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December 26, 2002

Reading Season

I didn't need any additional reading material for Christmas, I have books on my list of must reads to keep me busy for years, but the list has never kept me from impulse reading. So I was thrilled when I received as gifts John Updike's latest Seek My Face and Michael Chabon's Summerland as gifts, and now some great lists bound to trigger an impulse or two. Books of the Year from the Guardian Many great categories my personal favorite was from Personal Best with recommendations from writers from Jeffrey archer to John Updike....

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November 24, 2002

Lamb

A simple story of love, hope and despair, of innocence lost. I love the way MacClaverty describes Ireland. An Ireland that could easily be mistaken for a 19th Century Landscape, but for a can of coke and a modern understanding of epilepsy. It is a perfect setting for the story of Brother Sebastian (Michael Lamb), and twelve-year old Owen Kane. A story that tugs at your heart, from despair to hope. From Ireland to England and back to the place we all find ourselves in at times with no good solutions. I enjoyed McClaverty's writing in his short story collection "Walking the Dog," and he has convinced me he is also adept at longer works. Recommended, and thank you Steve Himmer for suggesting I would enjoy this, I did....

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November 15, 2002

Visions of Sugar Plums

"Visions of Sugar Plums" is the latest novel by Janet Evanovich. A scant 149 pages that manage to cover the most essential themes of a Stephanie Plum story. Like a pie in the face one never tires of seeing Stephanie's car get destroyed yet again. It wouldn't be a Plum story if that were missing. Sparky, not the Florida electric chair is Grandmas new Stud Muffin discovered at the usual haunt, Stiva's Funeral Parlor. Valerie locks herself in the bathroom. Lulu teaches Stephanie a bit about Christmas shopping. It is a holiday novel with the approaching Christmas being the thread the storyline hangs on. It begins when Diesel, no not Van Diesel a new male character appears in Stephanie's kitchen through locked doors. Is it magic? It seems that Diesel has skills not even Ranger possesses. Stephanie and Diesel team up for an adventure that includes Sandy Claws, elves and features an electrifying finish. And yes Morelli is still in the picture. If you haven't read an Evanovich novel yet I recommend starting with her first Plum novel, "One For The Money"....

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November 3, 2002

Short Stories

What the hell is wrong with me? I just realized I haven't read any short stories for awhile, a long while. Last I remember I was devouring Chekhov's stories. I view them as the birth of the modern short story. I've read most of them as I recall and then, oh yes, I did read some other short stories after that a collection by Bernard MacLaverty, he was born in Belfast in 1942 and lived there until 1975 when he moved to Scotland. My favorite from the collection is "Walking The Dog" which is also the title of the book. A man is taking his dog for a walk and has left him off the leash when a car approaches and stops. 'Get in,' the guy said. 'What?' Get in the fuckin car.' He was beckoning with one hand and the other pointing. Not pointing but aiming a gun at him. Was this a joke? Maybe a starting pistol. 'Move or I'll blow your fuckin head off.' The dog saw the open door and leapt up into the back seat of the car. You want to know what happened don't you?...

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October 30, 2002

A Good Read

Alan Furst writes historical fiction, or to be more precise he writes historical war fiction. Add to that a spy or two and you have a winning combination. I have read three of his books so far and I'm satisfied and will be reading the rest. I read this type of fiction to relax, it's a great stress reliever and just plain fun. The first Night Soldiers code for spies you know begins: In Bulgaria in 1934, on a muddy street in the river town of Vidin, Khristo Stoianev saw his brother kicked to death by fascist militia. His brother was fifteen, no more than a blameless fool with a big mouth, and in calmer days his foolishness would have been accommodated in the usual ways--a slap in the face for humiliation, a few cold words to chill the blood, and a kick in the backside to send him on his way. That much was tradition. But these were political times, and it was very important to think before you spoke. Nikko Stoianev spoke without thinking, and so he died. Kristov is then recruited into the NKVD, the Soviet Secret Service trained in spycraft, and sent to fight in the...

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August 18, 2002

Relieving Stress?

I finally finished Emile Zola's Germinal. My thanks to , Doubting Thomas, The LeftBanker, and Jak King for the recommendation, and let me add my voice to their chorus of praise. This is a must read, and since I recently finished John Steinbeck's In Dubious Battle another must read, I realize that in some ways little has changed in capitalisms unbridled greed and in its cruelty to the working man. Many are still getting Nickled and Dimed. But more on that later. I find I need a break from that sort of reading and believe that mystery's and spy thrillers the perfect ticket. Jonathan Delacour who recently commented on my reading list and acknowledged that he like I find the lighter fare a great stress reliever as well as great fun recommended Alan Furst's fiction. Furst's fiction is best characterized as historical espionage, in this case near history 1933-1945. The first in the series is "Night Soldiers" which I have just begun. The story begins: In Bulgaria in 1934, on a muddy street in the river town of Vidin, Khristo Stoianev saw his brother kicked to death by facist militia. His brother was fifteen, no more than a blameless fool...

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July 16, 2002

Hard Eight

I love a good mystery. Some mystery's sparkle because of the story, others because they have great characters. Janet Evanovich's series on Stephanie Plum, bond enforcement agent, has both. But what really makes it shine are the characters. I just finished her most current Hard Eight. Will you like it, here is some dialogue from the story to help you decide. Vinnie and Stephanie: Vinnie is Stephanie's boss. Vinnie was bent at the waist, sucking air. "Why are we chasing a rabbit?" "It's the rabbit who firebombed my CR-V," "Oh yeah. Now I remember. I should have asked sooner. I would have stayed in the car. Jesus, I can't believe you got off a shot hanging out the window. Who do you think you are, the Terminator? Christ, your mother would have my nuts if she knew you did that. What were you thinking" "I got excited" "You weren't excited. You were berserk!" Lula x-prostitute and sometime sidekick, not a fat chick but rather a big women: "yeah she almost never shoots anyone," Lula said. "And I don't care anyway. I'm getting out of here. I need mall air. I could breathe better if I had mall air." I'm telling...

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June 10, 2002

The Books We Love and Why Update

It started with a suggestion from ruzz he was a little slow in putting together his list but it was worth the wait. Now two of may favorite bloggers here from the Left Bank and here from Doubting Thomas, at my suggestion have posted their lists and interestingly they both begin with the same book, and of course my list if you missed it. Now I'd like to see Jak King's list. How about it Jak do they read in Vancouver. Update to update - I was trying to remember if I had asked Doug to post a list, I certainly didn't want to ask him twice. When I discover this. Thanks Doug. Do they read in Vancouver indeed they do. Here is Jak's list, and a dandy it is....

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June 5, 2002

The Book's We Love And Why

Someone once said that their favorite Mozart Piano Concerto was the last one they had listened to. I have a similar problem when it comes to picking my favorite books. Ruzz, has suggested that we all write a list of our top ten books with brief comments and post them on our weblog. Everyone likes lists right. My problem is not coming up with ten but limiting a list to ten, our reading doesn't take place in a vacuum. Our age, where we are in life at the moment we read a book all play an important role. We simply cannot separate our emotions from a more rational analysis nor am I sure we would want to. Perhaps that is a task best left for the critics. So with that in mind here are mine. 1 Of Human Bondage - Somerset Maugham An epic coming of age novel that I read when I was well coming of age. This might be my favorite book of all time. Don't miss Maugham’s other great stuff particularly A Razors Edge. 2. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky - One of the few books I've read more than once and perhaps someday I'll understand...

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May 29, 2002

Remembering

I started keeping a list of my reading in 1980. I forget what my motivation was. It is not a lifetime reading list I was already thirty-five when I began. It does however cover a considerable part of my life. Perhaps I'll get ambitious one day and include the pre 1980 stuff at least that I can remember. There was the Science Fiction stage where I read Heinlein, Asimov, and Herbert, you know "Stranger in a Strange Land", "The Foundation Trilogy", "Dune". Then came the Hermann Hesse years big while attending the University of Utah. Narcissus & Goldmund was my favorite. I also read a lot of Hemingway back then, is there anyone better, David Gagne apparently doesn't think so. And of course Steinbeck was also a popular author then as now. There was a weekend in 1967 when I read Tolkein's Ring Trilogy, and of course I have fond memories of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "100 Hundred Years of Solitude". I have told others of the joy I've found in keeping a list, a connection to my past, and many have started their own lists, and related a similar satisfaction. Perhaps like the marks on the wall measuring our growth...

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May 28, 2002

I'd Prefer Not To

Tom Bissell writes in Salon of books he'd prefer not to read. I'd prefer not to My list includes Toni Morrison, Henry James, Faulkner and Beckett. Why are there some great writers we just cannot read? Whether one chooses to admit it or not, every reader has a secret list of writers one is, for whatever reason, incapable of reading. To get it over with, what follows is my own: Toni Morrison, William Faulkner, Henry James, Jane Austen, Samuel Beckett ... already embarrassment keeps me from going on. For a former book editor and fiction writer to make such an admission is, I do not doubt, enough to have me dragged before a literary tribunal and stoned. I reluctantly join in his honesty and trust that I won't be condemned. It's true I haven't read any Beckett (oops I did read "Waiting For Godot"), and was only able to get through Toni Morrison's "Beloved" with great effort. I still have Tolstoy's "War and Peace" on my list to read soon, but wonder if its just there because its a must read. Do you have authors you just don't seem to like but think you should. This is a great article....

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May 27, 2002

Under The Net

Under The Net by Iris Murdoch. She was both a writer and a philosopher and it shows. What a delightful story. The story is of Jake Donaghue, writer, vagabond, an intellectual of sorts. His friends, his quest for truth all written in near perfect prose. The story begins "When I saw Finn waiting for me at the corner of the street I knew at once that something had gone wrong. Finn usually waits for me in bed, or leaning up against the side of the door with his eyes closed." and you're instantly hooked. Sadie, Anna, Hugo, Dave, Finn wonderful characters well developed and all help move the story along at a perfect pace. Lock picking, stolen dogs, political intrigue, simple adventures that hold you in their grasp. My only criticism is that it ends a mere 252 pages later. It was my son Chris who convinced me to read the book. I asked him what it was about and this is what he said, " hmm, er. she wrote the book in the fifties, and it has a sort of conservative characteristic to it like Simenon or Hitchcock. I mean, the drama is not huge. The main guy has...

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May 22, 2002

Top 100 Books Of All Time

The top 100 books of all time Full list of the 100 best works of fiction, alphabetically by author, as determined from a vote by 100 noted writers from 54 countries as released by the Norwegian Book Clubs. Don Quixote was named as the top book in history but otherwise no ranking was provided I enjoy perusing lists of good books if you do too check out the link via the Guardian Some additional lists you'll find interesting Book Browser for Avid Readers Modern library 100 best novels My own list of books I've read since 1980 ranked on a scale of 1-5 The Internet Public Library links to many book lists and don't miss this one, List of the Best of the Best update: October 2003 The latest top 100 list from the Guardian Observer Here are the top ten from that list: 1. Don Quixote Miguel De Cervantes The story of the gentle knight and his servant Sancho Panza has entranced readers for centuries. 2. Pilgrim's Progress John Bunyan The one with the Slough of Despond and Vanity Fair. 3. Robinson Crusoe Daniel Defoe The first English novel. 4. Gulliver's Travels Jonathan Swift A wonderful satire that still...

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May 17, 2002

Mystic River

I just finished Dennis Lehane's Mystic River a departure from the delightful Kenzie and Gennaro adventures. Is it better. I don't think so. It is certainly more literary. Lehane's writing is clearly improving. In this story we meet Sean, Dave, and Jimmy, childhood friends. Characters who won't be part of a future story in the way the more formalistic Kenzie Gennaro stories are. Lehane does a great job capturing the ethos of childhood friends, neighborhoods and how life changes us and those around us. I found myself reminiscing about my own childhood and how I have changed over the years. The plot is complex, the characters well developed and after the first 50 pages or so this is a real page turner. This is his best written book to date. If you enjoy more than the standard mystery fare give it a read. Dave says "It was amazing how friendly three beers could be after a long hard day." It is amazing to me how enjoyable a Lehane mystery can be any old time....

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May 2, 2002

Perpetual War

I just finished reading Gore Vidal's latest. Perpetual War For Perpetual Peace subtitled "How We Got To Be So Hated". This is a short selection of essays. Vidal is arguably the premier essayist of our time. Outspoken, well spoken, eloquent only begin to describe his considerable talents. Dennis Miller eat your heart out this guy takes the rant to new heights. This is the book that will drive the "WarBloggers" crazy. Gore will be labeled as anti-American at worst and unpatriotic at best. He makes an interesting point about why he feels Bush declared "we are at war", since a nation can only be at war with another nation-state, which would exclude bin Laden and his troop. Corporate America of course those insurance companies could save big bucks, since they don't have to cover loses due to "war". I'm a liberal. I generally agree with Mr. Vidal. I do think he tends to get carried away with possible conspiracy theories. He never comes right out and says he believes there is a conspiracy rather he implies that is the case. He presents some evidence and lets you draw your own conclusions. In the past I have discounted much of his...

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April 27, 2002

Right as Rain

What is the difference between crime fiction and a mystery. I suppose crime fiction doesn't necessarily have a mystery to solve but just getting the bad guys. I read both. I recently read my first novel by George P. Pelecanos. His novels are described as crime fiction, but there is just enough mystery about whodunit that for me it straddles the line. I can tell you that if you haven't read any Pelecanos you're missing out on some good stuff. Right as Rain one of this more recent offering's tells the story of Derek Strange private investigator working his magic in our nations capital D.C. The essential components are here drugs, love, and loyalty. Pelecanos develops very real characters along with a compelling story line. I love the way he describes his characters through some nifty dialogue. Here is some dialogue between Quinn, a former cop, and a used car salesman. It is clever, it is real, all without being too cliched. "How you doin today, sir?" said a startling nasal voice behind Quinn. Quinn turned to find a short, thin, middle-aged black man standing before him. The man wore thick glasses with black frames and a knockoff designer sport...

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April 16, 2002

Flesh And Machines

The point of Rodney Brooks new book Flesh and Machines - How Robots Will Change Us is that we are machines. That our bodies are a mass of biomolecules that act according to a set of specifiable rules. He believes that his spouse, his children are mere machines, but that is not how we treat them. The crux of the book is why that is so and what that means to a future world that will include more robots. He tells the history of robotics, from Shaky to Kismet with dozens of other interesting characters in between, and what is on the horizon. What is already here ranging from artificial hearing to the prospects for artificial vision, to robots that can make our lives easier and free our time for more rewarding pursuits. He discusses the what and how of artificial intelligence. There are currently two main approaches to artificial intelligence one is a top down representational view, the other is a bottom up more evolutionary view. One way to look at it would be to compare the spectrum of views with a robot, a distributed network, and a desktop pc. The robot would be no representations, the distributed network...

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March 23, 2002

I've Got Character

Book Magazine has issued the results of a readers poll of the 100 best fictional characters since 1900. here at NPR The first reference I saw to it was at, Dave Does The Blog It seems to be all the rage today. Number four on the list at Daypop. I always have some time to waste on anything to do with books or reading so here are the ones I've read. A little over half way there but I still have a lot of reading to do....

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March 1, 2002

A Good Read

I'm currently on a mystery reading binge. My latest find is Dennis Lehane and what great fun he is. Patrick (never Pat) Kenzie and Angela, Angie, Ange Gennaro are a pair of gritty Boston detectives who always get their man, albeit with a few scars and scares along the way. My favorite character is Bubba, a childhood friend and one bad dude. He is fiercely loyal to Patrick and Angie, and reminds me of the family Rottweiler, very endearing. A Drink Before the War is the first in the series followed by Darkness Take My Hand, Sacred, Gone, Baby, Gone and Prayer for Rain, for those of you who can't stand to read books out of order. I try but don't always succeed. All these are available in paperback, I think he has a new one Mystic only available in hardbound, but at the rate I read I'll wait. Thank god I buy my books at half.com there's a link under reading if you're interested. It is quite easy to buy books at half price or less including the cost of shipping. I've bought many paperbacks for $3.05 including shipping, nice having them delivered to my door. So if you...

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February 19, 2002

Ten Great Novels

I recently finished reading Maugham's The Razor's Edge which I commented on a few days ago , well that reminded me that Maugham wrote a book many years ago where he listed his ten favorite novel's. I no longer have the book but I do have the list. I've read all of them with the exception of Tom Jones and War And Peace which are on my list of things to read. The only problem is that the list is getting longer than the list of what I've already read. I used to say that I had of stack of books I intended to read, but there is simply no way one could stack books that high. Funny isn't it the more one reads the longer the list of what you want to read becomes. I think de Balzac's Old Man Goriot was my favorite on this list in fact I consider it one of the top ten I've ever read. If you haven't read it yet I recommend putting it on the top of your stack (or list). Okay so here's the list. W. Somerset Maugham's Ten Greatest Novels* Tom Jones, Henry Fielding; Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen; The...

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February 9, 2002

Somerset Maugham

I just finished reading W. Somerset Maugham's The Razor’s Edge. Many years ago I read Of Human Bondage which is on my top ten list. So thirty years pass and with the exception of Summing Up an autobiographical account of his career I've read nothing else by him. My choice of reading material seems so random; I'm just as likely to pick up a mystery as something more substantive. I suppose that is why I enjoy reading so much it fills so many needs. I thoroughly enjoyed The Razor's Edge written in 1943 at the height of his career, it takes place mostly in France, and has a delightful cast of characters. Elliot the snob, but also a kind generous soul Gray, who speaks in cliché’s. His wife Isabel, gracious, interesting, but a little bit too preoccupied with money and status. Suzanne the opportunist with a lust for life and Sophie who demonstrates how unpredictable life really is. Finally Larry the idealist in all of us a searcher for truth. This is a book about life; I particularly enjoyed the contrast Maugham creates between material wealth and happiness. He is one of the best writers of the 20th Century, and...

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January 24, 2002

What are you reading?

I like to alternate my reading between more serious works and light fiction, although lately its been more light than serious. The fiction is usually a mystery of sorts, I find an author I enjoy and usually end up reading everything they've written. Favorites, well I always enjoy Janet Evanovich and her Stephanie Plum mysteries. She has some of the most interesting characters ever created. Stephanie works as a bail bond enforcement person. You'll love Lulu and Ranger and Stephanie's family is well - Grandma loves going to funeral's and is not above peeking into a closed casket, you'll find yourself laughing out loud. Evanovich numbers her books, One For The Money, Two for the Dough, she's up to Seven Up, all quite delightful, I used to enjoy Sue Grafton, but she seems to have run out of steam. Hers are the alphabet books, A is for Alibi, B is for Burglar, she just finished P is for Peril, but the stories are starting to get really repetitive. I think her next book should be Q is for Time to Quit. But if you've never read Grafton, the early books are quite fun. I also like John Sanford, although his...

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January 18, 2002

Being There

I just began reading Andy Clark's delightful book Being There Putting Brain, Body, and World Together Again "Well, what do you think you understand with? With your head? Bah!" -- Nikos Kazantzakis, Zorba the Greek "Ninety percent of life is just being there." -- Woody Allen The introduction does a great job of defining what the book is about. The mind is more than, as Andy puts it "a combination logic machine filing cabinet." It is first "an organ for controlling the biological body." We must make decision quickly before the predators get us a difficult proposition if all mind consists of is a "a disembodied logical reasoning device" There are and have been attempts like CYC (short for "encyclopedia") which attempts to create a knowledge base that includes a significant fraction of general knowledge. Creating a system that can reason from inference. Andy argues that this approach will never be more than a useful expert system. One of the problems with this type of system is "the lack of coupling between the system and real world problems of action and sensing." He offers an interesting analogy between a coakroach and an automobile with similar capablilites. "Such a car would...

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