparently this is true for many people, whose reviews of "Reamde" tend to the negative only so much as they compare this latest novel to his prior work.    But this is not a problem for me: this is a terrific novel.

There are two primary heros: Richard, who got rich smuggling marijuana between Canada and the USA and then went straight with a massively multi-player online role-playing game called "T'Rain."    And, Zula, Richard's adult niece, who demonstrates considerable resourcefulness under pressure.   Several secondary characters are well described.

The plot, as is typical of Stephenson, is complex and multi-layered. Chinese game players (for profit) have hacked the game such that files on a player's computer get encrypted. They require that one make a $73 payment (inside the game structure) to get the decryption code.   The game structure allows virtual currency to be converted to real world currency, so with enough players paying, there's big money to be made.

Russian mobsters get involved when some of their files are affected.   And from there, there's too much risk of plot spoilers to say more.

Bottom line: ignore the reviews that say "I liked his other books better," and read "Reamde."

Kosher Chinese, by Michael Levy

2011-11-15T18:48:00.001-06:00

This book's subtitle is "living, teaching, and eating with China's other billion." It is the experience of a Peace Corps volunteer assigned to teach English in Guiyang.

The opening line of a book sets the tone. I feel very kindly towards Mr. Levy, who wrote: "I strongly believe there is no species of millipede I will ever find palatable."

But it is very difficult to cross over from an interesting (check), amusing (check) travelogue to a brilliant one (not so much of a check). Perhaps Peter Mayle did it with A Year in Provence.

Still, this was a fun, cheerful read. He portrays the Chinese people in a lovely but not apparently unrealistic way.

I recommend it.

The Time of My Life, by Patrick Swayze & Lisa Niemi

2011-11-11T17:08:00.001-06:00

I'm not a huge fan of biographies, at least not of biographies of performers. I'm more the Winston Churchill or Einstein biography fan. But this book was in the house. And besides, who doesn't love Dirty Dancing? And Mr. Swayze was fantastic in one of my favorite movies, To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar.

So I read it and was pleasantly surprised: it is well written and interesting -- well as interesting as it can be to read about the life of someone you don't have any particular tie or interest in. And Mr. Swayze does seem to have been as straight up a good guy as he seemed to be (something that isn't guaranteed when it comes to Hollywood types -- but one of the points of this book is, I believe that Mr. Swayze and Ms. Niemi are far from being real Hollywood types -- and yes, that's a compliment).

If you're a fan of artist biographies, or of Mr. Swayze or Ms. Niemi, then this is probably a delightful read for you.

Foundations of Financial Management, by Stanley B. Block and Geoffrey A. Hirt

2011-11-06T11:27:00.000-06:00

Yes, yes, I am aware that this is hardly what one would call a typical leisure book. But I found it in the house (presumably a text book that one of the kids was unable to sell back to the college book store) and thought it might be fun. Since it is a text book, I took some liberties -- that is, I didn't do the homework problems, and I skimmed many of the sections that were quite familiar to me, or overly burdened with detail that I studied long ago and wasn't interested in repeating.

Overall this is a surprisingly pleasant book. There are many examples using well known firms and their data, and many (mostly) topical sidebars (even for this 2005 edition).

The transparencies used as graph overlays to help explain annuities and present value were great.

One complaint though: very early on in the book, at page 11, the authors damaged the credibility of their subjective comments (although I continued to trust their statement of accounting fact). They gave an example of two alternatives for the financial manager of a firm to consider in orchestrating earnings per share (EPS). In alternative A, the EPS would be $1.50 in period one and grow to $2.00 in period two. In alternative B, the EPS would be $2.00 in period one, dropping to $1.50 in period two.

The authors pointed out that the total earnings are equal. They asserted that alternative B is "clearly superior because the larger benefits occur earlier." Bah humbug! Imagine what happens to a publicly traded firm who's EPS drops by 25% from period to period. It would be a disaster and the financial manager who took this advice would be apt to find herself an unemployed former CFO.

(Newer editions are available.)

First Lessons in Beekeeping, by Keith S. Delaplane

2011-11-02T11:29:00.002-05:00

My caveat to this review is that I've never done beekeeping -- so it is possible that, were I an experienced beekeeper, I would have a different view. But as a novice: this book rocks.

It is complete, clearly written, provides ample detail.   I learned more than I'd expected to -- in fact, more than I expected I'd want to. I couldn't be more pleased.

What surprised me the most on this topic:   beekeeping is like any other livestock activity -- meat goats, cattle, etc.   Just smaller, they fly, and they sting.   The care and feeding of the livestock (bees) includes dealing with supplemental feed, diagnosing herd ailments and treating them, and the like.    They take up less space, but do need to be further from public gathering spots.   Feed is cheaper (compared to meat on the hoof), but you don't wear a mesh veil to avoid getting stung by your goats.

So for those of you who, like me, imagined that beekeeping would be very simply scraping out some honey a few times a year, think again!

The Accidental Historian: Tales of Trash and Treasure, by Monte Akers

2011-10-30T10:42:00.003-05:00

Another book from the Texas Book Festival, and another really interesting author who I had the pleasure to hear speak there.

Unlike the Utley - Beeman or Baker books, Mr. Akers' isn't so much an authoritative history as it is a collection of stories. Many are autobiographical, some emphasize some historic events or more likely people, and all are amusing.

Among the topics: civil war re-enactments, buying historic artifacts, and then there are just plain old stories told over drinks.

Gangster Tour of Texas, by T. Lindsay Baker

2011-10-27T20:06:00.001-05:00

At the Texas Book Festival, I enjoyed hearing the author read a chapter from this book. As a consequence, the voice in my head as I read this text was his -- his soft Texas accent, his cadence and word emphasis. It made the reading altogether more fun.

This is a very different sort of book from another local Texas history text I've just read, in that this one, instead of celebrating heroes, tells the stories of villains. Just as the title indicates.

The downside of this is that I'm personally quite a bit less motivated to take a road trip to see where bad guys did their thing.

But the stories were captivating. This is a fine example of history telling come alive.

There are two other great things about this book. First, at the conclusion of each chapter, you'll find detailed instructions about how to find each of the sites mentioned, including detailed little maps. And second, each chapter ends with a "Judge the evidence for yourself" section providing the detailed references for the story told.

This is a fun book even if you're not crazy about crime stories, because it tells tales of the very early 1900s in story form and is quite well written.

History Ahead: Stories beyond the Texas Roadside Markers, by Dan K. Utley and Cynthia J. Beeman

2011-10-25T17:46:00.000-05:00

The best history books not only reveal the past so as to help us learn from it but also are fun to read. This book meets that mark. It is a "micro -history" in that it tells the smaller stories, tales that might otherwise go unknown. And some of the fun comes from the design: the material is entirely based on roadside historical markers in Texas. This means you can not only read about events but also plan your road trip to the specific marker site; this is cool!

Just because I refer to this as a micro - history does not mean the stories are insignificant. The story of Bessie Coleman, who in June of 1921 became "...the first black woman in the world to earn a pilot's license," or of Carl Morene, who was perhaps the least likely person to bring organized music instruction to Schulenburg High School in the 1930s and '40s, are inspirational, touching and meaningful.

Similarly, reading about Margo Jones -- perhaps my theatre friends know the name, but I'd never before heard of her -- was interesting, given that her work in the first half of the 20th century may have played a big role in my ability to see live theatre in a variety of venues today.

Nearly every chapter gives a similar example. This is a very enjoyable read.

But, not without flaw: editing in chapter 19 allowed reference to Margo Jones' 1942 encounter with Tennessee Williams to be described on page 272 and again on page 273 as though it hadn't previously been mentioned. This would be easy to correct in a following edition. [The page references are from my hard copy first edition, which I acquired at the Texas Book Festival, having had the good fortune to also hear the authors speak at one of the sessions.]

All in all this is a book worth owning -- most particularly, but not exclusively, for those living in Texas; it warrants a read.

The Joy of Compassion, by Lama Zopa Rinpoche

2011-10-25T11:46:00.000-05:00

This text is one of the books contained in the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive starter pack collection. It is the only one not written by (or a transcript of) Lama Yeshe himself, instead reflecting the work of Lama Zopa who was Lama Yeshe's teacher and co-founder of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition.

The difference in authorship is important: this is the only book in the collection that I did not enjoy. Lama Zopa does not speak with the intimate, friendly, caring and open style of Lama Yeshe.

So I'm not going to say much about the book at all except that Lama Zopa points out the importance of looking beyond oneself. That meditating alone is insufficient to improve your post-death prospects. For many of us, our pre-death prospects are at the forefront of our interests, this may not matter very much; Lama Zopa is worried about your consciousness moving to your next life.

Fortunately, the interests of your after deal consciousness and your pre-death lifestyle coalesce: in both cases, acting with compassion, practicing Dharma, is of value.

[Wondering what Dharma means, even after you read the material in the link above? Try instead the definition of mitzvah, here quoted from Wikipedia: "...Hebrew mitzvah, as with English "commandment," refers to a moral deed performed as a religious duty. As such, the term mitzvah has also come to express an act of human kindness. The tertiary meaning of mitzvah also refers to the fulfillment of a mitzvah."]

As Lama Zopa says, "Cherish sentient beings first; put enlightenment second."

Instead of this book, I recommend "The Peaceful Stillness of the Silent Mind," by Lama Yeshe. It can be downloaded for free or purchased from the Foundation or from Amazon (in Kindle format).

Induction (Among Us), by Ploni Almoni

2011-10-25T11:45:00.000-05:00

First I must point out that this book is rated R (or even perhaps NC-17). Don't get me wrong -- it is not "erotic fiction" (or whatever other euphemism you prefer for porn), but it does include a substantial number of sexual encounters. Were it a movie, it would be only a bit more risque than many current R -rated movies and I certainly could imagine it as a (strongly) R -rated film. But, importantly, if this sort of content bothers you, you won't want to read this book. Period. No exceptions.

With that out of the way, let's jump to what makes this book work really well. It is the story of RW, a college history professor and computer geek - the sort of person you could easily picture in your mind. Even his hobbies are geeky. One of the strengths of Almoni's writing is the character development. RW is a normal guy -- well as normal as you'll get in a novel like this.

I like this idea of Almoni sticking to a credible line -- well, given that this book involves aliens among us, with rather unusual powers and needs, credible might not be precisely the right word. What I mean is that when RW acts, he acts in a way that is believable.

It is difficult to describe the plot for fear of spoilers. Let's put it this way: RW is doing his usual stuff, hanging with his girl friend (Misty), playing around with his internet hacking hobby, when suddenly his world is turned upside down. He has to work through the resulting issues, evade some bad guys and ultimately figure out how to accept things about which he'd been happily unaware. The reader goes along on this journey with RW, alternately freaked out, exhausted, and overwhelmed, yet still moving forward.

There are a number of internet and computer machinations which play a key role in this book, but Almoni clearly has a tech background because everything he describes is reasonably believable; the reader doesn't have to buy into anything wacky, and if you're a computer professional you won't be annoyed. Similarly, the descriptions of Texas locations and surrounding areas are full of little details that support and help draw the reader into the story.

Although I'm conservative enough to prefer less and fewer of the sex scenes, they actually are integral to the plot and it would be difficult to eliminate them completely; this is a matter of personal preference that almost cost the review one star. But it is such an enjoyable book that I decided to evaluate it without over- weighting this particular prejudice of mine.

There's something for everyone in this novel. If you're about science fiction, fantasy, or whatever term is appropriate for the "aliens among us theme," then you'll delight in the language of the "Thok'h Thirrah," their sea -based headquarters, and their politics. If, on the other hand, you're looking for something suspenseful that keeps you turning pages even when your lunch break is over, Almoni delivers that as well.

In fact, it is the combination of my personal interest in the main character and the suspense of the situation he's in that is the basis for the title of this review: you just know that there has to be more, that we'll find out what happened to Misty and how RW evolves through his situation.

I expect that most readers, when they get to the last page, will similarly yearn for the next book in what promises to be a terrific series.

[Full disclosure: I know the author and have previously provided comments on earlier drafts of this novel. This has not affected the objectivity of my review.]

The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True, by Richard Dawkins

2011-10-24T19:52:00.003-05:00

Let's get the net-net out on the table right away: this is an extremely good book. Maybe even an important book (I'll get to why in a bit).

The problem is, Prof. Dawkins has written this book for an extremely broad audience, including a young adult (say maybe 8th grade and up) audience. As a consequence, some of the writing -- while commendable for being so straight forward and clear -- can be a bit overwhelmingly simple.

Okay, back to the book. Prof. Dawkins gives the clearest, simplest explanation of evolution that I've ever read; it is outstanding. He also dispels odd myths of all sorts.

Let me posit that not a word Prof. Dawkins writes is scientifically incorrect -- you couldn't disprove a word of it. A problem for some folks might be that they might not like all of it, based on their personal buy-in to specific myths.

For example, if you're into a creation myth (such as one from Tasmania, where people were initially created by gods, but they had tails and no knees until another god gave them knees and removed their tails), you might decide to not prefer the science.

I suppose for most readers, the more likely creation myth that Prof. Dawkins would seek to portray as merely a myth is the Adam and Eve story.

Recently the US Republican Party has been holding debates with the lead candidates to gain the Party's nomination to run in the general election in a year or so. One of the more worrisome aspects of those debates is the tendency of some Republicans (Jon Huntsman excepted, as he openly says that he does believe in science, probably dooming his chances to gain support from the Party) to dismiss science and prefer to make their decisions on faith. (One hopes they're just pandering to the Tea Party faction and not actually sincere, but I'm not confident that's entirely the case.)

Given this situation, a book that promotes science (not just evolution, but some astronomy, etc.), that is easily understood by any age audience, is a welcome thing.

Jonathan Edwards on Worship: Public and Private Devotion to God, by Ted Rivera

2011-10-20T12:59:00.000-05:00

If you're unfamiliar with Jonathan Edwards (hint: a US minister during the first half of the 18th century) then you are absolutely not in the target demographic for this book. And yet, Mr. Rivera has managed to make Edwards interesting and the messages of his views of worship relevant. There is, however, no introductory chapter, no "Jonathan Edwards for Dummies" section; we just jump right in. The good news is that the writing is clear and the flow is interesting -- interesting enough for even me to follow.

Interesting, you wonder? Well yes. It turns out that one of Edwards' sermons, "mercy and not sacrifice," is pretty interesting. He point, based on Matthew 12:1-7, is that moral duties to mankind are more important than external acts of worship to god. Edwards sees it that a man who performs these duties as worship to god in action. Holy cow: perhaps Jonathan Edwards was a pre- Reform Jew who just wasn't aware of it yet! Or, perhaps he was a Buddhist but didn't have the vocabulary nor freedom of awareness to appreciate it! In either case, locked by family history, circumstance and geography in his Christian practice. Then again, maybe he was just a big-thinking Christian, who today would believe in science and read The Christian Century (or join in its founding had he lasted another 130 years -- well then again, maybe he was just a bit too Puritan for that).

Let's not get too excited though. Edwards' sermons were two hours long, and he was said to speak in a high-pitched monotone. He even counseled parishioners that it was poor form to sleep during services. Yikes.

So there is plenty of interesting stuff in this book even for the laity. But let me criticize it as well. What's missing, to my eye, is a discussion of the relevance of Edwards' views today. Mr. Rivera tees up a number of great questions in his conclusion, including: "What would he have to say about ministries aimed at promoting financial prosperity? What would he think of the use of humor... in preaching?" It would have been terrific to read Mr. Rivera's take on the answers to these questions.

How cool might it have been to extend the thoughtful analytic view of Mr. Edwards with a connect-the-dots-to-today chapter? Then again it seems that Mr. Rivera had a very targeted audience and very focused topic in mind for this book, which I imagine is more a textbook at an advanced seminary class than it is the monthly neighborhood book club reading.

My sense is that when it comes to Jonathan Edwards, one won't be finding any popular texts on the topic no matter what the slant. I might be wrong; Gerald McDermott wrote "The Great Divider: Jonathan Edwards and American culture" which I would like to read -- but not so much as to buy a paid subscription to Books and Culture.

Finally, in full disclosure: I had the distinct pleasure of working with Mr. Rivera over a period of years during his secular time as an expert on software quality, client satisfaction, and as an expert in agile software development methodologies. In fact, he's so much an expert at educating and motivating teams to adopt tailored, high value agile development techniques that I'd recommend him as a consultant even today -- if he could be pried away from his second career as a minister and religious educator.

By the way, find below a link to another of Mr. Rivera's books as well, "Divine Direction: God's Two Great Commandments."

The Complete Guide to Chip Carving, by Wayne Barton

2011-10-19T18:21:00.002-05:00

Mr. Barton is the go to guy for chip carving technique. Do an internet search on the subject and you'll find his books, and his website, at the top of your results. This book is supposed to be the introductory text of choice. The reviews on Amazon are all 5-star.

So maybe I'm just destined to be the slow student in the class, blaming the teacher. But I don't share the enthusiasm about this book.

The good news: introductory chapters cover everything from how to sharpen your carving knife to how to hold it. And, when you get to the chapter on rosettes, there's a partial page of guidance on how to lay things out.

So why the grumpy review? Because that's the extent of the layout guidance. For example, in the section on borders the photos show the layout lines of intersecting sine curves against which one can carve a really nice border. So, again admitting I'm the slow kid here, how do I lay out those cool sine curves? I tried a few different approaches but didn't get anything like I wanted from my compass. This is an example of where a bit of detailed setup guidance could go a long way.

In fact, the bulk of the book after those how-to chapters consists of pretty examples of chip carving excellence. But apart from a single page of advice on how to lay out rosettes, you're pretty much on your own for figuring out how to duplicate any part of these great examples on your own.

So as a catalog of really cool carving examples, it would get 5 stars. But since the introductory chapters do set it up as the how to book for beginning chip carvers, the absence of real layout guidance makes this at best a 2- star book for me.

Country Driving: A journey through China from farm to factory, by Peter Hessler

2011-10-14T14:32:00.000-05:00

First off, a confession and a complaint.

The confession: I couldn't make it through the book. I was very interested in the first section, which was about Mr. Hessler's initial drives across China. The second section, about his home away from the city (Beijing) in a peasant area, was largely interesting to me. But by the third and final section, about a factory village, I'd lost all my interest. Now in fairness I did skim through the remainder, reading a few pages here and there. But that was sufficient.

Based on the uniformly positive reviews of this book I can only assume the failure here is my own inability to focus.

So now the complaint. If you're reading a book about a remote place, and specifically someone's road trips across that remote place, don't you think you're entitled to a map? But the first map (it is generous to call it that) didn't appear until after the 122nd page. And it didn't show any of the routes of the first 122 pages at all. Or maybe it did. Hard to tell.

I really should say more about this book, at least facts about it. The prior sentences presumably convey my assessment. So here we go: Mr. Hessler is an American journalist who'd been living in China for some time, and speaks the language. Living in Beijing, he decided to get a driver's license (no small task in China), rent a car and travel along a Great Wall -oriented route, trusting the inadequate drivers maps as a general guide. This book documents these travels (in the first section), as well as his experiences in part-time living with a small village population a couple of hours outside of Beijing (the second section), and hit visits to a factory region in the south, near Wenzhou (in the third, and as previously confessed, largely unread third section).

There are, it turns out, multiple versions of this bookavailable.

God, No!: Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales, by Penn Jillette

2011-10-08T11:25:00.001-05:00

The first thing to notice about Mr. Jillette is that he is quite foul-mouthed. Really can't seem to stop swearing. He writes that he never swore in front of his parents, out of respect. Would that he respected his readers nearly as much.

The title of this book represents a broad theme of the book but most of the text is a somewhat random set of anecdotes about Mr. Jillette's life. They range from interesting to funny -- the story about how he dried off after a shower using a blow dryer (as there were no towels in the bathroom) made me laugh out loud.

The theme of atheism is supported by the usual arguments, and those are made far more convincingly by folks like Richard Dawkins.

Mr. Jillette starts some of his chapters with an atheist's take on each of the ten commandments. They map pretty well to an Ethical Humanist's take on appropriate behavior; think of this as the atheist's social gathering, equivalent to a church meeting, and some (like the New York Society for Ethical Culture) have been doing this a long time (in the NYSEC case, since 1876!).

No matter what one's religious beliefs, if any, it is difficult to find fault with Mr. Jillette's list of good behaviors:

Thou shalt have no other gods before me becomes, "the highest ideals are human intelligence, creativity, and love. Respect these above all."
Thou shalt not make for thyself an idol... becomes, "do not put things or even ideas above other human beings."
Thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy god in vain becomes, "say what you mean, even when talking to yourself."
Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy becomes, "put aside some time to rest and think."
Honor thy father and thy mother becomes, "be there for your family; love your parents, your partner, and your children."
Thou shalt not kill becomes, "respect and protect all human life."
Thou shalt not commit adultery becomes, "keep your promises."
Thou shalt not steal becomes, "don't steal."
Thou shalt not lie becomes, "don't lie."
Thou shalt not covet... becomes, "don't waste too much time wishing, hoping, and being envious; it'll make you bugnutty."

Hard to argue with Mr. Jillette's list of things to do (or not do), independent of one's religious convictions.

As an aside, I find it odd that Mr. Jillette chose to mirror the ten commandments with his equivalent guidance instead of the 613 commandments. I suppose it would make his book too long. Plus, both Christians and (non-orthodox) Jews like to ignore the 613 commandments of the bible and instead focus only on 10. It is way easier of course. One could comment that once you pick and choose 10 instead of 613 you kind of rule out your options for picking and choosing bible verses which condemn your favorite sinners (e.g., homosexuals), but hey, I don't want to throw rocks.

Also, even the orthodox Jews don't expect anyone else to follow the 613 commandments; in fact they expect non-Jews to only follow the seven Noahic commandments (what god told Noah to do when he was saved from the big flood, derived from the ten commandments of Genesis 9). These seven are: establish courts, don't blaspheme, avoid idolatry, no to incest and adultery, avoid bloodshed, don't rob, don't eat the flesh of a living animal. The orthodox Jewish view is that if a non-Jew follows these rules, then they get a seat in heaven -- with a lot less hassle than their Jewish neighbor in heaven who would have had to strenuously follow 613 rules. (This is presumably why Jews don't go door to door to recruit, it is a tough sell.)

But hey, Mr. Jillette couldn't ask much more of a sticker price for a book 63 times as long, and besides, who would read it.

One serious point in between the profane stories: imagine a jury of Christians viewing the claim of a man charged with murder whose defense was that god told him to do it. Mr. Jillette says there's no question everyone on the jury would consider the defendant nuts, because after all, who would expect god to talk to someone. Yet these same folks believe god does listen to their individual prayers, perhaps even takes action to affect individual circumstance, and they believe that many biblical figures took direct orders from god which might seem weird (e.g., Noah), or even criminal (e.g., Moses) to others.

This seems kind of extreme, but current news supports the argument. Pastor Jeffress of First Baptist of Dallas made some headlines recently when he called Mormon a cult and non-Christian. Presumably this is because they believe in some items that are "Noah, go build an ark" -style unusual. It seems pretty clear what Mr. Jillette would make of this: Pastor Jeffress finds Mormon claims of its bible version (the Book of Mormon) so unbelievable and fantastical as to be dismissed as a cult, and Mr. Jillette similarly finds the claims of the Christian (and Jewish) bibles to be so unbelievable and fantastical as to be dismissed as fairy tales as well.

As mentioned above though, Mr. Dawkins says it best to theists: if you don't believe in the god Thor or the god Zeus or the goddess Athena or the god Baal, then you and he are in nearly complete agreement -- he just also doesn't believe in the one (or for Christians, two or three) additional god that you accept.

To sum up Mr. Jillette's book: if you like a set of rambling stories, don't mind incessant swearing, and aren't bothered by (or embrace) a strong dislike for religion, then you probably will enjoy it. Else, not so much.

The Fine Art of Cabinetmaking, by James Krenov

2011-10-04T17:03:00.004-05:00

It must be me. Everyone else thinks this book is great. I do think Mr. Krenov is great. But his book, not so much. So it must be me.

Well what did I learn reading this book?

The first chapter is about wood as art. At least I think that's what it is about. The illustrations are clear: if you pay attention to the grain direction you can make furniture that looks really great, and if you don't you can make furniture that looks, now that I've seen the comparisons, pretty yucky. As for the text, let's face it: I'm too much the barbarian to really understand it much. It sounds the same to my ear as descriptions of modern art.

Don't hate me for this. I've confessed my ignorance. Be compassionate.

The second chapter is about Mr. Krenov's workshop, about tools and machines. I didn't learn much here either. Except that the photos of his equipment in use were scary in the sense that someone with much less experience than Mr. Krenov (and isn't that most people?) might think they too should eschew all sorts of safety precautions. Probably most people shouldn't do that. I accept that Mr. Krenov could but it isn't clear what sort of message he was sending about this. Perhaps he didn't consider it an issue.

I did like his idea of using the springs from cheap ball point pens to construct his wood bench dogs.

Then we got into planes. He explained how to build a wood plane. The instructions are not for neophytes like me. (Not to mention not for barbarians like me.) For example:

"If you can't find suitable breakers, it is not difficult to make them. Simply obtain some mild steel (or even iron) the same width as the plane irons you have, and make the breaker as the sketch and photo show."

He lost me at "obtain some mild steel."

(Remember, if you hate me for this, you might feel badly about yourself tomorrow. Do you also aim your car at innocent squirrels?)

The third chapter is titled, "Details of Cabinetmaking." This was pretty interesting, and illuminating both about the craftsmanship that Mr. Krenov represents as well as about myself. I'm no artist. At this point in my woodworking development, I'd be happy to be a competent apprentice. All of Mr. Krenov's work is artistry. His "unconventional runners" which extend outside the drawer to become pulls are amazing.

So how to sum up this book? First of all, it is audience -specific. All the really talented woodworkers stopped reading at the first paragraph of this post and will spit at the mention of my name. The rest of us (if I'm not alone) can get some very positive use from this book: an appreciation of the art of wood selection and respect for the medium, and some photographs of really cool cabinetry.

Is there a James Krenov book for me? Maybe I will try "With Wakened Hands: Furniture by James Krenov and Students"as it promises to be more of a catalog of beautiful work. And one day perhaps I'll achieve illumination and some of what he wrote in this text will click with me. Hey, even barbarians can dream.

(Um, still though, I have to call this a miss.)

Just Run, by Chris Culver

2011-10-02T12:44:00.000-05:00

I was really impressed by Mr. Culver's writing in his first book, "The Abbey." It also struck me that the 99 cent Kindle price for it was really low considering it is a first rate detective novel -- as good or better than most of the name writers who charge far more for their work. Presumably the attractive pricing is a means by which Mr. Culver could build up a readership.

When I saw that his second novel, "Just Run," was similarly priced, I was surprised but delighted at the bargain. This one is even better than his first.

The heroes of "Just Run" are Renee Carter, a female professor caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, and Trent Schaefer, a somewhat mysterious detective who investigates a situation in which Renee's entangled.

It is difficult to say more without spoiling the fast paced and engaging plot. The character development is strong, the story line focused, believable, interesting and compelling.

I've become quite the fan of Mr. Culver's writing and look forward to his next book. According to his blog, at www.indiecrime.com/, it will feature the detective and law student main character Ash Rashid who was so interesting in "The Abbey."

For this 99 cent strategy to work, there should be hundreds of positive reviews for Mr. Culver's books, with massive sales to encourage and support him to keep writing. I don't know how volume marketing of novels works through Amazon, but I wish him the best on this as I want to keep reading his work for years to come.

The Abbey, by Chris Culver

2011-10-01T14:25:00.000-05:00

If you like the detective story / mystery / suspense genre then you should buy this book. There's no reason not to, it is just 99 cents on Kindle. And you can read Kindle books with free software on virtually any device, your PC or Mac, so there's no obstacle.

Why do I say this? First of all, it is mind-boggling to me to see a first rate novel sell for this price, considering the crazy price point of other, more well known authors get even in Kindle format for books that are as good, or often not as good.

Here's what makes Mr. Culver's novel interesting: good plot line that keeps you interested, excellent character development, and a very interesting hero who is an every-man. Hardly a hero type. Not particularly flawed, just as much as anyone else. Well, perhaps he drinks too much, especially for a practicing Muslim.

As a loss-leader approach it is successful -- I'm eager to read Mr. Culver's next novel even if it was at a more typical (i.e., way higher) price point.

Wired, by Douglas E. Richards

2011-09-30T14:14:00.001-05:00

This is a very strong book, sold on Kindle at an absurd 79 cents. It has quite a bit going for it: a very interesting plot, plenty of suspense, and a back story that will have you thinking: what would be the consequences of extraordinary intelligence, and of immortality, on society?

Sensei, by John Donohue

2011-09-27T17:15:00.000-05:00

This novel is written well and builds a strong sense of interest in the main character, Connor Burke -- a history professor and martial arts enthusiast. It introduces Connor's family, particularly his brother Mick, a detective with the NYPD.

There are many dojo scenes but the writing is thoughtful and measured; this is not a rough caricature of the genre.

At the moment, this is available for free formatted for the Amazon Kindle. A crazy approach to marketing, I hope that it works for Mr. Donohue. For myself, I plan to read more of his books featuring these characters; I expect the next one will be "Kage: the Shadow." Kage: The Shadow

Run, by Blake Crouch

2011-09-22T14:08:00.000-05:00

This apocalyptic novel is almost fantastic. The story is gripping, some of the gory scenes are readable with minimal cringing, the character development is excellent.

The only barrier to this book making my top ten list is the sudden acceleration at the ending. A few more pages there, a bit more texture would have made it perfect.

As is, this is a terrific novel. It is borderline horror, borderline sci-fi. Said differently, it is horrible yet imaginable. Maybe that's what makes it captivating.

The Detachment, by Barry Eisler

2011-09-22T14:00:00.000-05:00

Again a novel featuring a recurring character, in this case John Rain: spy, assassin. Mr. Eisler blends a deep and well thought out cynicism about American politics with an interesting - even captivating - story line. There's plenty of bloodshed and an equal amount of skepticism about everything the government tells us, but not once (unlike say Brad Thor's work) does it sound preachy or inappropriate to the novel.

The Informationist: A Vanessa Michael Munroe Novel, by Taylor Stevens

2011-09-22T13:55:00.000-05:00

This is a quasi- private detective novel, a thriller that features a woman who inevitably will draw references to Steig Larsson's works. From the Amazon reviews it seems one either loves it or hates it. I'm in the likes it a lot category. It was interesting, different from the norm, and kept my attention through the end.

Buried Secrets, by Joseph Finder

2011-09-22T13:46:00.000-05:00

This is the latest entry in Mr. Finder's books featuring Nick Heller. This is a private detective novel, true to the genre. Nick Heller is the private eye who, in this novel, solves a kidnapping case for an old friend.

It is very well written, well paced, interesting and kept me going right to the end. Recommended.

Portrait of a Spy, by Daniel Silva

2011-09-19T17:54:00.000-05:00

This is the most recent in Mr. Silva's series of spy novels featuring the hero, Gabriel Allon, a sometimes art restorer and sometimes agent in the service of the State of Israel. It is quite a good read, one of the best in the series, with credible situations and many references to current affairs in the mid-east.

I recommend it as an enjoyable novel in this genre.

The only problem, and it is not very pronounced in this book but promises to become a more noticeable issue over time, is the aging hero. Mr. Silva shares the dilemma with many other successful franchise authors: those who have built a career of many years, even decades, on the exploits of a wonderful hero. At some point the dashing hero grows up. The 60 year old spy isn't going to do things the same way as the 35 year old ubermensch. I hope that Mr. Silva addresses this in an interesting fashion -- as opposed to pretending that time stands still for his hero. I look forward to his next novels to find out the answer.

The Speech: A Historic Filibuster on Corporate Greed and the Decline of Our Middle Class, by Bernie Sanders

2011-09-19T12:57:00.000-05:00

Senator Sanders (Vermont) delivered an eight hour speech to the Senate on December 10th, 2010. A vote was coming up on a tax agreement. Senator Sanders was very much in opposition, more on why in a moment. He ended up publishing his speech as this book.

The book itself is considerably redundant, as the Senator points out in his introduction, because he wanted to ensure that folks who'd intermittently tune in to listen to him would get the key points. It is still very readable. In fact, being a speech aimed at the US Senate, it features clear speaking and is a very fast read.

So what was the reason for Senator Sanders' consternation? I'll quote some statistics from his book which he asserts come from credible US government sources. First though, what was in the bill that was so objectionable? It was these items and that they are funded by increasing the already high deficit: (a) Income tax breaks for the top two percent of US tax payers; (b) continuation of the 15% tax on capital gains and dividends; (c) continuation of the $10 million exemption on estate tax for couples and limit of 35% on the tax itself. And a few other items.

What bugs the Senator? Through President Bush's eight years in office the wealthiest 400 Americans increased their wealth by more than $380 billion. Nearly a billion each. So why give them more tax breaks? "I would say to my colleagues in the Senate, we do not have to worry about these guys. They are doing just fine. They do not need an extension of tax breaks." Also that, "President Bush gave our $700 billion in tax cuts for the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans. Where was the offset? There was none. He gave them tax breaks. That is it. It adds to the national debt."

Also that in 2009 Exxon Mobil made $19 billion but paid no federal income taxes. That "Bank of America got a huge payout from the American taxpayer, paying their executives all kinds of fancy, huge compensation packages -- got a refund check from the IRS according to their SEC filings."

And to juxtapose this with the notion that "Oh, my word, in order to deal with our deficit, we are going to have to cut back on Medicare and Medicaid and education."

That you can't have jobs without an educated work force. But we have "...more people in jail than China and more people in jail than any other country. So what we end up doing, which seems to be not terribly bright, is spending perhaps $50,000 a year keeping people in jail because they dropped out of school. They never found a job. They got hooked on drugs or whatever. We pay to put them in jail rather than investing in childcare, in education, in sustaining their families."

On this notion, the Senator points out the elimination of the Pell grant (which makes a big difference in helping folks fund college) as a major league counter productive move. Given that this is done in order to pay for the revenue hit on the tax breaks. "... the few thousand people in this country--or few tens of thousands, I don't know how many who make more than $1 million a year--are not going to lift this country out of a recession. It is going to be the middle class. And if we don't help them get ahead, if we don't help them get training, this recession will go on for a long time."

Senator Sanders also points to what seems a break in common sense, when firms like GE are focused on outsourcing as much as they possibly can to China, costing thousands of US jobs, yet get a $16 billion bail out from US taxpayers. His implication: they can outsource if they want, but then why coming whining to American taxpayers; why didn't they get a bailout from China?

There was a bit of singling out of specific business leaders whose firms received taxpayer funded bailouts. "Jamie Dimon... [JP Morgan Chase] ... got a $29 billion bailout from the Federal Reserve, will receive a $1.1 million tax break. Trust me, Jamie Dimon, the head of JP Morgan Chase is doing just fine. Vikram Pandit, the CEO of Citigroup, the bank that got a $50 billion bailout, would received $785,000 in tax breaks. Ken Lewis, the former CEO of Bank of America-- ...$45 billion bailout... would receive a $713,000 tax break. ...The CEO of Morgan Stanley, John Mack ... $10 billion bailout, would receive a $926,000 a year tax break."

He contrasts this to his failure, earlier in December 2010, to get the Senate to approve a one-time payment of $250 to seniors on Social Security and disabled vets. "People making $14,000, $15,000 a year desperately need a little bit of help. We couldn't get one Republican vote. But when it comes to the CEO of a major bank who is already a multimillionaire--we are talking $6 million, $7 million, $8 million a year in tax breaks--that is not what we should be doing as a nation."

Whew.

New Blog for Woodworking Books

2011-09-17T18:06:00.001-05:00

I posted this to my Google+ account today because it is the nexus of my social networking with other woodworkers.

"Since December 2007 I've been blogging about every book I've read at "Books I've Read" -- but the eclectic variety of my reading choices makes it difficult to isolate woodworking related entries.

My new blog is called simply "Books on Working Wood" and can be found at http://booksonwoodworking.blogspot.com/

To prime the pump, I revisited all of my general book blog's entries on woodworking and edited them into "Books on Working Wood," keeping the original dates of those entries.

The wood books blog mirrors the progression of my interests about woodworking. One side effect is that the older the post, the more likely the book is targeted at novices. (After all, today I'm at least an intermediate novice!)

Books that I once thought were a brilliant introduction I might today see as missing depth or real content. But at the time they may have provided important illumination for my journey.

I've tried to make my views on each book quite clear with a simple hit or miss designation.

If you're interested in books about woodworking, please take a look -- and please comment with your views on the books I've read. Probably that's best to do as a comment on the specific post. Also, it would be great to see folks suggest books I've not read, right here on Google+ -- presumably others will benefit."

Adrenaline, by Jeff Abbott

2011-09-15T18:26:00.001-05:00

This terrific spy / action novel introduces a couple of characters who I anticipate will be the heros of a series of follow-on books from Mr Abbott. I'll be certain to buy them.

This book: deception, a CIA agent who plunges into a search for the wife who betrayed him, plenty of nasty bad guys who tend to get their just deserts. Any more would give away too much.

If you like the genre, then my guess is that you'll really enjoy this book.

The Woodwright's Guide, by Roy Underhill

2011-09-14T16:40:00.001-05:00

I had high expectations for this book. Famous for his PBS show, The Woodwright's Shop, Roy Underhill is the master of traditional American wood working techniques. The notion is this book is "working wood with wedge & edge" -- in other words from cutting the tree to working the wood into a piece of furniture.

So what went wrong? Most of the material is interesting, especially the early sections that cover skills that are foreign to my experience -- such as felling trees. But there's no material on the different cuts of wood (e.g., radial, quarter sawn).

Things go downhill fast. The good news: Mr Underhill covers each successive tool in the progression to finished product. The bad news: the illustrations are terrible line drawings. Contrast this to the wonderful photographs in Jim Tolpin's books.

The descriptions are of varied quality; many are cursory. The section on how to use a framing square to set angles was completely incomprehensible to me -- and I'm not afraid of math. It felt as though Mr Underhill could check off the list, "yep, I gave some info on how to do that one, what's next" as opposed to fully explaining things.

I did take some good out of this book -- primarily the names for tools that I'd never before fully understood, like the beetle, devil, or travisher.

All in all though, I'm not about to bother with another of this author's books; still like the TV show though, and I might check out his school if I find myself in North Carolina.

The New Traditional Woodworker, by Jim Tolpin

2011-09-14T16:24:00.000-05:00

This is a delightful book about the notion of working wood, not machining it. In other words, minimizing the use of power tools so as to have more fun building with wood. Half the book describes hand woodworking tools, importantly within the context of how Mr Tolpin's shop is set up. So there's a feeling of reality and relevance. Even for someone with a bit of experience, this section is interesting reading.

The other half of the book describes in detail how to build several woodworking jigs -- appliances that make it easier to work effectively and efficiently. If only every author of a woodworking projects book would be as thorough, complete and clear in their explanation as Mr Tolpin is! I am eager to build some of his jigs.

Everything about this book was fun.

Island of the Sequined Love Nun, by Christopher Moore

2011-09-11T11:31:00.000-05:00

The title of this novel should clue you in to the notion that the author's a goof ball, the plot is wacky, the characters bizarre, and the goings on supernatural. All in all, great fun!

The Gun Seller, by Hugh Laurie

2011-09-10T13:41:00.000-05:00

This is a very good book made better by the surprise of how good it is. (The author is a television actor and I was appropriately cautious about my expectations for his novel.)

It was a bit of a rough start, the hero inelegantly demonstrating his snarky personality in the first chapter or two. But it all came together soon after, with a compelling plot and fun dialog.

Bravo. Mr Laurie is quite accomplished.

Becoming Your Own Therapist, by Lama Yeshe

2011-09-08T16:19:00.002-05:00

I've commented on other of Lama Yeshe's books, so rather than repeat links here, I'll simply point to the blog post for the previous book of his that I've read.

This collection of lectures is not, for me, as strong as his others. But it is still enlightening, in that it positions much of the discussion about gaining personal insight through meditation and self awareness in the context of mental health.

Lama Yeshe also makes several comments about religion, positing that Buddhism is not a religion. This excerpt gives you a sense of his thinking:

"When we study Buddhism, we are studying ourselves, the nature of our own minds. Instead of focusing on some supreme being, Buddhism emphasizes more practical matters, such as how to lead our lives, how to integrate our minds and how to keep our everyday lives peaceful and healthy. In other words, Buddhism always accentuates experiential knowledge-wisdom rather than some dogmatic view. In fact, we don't even consider Buddhism to be a religion in the usual sense of the term. From the lamas' point of view, Buddhist teachings are more in the realm of philosophy, science or psychology."

A New Culture of Learning, by Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown

2011-09-08T16:11:00.000-05:00

Here's the fast path to losing all credibility: find yourself quoted as saying "Brilliant. Insightful. Revolutionary." about this book. As Marcia Conner did. Now I don't care about what else Ms Conner wrote or did or does or will do, because she has no credibility.

This book isn't brilliant. It certainly isn't insightful. And revolutionary? Please.

Here it is in a nutshell: there is a type of collaborative learning that is helpful to students. If you work together on a project, you might learn from each other, be motivated to do independent research. Technology facilitates this. Especially multi player online games.

So this is new news, that teams working together can learn from each other and generate valuable insights?

Perhaps there is a nuance of this book that I've missed; one so extraordinary as to make all the difference. But I wouldn't bet on it.

The Present, by Spencer Johnson

2011-09-08T14:44:00.000-05:00

Perhaps because I'm both experienced (hmm, is that a euphemism for old?) and by nature cynical, I tend to cast a doubtful eye on business books told in parable form -- as this one is. But, because it was a gift from someone I respect, I read it.

The good news, and bad, is the simplicity of the message: live in the present, learn from your past (but don't dwell on it), prepare for your future (but don't obsess over it). Well, it sounds better in the book.

If you can get past the style of presentation and the simplicity of the message, it is actually quite good advice.

I couldn't help but draw a parallel to one of Buddhism's eightfold paths to full actualization: right mindfulness, or attentiveness to the present.

Bottom line: I would carefully recommend this book. Carefully meaning not to cynics (and they wouldn't read it anyway) but certainly to folks starting out in their careers.

Starting Strength (2nd Edition), by Mark Rippetoe & Lon Kilgore

2011-09-05T15:23:00.000-05:00

This is an excellent and credible introduction to high quality barbell training. The authors explain why weight machines are a poor choice (in brief, because they isolate muscles whose use in real life is not in isolation). They explain a core set of weight training exercises in great detail, particularly the squat, chest press, and dead lift, along with ancillary exercises (such as pull ups and chin ups).

Unfortunately for me though, I don't expect to get much practical benefit from this at the gym. I'm not very adapt at proprioception nor am I a visual learner of physical topics, so in spite of the detailed explanations and great photos and diagrams, I'd be uncomfortable doing many of the exercises (the dead lift for example) without coaching. Meanwhile, the authors imply one ought be cynical about the quality of coaching available at most gyms. So what to do: give a prospective weight trainer a copy of the book and see if that helps?

On China, by Henry Kissinger

2011-09-05T12:29:00.006-05:00

Rarely have I turned the last page of a book and, without any conscious thought say, "phenomenal." That was my reaction to Dr Kissinger*'s recently published broad and insightful text on China.

At 530 pages this book may look intimidating, but the writing is clear, captivating and compelling, and although it may take a few days to read, this is hardly a dense or unfriendly text.

Dr Kissinger takes us through 40 years of US diplomatic history with China. But this is not just about the history (fascinating as it is); understanding the background that led China to its current status is extremely useful as a going forward exercise.

I recommend this book without reservation to anyone who does or anticipates doing business with China, to anyone who wants to understand the pre-eminent diplomatic focus that faces the next generation or two of Americans, and to anyone who believes it is important to learn from history.

To that last point: in his introductory chapter, "The Singularity of China," Dr Kissinger provides the cultural context with which to consider interactions with the Chinese. In so doing, he also points out a glaring flaw in American foreign relations, one that continues to unnecessarily take a toll on our military and our economy. (It is important to point out that I'm connecting these dots; the author didn't and there's no indication it was his intent.) It is this: when we think about interactions with other governments, we use chess as the metaphor. "[chess] is about total victory. The purpose of the game is checkmate, to put the opposing king into a position where he cannot move without being destroyed."

In contrast, "China's most enduring game" is wei qi, approximately pronounced way chee. "The wei qi player seeks relative advantage. ... wei qi generates strategic flexibility." Dr Kissinger relates this thinking to Sun Tzu's guidance on strategy: "A successful commander waits before charging headlong into battle. ... a doctrine less of territorial conquest than of psychological dominance..."

Consider this in the context of the continued US presence in both Iraq and Afganistan.

Back to China. A more direct issue is the conflict between America's belief it has the moral imperative to tell other nations (and thus cultures) how to run their sovereign nations, and China's irreducible commitment, born of its history of interaction with British and other colonial interests in the past couple of hundred years, to not be bullied by other nations. As Dr Kissinger paints it, an unfortunate event such as Tienamen Square (where in 1989 protesters were forcibly, i.e., violently removed, and more importantly, in view of the cameras of the world press) is viewed by the Chinese government as only that: an unfortunate event. In the eyes of the US, it is viewed as a fundamental failure of human rights.

As a consequence, Americans tend to engage in social re-engineering diplomacy, trying to tie trade agreements to changes in China's internal structure. China's view is to simply reject meddling in their domestic affairs as meddling, and to point out that the US doesn't have its own house in order with regard to human rights.

So if you were a Chinese government official, you'd observe the unprovoked US invasions of Iraq or Afghanistan (especially now that we know the weapons of mass destruction story was untrue) and translate Congress' hard line oratory as a literal risk of war. Consider Liu Mingfu's "China Dream: the great power thinking and strategic positioning of China in the post-American age," just briefly referenced by Dr Kissinger. Colonel Liu (as I understand it) suggests that war can be avoided if the US can stifle its hegemonic aspirations. (One must rely on English language analysis of Liu's writing, see perhaps Cheng Li's "China in the Year 2020: three political scenarios," at the Brookings Institute, or Christopher Hughes' "In Case You Missed It: China dream," in The China Beat.)

To China, appearances matter, and events as simple as President Obama meeting with the Dali Lama can be viewed as attempted interference with China's domestic policy.

To put this into context, imagine a group in the US, proposing that a part of the country secede from the Union. How would President Lincoln have interpreted a cheerful meeting in Beijing between Jefferson Davis and the Chinese head of state? Yes, I know: the Dali Lama is the very image of pacifism, and recently retired from his role as the head of Tibet to focus entirely on his religious leadership role. But to the Chinese government, the parallels may be considerable.

My only complaint about this book is that the epilogue seemed too brief and too imprecise: Dr Kissinger imagines a "Pacific community" (for example, see Lee Kwan Yew's comments) but doesn't clearly articulate the implications, including national self-interest values (to the US).

All in all though, a small complaint about an extraordinary work from one of the finest minds of American diplomacy in action.

*Many readers may be unfamiliar with Dr Kissinger; please click on the reference link. In short, Kissinger escaped Germany to the US where he served in the Army, got his PhD at Harvard, and in 1973 became Richard Nixon's Secretary of State. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977.

Split Second, by Catherine Coulter

2011-08-31T16:28:00.000-05:00

The promise of this novel is an action mystery starring FBI agents. I got that, along with two unanticipated extras: first, it borders as close to a romance as a murder mystery can. Second, it introduces a para-normal sub-plot. Can't say more as I don't want to provide a spoiler. But neither development thrilled me. Pleased I borrowed this one from my public library.

Carte Blanche, by Jeffery Deaver

2011-08-31T11:33:00.000-05:00

"Carte Blanche" represents the re-birth of British spy James Bond, 007. Mr Deaver took Ian Flemming's iconic hero (and the hero of a dozen movies to date, another coming in 2012) and resurrected him as a current day spy in his mid-30s.

This is a good thing: the 007 concept is great for the spy genre, and Bond had might as well be remade as current; after all, that's what the movies do.

Now to this novel: well, not so great. As the first re-make of the Bond series, I was motivated to read it. But it really wasn't compelling. Maybe a C+ or perhaps B-.

The Last Werewolf, by Glen Duncan

2011-08-25T15:12:00.000-05:00

This is a pleasant surprise: a very well written dramatic novel cloaked in a werewolf's story. The hero (if you can use that description for someone who eats an innocent stranger once a month) learns he is the last werewolf on earth. He's chased by some who want to eliminate his kind, others who want his passing to be an dramatic event, others who want to use and abuse him.

BTW, this is clearly an NC-17 book. It turns out that while vampires in literature (include their appearance in Mr Duncan's novel) tend toward fine wines and music, werewolves have less imagination but a heck of a sex drive.

Buried Secrets, by Joseph Finder

2011-08-23T11:15:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since I last read one of Mr Finder's novels and I'd forgotten that I didn't enjoy it. But this novel is solid. It helped that I recalled some of the back story as this book continues with the exploits of its hero, Nick Heller. I expect that even without the familiarity the story would be understandable; Mr Finder handles this continuation / back story reference far better than some other (failed) authors.

Nick is a private eye with a mysterious, spy oriented background. He helps out a friend of his mother's whose daughter has been abducted.

As mentioned, a solid story - say a strong B.

Gates of Fire, by Steven Pressfield

2011-08-21T21:43:00.000-05:00

This is an outstanding novel! I'm not a fan of history or military books and this is both, yet it is so well written and so compelling that is transcends genre limitation.

The novel is about the Spartans and the battle at Thermopylae in 480 CBE. The king of Persia, Xerxes, wanted to incorporate Greece into his enormous empire; the Spartans sought to slow their advance and, by sacrificing their lives, affect the moral of both groups (the Persians negatively, the other Greek forces positively).

The story is told by Xeo, the only Spartan survivor of the battle who is captured by Xerxes' forces and asked to explain the thinking that led to the Spartan's campaign. Consequently there's ample room for story line that goes far beyond the gory battle description.

I was impressed by Mr Pressfield's writing in another of his novels that I read recently; this one, however, is even stronger. I recommend it highly as a dramatic read that happens to have some war scenes, that happens to take place a long time ago but which stands on its own as an excellent work.

Blood Trust, by Eric van Lustbader

2011-08-21T11:29:00.000-05:00

I'll cut to the net-net first: do not waste your time reading this novel. Spending 90 minutes watching reality shows on TV would be a better choice.

No point in listing the many failures of this book, but here's an example: the way you realize that this is a sequel to a prior novel with the same characters is the cryptic and confusing reference to characters' back stories, told as though you should understand what is going on. Well, either that or hideous editing.

The Profession, by Steven Pressfield

2011-08-20T17:06:00.000-05:00

This is a war novel, with a bit of suspense and drama. It takes place in 2032 at which point the USA has turned the bulk of its military activity over to private contractors. Our hero, Gent, follows his Patton-like commander, General Salter, with love and obeisance, even as Salter prepares to change the governance of the nation.

The paragraph above doesn't convey how well written this novel is; it pulls you forward, demanding you read it in a single setting. Highly recommended.

Spycatcher, by Matthew Dunn

2011-08-20T08:05:00.001-05:00

Mindless action with a comic book action figure hero. There is an interesting plot line but it is overshadowed by the silliness of the hero. Shot multiple times - no worries, up and about in a day or two. Shot again - no worries, hardly did any damage. Stoic about his mission, but kicks furniture like a poorly behaved child when upset. Sigh.

For a borrowed read (support your local public library) on a hot day with nothing else to do but sit by the pool, well sure, you'd might as well read this as any other trashy best seller list novel. As an alternative to reality TV, absolutely worth reading. As an alternative to reading any real fiction: nah, don't bother.

Shut Your Eyes Tight, by John Verdon

2011-08-18T12:51:00.000-05:00

I was concerned at first that the hero of this novel, Dave Gurney, retired heroic NYPD homicide detective, would spend too much time groveling in misery over the tense and nearly dysfunctional relationship with his wife. This would make it far less of a murder mystery and far more of a novel I wouldn't prefer to read.

Fortunately though, Mr Verdon compensated for this initial direction with an interesting and engaging novel. One that I can wholeheartedly recommend.

To avoid inadvertent spoilers to the plot, I'll stop with that.

My Korean Deli: Risking It All for a Convenience Store, by Ben Howe

2011-08-16T20:44:00.000-05:00

This is a book of unattained potentiality: it could have been great. The author, then an editor at The Paris Review, is the epitome of WASP, tracing his heritage back to the Mayflower. Living with his wife, of Korean heritage, and his in-laws, he gets sucked into buying and running a deli in New York.

It is close enough to good that I don't regret reading it, but can't recommend it.

The Peaceful Stillness of the Silent Mind, by Lama Yeshe

2011-08-08T14:09:00.000-05:00

I've written before about Lama Yeshe and the wonderful job the people at the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mayahana Tradition are doing in making books about Buddhism readily available, in particular through the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. This is another wonderful collection of transcribed talks from the starter pack.

In this book, Lama Yeshe talks about religion and its relationship to the practice of Buddhism, and about calmness. Asked how to control emotions, he says:

"Instead of letting your emotions run wild with your mind, unable to forget whatever it is that's bothering you, sit down, relax, and focus your mind on the flow of your breath -- watch exactly how your breath flows into your nervous system on inhalation and out of it on exhalation.... When you concentrate on your breath, you automatically calm down.... I can guarantee that if you watch your breath for just twenty-one cycles, your nervous emotions will vanish."

I highly recommend this book.

Making Woodwork Aids & Devices, by Robert Wearing

2011-08-08T13:57:00.000-05:00

This is a bare bones book: no narrative, just a catalog of jigs for different woodworking situations. Some of them seem low on aesthetics, some seem unnecessary (a jig for photographic slides -- anyone remember what they were?). I flat out couldn't understand the tools for drawing perspectives.

In spite of this, the book seems well worth having as a reference. What if you need to cut a disc (item 170) or put a groove in a dowel (item 121) or precisely gauge a cylinder (item 66)?

Inside Scientology: The Story of America's Most Secretive Religion, by Janet Reitman

2011-07-29T07:05:00.002-05:00

This is a fascinating book, an expose of Scientology with detailed references behind every assertion. The net-net: Scientology comes across as not only a business exploiting tax laws to increase profitability by claiming religious exemptions, but also as fundamentally evil at the top.

The predecessor of Scientology, Dianetics, doesn't seem that bad a notion: by identifying conflicts in your past (though a structured conversation called an audit), you bring those conflicts to the surface, resolve them, and more forward with greater mental health. Seems no worse than Freudian psychoanalysis.

The religion's narrative is a bit tougher to swallow. We (people) are the vessels of thetans, entities trillions of years old, that, a brief time prior to one's inception, select which human embryo to inhabit. Where do thetans come from? It turns out there was a galactic ruler named Xenu who was in charge of 76 planets in our galaxy. He had a population problem, as each planet had an average of 178 billion people. So he transformed his people (aliens) into thetans (aka souls), trapped them and packed them off to Earth, then called Teegeeack.

So my immediate response to this is something like, "huh?"

But in fairness, isn't is the case that the narratives of all religions read like science fiction or fantasy novels? Noah, with two of every creature stuffed into his ark. Joseph Smith learns about the transatlantic journeys of Christ through the translations of the Angel Moroni of gold plates found in his New York fields. The Hindu god Yama, previously in disguise as a dog, takes the virtuous Yudhisthira to the underworld en route to heaven. The resurrection of Jesus. Moses parting the Red Sea.

So how to get past the admonition that folks living in glass houses oughtn't throw rocks? (Probably you're allowed to throw rocks if you're a follower of one of the more logical Buddhist sects, but doing so wouldn't be right action.)

There's a believability issue. Perhaps because so much is known about L Ron Hubbard (the inventor of Scientology), it is easier to dismiss Scientology as just a tax dodge religion gone wild. He was more or less a screw up, a known liar, a failure as a US Navy officer, a pulp fiction writer later specializing in science fiction, and was widely quoted as pointing out that the best path to business profitability is to invent your own religion.

Sure doesn't sound like the resume of Moses, or of the Prophet Muhammed pbuh, now does it? But who really knows -- maybe the alien emperor Xenu really liked the stories that L Ron Hubbard was churning out and decided to make Hubbard his equivalent of Joseph Smith.

Okay, so although I've tried really hard to cast the nonsense of Scientology as no less valid than any other major religion, you can tell that it is at the lower end of my plausibility spectrum.

Also, many other religions try to do good at the same time they attempt to not do harm. They advance charity or love in the world while not organizationally promoting death to non-believers (or apostates); they don't engage in a crusade of torture against those of other beliefs, and they don't start wars about their belief set. Examples include Baha'i, Buddhism, Judaism, and of course FSM, and no doubt some others. Scientology doesn't do too well on this dimension either, according to Ms Reitman, as it thinks nothing of destroying the lives of anyone who gets in the way of its fundamental goals (tax exempt revenue growth and expansion).

Funny that folks sign up for this stuff. Then again, as a species we seem to be really good at ignoring inconvenient facts that get in the way of our favorite beliefs. And besides, cool actors like Tom Cruise are doing it.

If reading about scams like this make you ill, avoid this excellent book.

The Essence of Tibetan Buddhism, by Lama Thubten Yeshe

2011-07-20T15:01:00.000-05:00

The first part of this small book is the transcription of Lama Yeshe covering for an ill his holiness the Dalai Lama at a conference in France. It is exceptional in its clarity and humor.

The second part is a bit more complex but still very well written.

The folks at the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) make this book available as part of the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. This is quite wonderful: you can read for free online or if you prefer paper, you can obtain several of their books for free (paying only shipping) as part of your quest to understand more about the practice of Buddhism. This book is part of the Wisdom Archive's starter pack and imho is the way to go.

Momentem, by Jerry Lee Osborne

2011-07-15T15:58:00.000-05:00

I glanced over at my bookshelf last week and noticed a paperback on the shelf that didn't look familiar. It was large format, all white but for the title and author's name. I couldn't remember putting it there, but none of my family members knew how it got there either. I hope I didn't borrow it from someone, as I don't recall to whom to return it.

What do you do when you find a novel mysteriously sitting on your bookshelf? You read it!

Or try to. I made it to page 90 (out of 218). Even this took me the better part of a week of on and off reading, putting it down as a side effect of my lack of enthusiasm.

The plot: Dutch scientists invent a miraculous drug (momentem) which enhances sensation, cures disabilities, and generates huge amounts of cash from distribution through traditionally illicit drug channels (although it is itself too new to yet be regulated or declared illegal). Characters deal with varied aspects of this situation.

The problem: stilted writing. I don't precisely know how to describe it. I imagine that if a high functioning autistic person wrote dialog, this is how it might sound. But that might be pejorative to autistic folks. I don't want to be rude to the author either. The writing was just so stilted.

Another way to describe it: imagine you read the wonderful Elements of Style but then go overboard with terse business style writing in the dialog and descriptive sections of your inventive novel.

So I just gave up.

Oh, and also because the author misspelled Zilker park Zulker.

The Informationist: A Thriller, by Taylor Stevens

2011-07-10T10:39:00.000-05:00

Wow, this is a terrific novel. Our hero is the strange, lethal, troubled Vanessa who also goes by Michael, who dresses alternatively as female or male (not in a cross dressing fetish way but rather as a means to get closer to her targets). She's a private analyst who gathers information, or in this case, investigates a complex and suspenseful matter of a missing woman in Africa with many scenes in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.

Maybe just by a hair, maybe because the competition has been light this year, but Ms Stevens' novel made my 2011 best books of the year list for fiction.

The Complete Compost Gardening Guide, by Barbara Pleasant & Deborah Martin

2011-07-09T19:39:00.000-05:00

This is a very nice collection of information about composting and the use of compost in gardens. But two major flaws mar the text so much as to make it of borderline use. First the organization, or I should say the confusing and illogical organization. Information is presented in an order that doesn't make sense with lots of future references by page numbers (the most painful of speed bumps to reading) and key information hidden deep in the book.

Second, and more serious, is the glaring absence of information about compost bins. Open sided bins are the default (effective, and inexpensively built from pallets), with some discussion about the downside of rodent access. But not a word about alternative approaches, from rotating tumblers to indoor techniques. Which one would reasonably expect to see in a text of this title.

Still and all, it is a great compilation of information, so I'll give it a C+.

Building Fences + Gates, by Richard Freudenberger

2011-07-09T16:47:00.002-05:00

Unfortunately the content of Mr Freudenberger's book matches neither his title nor sub-title: "how to design and build them from the ground up." Instead it is a near -coffee table book about fences. Most of the content and photos are lovely in this context.

As an example of the un-evenness of the text, there were six pages of photos and detailed explanation (in 30 discrete steps) for setting up a basic wood fence. In contrast, building a wire fence got a very cryptic half page, no illustrations and not a single enumerated step.

So all in all, a pretty book, but just barely a D+ grade. By the way, it is so much the opposite of George Martin's book on fences that it is worth looking at them next to each other.

Debunkery, by Ken Fisher

2011-07-06T10:23:00.002-05:00

I was sent a free copy of Mr Fisher's book by his eponymous investment firm which is seeking my business. It isn't a book I'd have otherwise sought out; rather it is Bevelin on my wish list. But, here I am, a free book in my hands, but still not all that excited about it. Then at a July 4th party a friend told me he has been an enthused client of Fisher Investments for years. That energy overcame my inertia so I read the book.

Bottom line: not bad. Mr Fisher takes 50 "money killing myths" of investing and debunks them. Most are common sense obvious or reasonable, some are filled with the optimism of capitalism (Mr Fisher is, after all, a billionaire), and his comments (negative) on annuities no doubt annoy many life insurance sales people.

Oh, by the way, I mentioned the firm is seeking my business. Not going to happen. No offense to anyone there, it is just that an investment advisory firm that spends such a huge amount on marketing immediately turns me off. I confess it as an emotional reaction, but I figure the energy put into marketing and hype is as likely a cover for a mediocre model as it is a fair and appropriate means to grow the business. So color me cynical. I did appreciate the free book though.

Seven Days From Sunday, by MH Sargent

2011-07-03T13:56:00.000-05:00

This is a quick read, suitable only for poolside or airplane use. Not that it was bad: the plot was solid, and most of the character development was good. It is just this close to a strong book; something about the writing. It seemed loose, like a beginner's effort. Some of the phrases were goofy and there seem to be a few factual errors. Maybe I'm being too critical as I can't precisely explain the problem. Net net though, for 99 cents, I've already complained too much.

Some details: the setting is Iraq, the main characters are CIA agents embedded with US military and a handful of Iraqi civilians. The set up is for a sequel.

Bloodmoney, by David Ignatius

2011-07-01T22:58:00.000-05:00

This is an interesting espionage thriller with a complex plot and solid character development. At the end I wasn't completely sure what happened, yet I didn't feel cheated by the novel - rather I felt as if that was the right response.

Jesus on Death Row: The Trial of Jesus and American Capital Punishment, by Mark Osler

2011-06-29T22:55:00.007-05:00

Here's something I don't often say: read this book.

Prof Osler compares the story of Jesus' last days -- his prosecution, arrest, trial, condemnation and execution -- to the modern day American justice system and in particular to the practice of executions.

If you are a Christian then this short book should certainly resonate with you even as it may well challenge your views on the death penalty.

If you aren't a Christian you'll still find this incredibly interesting, and still wonder about the use of the death penalty. Many death penalty supporters describe themselves as Christians and this book might make you wonder why that is.

One complaint about the book: it suffers considerable redundancy. This didn't bother me so much as to affect my bottom line recommendation but it is noticeable.

By the way: Prof Osler authors a very entertaining blog; it is also worth a look.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, translated by Alistair Shearer

2011-06-29T20:58:00.001-05:00

I really liked the long introduction by Mr Shearer. I understand that there are other translations of the Sutras, but without having read them, not being a bodhisattva, and not reading Sanskrit, I'm willing to go with this one for now.

Mr Shearer quotes from the Vishnu Purana:

"Society reaches a stage where property confers rank, wealth becomes the only source of virtue, passion the sole bond of union between husband and wife, falsehood the source of success in life, sex the only means of enjoyment, and outer trappings are mistaken for inner religion."

Considering the Puranas date to around the first century common era, modified through the 16th century -- let's call it at least hundreds of years old -- this is a remarkable comment. (The punchline is, of course, that yoga is a path out of this mess, where yoga is inclusive of the physical we think of a yoga studio for, the mental exercise we think of as meditation, and the behavioral for which we might look to Buddha's eightfold path, etc.)

The sutras themselves are brief and terse (at least in this translation, apparently not so much so in others!), and with meaning deeper than the few words might imply; I can't absorb them in a single reading. This is the sort of thing one must study repeatedly, over many years, and presumably while doing the broad concepts, while working on the eight limbs of yoga. (These are quite similar to the guidance of Buddhism: rules for living including nonviolence, integrity, contentment and the like, also focus on posture, breathing, and meditation.)

When Hell is the Favourable Option, by David Jaundrell

2011-06-29T20:26:00.000-05:00

The set of action / mystery / suspense novels I've been reading has taken its toll on me. I'm fatigued by the genre. Plus, Mr Jaundrell's writing includes unnecessarily brutal and graphic scenes of violence. Other than that, the plot was good, and I'd even read another of his novels featuring the hero James James. As long as I'm in a sufficiently light-hearted mood to skim past the yucky stuff.

But at this point: I need to switch to non-fiction for a while. And then perhaps some real literature, or at least something closer to that than this stuff.

Death of a Cure, by Steven Jackson

2011-06-29T20:21:00.000-05:00

Continuing in my run of by-the-pool reading, another suspense / mystery novel. This one has an interesting plot and good character development. I'd recommend it.

Line of Succession, by William Tyree

2011-06-29T20:17:00.000-05:00

A spy action thriller. Pretty good but the main character isn't all that sympathetic. Was annoyed at the cliff hanger / set-up-for-next-book-in-series ending. Still in all, it fits the profile of by the pool summer reading.

Hostage Zero, by John Gilstrap

2011-06-29T20:12:00.001-05:00

This is an action adventure novel. I got the sense that it was a sequel, and sure enough learned that it was.

So how was it? It is a good fit for the genre -- not a Booker Prize candidate but good, enjoyable low-brow reading for a hot summer day.

21 Things to Know Before Starting an Ashtanga Yoga Practice, by Claudia Azula Altucher

2011-06-24T19:50:00.001-05:00

I wouldn't recognize an Ashtanga yoga pose from any other yoga pose; the only reason I read this book is that James Altucher recommended it. And even that was a risky proposition: (a) Mr Altucher is the author's spouse, and (b) as best I can tell from reading his blog, Mr Altucher is a depressive, perhaps psychotic, in any case quite disturbed person. But hey, 99 cents is clearly the Kindle cut off point for risking a bad read.

So now that I've read Ms Altucher's book I still wouldn't know an Ashtanga pose from any random runner's stretch. But it was a fun read! Kind of hard to describe though: something like a self-help -lite mixed with where to eat if you find yourself in Mysore India. (Note: if the occasional typo or grammatical error makes you crazy then avoid this book.)

The Essential Woodworker, by Robert Wearing

2011-06-23T12:36:00.000-05:00

The title has it right, this is an essential guide for the serious beginner. It is well written and illustrated; although it took strenuous effort in some areas to follow Mr Wearing's description, I ultimately did.

A few pages into this book I thought it would have been interesting to be an apprentice woodworker, taking several months to work through the material as exercises towards becoming a journeyman. By the end of the book I'd increased my mental model of the time required to years.

The edition I own comes, by the way, from Lost Art Press, a fabulous resource for woodworkers which is run by a credible hot-shot hand craftsman.

The Joy of Not Working, by Ernie Zelinski

2011-06-16T19:16:00.001-05:00

This is one of the strangest books I've read. Mr Zelinski's thesis is that work (i.e., working for "the man," big business, in a cubicle, using a Blackberry to read mail when you should be playing after office hours) is a plague that causes depression, misery and shortens life.

His antidote? Well that's what makes the book so strange: it is a mix of "just quit!" and "find your own path to self employment that is somehow more satisfying."

His examples are just weird. For example, Mr Zelinski cites the office worker who quit his job to become a busker at Toronto street corner and who is now so very happy. I guess there was no notion of health insurance (well, it is in Canada).

There are good take aways from this book. Don't confuse your work life tradeoffs by skewing to all work, no hobbies, no relationships, no fun. That seems sensible to me. But practical information? I don't see it.

Portfolio Life: The New Path to Work, Purpose, and Passion After 50, by David Corbett

2011-06-14T10:07:00.000-05:00

This is perhaps a good remedial book: if you retire from your profession and find yourself dazed and confused, lost without a work identity, unsure of how to move forward. But if, on the other hand, you haven't failed at retirement, or imagine you're not going to fail at it, then your view of this book will probably mirror mine: too many platitudes, too little meat, and solving a problem I don't expect to have anyways.

Anarchist's Tool Chest, by Chris Schwarz

2011-06-13T16:35:00.000-05:00

This is a must read book for anyone who is at all interested in woodworking. Not because it describes how to build anything particularly exciting (except for a hand built wooden tool chest that I suspect few with bother with). But rather because Mr Schwarz has a mission: to evangelize hand wood working, to assure a vibrant community of folks who know how to build furniture really well. And, I suppose he'd say, to combat the mentality that poorly built furniture which won't last very long is a pox on society: it is a reflection of a disposable age which gets further and further from the grounding of well built, craftsman -like goods.

Don't take me the wrong way: this is hardly a polemic. It is well written, amusing, and informative. Even if you don't plan to hand plane a rough board into flatness -- or even if you don't plan to even ever pick up a piece of wood -- this is a worthwhile read.

Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse

2011-06-11T14:45:00.002-05:00

If you find yourself sitting at an airport departure gate, learning that your flight has been delayed from 8:35 pm to 1:00 am, reading a book is a good way to pass the time. A book that covers some concepts of Buddhism is an even better idea. And a free (Kindle) book -- perfect. Hence, Siddhartha.

Our hero is of a wealthy class, becomes bored and leaves home to join a group of ascetics, Samanas, to wander about without any material goods, fasting and thinking. He meets folks, falls in lust, becomes a materialist, returns to a simpler near-ascetic life, discovers attachment when he meets his son and the pain of separation, and becomes Buddha -like (or perhaps a Bodhisattva).

I particularly enjoyed Siddhartha's conversation with his friend Govinda about wisdom: "...wisdom cannot be passed on. Wisdom which a wise man tries to pass on to someone always sounds like foolishness. ... Knowledge can be conveyed, but not wisdom."

Many aspects of Siddhartha's life seem unappealing, even wrong. He leaves his family without a second glance, and hardly thinks of them again for decades. Buddhist teaching warns to avoid unrealistic romanticization of loved ones; this goes to far in my view. The idea of avoiding attachment is, more or less, since things are not permanent and are always changing, what we are attached to will not live up to an initial illusion. So the additional illusion that attachment brings happiness will lead to suffering. The Buddha said:

"If you desire joy,

Completely forsake all attachment.

By forsaking completely all attachment

A most excellent ecstasy is found.

So long as (you) follow attachment

Satisfaction is never found.

Who ever reverses attachment

With wisdom attains satisfaction."

As with all such things, your mileage will vary.

By the way, that delayed flight finally took off at 2:40 am; a three hour evening flight home became a red-eye that arrived at 5:00 am. But, as the Buddha said, life is dukkha. So why get upset.

Loving Frank, by Nancy Horan

2011-06-11T14:03:00.000-05:00

I came across this book through the recommendation of a friend during intermission at the Austin Playhouse theatre quite a long time ago. I bought the book immediately and have tried ever so diligently to read it since. But I find that after only a few pages my attention wanders, which explains why even though months have past, I've scarcely made it through half this novel.

The premise is a historical fiction about Mamah Cheney and her love affair with architect Frank Lloyd Wright. This novel got great reviews and by every indication should have held my interest. Perhaps I've read too many spy / murder / thriller / action novels lately and this has dulled my appreciation for literature. But in recognition of the facts, however unpleasant, I will confess: this book is tagged "unread" as I'm simply giving up on it.

Dead Zero, by Stephen Hunter

2011-05-31T13:51:00.000-05:00

It appears that I've run into a series. The hero of this novel, Bob Swagger, is the star of a number of Mr Hunter's books; I've not read any of them before this. That lack of background caused no harm; this is an excellent thriller.

The hero is a retired military sniper; another hero of this novel is a current military sniper. There is, consequently, lots of sniper dialog, war scene, blowing things up, and killing. As a movie, it would get an "R" rating for violence.

Tropic of Night, by Michael Gruber

2011-05-31T13:40:00.000-05:00

My father-in-law asked me if I had a suggestion for a terrific book, as a follow up to my recommendation of "The Passage." Immediately after, I finished this novel. Wow -- here's the recommendation, and an addition to my top 10 list for 2011. Is that synchronicity?

This is a strange book. It is a mix of anthropology primer, West African mysticism, police procedural and love story. It isn't an easy book to read. But it is an excellent novel that I highly recommend.

As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen

2011-05-31T13:26:00.000-05:00

I suspect this is the original popular consumption version of the notion of the power of positive thinking. It is a brief text, almost a magazine article (and free on Kindle).

This text was referenced in Tim Sanders', "Today we are Rich."

There are ideas that sound nearly Buddhist, such as, "Suffering is always the effect of wrong thought in some direction." And there is an optimism that may have been the root of more popular concepts such as "the secret," (of which I am not a fan) such as, "...beautiful thoughts of all kinds crystallize into habits of grace and kindliness, which solidify into genial and sunny circumstances..."

Certainly worth the read.

Agent X, by Noah Boyd

2011-05-17T10:51:00.000-05:00

I enjoyed Mr Boyd's prior novel enough to seek out this one. If anything, this one is even better. The plot is complicated but is sufficiently credible to hold one's interest. The character development is solid. If you like this genre, you're not apt to go wrong with Mr Boyd.

Today we are rich, by Tim Sanders

2011-05-17T10:40:00.001-05:00

This is a simply outstanding guide to positive thinking and success -oriented behavior. Mr Sanders achieves this outcome without (very much) preaching.

The book asserts seven principles:

Feed your mind good stuff. In other words, avoid negativity, from both others as well as yourself.
Move the conversation forward. This is a notion of being constructive.
Exercise your gratitude muscle. Now here's where a cynical "titan of Wall Street" sort of reader might risk getting put off, but Mr Sanders handles this well, and builds a reasonable argument.
Give to be rich. Okay, another risky chapter for the hard boiled, film noir, Gordon Gekko -type reader, but bear with me.
Prepare yourself. In other words, do your homework so as to be effective.
Balance your confidence. I found this among the weakest chapters; the message is to believe in yourself and others, and mix up activities and interests. This chapter also has the largest component of religious messaging. I don't believe you'd miss much by skipping or skimming this part of the book, but it might be really resonant for some readers.
Promise made, promise kept. Do what you say you'll do.

If you've read in this genre before, you probably can guess at some of the additional reading that Mr Sanders recommends:

Tales of the Revolution: True Stories of People who are Poking the Box and Making a Difference, by Seth Godin

2011-05-17T10:05:00.000-05:00

Mr Godin added "Poke the Box" to his books within the Domino Project, the notion being to inspire people to push their personal envelopes in a constructive fashion. This book is a compendium of comments to "Poke the Box," a set of anecdotes about how people have tried new things with positive results.

I'm hardly the Kumbaya -singing, glass half full kind of person, and yet this book warmed even my cold heart with its inspiring stories of people making a positive difference.

Ghost Country, by Patrick Lee

2011-05-05T10:28:00.000-05:00

As previously mentioned, I didn't delay to read this sequel to The Breach. My comments on this novel are as positive as they were for Mr Lee's prior book. If anything, it is better. Listed at 384 pages, it read as though it was magazine fiction -- over much too quickly.

The Breach, by Patrick Lee

2011-05-05T10:15:00.000-05:00

One of the very cool things about the Amazon Kindle is the ability to download free samples; a few chapters of a book so that one can get a feel for if it is something enjoyable, or not one's cup of tea. I went through about four such samples before reading this one. It was intriguing enough to get me to buy.

The hero is Travis Chase, an ex-con who is also an ex-cop, who stumbles upon a crisis. There's the requisite love interest in Paige Campbell, but don't get me wrong, it is done well and not trite at all.

I had some confusion processing the flashbacks that explain (or attempt to explain) Chase's past. But other than that, this is a well written thriller.

Warning: it has elements of science fiction as well, but it is not what I'd broadly classify as a sci-fi novel (although I guess I'll apply that tag to this blog entry just for completeness).

The novel felt as though it went by too quickly, and I didn't feel I needed to read the sequel's free sample before just buying it.

When Darkness Falls, by James Grippando

2011-05-04T17:21:00.000-05:00

I bought this book through a great deal on Kindle: delivered free, in three separate downloads. That's what helped a better than okay novel jump up to a solidly good on my list! There are two heroes: a blind police officer (Vincent Paulo) and a criminal defense attorney (Jack Swyteck), both of whom have history in prior of Mr Grippando's novels. There's a beautiful love interest police officer, political connections and relations, and the humidity of a crime novel set in Miami.

The Bricklayer, by Noah Boyd

2011-04-30T10:22:00.000-05:00

This is a solid thriller, in the style of Lee Child's "Jack Reacher" novels (but not quite as good). I started it because I wanted a light-weight novel during a flight delay, and for this it was excellent. I will read Mr Boyd's next entry in this series.

Do the Work, by Steven Pressfield

2011-04-30T10:16:00.002-05:00

I read the free Kindle download of this book (for a limited time, courtesy of GE and the Domino Project) because it was recommended by Seth Godin (a force in marketing). I found Mr Pressfield's book to be a fast read, a bit superficial, but very upbeat and encouraging: think of it as a sequence of tee shirt sayings!

Don't take that the wrong way, it is just the nature of the book. Still, I like it and recommend it as advice to get going successfully on any project, be it hobby, artistic or business.

Although I expect that the optimal audience for this book will be folks who are imagining a new business start up or folks looking to start (or complete) a graduate degree. Or maybe for someone who wants to start a new hobby or exercise program.

Genome, by Matt Ridley

2011-04-23T11:05:00.004-05:00

The genome of the title is the set of human genes, packaged in 23 pairs of chromosomes. If you've ever taken a biology class, you might faintly recall that genes are sets of codons, and that each codon has three bases chosen out of four possible bases: adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine. If you're like me, you're more apt to remember these as A, C, G and T.

If the previous paragraph has you yawning in boredom already, then thank me for for saving you from reading this book. If, on the other hand, you're not so easily intimidated, then you're apt to be open to Mr Ridley's story.

The gimmick of Mr Ridley's book is to present each chromosome as a separate chapter (he shoved the X and Y chromosomes in with chromosome 7 to keep with his scheme of ordering chapters according to the size of each gene, so 22 chapters cover 23 chromosomes; I don't really know why he did this). Then each chapter is written from the point of view of the specific chromosome (sort of).

This mostly works, and the story telling style helps keep the material interesting to non-scientists.

It is a good book, but it could have been much better: I'd have imagined it as 22 essays, edited appropriately for a popular magazine (think Atlantic Monthly, not Maxim!), then collected into book form. But I do feel slightly more comfortable tackling a Scientific American article on genes now than prior to reading this (but not Science which is always a challenge).

It was largely interesting and informative; thanks Jon for the suggestion. Maybe this isn't the sort of book to read out by the pool on a warm spring day, but since that's how I read it, you'll understand my longing for better (crisper) editing.

Implant, by Jeffrey Anderson & Michael Wallace

2011-04-23T10:46:00.001-05:00

An array of sensors inserted into soldiers' bodies, electrodes affixed to different parts of their brains, with a wireless communications device for bi-directional information transmission. This allows headquarters to both monitor what the soldiers see and hear and, to the surprise of the test subjects, also control them.

The neuro-surgeon doing the implants is (obviously) beautiful, naive, and well-meaning.
Her husband is a scoundrel.
Her government bosses are (largely) evil.
African nations are (mostly) governed by bribe-taking coup makers.
Computer experts are like gods. (Well on this list of the book's trite themes, I liked this one best.)
Callous CIA supervisors have hidden hearts of gold.
All's well that ends with the potential of a sequel.

Ancient Awakening, by Matthew Laube

2011-04-16T13:45:00.003-05:00

The sub-title of this novel is "The Ancient: Book One." Two things are obvious from this. First, that this is in the para-normal or fantasy space. Second, that the book should end with enough dangling ends and surviving main characters to interest you in going to the next volume.

I found this book, as previously confessed, in a surge of 99 cent Kindle downloads.

As for the book: pretty good. It was interesting enough and the writing was good enough that I'm willing to read the next in the series.

The Expediter, by David Hagberg

2011-04-16T13:38:00.001-05:00

Thank heavens -- after two completely discouraging attempts at reading fiction, a novel that was well written.

Not to go overboard: the plot relies on stretches of credibility big enough to span the Grand Canyon. But that's okay, at least the writing is solid, as is the character development. The plot advances well.

All in all a solid leisure read, a C+ or maybe even a B-. This won't be on my (probably not on anybody's) top ten list, but it was a welcome diversion.

Wet Desert, by Gary Hansen

2011-04-16T13:33:00.001-05:00

As posted previously, in my excitement to download inexpensive Kindle novels, I picked up more than one horrible, unreadable novel. This is one of those failures.

Lest you, dear reader, wonder "why wasn't Carl at least bright enough to check out the reviews first," let me point out that as of this writing, Mr Hansen's unreadable book has 158 four or five star reviews on Amazon, and only 14 at three stars or fewer. Only nine reviews were the lowest rating of one star.

The phrases used in those nine low reviews are dead-on: "the characters were wooden and shallow," "dialogue is uninspiring," "Very plodding sentence construction," "the main story and side stories never come together."

Sigh. What's a reader to do? Go with the majority reviewers (who in this case prove themselves to have either far lower standards than I)? If I do that, I will sometimes end up with a book like this one, and have to count the moments until I can reasonably stop the pain, just tag the book as unreadable and move on.

Crack-up, by Eric Christopherson

2011-04-16T13:18:00.001-05:00

I tag my posts: biography, mystery, etc. One of my least often used tags is "unread." It means that the book was so excruciatingly awful that I just couldn't bear to finish it.

It is novels like this one that justify the tag.

But the fault is not only Mr Christopherson's. I am guilty of greed: the appeal of a 99 cent Kindle download was my undoing. I downloaded several of these in a fit of bargain hunting, but never again.

As for this book: horrible writing. Irritating plot. I stole a peek at the last page just out of curiosity, and saw that even the resolution was annoying.

Save yourself: if you see this author's books, even at a yard sale, run for the hills.

Now in fairness, a word in Mr Chrisopherson's favor: as of this writing, a full 90% of the reviews for this novel on Amazon are positive -- either four or five star. So full disclosure drives me to point out that I may just be the bizarre outlier on the curve and that the typical reader would actually love his writing.

American Subversive, by David Goodwillie

2011-04-10T17:26:00.003-05:00

This novel is about domestic terrorism in 21st century America, about yuppie disaffection, and is also a love story of sorts. Alternating chapters describe things from the point of view of our two main characters (I'd almost called them heros, but thought better of it): a young woman seeking a way to avenge her brother's death in Iraq and a blogger barely making his way through the day.

Interesting, and difficult to put down, but an unsettling and not very pleasurable read.

Run, by Michaelbrent Collings

2011-04-10T13:21:00.001-05:00

At $18.59 for atoms and only $0.99 for electrons, how could I resist this Kindle book? Ah, but I should have tried harder, for big discounts come at a price. In this case, I paid with confusion, then annoyance.

In fairness, it was sufficiently interesting to keep me reading to the end. But sometimes, as Nancy Reagan said, it is better to just say no. (Speaking of Mrs Reagan, this is worth reading.)

Swarm, by B. V. Larson

2011-04-10T13:15:00.002-05:00

Although I don't generally read sci fi, I do love a bargain. So when I saw this at a low price at the Kindle store, I couldn't resist -- less expensive than a magazine, it was apt to keep me busy on airline travel.

But wow! What a great read! This read quite a bit like my favorite sci fi writer's work, but it was instead written by Mr Larson -- whose books I will now seek out.

Life, by Keith Richards

2011-04-10T13:10:00.000-05:00

I'm not a big fan of autobiographies in general and this one was okay at best. But I realize why the reviews are so positive and why my reaction is so modulated: I simply don't qualify to truly enjoy this book. I lack all of the three attributes of a very enthusiastic reviewer:

1. I am not a true Stones fan; I don't recognize album names, don't really know the other band members, and I'm not all that interested either.

2. I am not a guitar player; I have no clue what it means to tune a guitar in open G, 3- string. Oh, I'd like to understand this better, but suspect it may take years of study to get there.

3. I am not an illicit drugs expert; I never even heard of tuinal before reading this book.

I'm sure that if you qualify on any of these topics, you'll enjoy Mr Richards' autobiography far more than I.

The Company We Keep, by Robert Baer & Dayna Baer

2011-03-29T22:53:00.004-05:00

This is really a set of slightly inter-related essays, each chapter alternating between spouse. I was pleasantly surprised by how well written and easy to read this book is, and although it isn't at all what I'd expected (i.e., I'd anticipated a more coherent auto-biography) it was worth reading.

I am a Japanese Writer, by Dany Laferriere

2011-03-26T10:23:00.001-05:00

This is a wonderful novel, but it felt a bit odd to read. I believe that's because I've grown accustomed to the mystery novels I tend toward during my business travel. They are always linear, as readers of mysteries expect. Mr Laferriere's writing doesn't resolve conflict at the rate and pace of a mystery.

I fear I've confused the reader, so perhaps a small sample will help:

"I have a special way of cooking salmon. It has nothing to do with the salmon itself. What's special is me. I put a very small amount of water in a pot with the juice of one lemon, thin slices of onion, fresh garlic, salt, pepper, hot chilis and a large ripe tomato that I crush, keeping only the juice. I boil everything together for no more than three minutes. I lower the heat to minimum and place the salmon in the sauce. Then I leave the kitchen and come back twenty minutes later to begin cooking the rice and the vegetables. But this time, I don't leave. I stand and watch the salmon simmering. For no good reason, I start worrying. About what? About everything. Why? I can't say. Don't worry about my worrying. I ask questions, then answer them myself to forget I'm alone. Otherwise, I'd be dead silent. It's incredible all the things you have to do just to maintain life. Right now, wave after wave of worry is washing in and threatening to drown me. I'm sweating anxiety. I start worrying about my mother, back home. I didn't like the way her voice sounded the last time we talked on the phone. Her small, frail voice. I know my mother's voice is never strong, but that time it was really alarming. That call dates back a month, but I'm only reacting now. I've been busy, it's true. Busy doing what? I don't remember. Right now, I don't have anything to do but watch my salmon simmering. She told me she wished I had a more secure job, and that makes me sad. Now, even after my fiftieth birthday, I still don't know what kind of writer I am. I hadn't thought of this before, but back home, what are they going to say about me having become a Japanese writer? I watch the salmon slowly firming up. I've ended up communicating my anxiety to the fish. Now I'll have to eat anxious salmon one more time. I don't even know if the anxiety comes from starting a new book or from becoming a Japanese writer. And there lies the fundamental question: what is a Japanese writer? Someone who lives and writes in Japan? Or someone who was born in Japan and writes in spite of it (there are nations that are happy without writing)? Or someone who was not born in Japan, who doesn't know the language, but who decided one fine day to become a Japanese writer? That's my situation. I have to get it through my head: I am a Japanese writer. As long as I'm not that naked writer who enters the forest of sentences with no weapon other than a kitchen knife."

Reading Michael Chabon, by Helene Meyers

2011-03-24T23:57:00.001-05:00

When I heard Professor Meyers speak at a Southwestern University event some time ago, I was immediately impressed by her obvious intelligence, wit and energy. So when I recently saw that she'd written this book -- which I'd otherwise not heard of -- I felt compelled to read it.

And happy I did! This is a genre I'd not previously encountered: the "pop lit book club." The idea is to help book club readers (and students) keep track of the plot lines and characters of specific novelists, and provide a connecting fabric to associated commentary, other works, and reviews. Neat idea.

And Professor Myers does a fine job of it.

It helps, I suppose, that I'm already a huge fan of Mr Chabon. If you've not yet read his work, I'd start with my personal favorite, Gentlemen of the Road.

Got Milk?

2011-03-22T15:59:00.003-05:00

The Secret Soldier, by Alex Berenson

2011-03-19T21:09:00.001-05:00

This suspense novel features Mr Berenson's oft-used hero, John Wells. Wells is an ex-spy who takes a mercenary case for the King of Saudi Arabia who decides to trust him over anyone in his own Kingdom. Hmmmm, well I never said Mr Berenson writes credible novels.

In spite of its obvious pitfalls (if it were credible there would be few scenes in the book), it was a pretty good novel of the genre.

Books I've Read

Table of Contents

2011 Best of List

Keeping Pet Chickens, by Paul, Windham, and Stahlkuppe

Reamde, by Neal Stephenson

Kosher Chinese, by Michael Levy

The Time of My Life, by Patrick Swayze & Lisa Niemi

Foundations of Financial Management, by Stanley B. Block and Geoffrey A. Hirt

First Lessons in Beekeeping, by Keith S. Delaplane

The Accidental Historian: Tales of Trash and Treasure, by Monte Akers

Gangster Tour of Texas, by T. Lindsay Baker

History Ahead: Stories beyond the Texas Roadside Markers, by Dan K. Utley and Cynthia J. Beeman

The Joy of Compassion, by Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Induction (Among Us), by Ploni Almoni

The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True, by Richard Dawkins

Jonathan Edwards on Worship: Public and Private Devotion to God, by Ted Rivera

The Complete Guide to Chip Carving, by Wayne Barton

Country Driving: A journey through China from farm to factory, by Peter Hessler

God, No!: Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales, by Penn Jillette

The Fine Art of Cabinetmaking, by James Krenov

Just Run, by Chris Culver

The Abbey, by Chris Culver

Wired, by Douglas E. Richards

Sensei, by John Donohue

Run, by Blake Crouch

The Detachment, by Barry Eisler

The Informationist: A Vanessa Michael Munroe Novel, by Taylor Stevens

Buried Secrets, by Joseph Finder

Portrait of a Spy, by Daniel Silva

The Speech: A Historic Filibuster on Corporate Greed and the Decline of Our Middle Class, by Bernie Sanders

New Blog for Woodworking Books

Adrenaline, by Jeff Abbott

The Woodwright's Guide, by Roy Underhill

The New Traditional Woodworker, by Jim Tolpin

Island of the Sequined Love Nun, by Christopher Moore

The Gun Seller, by Hugh Laurie

Becoming Your Own Therapist, by Lama Yeshe

A New Culture of Learning, by Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown

The Present, by Spencer Johnson

Starting Strength (2nd Edition), by Mark Rippetoe & Lon Kilgore

On China, by Henry Kissinger

Split Second, by Catherine Coulter

Carte Blanche, by Jeffery Deaver

The Last Werewolf, by Glen Duncan

Buried Secrets, by Joseph Finder

Gates of Fire, by Steven Pressfield

Blood Trust, by Eric van Lustbader

The Profession, by Steven Pressfield

Spycatcher, by Matthew Dunn

Shut Your Eyes Tight, by John Verdon

My Korean Deli: Risking It All for a Convenience Store, by Ben Howe

The Peaceful Stillness of the Silent Mind, by Lama Yeshe

Making Woodwork Aids & Devices, by Robert Wearing

Inside Scientology: The Story of America's Most Secretive Religion, by Janet Reitman

The Essence of Tibetan Buddhism, by Lama Thubten Yeshe

Momentem, by Jerry Lee Osborne

The Informationist: A Thriller, by Taylor Stevens

The Complete Compost Gardening Guide, by Barbara Pleasant & Deborah Martin

Building Fences + Gates, by Richard Freudenberger

Debunkery, by Ken Fisher

Seven Days From Sunday, by MH Sargent

Bloodmoney, by David Ignatius

Jesus on Death Row: The Trial of Jesus and American Capital Punishment, by Mark Osler

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, translated by Alistair Shearer

When Hell is the Favourable Option, by David Jaundrell

Death of a Cure, by Steven Jackson

Line of Succession, by William Tyree

Hostage Zero, by John Gilstrap

21 Things to Know Before Starting an Ashtanga Yoga Practice, by Claudia Azula Altucher

The Essential Woodworker, by Robert Wearing

The Joy of Not Working, by Ernie Zelinski

Portfolio Life: The New Path to Work, Purpose, and Passion After 50, by David Corbett

Anarchist's Tool Chest, by Chris Schwarz

Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse

Loving Frank, by Nancy Horan

Dead Zero, by Stephen Hunter

Tropic of Night, by Michael Gruber

As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen

Agent X, by Noah Boyd

Today we are rich, by Tim Sanders