August 8, 2009
August 6, 2009
In The Year 2889 by Jules Verne
This is the far future, as seen by someone in the distant past. It has some interesting point and visions, but does not hold up to the current state of science fiction. It is short, and rather odd. It’s all done with mirrors.
July 28, 2009
The Return of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs
This book resumes the story from the first, following Tarzan and Jane separately through most of the book. We Tarzan fall from his height of a sophisticated European back to the jungle animal. He maintains his morals and manages to return to his heights. All the loose ends are tied up this time, but it still leaves some expectations for the next volume. Tarzan seems too much of a superhero than the myth from comic and TV lore. He is both a cultured European with fluency in several languages, and the ultimate savage speaking with apes and many primitive tribes. He is unerring with spear and bow, tracker, spy, and what else? But it is still very enjoyable.
read in July 2009
July 24, 2009
T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
This is, or was, the latest Kinsey Millhone mystery. Kinsey has a few cases in this book, but they drag her, as usual, deep into a mystery. This one involves the care provided for an elderly neighbor.
These are always good stories and I can recommend them.
(read Jan. 2008)
July 17, 2009
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Randy Pausch is a professor of computer science who is dying from cancer. In his final lecture, he speaks of his life and his philosophy in trying to help others get the most out of life.
It is an easy read and worth the effort.
July 15, 2009
Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
This is a great story, but everyone knows how it goes. There are a few details not portrayed in the movies, more info on Tarzan’s parents and how he came to be adopted by the apes, and his early life among the apes.
July 13, 2009
Murder on the Iditarod Trail (Alaska Mysteries) by Sue Henry
This was another fun read. It felt more like an adventure during an Iditarod run than a mystery, but everything did tie up neatly in the end and the guilty party was caught. I enjoyed the story of the run, the personalities involved and the adventrue of the race.
July 6, 2009
The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki
I enjoyed this book. The book develops the premise that crowds, under the right circumstances, can make extraordinarily good decisions. He make a number of studies showing the average of all people’s inputs is surprisingly more accurate than the best member of the crowd. He also touches on when this crowd wisdom breaks down, citing such occasions as the stock market bubble, housing bubbles, and mob rule. The breakdown of crowd wisdom is only touched on, and if I have one complaint about the book, its that this is an important aspect of crowd wisdom and deserves more attention.
July 1, 2009
Descartes’ Bones: A Skeletal History of the Conflict between Faith and Reason by Russell Shorto
This books traces Descartes’ influence through history, and the iconic holding of his bones by various people. It is enjoyable and enlightening as the bones are tied to Descartes’ influence on the individuals, society, and religion of western society.
