Dead or Alive - B

Dead or Alive by Tom Clancy and Grant Blackwood is a fun read.  I've read a bunch of Tom Clancy novels, not all by any means, but enough that I consider myself a fan.

Clancy's last "Jack Ryan" offering, Teeth of the Tiger, which introduced characters Jack Ryan Jr. and his fraternal twin cousins, Dominic and Brian Caruso, as well as the new black ops center where they are headquartered, The Campus, was capital "H" HORRIBLE.  By far the worst Clancy novel I had read.  (Sometimes, when people don't want to go out on a limb, they'll give you the "it's in the conversation for [the worst meal ever] [the best game I've ever seen], etc.  But you want me on that limb, you need me on that limb).

I thought that Clancy had lost it.  In Teeth of the Tiger, he seemed like he mailed it in.  First, it was much shorter than most Clancy offerings which made it seem like he had just lost interest.  Plus, have I mentioned that the novel was bad?  Because it was.  Capital "B" BAD.

I have to say, now that I'm a Kindle geek, I don't study book covers as much any more.  [I will say that I enjoyed my foray into Barnes and Noble yesterday, and I did find some new books to put on the neverending Kindle Wish List.  I wonder how long that damn list will be when I die, 'cause I'm not getting through the whole thing.  So many books, so little time.]  I mention this because I again note that Dead or Alive was written by Tom Clancy and Grant Blackwood, and that had I known that Grant Blackwood had likely done most of the writing, I probably would not have downloaded the book.  But I didn't, and I did, and the point is moot.

Dead or Alive centers on The Campus' search for a fictional bin Laden known as the Emir.  There are ancillary plots as well which serve primarily to re-energize the Jack Ryan/John Clark (yes, Clark is here) franchise and set up an obvious sequel (or obvious sequels).  Is the novel formulaic?  Yes.  Black ops organization tries to figure out a terrorist plot, knowing that the Emir is in the middle of it.

Just because it's formulaic, however, it doesn't mean that it's not a fun read. It is.  The characters are much better defined this time around.  The plot moves fairly smoothly for a typically long Clancy read.  And it's nice to spend a couple of evenings with old friends.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

Spy vs. Spy - And Another Thing

I was reminded of one forgotten Spy today when I saw someone carrying the newish George Bush memoir.

Spy:  Most serious readers like the ability to see what other people are reading.  This is a particular hobby of mine while on vacation.  I like to stroll around the pool and get some reading ideas.  The Kindle makes this, of course, impossible (unless you don't mind being extraordinarily creepy by cozying up to someone to either "spy" (See how I worked that in?  Brilliant!) or being unbelievably nosy by simply inquiring as to what someone is reading).

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

Spy vs. Spy - Our New Feature

We’re introducing a new feature here at TheBlog called “Spy vs. Spy.”  You may recall the comic feature from Mad Magazine.  I was shocked, and pleased, to learn that Mad Magazine is still being produced and that Spy vs. Spy lives on in its pages.

Our new feature is really nothing more than “Point-Counterpoint,” but we here at TheBlog thought that “Spy vs. Spy” was a cooler name for the feature.

Now that I’ve been test-driving my Kindle for over a month, I think I have a bead on its best and worst features.  I have also used an Ipad for reading, but while the graphics on the Ipad are, of course, phenomenal, the Ipad is comparatively clunky to tote around while my Kindle is the size of a slim paperback book.

Spy:  Love, love, love the integrated dictionary.  I was reading the newish Mantle biography, “The Last Boy,” and the author was relating how Mantle (and really all men) liked childish humor.  Mantle would make “dingleberry” jokes.  Now, “dingleberry” shows up as a misspelling in my Word documents, but the integrated Kindle dictionary nailed the definition.

Spy:  The integrated dictionary is not that easy to use.  You have to, using the arrows, move the cursor to immediately precede the word you want defined.

Spy:  The battery life is phenomenal.  I am a little maniacal about making sure that the wireless is off when I am merely reading, but even with intermittent wireless use, the battery will last for weeks.

Spy:  You don’t buy the Kindle for the graphics.  The e-ink is readable  but decidedly low tech.  While you quickly get used to it, the brief pause from screen to screen is a little annoying.

Spy:  The option to download a book sample is awesome.  With print books, sometimes I pick one up and decide that “I’m not in the mood.”  But I’ve paid for the book.  It sits on the nightstand, starting to smell like fish that, well, sat on the nightstand.  The book ultimately makes it to the Island of Unread Books.  With the Kindle sample, if “I’m not in the mood,” I just hold on to the sample until I might later get in the mood.

Spy:  The lack of a touch screen is a significant drawback.  Navigating with arrows and a cursor is clunky and low-tech.  A touch screen is the only feature that I can think of that would necessitate an upgrade to a new model.

Spy:  I went on vacation a few weeks ago, and I didn’t decide what I was going to read before I left.  I decided at the airport.  Then, when I finished that book, I surfed the Amazon store and bought another.  No lugging heavy books.

Spy:  The experimental browser is fairly pitiful.  I understand that it’s just experimental, but surfing on 3G is, of course, slow.  WiFi is a little faster, but even then you are limited by the aforementioned arrow/cursor navigation system.

Spy:  It’s nice to be able to read two books at one time.  Sometimes I get a little bored and put a book down.  I read another for a little while, then pick the first one back up.  With the Kindle, I can bring multiple books with me at one time and flip between them.

Spy:  It’s too easy to buy books.  I know that sounds like a Spy but it’s not.  You can rack up large charges pretty quickly.  $9.99, $11.99 and especially $14.99 can add up.

Spy:  I also like the multi-device functionality.  If I buy a book for Kindle, I can read it on my Kindle, my wife’s Ipad, my computer or my blackberry.  Not that I’d ever read a book on my blackberry, but it’s still cool.

Spy:  There’s something about a physical book.  Something about its feel, its smell, etc.  Plus, it’s nice to be able to flip pages and see how many pages you have until the end of a chapter or a page break.  The Kindle is not conducive to this, and if you don’t think ahead to bookmark a page, you can very easily lose your place if you scroll ahead several screens.

What about you?  And if you have a Nook or a Sony, what do you think?

Live long, read and prosper.  We’ll leave the lights on for you.

Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King - A-

Indiana: There's a big snake in the plane, Jock!
Jock: Oh, that's just my pet snake Reggie.
Indiana: I hate snakes, Jock! I hate 'em!
Jock: Come on! Show a little backbone, will ya!

Dear Steve:

Can I call you Steve?  Thanks.

The first book of yours that I ever read was Night Shift.  I was in 7th or 8th Grade.  That collection of stories caused a number of sleepless and restless nights for that 13 year old.

The most enduring legacy from that collection is my lifelong fear of rats.  Yes, Steve, rats.  I don't know what they ever did to you, but they obviously peed in your Wheaties.  They'd have had to for you to portray them as evil incarnate as often as you do.

Rats tend to show up most prominently in your short stories and novellas.  I thought that I beyond getting freaked by rats, but then I read 1922 from "Full Dark, No Stars."  And you did it again!  I'm a 44 year old man having nightmares about rats! 

I gotta tell you, though, "Full Dark, No Stars" was a fun read.  In my opinion, your best in a while.  I liked the characters in Duma Key a lot, but other recent works like Cell and Under the Dome were sort of retreads, weren't they?  And don't get me started on the last two books of the Dark Tower series.  What a letdown.

"1922," about a father and son after an unspeakable act, was the perfect first story in this collection.  I greatly enjoyed the revenge story, "Big Driver."  "A Good Marriage," about a husband's secret life, was terrific.  "Fair Extension," about a deal with the devil, was the weakest of the four stories in my opinion.  Even though weaker, the story was still disturbing and thought provoking.

Anyway, please, enough with the rats.

Signed, a big fan.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot - B+

I didn't think that this book was "all that."  I enjoyed it--don't get me wrong.  I also recommend it.  But I'm having a difficult time wrapping my head around why Amazon.com picked "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot as its No. 1 book of 2010.

The book is partly a detective story, partly a science book and partly a human interest story.  Skloot does a fine job of intertwining the different aspects.

Henrietta Lacks died in 1951 from ovarian cancer.  Prior to her death, some of her cancer cells were harvested for research. Ms. Lacks' cells proved to be miraculously productive--or "immortal"--and were instrumental in aiding in medical discoveries from the cure of polio to treatments for AIDS.  The so-called "HeLa" cells are still used today in medical research.

As was customary in the 1950s, her cells were taken without Ms. Lacks' knowledge.  In addition, virtually nothing was known about the cell donor by anyone who experimented using the cells.  The cells were essentially harvested anonymously.

Ms. Skloot proved to be fascinated by the story and spent many years learning about Ms. Lacks and her family.  "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" essentially takes the reader through Ms. Skloot's investigation as she first discovers the history of the cell line and, once she identified Ms. Lacks as the donor, gradually earns the trust of Ms. Lacks' living family to learn about her.  At the same time, Ms. Skloot relates Ms. Lacks' history that she learns.  Ms. Skloot also spends a great deal of time on the science, discussing the ethical and other issues involved in harvesting cells for research as well as the history of the HeLa cells.

Again, I do recommend "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks."  It is a fascinating story.  As far as books that came out this year, though, I have a difficult time putting it in the same class as, for example, "Matterhorn" (which showed up as No. 3 on Amazon's list).

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

First Contact: Or, It's Later Than You Think by Evan Mandery - B+

The aspiring screenwriter ("Justin") walks in to the office of the lower level studio exec ("Rob").

Rob:  So, Justin, Mr. Brooks says that you have a screenplay that we'd find interesting.

Justin:  Yeah, Mr. Brooks fell in love with the idea.

[Note:  Mr. Brooks is Justin's father-in-law and the head of the studio.  Mr. Brooks thinks that Justin is a moron and that his daughter, Trudy, is even more of a moron for marrying him.]

Rob:  So tell me about it.

Justin:  Well, it's kind of like Slaughterhouse Five meets Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.  You know, the satire of Vonnegut meets the fantasy of Douglas Adams.

Rob:  But those guys are novelists, not screenwriters.

Justin:  EXACTLY!  That's what makes this so exciting!

Rob:  Story?

Justin:  Aliens contact the United States.  Turns out that the alien planet is very friendly and easy going.  But the US President thinks he's missing something and authorizes an attack on the alien planet.  There are some other side stories taking place on the alien planet, etc.  The main character is an aide to the President.  There's action, space travel, humorous subplots, it's a fun read, er, story.

Rob:  Sounds more like a novel than a screenplay.

Justin:  That's why this is so innovative.

Rob:  Sounds like a winner.  Let's make a movie!

Justin:  Great, thanks!

Rob:  I'll give you a call to network and talk about leads.

Justin:  I'm thinking Brad Pitt.

[Justin departs.  Rob throws the screenplay on the top of a pile three feet high and forgets about it.  He never hears from Mr. Brooks who thinks Justin is a moron.]

First Contact is a fun read.  If you like Vonnegut and Douglas Adams, you'll really enjoy First Contact.  The satire is not nearly as biting as Vonnegut, but Vonnegut was, of course, brilliant.  If you do not like Sci Fi, you will hate First Contact.  If you want a "serious" read, you will hate First Contact.  If you like short fun reads, give it a try.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

Post 100 - I'm in Love - Back from Fishin'

The book diary, er, blog has reached Post No. 100.  The blog started for the purpose of giving and receiving book recommendations, hopefully with and from like-minded readers.  100 posts in, I think that the blog serves primarily to memorialize what I have read in a style that only I find entertaining.  But I digress.  [Can one digress when communicating with oneself?  Discuss.]

If you have read earlier posts, you may know that about a year ago (October 21, 2009, to be exact), I blogged that my experiment with Kindle 1 was not successful.  I actually re-sold it on Craig's List.

I just read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and finished The Hunger Games (blog entries pending) on my new Kindle 3G and Wi-Fi, and I love it.  I've gotten past the "where am I in the book" issue.  Still don't love it, but I can deal.  Some of my favorite features so far:

1.  The built-in dictionary.  The ability to scroll over a word and have the meaning pop-up is a feature I have used multiple times already.

2.  Searching.  You can search for a word or phrase within a document or a book.

3.  The built-in Kindle manual.  Not sure how to do something on the Kindle?  Easy enough to pull up the manual and search for whatever.

4.  The Kindle cover that I selected.  A built-in book light?  They really did think of everything.

More on the Kindle as I continue to explore.  Also, blog entries for the two books listed above and others will be forthcoming, hopefully this holiday week.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

The Instructions by Adam Levine - B

This is a tough blog entry for me.  Possibly the toughest that I have posted.  Why?  Because I wanted to love this novel.  This behemoth of a novel.  This dictionary (as several people called it when seeing me carrying it) of a novel.

100 pages in, I thought the novel was brilliant.  200 pages in, I thought the novel would be in the running to become my favorite all-time book.  600 pages in, I was still loving it.

Fact is, I didn’t love the last 300+ pages.  I wanted to, I really did.  As my enthusiasm for the book waned in those last 300+ pages, I went through all five stages of grief:

• Denial:  “This novel is still really really good.”
• Anger:  “No.  No.  Noooooooooooooooo!”
• Bargaining:  “OK.  If just this happens, I’ll continue to love this novel unconditionally.”
• Depression:  “What a letdown.  I’m really sad.”
• Acceptance:  “It’s ok.  It’s ok.”

The Instructions purports to be scripture written by the protagonist, Gurion Maccabee, and tells the story of how Maccabee, who is at least a child prodigy and at most the messiah (Gurion is also the narrator so the theme of how reliable he is at telling his own story is only one of many themes) recruits allies and tries to cripple what he sees as an unjust and unfair school system.  All of the action takes place in a four-day period.

Maccabee is Jewish, and many of the themes and references in the novel are Jewish-related.  I suppose that you could call The Instructions “Jewish fiction,” and I want to make sure that if you commit to this novel, you are not turned off by my failure to highlight this.

Despite the fact that I didn’t love the last quarter of the novel, I greatly enjoyed this read.  I’d almost have to do so to work my way through 1,030 pages.  Let me break this down:

• The Good:  Listen, Adam Levine is a phenomenal writer.  Rich, dense language.  Many times, I found myself doubling back and being grateful for doing so because I would have missed something.  A large part of me wanted to start the novel all over again because I know that I missed things.  I also know that much of the novel was “over my head.”  There’s plenty that I missed, and I would have liked to have read this novel in graduate school so that I could spend a couple of months studying it.  Great characters that will stick with you.  Many thought-provoking themes.
• The Bad:  I’ve got kids these kids’ ages, and I can buy one child prodigy (Gurion), but not only are most of these kids too smart for their ages, they’re wise well beyond their years.  [As indicated above, I have a real narrator reliability issue here.  I think that, on many levels, that’s part of the point of the novel, but to disregard the narrator’s reliability in total is to trivialize 1,030 pages of text.  So I can’t do that, either.]  If you’re looking for plot development (there is plenty of character development), you don’t get a whole lot until the last “act.”  Remember, the “action” takes place over a four day period.  Literary, religious and cultural references are strewn throughout, and I have no idea whether I caught 10%, 25%, 50% or 90% of them—I clearly didn’t catch 100%.  You have to be very well-read to catch them all.

The bottom line is that there is a tremendous amount here.  In the end, I asked myself, “Was it worth it?  Was it worth the time investment?”  For me, unquestionably yes.  I’m glad that I committed to The Instructions.

Live long, read and prosper.  We’ll leave the lights on for you.

Bear With Me

I am thisclose to finishing The Instructions, a 1,030 page behemoth.

Then, I'm going away, with my brand spanking new Kindle (the behemoth is not available for the Kindle, but I digress), and you know how I often come back from a holiday (albeit that this one will be brief) with a cornucopia of blog material.  So, bear with me.

I will preview my The Instructions blog entry, if only to say that I could not disagree with this NYT Sunday Book Review more.  I don't know if it's him (Joshua Cohen, the reviewer) or me.  But I suspect that it's just what makes the world go 'round.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

More Random Musings

We have a couple things on our plate to discuss today.  I’m going to start with a little “The Classics Never Die” spotlighting “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley.

[Lengthy aside.  When I was in 9^th Grade I had a most excellent English teacher—Mrs. Steele.  Mrs. Steele would retire after my freshman year.  I don’t know how old she was then, but you know that anybody with gray hair is “ancient” in the eyes of a 9^th grader.  Mrs. Steele was “old school.”  First, she taught writing from the ground up.  We’re talking starting with simple paragraph structures.  Second, she actually taught the lost art of grammar.  I owe my goal of adhering to the rules of grammar to Mrs. Steele and my biological mother (who used to teach English herself).  Anyway, one of the “big projects” in 9^th Grade was doing a project on a “classic” book which Mrs. Steele selected for you.  She strived to match a classic with its reader—including by trying to give each student a novel that would interest them.  For me, she selected “Brave New World.”  She somehow pegged me as a student who enjoyed science fiction.  No, I don’t speak a word of Klingon (despite seeing every original Star Trek multiple times), and yes, I saw Star Wars three times in the theater (during its initial release in 1977, not the recent re-release).  However, I’m not sure that Mrs. Steele knew any of that.  I very much enjoyed “Brave New World.”  We all look back on those “special” teachers that we had.  Mrs. Steele was truly a special teacher.]

“Brave New World” is often grouped with “1984.”  [You know why “1984” was titled, “1984,” don’t you?  Orwell started writing “1984” in “1948” and simply reversed the last two digits.]  This grouping does a disservice to both excellent novels.  The only similarity is that both novels picture a world far in the future.

Suffice it to say that many of Huxley’s predictions for future technology proved eerily accurate.  Others, well, let’s hope that they we don’t move in the direction of Huxley’s future vision.  One of the main characters in the novel is Bernard Marx (an homage to Karl, of course), and the form of government in Huxley’s “Brave New World” is totalitarianism. I don’t want to get too much into the plot here, but many themes in the novel have surprisingly aged well since the novel was first published in 1931.  I believe that “Brave New World’s” continued relevance is the true genius of Huxley’s novel.  And that’s all I have to say about that.

Next up, my anticipated foray to the Kindle.  That’s right, I’m considering converting to the dark side.  Fact is that, in my opinion, this third generation of the Kindle is the perfect size to carry around.  Plus, I’m decidedly NOT an “early adopter” and intended to wait until user gripes about the earliest Kindle editions had been considered.  Finally, while I was waiting to be a non-“early adopter” of the iPad as my e-reader, my wife has the current iPad, and I don’t love it.  I don’t love it as a “computer” and I don’t love it as an e-book reader.

I know that you are all dying to ask, “What was the tipping point that pushed me to the dark side?”  I am reading this most excellent novel, and it’s almost 1,100 pages long.  I’m lugging it all over the place, and it’s killing me.  Irony of ironies, the book is NOT available on Kindle.  So, even if I did have a Kindle, I’d either be lugging this monstrosity or forgoing the read unless/until a Kindle version comes out.  By the way, I think that the novel may be brilliant, but it’s difficult to make such a statement roughly 440 pages in to an 1,100 page novel, so hold on tight.

I leave you with this quote, apropos of nothing except that I recently saw the hilarious movie for the 10^th time or so:

“I crashed a funeral today. . . It wasn't my idea, I was basically dragged to it. . .I went with Chazz who you forgot to tell me is totally insane. He also might be a genius because it actually does work, he’s cleaning up.”

Live long, read and prosper.  We’ll leave the lights on for you.

Random Musings

It’s been quite a while since I did a Random Musings blog entry, but the blog has been sparse of late.

READER WARNING:  The opinions, descriptions and accounts of media expressed below are the exclusive property of this blog and shall not be reproduced, republished or redistributed without my prior written consent, which I hereby provide.

I’m in the middle of or have recently completed a number of books.  I briefly toyed with the idea of changing the names of the books and authors to protect the innocent, but that’s just stupid.  I do not think that there is a fundamental problem with any of these books (i.e., none of them suck).  Clearly, it’s not them, it’s me.  I’m just not in a place right now in my life where I can commit fully to any book.  Not sure why, but there you have it.

Here’s the rundown of recent reads and partial reads along with an explanation about where I am in the book, why I’m there and whether I’ll finish.  Read on at your peril.

“Skippy Dies” by Paul Murray:  So, I’m in Barnes and Noble with my 10-year old daughter picking up “Skippy Dies”.  I had seen a couple of reviews of the novel, particularly this one from the New York Times.  My daughter says to me, “Why do you want to read that?  You already know what happens.”  Kids say the darndest things, don’t they?  Skippy does, indeed, die about three pages in to the novel.  I was enjoying the novel for about 120 pages but it takes place in [Ireland], is written in [English from across the pond], it was just too much work for me at the time.  [Corrected per actual comment from a reader of the blog.  A READER OF THE BLOG!]  It’s in the pile, and I plan to finish it when the spirit so moves me.

“Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett:  I noted that Ken Follett is publishing a new novel, “Fall of Giants.”  Sometimes I get all jonesed up about new novels, forgetting that I haven’t read the author’s other highly praised works.  Before I get too excited about this new novel, I recall that I have an old copy of “Pillars of the Earth” lying around.  (For those of you from Cincinnati, I found the book’s receipt still in it.  The book was purchased in 1989 from Kenworthy’s bookstore in Montgomery.  Do any of you even remember Kenworthy’s?).  So, I start “Pillars of the Earth.”  I’m actually enjoying it for about 75 pages until I remember that I don’t particularly like historical fiction.  I don’t mind anything taking place after 1900, but Middle Ages historical fiction?  I think not.  This novel has been officially put down.

“Room:  A Novel” by Emma Donoghue:  Here’s another novel that I picked up after seeing a couple of reviews, most notably this one from the New York Times.  The premise is interesting.  From Amazon:  “In many ways, Jack is a typical 5-year-old. He likes to read books, watch TV, and play games with his Ma. But Jack is different in a big way—he has lived his entire life in a single room, sharing the tiny space with only his mother and an unnerving nighttime visitor known as Old Nick.”  Here’s my problem: the novel is written from Jack’s 5-year-old perspective.  And it’s well written.  Which means that I both have to dumb myself down to understand a 5-year-old’s perspective and also consider the broader implications of everything he relates and describes.  Too much freaking work for me right now.  I’m 60 pages in.

“Ultraprevention: The 6-Week Plan That Will Make You Healthy for Life” by Mark Hyman:  I read this whole book before I remembered that I don’t usually “do self help.”  As stated before on this blog, I’m pretty set in my ways.  The book interested me for various personal reasons that none of you would find in any way interesting, and therefore, the book is not worthy of a standalone blog post.

“The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English” by Roy Peter Clark:  I’m kind of a grammar geek.  Don’t come to my office and say that “Pete talked to Jim and I.”  Don’t write a compound sentence omitting the comma before the conjunction.  [Brief interlude.  I am very well aware that my blog entries do not always follow the rules of grammar.  Some of the sentences are, well, not sentences.  The preceding examples are, however, equivalent to running your fingernails across a blackboard.  Also, understand that many of your kids do not understand this analogy because blackboards are no longer often used in schools.  End of interlude.]  This book is okay, and I was heartened to learn that my frequent use of the dash is correct, but it’s a book of bite-sized pieces that doesn’t require a beginning-to-end read.  I’m halfway through.

“The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins:  I know, I know, this is a kids book.  I like to see what the young people are reading, you know?  My 14-year old read it, and she raved.  My son is reading it.  And therein lies the problem:  I tried to read our copy, but the kids keep taking it away.  My wife even downloaded a copy via the Kindle app on to her Ipad.  But seeing as SOMEBODY in the house is constantly using the Ipad, reading it there is just not practical.  I will finish “The Hunger Games”—I’m about halfway through it just need an uninterrupted hour or two to finish.  I will also read the other two novels in the trilogy.  The reason that I have been able to put it down is because, well, it’s written like a book for young adults because, well, IT’S A BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS.

“The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams:  Here’s another kids book.  My 12-year old read this first novel in the five-book series as well as the second novel, “The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.”  Putting aside the “I like to see what the young people are reading, you know?” jokes, I think that reading and discussing books with your kids is not only enjoyable but also rewarding.  This one is at the top of the list right now and will be completed when I can get 30-45 minutes to do so.  “Guide” is not a long novel at all; the edition we have is about 175 pages.  If I were selling the book as a screenplay, I’d say, “It’s kind of like Kurt Vonnegut meets Isaac Asimov.”  Then, I’d sit back and see the other person squirm since I find it unlikely that anybody in the movie industry has read both Vonnegut and Asimov.  The satire isn’t as biting as Vonnegut, but it is interesting nonetheless.  My son’s interest in the series shows me that he will enjoy Vonnegut.  [A brief Vonnegut interlude:  My three favorite Vonnegut books, in no particular order, are “Cat's Cradle,” “Slaughterhouse Five” and “Breakfast of Champions.”  One of my favorite quotes from Vonnegut is from “Breakfast of Champions”:  “1492. As children we were taught to memorize this year with pride and joy as the year people began living full and imaginative lives on the continent of North America. Actually, people had been living full and imaginative lives on the continent of North America for hundreds of years before that. 1492 was simply the year sea pirates began to rob, cheat, and kill them.”  End of interlude.]

I think that’s all of them.  I’ll supplement this entry if I think of any other book I haven’t finished.  I just ordered a novel entitled, “The Instructions” by Adam Levin.  Why somebody having difficulty committing to a book would buy a 1,000 page novel is beyond me.  However, I am going on a brief vacation in about 30 days and may save the novel.  Of course, Stephen King is publishing a short story collection the week of this brief vacation, and I can’t lick my Stephen King addiction.

Live long, read and prosper.  We’ll leave the lights on for you.

Half a Life by Darin Strauss - B+

Congratulations to me!

It took a 200 page (lots and lots of white space, by the way) non-fiction novel to get me out of my longest reading dry spell in at least two years.

I’ve had dry spells before. We all do. The way that I get out of it is generally by picking up and getting through a “quick read.” (For some reason, I call this a “chaser” book).


Half a Life is one of those “I can’t remember where I saw it” books. Actually, I picked it up initially because I thought that my lovely wife and my No. 1 (age only) daughter would enjoy it. I have recommended that they read it.

The author, Darin Strauss, has written several novels. [Brief aside. Dave Eggers is acknowledged by Strauss as an editor of the book. Small world.] [Brief aside No. 2. Dave Eggers missed the misspelling of “followed” (it’s not “follwed”) during his editing. Just saying. I DO read every word.]

Half a Life is a non-fiction memoir of a living nightmare. The first line of the book is, “Half my life ago, I killed a girl.” Strauss, then an 18-year old high school senior is driving home one afternoon with friends in the car. As he is passing a classmate on a bike, the classmate crosses in front of the car. A collision ensues. The classmate is rushed to the hospital, but she doesn’t make it.

The book then relates some of Strauss’ story. Strauss is now around 40, married, with twin boys. The book is difficult to explain because it’s not exactly a biography or memoir relating Strauss’ life from the age of 18. Instead, writing the book was clearly meant to be therapeutic for Strauss. He talks of his feelings and his grief, and he is hard on himself at times for his very human feelings. The gift of this book is Strauss’ honesty and his ability to both describe and evaluate his own emotions. Any reader with half a heart will identify with how Strauss is dealing with his living nightmare in Half a Life.

Live long, read and prosper. We’ll leave the lights on for you.

Rumblin' Stumblin' Bumblin'

Keith Jackson couldn't have said it better himself.  My "book diary" is nearing post number 100.   At the same time, I'm having book commitment issues.

Since I finished "The Last Child," I have started three books.  Three.  "They task me.  They task me."  (You must know why things work on a Starship...)

One was put down after 11 pages.  I made it through 70+ of the second.  About 20 of the third.  I was really enjoying the third, but I tired.  Then, I couldn't get excited about picking it up the next day.  Or the day after.  Or the day after that.

It's not their fault.  I keep telling them, "it's not you, it's me."  ("Well, what am I supposed to do? You won't answer my calls, you change your number. I mean, I'm not gonna be ignored, Dan")

I hate hitting the dry spots.  I really WANT to get excited about a read, but I can't.  I've probably got two dozen unread books on and under my night table, and I cannot for the life of me pick which one to read next.  Or whether to pick up one of the three I started.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

The Last Child by John Hart - A-

I love a good mystery.  Always have.  First, I read Encyclopedia Brown.  Then, I graduated to the Hardy Boys (50+ of them) (Note to readers:  In the 1970s, the Hardy Boys were just fine for kids.  In the 2010s, not so much.  The Tower Treasure did not age well.)  I read a bunch of Agatha Christie novels starting in junior high.  I have blogged on kids' series before here.

(Short interlude.  The scene:  a cold February, post-football Sunday afternoon when I was a kid (maybe 15?).  An Agatha Christie novel that I did not read was "Murder on the Orient Express."  Anyway, not a whole lot to do on this particularly cold afternoon, so I settled in my favorite recliner to watch the movie version of Murder on the Orient Express.  Snacks to my right.  Drinks to my right.  I'm comfortable.  My very favorite sister asks me what I'm doing, and I say, "I'm going to watch Murder on the Orient Express."  She says to me [SPOILER ALERT!]  "Why are you going to do that?  You know that everybody did it.")

I had previously read John Hart's "King of Lies."  Interestingly, I finished that book on a similarly rustic vacation to the vacation on which I finished "The Last Child."  I often tend to remember books read on vacation.  I recall enjoying "King of Lies."

That's not why I picked up "The Last Child," however.  In fact, I had forgotten that I had read "King of Lies" until reminded by the style of this novel.  I picked up "The Last Child" because it had won the 2010 Edgar Award for "Best Novel."

As I said above, I love a good mystery.  I don't like it when an author screws with the reader by withholding a crucial piece of information to "solve the mystery."  ("Oh, did I not mention or even hint that Mr. Smith was having an affair at the time his wife was killed?  You would have found that possibility enlightening?  I know I said that 'Mr. Smith had stood behind Mrs. Smith, serving as unfailing caregiver, always there, never a moment to himself.'  You couldn't surmise that an affair was a possibility?")

"The Last Child" picks up about a year after Alyssa Merrimon, twin sister of Johnny Merrimon, had disappeared without a trace.  Alyssa was 12, and her disappearance literally and figuratively tore the Merrimon family apart.  Johnny is both lost without his twin sister and the strongest remaining member of the nuclear family.  Johnny's father had fled resulting from the guilt he carried from having been the one who was supposed to pick Alyssa up on the fateful day.  Johnny's mother has engaged on a downward spiral into alcohol and drug abuse and pretty much ignoring her remaining family--Johnny.

13 year old Johnny is a marvelous character.  Treading the line between adolescence and adulthood, Johnny will stop at nothing to find his sister.  With his family gone, Johnny's only caretaker is Detective Clyde Hunt, in charge of the investigation into Alyssa's disappearance.  Det. Hunt keeps an eye on Johnny from a distance and seems to be the only character who understands Johnny.

The mystery has a satisfying conclusion.  Again, I love a good mystery.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

Short Interlude - Rookie Mistake

I'm on a short weekend getaway with the family and another family in Norris Lake, TN.  Beautiful country.  Nothing to do but boat, lounge and relax.

Anyway, I made a big time rookie mistake.  I brought my current novel, The Last Child by John Hart.  For a myriad of reasons, I failed to follow one of my own rules.  I'll bore you with only a couple of the reasons why I failed to bring a provisional book:

1.  Fantasy football season is a'comin', and I brought this most excellent football preview magazine which is jam packed with statistical nuggets.  I thought I'd read that if I finished my novel.

2.  I'm undecided on my next book.  Lots of candidates.  The night table pile o' books is overflowing.  I suppose that, before I left, I wasn't in a place in my life where I could commit to my next book.

3.  I've been on this trip before, and in the past, I haven't done much reading.  More on this in my next post.

I know that you're waiting with baited breath for my review of The Last Child.  As a preview--good read.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

Book Series - An Interlude (Part 2 of 2); "The Whisperers" by John Connolly - D

I know, I know.  That title is a mouthful.

This is part 2 of my thought-provoking series on book series.  I know that the last entry was quite the mind-bender.  We delve deep here on Mark's Book Blog.  We really do.

So, about two years ago my biological mother calls me and asks, "What happened to John Connolly?"  No freaking idea what she was talking about.  I'd never heard of John Connolly.  Apparently, she had read numerous John Connolly novels, and the latest one was not to her liking.  After a few web searches and a few more cryptic clues from my biological mother, I said, "Nothing has happened to John Connolly.  Now, the fact that you're reading John Connolly and expecting a Michael Connolly novel.  That's a problem."

I've read a couple Michael Connolly novels.  Connolly has written the Harry Bosch series.  I think I read "The Lincoln Lawyer," which is not a Harry Bosch novel.  But I digress.  Where was I?

Oh yeah.  Well, I look up this John Connolly.  He's got a series of his own, the Charlie Parker series.  At this point, I think Connolly was 4-5 books in to the series.  I researched John Connolly (I'm going to refer to him as "JC" for the rest of this post), and it sounded like his books wouldn't suck.  Sounded a little like Michael Connolly who had gone on a Stephen King bender.

As discussed in Part I, I had to start with Book 1, "Every Dead Thing."  I liked this Charlie Parker character as well as his nefarious friends, Louis and Angel.  I read Book 2, "Dark Hollow."  OK, OK, I'm not going to give you a play by play here, I've read them all. Starting with Book 1.  And I just completed the latest, "The Whisperers."

I saw an interview with Daniel Silva the other day on the Today Show while I was getting my car serviced (Bear with me here.  I hate the Today Show.  But I wasn't the first one at the dealership, and I was therefore unable to switch over to Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN2.  And, I know I'm jumping around, but again, bear with me.)  I've read a couple of Daniel Silva novels.  He has written the Gabriel Allon series.  Allon is a former Israeli spy turned art restorer.  (I hear that's the preferred retirement job for old spooks--art restoration.  I can think of 1,000 retirement job for old spies, but I never would have come upon "art restorer.")

Anyway, Silva said that publishers pretty much demand a novel a year, and that he's had novels come out the same week each of the last several years.

That's the problem with The Whisperers.  JC's publishers require a novel a year, and JC is running out of stories to tell.  There's not much plot in The Whisperers.  More disappointing, however, is that there's not much Louis or Angel, and not enough Charlie Parker.

As I've tried to communicate on this blog in prior entries, I'm primarily a character guy.  I want to see compelling characters described skillfully.  There has to be enough story to help the characters along, but if I'm not interested in your protagonist, you've lost me.

JC's earlier novels in the Charlie Parker series had more than enough plot.  Now, it seems like he's in the four corners offense just delaying some major character development or series conclusion.

I used to like James Rollins' Sigma novels, too.  Same problem.  I've sworn them off.  Too much "been there, read that" in his latest two, "Doomsday Key" and "The Last Oracle."  Even his latest non-Sigma novel, "Altar of Eden," was too formulaic.

And there's always the possibility that, instead of the authors becoming lazy and formulaic, they were ALWAYS lazy and formulaic, but I was too lazy and oblivious to notice.  My head is spinning.

I know that this post was "all over," but whatever.  That's right, I'm whatevering you, if you're out there.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

Book Series - An Interlude (1 of 2)

The Kid:  You read that wrong. She doesn't marry Humperdinck, she marries Westley. I'm just sure of it. After all that Westley did for her, if she does not marry him, it wouldn't be fair.

Grandfather:  Well, who says life is fair? Where is that written? Life isn't always fair.

The Kid:  I'm telling you you're messing up the story, now get it right!

Grandfather:  Do you want me to go on with this?

Ok, so I don’t know whether this Princess Bride quote is a worthy contributor to the subject of this post, but whatever.  That’s right; I just “whatevered” you.

I have almost finished my current read, a novel called The Whisperers which is the ninth novel in the “Charlie Parker” series by John Connolly.  More on that particular series in my next post, but reading Book 9 got me thinking about series in general.

A good friend of mine once called herself “geeky” because she insists on starting with Book 1 of a series.  If she’s geeky for that, I too am guilty.

Look, there are certain series that you can read out of turn—Lee Child’s Jack Reaper series, for instance.  If you start with Book 5, you might not be as familiar with Jack Reaper or you may have to read over a reference to an occurrence in a previous book, but you’re still going to be in a position to enjoy the plot.

On the other hand, you’re not going to start with The Two Towers.  If you do, you’re a moron.  You have to read The Lord of the Rings trilogy in sequence or not read it at all.  Same with Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series.  How about Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series?  If you continue to suffer through that one, you have my undying admiration.  The series outlasted even Robert Jordan!

Notwithstanding the fact that you “can” read series like the Jack Reaper series out of sequence, I cannot do so.  I’d feel I was missing something even if I wasn’t.  So, I need to start with Book 1.

I have read “The Killing Floor,” the first Jack Reacher novel.  I’ve also read “Lions of Lucerne,” the first Scot Harvath novel by Brad Thor.  Both were fine.  Neither wowed me.  I enjoyed each for what they were—fun rides.  For me, the commitment starts with Book 2.  I’d better be prepared to read ‘em all if I go on to Book 2.  And that hasn’t happened with either series.  That’s mainly a personal failing in that I’m just not in a place in my life where I can make such a time commitment.

And how about the series that shouldn’t be?  You know the ones.  Did “Dune” really need multiple sequels?  How about “Ender’s Game”?

Anyway, this post arose from my curiosity about others’ views on series.  Not that I expect any feedback.  Not that anybody is still reading.  I know you’re not.

If you are out there (hellooooooooo), post your favorite series.  Your guilty pleasure.  Even if they are romance novels (I'm not reading those, but whatever.  Yeah, I whatevered you again).

Live long, read and prosper.  We’ll leave the lights on for you.

My New Thing (I Think)

"For instance, I travel with my own wine...You never know what quality you could encounter at a soiree."

"Very classy."

"I'm into class...It's my new thing."

You undoubtedly recognize the above exchange from the classic 1987 film, Can't Buy Me Love, starring Patrick Dempsey and the immortal Amanda Peterson.   Patrick Dempsey eventually went on to star in Grey's Anatomy.  Amanda Peterson's fame skyrocketed following Can't Buy Me Love.

(Quick but important digression.  The Can't Buy Me Love exchange related above involved two ancillary characters from the film.  The line "Very classy" was uttered by Ami Dolenz, daughter of Mickey Dolenz, famous for being one of the Monkeys.  I couldn't use "immortal" again in this post, but if I could, "immortal" would have preceded "Mickey Dolenz."  Anyway, I always found it ironic that a Monkeys' daughter was in a movie named after a Beatles song.)

Anyway, I'm considering a new thing myself.

Inspired by a good friend and fellow book lover, I am planning to read (or re-read, as the case may be) some classic novels.  I intend to intersperse some classic novels as every third or fourth book I read.

As always, I'm looking for recommendations.  So far, Middlemarch by George Elliot and Jane Eyre by Charlotte "Don't Call Me Emily" Bronte have been recommended to me.  I'm not a big Dickens guy, and I wonder if Moby Dick is any less boring or The Grapes of Wrath any less depressing than either was back in high school or college.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

"Await Your Reply" by Dan Chaon - B

Let’s start this post with a  short digression or two.

Digression No. 1:

George: “A solid ‘B’?”

Jerry: “Yeah. A solid ‘B.’ Not a pretentious ‘A.’ Not a ‘B+’ which is little more than a ‘B’ trying to masquerade as an almost ‘A.’ A solid ‘B.’ It’s not so bad.”

Digression No. 2:

(A baseball digression)

“It’s the ‘Hall of Fame.’  It’s not the ‘Hall of Very Good.’  It’s not the ‘Hall of He Played a Long Time.’  It’s the freaking ‘Hall of Fame.’”

What’s the relevance of the digressions?  I really enjoyed "Await Your Reply" by Dan Chaon.  The novel was a recommendation from a cousin whose opinion I value.  It’s one of those books that I put on “my list” and, when thinking about what to read next, said, “Hmm.  I think I’ll try this.”  (Ok, truthfully, I put four books on hold at the library—as always, with apologies to the author and publisher.  I subsequently said, “Nah, I’m not going to read ‘Await Your Reply’” and canceled the hold.  BUT, I must have canceled it too late because it was there when I picked up the other books.  So, I figured that it was fate that I read it.  And I did.)

The novel is taut and suspenseful and essentially tells three different stories about three different sets of characters.  Without spoiling anything, I’d say that the stories intersect in some ways.

I have blogged previously on what I call “highlighter novels.”  “Await Your Reply” is more of a “college term paper novel.”  The three storylines share numerous themes seen from different perspectives.  I could have written a college term paper on any one of a number of these—discussing the themes themselves and the relevance of each theme to each character and/or storyline.

Back to my earlier digression.  “Await Your Reply” is very good.  If you have read other novels by Dan Chaon (I had not), I do not see how “Await Your Reply” could possibly disappoint you.  It’s an excellent read, just a "Hall of Very Gooder" as opposed to a Hall of Famer.

Live long, read and prosper.  We’ll leave the lights on for you.

The Passage by Justin Cronin - A-

“The Passage” by Justin Cronin is a fun ride, a very fun ride.  This isn’t highbrow “literature,” folks, but this is a well-written novel, fairly taut for 750 pages with very good character development.

As I’ve said on this blog many times before, I’m a huge Stephen King fan.  Not Annie Wilkes huge, but huge.  I haven’t read EVERYTHING King has written, and usually I read everything new and one “golden oldie” I haven’t read each year.  Without question, far and away, my favorite Stephen King novel is “The Stand.”

“The Passage” is a post-apocalyptic novel in the tradition of “The Stand” and of “Swan Song” by Robert McCammon, another excellent novel.  “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy is a little different.  “The Stand,” “Swan Song” and “The Passage” are all post-apocalyptic good vs. evil novels, while “The Road” is more of a tome of survival in a post-apocalyptic world.  “The Road,” is, of course, more highbrow than any of the other three novels, but I recommend all four of them very highly.  I do not, however, recommend that anyone read them in seriatim because there are similarities particularly among “The Stand,” “Swan Song” and “The Passage” which will make it difficult for any reader to evaluate any of them on a standalone basis.

Without giving anything away, “The Passage” deals with a black ops government experiment gone bad and then fast-forwards about a century in the future.  (“The Stand” uses a modern plague as a jumping-off point while “Swan Song” details the aftermath of a nuclear war).  The government was attempting to produce super strong soldiers who could quickly recover from injuries, but the initial batches of the “virus” didn’t achieve all of the desired results for a variety of reasons.  After a significant security breach, the test subjects escape and spread the virus to trigger the apocalyptic event.  Not all are infected, and the rest of the novel centers on a group of descendants of initial survivors who have led their entire lives in a segregated community.  Think of a generation of a small group of people who have lived their entire lives cut off from the rest of the world who understand some of the dangers of their world but know nothing—in fact, have no frame of reference to understand—the world beyond their community.

Some readers have been frustrated because they invested in certain characters only to see those characters drop off the radar following the fast-forward.  Clearly, you will have to reinvest in a new group of characters, but in retrospect, the investment pays off.  Especially since “The Passage” is intended to be the first book in a trilogy.

“The Passage” is an ideal fun summer read.  Fans of Stephen King will find Cronin’s writing style familiar.  “The Passage” is like “comfort food” for the reading palate.

Live long, read and prosper.  We’ll leave the lights on for you.

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes - A

Wow. That was a good read.

I have at home the novel,Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson. Tree of Smoke won the 2007 National Book Award. I never read the novel. Why? I don't know. Why do I ever buy books that I don't read? I'm sure that I had every intention of reading it. Anyway, I'm trying to move Tree of Smoke into my rotation so I can do a post comparing and contrasting it from Matterhorn.  Discuss.

This novel is extraordinarily well done. Every character serves a purpose.  While most of the story follows the main character, Lieutenant Waino Mellas, all of his Bravo Company comrades play significant roles.  I believe that authors who write war novels must have remarkable storytelling skills. Why? First, to do a war novel "right" (and Matterhorn was definitely done right), an author must address textual issues that do not confront authors of all novels.

1. We're talking dozens of characters. And, as in Matterhorn, all of the characters must have substance.

2. The characters cannot be mere stereotypes-either individually or collectively.  Yet, at the same time, they must realistically capture the war and the time period.

3. Narrating battle scenes must be precise in order for readers to follow.

Taken at its core, Matterhorn is the story of what happens to Lieutenant Mellas after arriving in Vietnam as an anxious Marine dreaming of glory.  That's just the jumping off point, however. War and the jungles of Vietnam are not sugar coated. Neither are the inter-company race relations. Bravo Company's missions inevitably result in casualties and deaths (big spoiler, huh?)-some more senseless than others.

As I've said on this blog before, though, it all begins and ends with the characters. And there are some classic characters in Matterhorn apart from Mellas.

Matterhorn is a rich, outstanding, well-written novel. It is also an emotional read. The first "A" I have read in a while.

Live long, read and prosper. We'll leave the lights on for you.

Innocent by Scott Turow - B+

I really enjoyed Scott Turow's first novel, Presumed Innocent.  I enjoyed his follow-up, Burden of Proof even more.

Those novels were released in 1987 and 1990, respectively.  As much as I liked them, I had not read another Scott Turow novel.  I suppose that I figured Turow had "gone commercial."  I don't know if that's true or not.

I expected to hate hate hate Innocent which focuses on Rusty Sabich, the main character from Presumed Innocent.  The action takes place 21 years after the end of the Presumed Innocent.  Sabich, found not guilty of murdering his lover in Presumed Innocent (no other spoilers from Book 1), is now a sitting judge.  His wife, Barbara, turns up dead (evidently of natural causes) in Innocent, but the prosecutor from Sabich's first trial smells a rat.  That's all you're gettin' from me on the plot.

Different chapters are told from the perspective of different characters--Rusty, Tommy (the prosecutor), Nat (Rusty's son) and Anna (Rusty's law clerk).  At first, I found the "Tommy" chapters the least compelling, but those chapters improve as the novel progresses.

Like I said, I expected to hate the novel, but I didn't.  True, I had a difficult time not thinking about Harrison Ford as Rusty Sabich.  The narrative is fairly taut.  I read the novel at a good time because I was kind of in the mood for a page turner, and I had a difficult time putting this book down.

I would NOT read Innocent unless and until you read Presumed Innocent.  I also wouldn't read Innocent unless you, like I, were invested in the characters from Presumed Innocent.  This novel was like visiting with old friends for a few hours, and I enjoyed the visit.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.

Steinbrenner - The Last Lion of Baseball by Bill Madden - A-

Baseball geek here.  I was looking forward more to this book than any other on baseball which is coming or will come out in 2010.  As loyal blog readers know, March through June each year is the time when the new baseball books come out.

I looked forward to Steinbrenner - The Last Lion of Baseball for two reasons.  First, the author, Bill Madden, had followed the Yankees since the late 1970s.  If there is anyone with the ability and insight to write a definitive Steinbrenner biography, it is Madden.  Second, I would argue that George Steinbrenner was the second most influential person on the game of baseball in the last 50 years—second only to Marvin Miller.

(Interlude on Marvin Miller:  Miller, as head of the player’s union in the 1970s and 1980s, was responsible for more changes to the business of baseball than any person in baseball history.  Period.  The fact that he is not in the Hall of Fame is a crime and a shame.  And I don’t even particularly like the guy.  But I know what I know, and he belongs more than anyone else the Veteran’s Committee has elected in the last several decades.  The only reason that he isn’t in is because the Veteran’s Committee is made up of fuddy duddies (spelling?) who are bitter that they did not benefit from Miller’s actions.  Yes, I'm talking to you, Bob Feller.  They didn’t make millions of dollars.  Where was Miller when THEY needed him?  These current players are overpaid!  It’s freaking ridiculous.  The Hall of Fame has become way too political.  But I digress.  Back to your regularly scheduled post.)

Bill Madden wrote for the New York Daily News, not The New York Times, so you’d expect a little “tabloid journalism” here.  And you get it.  Steinbrenner is a complex subject.  What else explains his love/hate (sometimes back to love and hate again and again) for the same guys?  He’s extremely volatile and ran the Yankees in line with his personality.  He put too much stock in some things (losing SPRING TRAINING GAMES to the Mets?!?!) and not enough in others (managers who performed pretty well given the hands they were dealt).  He could turn on you and forget about it the next day.  Plus, if you were part of the family, even if you’d had a falling out with King George, he would be there for you in a time of need.  Again, very complex.

Steinbrenner:  The Last Lion of Baseball is a fun and entertaining ride covering the last 40 years of Yankee baseball.  Like it or not, the Yankees have been on the forefront of baseball for numerous reasons during that 40 years.  The initial free agent signings.  Reggie.  The 1977 and 1978 World Championships.  The championship drought until the 1996 despite all of the players George bought.  Four out of five world championships between 1996 and 2000.  The new stadium.  Some would say that the Yankees WERE baseball for these years.  I wouldn’t go that far, but to be honest, the Yankees have been, during the whole period, the franchise that received the most ink.  And Steinbrenner is the owner who received the most ink.

Live long, read and prosper.  We’ll leave the lights on for you.

The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman - B

First, some housekeeping.  My office web blocker recently started blocking MY OWN BLOG!  As a result, I am two posts behind and am rectifying that situation RIGHT NOW!

Now, on to The Imperfectionists, a first novel by Tom Rachman.  I understand that Mr. Rachman joined some illustrious company by becoming one of only a handful of authors whose first novels received front-page treatment in the New York Times Book Review. Heady praise to be sure.

The action in The Imperfectionists relates to the lives of different people employed by a fictional Rome-based newspaper.  Each chapter tells a story about someone at the paper—the editor, a financial officer, free lancers, etc.  Interspersed between each such chapter are vignettes describing the inception and history of the paper—how it was conceived, history of its development, etc.  It is this background that ties the novel together.

As the title implies, each character is flawed in some way.  Some of the stories are heart-wrenching.

The novel is exceedingly well written.  Reviews have stated that re-reading the novel will further enlighten readers.  In one small way, I understand this because characters are referred to in early chapters while their stories are later told.  The perception of a character in another’s story will add to one’s perspective when later reading the character’s story.  I’m certain that there are much more “intellectual” nuances that one could glean from re-reading the novel, but too many books and too little time to re-read.

If this is such a well written novel, why a B then?  Here’s why.  I don’t love short story books, and that’s essentially what The Imperfectionists is.  Yes, the stories are tied together, but they are self-contained short stories nonetheless.  The overriding history of the newspaper story was not compelling enough to make me continue to turn pages.  I couldn’t get in to the flow of the book.  The Imperfectionists is definitely a worthwhile read.  I would also add that it is an easy book to put down if you do not enjoy it because each chapter is self contained.

Live long, read and prosper.  We’ll leave the lights on for you.

Tears in the Darkness - B "I Got the Gist"

Tears in the Darkness by Michael and Elizabeth Norman tells the story of the battle for the Bataan in the Philippines during WWII and its horrific aftermath following the US surrender.  The ordeal started with the famed Bataan Death March and included trips to Japanese prisons and work camps.

So, I, uh, didn't finish the book.  I read 300 pages of the approximately 400 pages.  (I know, I know, how could I give up after 300 of 400 pages?  You got me.  I do that.  I only do that with nonfiction, though.  I call the, "I got the gist" phenomena.  It usually happens when I know how the book ends.  Hey, I know who won WWII.  I know that some of the US Bataan survivors made it back after the war.  I got the gist.)

I'm not proud of not finishing the book.  Bad, bad me!  Listen, I'm not a history guy.  Never have been.  I WANT to be a history guy.  I go into books like Tears in the Darkness with great expectations.  Yes!  This will be the book!  This will be THE ONE that leads me to read others.  Well, it's never happened.

I also wanted to be the music guy.  Hey, I can like music.  Ok, I can't.  I don't know what good music is.  My music knowledge, such that it is, picks up in 1982 when I discover FM radio after learning to drive and drops off in about 1988 when I'm not longer required to be exposed to music in college.  Why did I digress on music?  No idea.  It's probably just that I have semi-forgotten how to blog since my blog entries have been few and far between.

However (and this is a big HOWEVER), I have high hopes of completing four books in fairly rapid succession.  One, The Imperfectionists, was actually on the cover of the NYT Sunday Book Review a couple of weeks back.  I give my No. 1 mom props for identifying and reading the novel prior to it getting such attention.

Live long, read and prosper.  We'll leave the lights on for you.