Zot79's Ant Tracks

Relocated Again

2010-06-23T05:27:00.003-07:00

Now I've taken up book reviewing residence at Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/billweinberger

I've Moved

2009-05-13T10:18:00.001-07:00

For now, my mini-reviews are posted to Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/zot79

The Art of Racing in the Rain (Garth Stein)

2008-06-16T22:15:00.001-07:00

[***] ISBN: 9780061537936

This wasn't really the piece of light reading I thought it would be. There are certainly some fun parts--mostly where Enzo, the narrator, gets to be more of a dog and his owner gets to be more of a race car driver. But to get to these, the reader is forced to endure personal hardships for the humans as well as the dog. I think I get it; I get what the author was striving for-contrast between the good parts of life and the bad. The problem is that the bad parts, and the dog's intellectual ruminations about them, felt forced. They didn't work for me. The dog was thinking, excuse the pun, way over his head. I could have bought the dog narrator much more if he was ever more doggish, intelligent, but doggish-running on instinct, less obsessed with opposable thumbs, more confused about human motives and time, and through these confused observations providing the same commentary that this author makes explicit. I was glad I made it all of the way through this, but I'm not sure I recommend it, even for a dog lover.

The Yiddish Policemen's Union: A Novel (Michael Chabon)

2008-06-08T07:27:00.001-07:00

[****] ISBN: 0007149824

What would it be like if most of the world's Jews were evacuated to Sitka, Alaska during WWII? This mystery novel set in that world paints a vivid picture of the possibilities. But the picture is personal and claustrophobic, centered on the life in that city of one rundown Yiddish police detective and a murder case that imposes itself on his life. In that regard, it is a successful homage to the noir detective novels of the 40s and 50s, such as those of Raymond Chandler.

The prose is rich and laced with Yiddish, most of which a non-Yiddish speaker will have to learn by context. The characters and settings are dynamic and richly described. I can understand how the author managed to win a Pulitzer (for another title). The story itself is somewhat lightweight and laughable, also in the vein of Chandler. It's just something to hang the character and settings on.

I liked the book, but would have liked a bit more story.

Don't Know Much About History: Everything You Need to Know About American History but Never Learned (Kenneth C. Davis)

2008-05-28T06:35:00.001-07:00

[***] ISBN: 9780060083816

A very quick, and sometimes interesting, survey of American History. Things get started with some tentative speculation about how the first (non-) indigenous peoples arrived, then picks up speed with the arrival of the first European explorers. If you already passed AmHist in high school and college, you already know this stuff. But it's a reasonable refresher course. Keep in mind that this is somewhat targeted at those with less than a college (or even high school?) education, so there are no big words or deep concepts.

Way Station (Clifford D. Simak)

2008-05-15T07:18:00.001-07:00

[****] ISBN: 9780020248712

This is a very interesting book. Antiquated, yet timeless. In some ways fun, yet serious. It was definitely written in a more innocent time, even though it deals with complex issues of peace and human frailty.

The protagonist is an ageless veteran of the Civil War, who has spent a hundred years looking after a galactic transfer station. He has become separated from men and wrapped up in galactic matters that he can barely comprehend. Then he is caught up crisis on both earth and in Galactic Central and finds himself even more alone.

This was fun to read. I see why it won the Hugo Award in its time. But it was clumsy and a bit rushed at the end, I thought.

Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: And Other Things I've Learned (Alan Alda)

2008-05-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

[****] ISBN: 9780739322765

I had no idea Alan Alda's life was so interesting. He was started his life as a child of vaudeville and grew up as a son of Hollywood. Yet his family seems to have always been only on the fringes of fame. His voyage of self-discovery through boarding schools and colleges is fascinating. And don't miss the exciting adventure he has at the end. Recommended, especially for fans of MASH and Alda's other work (the only disappointment with the audio version is that it's not read by Alan and the voice chosen is not what I would have picked).

Make Love *the Bruce Campbell Way (Bruce Campbell)

2008-05-02T07:12:00.001-07:00

[**] ISBN: 9780312312602

This is on my 'read' shelf. But I didn't finish it. I just stopped reading it. I suppose I might, under the right circumstances, make it to the end. It would be sort of like watching a silly television episode. This time, I was not in the correct mood, I was looking for an actual book with an actual story.

Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana (Ann Rule)

2008-04-29T12:23:00.002-07:00

[****] ISBN: 1400043522

The Road to Cana was not quite as enjoyable as Out of Egypt, at least not at first. The first 2/3 of the book felt slow, even meandering. The last 1/3 was very fast paced, almost too quick.

Like the first book, it's a bit of a stretch to get one's head inside the human head of the Son of God, though it's a bit easier having Him be an adult, rather than a child. But the author does an admirable job of trying to get some sort of a clue of the reality of the situation. As in the first book, she also brings the land and culture to life. Altogether an interesting read. Recommended.

Freedomnomics (John R. Lott, Jr.)

2008-04-22T09:21:00.001-07:00

[***] ISBN: 9781596985063 (hardcover), 9780786149506 (audio)

John R. Lott, Jr. obviously has a bone to pick with the authors of Freakonomics. From the title of his book to the analysis inside, he is out to disprove many of the outlandish proposals in that other book.

In a way, he succeeds. The title got my attention. And I stayed with the book, listening through to the end. And I have to agree with much of his analysis and his conclusion: the free market is usually smarter than the government.

On the other hand, the book is not quite as entertaining as the one it's attacking. It might have helped if the main author were a magazine writer, rather than a PhD. Even so, if you read Freakonomics (which you should), then read this one to get a view from the other side.

Mary Poppins (P.L. Travers)

2008-04-16T05:34:00.002-07:00

[***] ISBN: 0152017178

This was a likable bunch of stories. It is definitely not the Disney Mary Poppins (and vice versa). Julie Andrews tried to act as vain and mysterious as this Mary Poppins, but her smile always ruined the effect.

Interestingly, the book comes across more as a set of semi-related stories, rather than one big story. And for a children's book, there are no (discernible) lessons learned, other than to make room in your life for whimsy. So that is the lesson I will take with me as I write my own fantasy story involving a nanny, some children, and a genie.

The Eagles Brood (Jack Whyte)

2008-04-07T11:33:00.002-07:00

[***] ISBN: 9780765304599

I liked this better than "The Singing Sword", but still not as much as "The Skystone". The author shifts viewpoint here, into the head of Merlyn, the nephew of the previous narrator, Publius Varras. This results in more story, but I could have skipped some of the detailed, gruesome, and sometimes depraved details.

This is a Merlyn that runs counter to most previous notions of the old wizard. He's a young warrior growing up in the tradition of the Roman armies that have vacated Britain. We follow his life as he spars with his friend, cousin and rival, Uther Pendragon, who is ultimately the father of Arthur. Theirs is a brutish and often distasteful life. The story is not for the squeamish -- or impatient.

The Singing Sword (Jack Whyte)

2008-03-24T11:41:00.000-07:00

[***] ISBN: 0765304589

Not as much story fill the pages of the second book in this series. It's all very good writing, but much of it seems like filler. There are episodes that don't seem necessary to moving the plot forward. And the parts that are pertinent seem a bit drawn out. Even so, I pushed through and enjoyed the ending, which is very key to the overall epic.

The Abs Diet Get Fit Stay Fit Plan (David Zinczenko, Ted Spiker)

2008-03-15T20:59:00.001-07:00

[***] ISBN: 1594864098

This book just makes a lot of sense to me. It presents a very balanced view of diet and exercise. I first heard about it by chance on the Internet. Then I looked at a summary of the program at the Men's Health web site. Then I got the book from the library. Finally, I bought the book so that I can reference it any time.

I don't know if I'll manage to lose 15 pounds and 4 inches of gut in 6 weeks like some of the people. I've already been following many of the diet guidelines for a while and don't think I can get much more fanatical about them. But I think I can follow the exercise program pretty well, and that should be a big help. We'll see.

Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need (Blake Snyder)

2008-03-07T14:15:00.002-08:00

[****] ISBN: 9781932907001

This is the best book on screenwriting that I've read so far. It can't take the place of basics like "Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting" by Syd Field. But whereas Syd's book shows you the form of a screenplay and gives you the overall strategy for creating one, Blake's book gives you the nitty-gritty details and tactics for actually getting one written.

Look for even more guidance on creating a killer logline than "Crafty Screenwriting" gave. Look for a better explanation of genre than I've seen elsewhere (which is expanded on in "Save the Cat! Goes to the Movies"). Look for the amazing Black Snyder Beat Sheet (BS2) that gives a page by page breakdown of what goes where in your movie (every movie that works) and why. This is a must read for prospective screenwriters. And it's fun to read, too.

Scene & Structure (Jack M. Bickham)

2008-03-02T17:56:00.002-08:00

[***] ISBN: 0898799066

A very well structured and highly detailed book on how to do a highly detailed and well structured analysis when plotting a work of fiction. The problem for me is that doing all this analysis up front feels mechanical and artificial. I think these principles will be helpful in analyzing stories that don't seem to be working. This is good for skimming and getting general principles, but I would avoid getting bogged down in the details too soon.

The Sword-Edged Blonde (Alex Bledsoe)

2008-03-02T05:52:00.002-08:00

[***] ISBN: 1597801127

I would have probably never picked this up if I hadn't read a recommendation for it somewhere and it just happened to coincide with my plan to also write a first-person cross-over mystery. I'm glad I did. It's a fun read. This book tries to answer the question: what would happen if Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe lived in a world of sword and sorcery, rather than 20th century Los Angeles. What happens is that you get a hero with an attitude and a story filled with genre-bending non-sequiturs and humor. It just sort of works. This isn't Tolkien, or even C.S. Lewis, but there is plenty of story and interesting characters for the pages allocated. Recommended for a few hours of light reading.

Save the Cat! Goes to the Movies: The Screenwriter's Guide to Every Story Ever Told (Blake Snyder)

2008-02-20T21:09:00.002-08:00

[***] ISBN: 1932907351

I enjoyed the tone and perspective of this book and will be reading its predecessor, "Save the Cat!", in order to get a better understanding of how the plots can be broken down. The examples in this volume shed much light on how various sorts of films all share the same basic plot. Yet the book also shows how any basic outline, when done well, can be made fresh and alive. And when done really well, the same old plot becomes something new and unique. Recommended for any author, especially those writing screenplays. Warning: the plot breakdowns do contain spoilers (I skipped the ones for films I have not seen and plan to) and get a bit repetitive.

Fragile Things (Neil Gaiman)

2008-02-19T09:59:00.002-08:00

[***] ISBN: 9780060515225

An uneven, but ultimately satisfying collection of short stories, poems, and a novella from the author of "Stardust" and "Mirrormask" (and others I haven't yet read). Even though several of the stories and most of the poems fell flat for me, all of the entries showcase Gaiman's gift for imagination and invention. My favorites were "A Study in Emerald" (which re-imagines Sherlock Holmes in the world of H.P. Lovecraft), "Goliath" (which is from the world of "The Matrix"), "The Day the Saucers Came" (the one poem I liked), and "The Monarch of the Glen".

How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read (Pierre Bayard)

2008-02-15T17:03:00.001-08:00

[****] ISBN: 1433208016 (audio), 1551929627 (hardcover)

This is a very fun book. The (English) audio version, especially, reminded me at times of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. More to the point it helps one think about what it means to read (or not read) a book. The overall conclusion is that there is not that much difference, in the long run, between reading and not reading a book. I have to agree, to a point. Of all the books I have read, I probably have a distinct memory of only a few. And of those I probably have only a hazy impression.

How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author (Janet Evanovich with Ina Yalof)

2008-02-12T04:55:00.000-08:00

[***] ISBN: 9780312354282

This is a fairly informative, pleasant, and entertaining look at how one working writer does it. As best she can, the author goes into her approach to character, plot, humor, adventure, outlining, storyboarding, drafting, and editing. This is how she keeps cranking out books that sell. There are some good tips here, including the rudimentary and common notion of keeping one's butt in one's chair and writing, everyday, no matter what.

High Five (Janet Evanovich)

2008-01-29T06:08:00.000-08:00

[***] ISBN: 9780312203030

I liked this quite a bit better than the first book in the series, One for the Money. The main character, Stephanie, has finally gotten some brains and manages to actually solve a case. The biggest problem is that the police and Treasury department, with the amount of manpower they had dedicated, should have solved it long before she did.

So, I think I'm done. She's still not that smart, takes too many chances, and is surrounded by too many crazies and coincidences. That may be part of the fun for her regular readers, and it keeps the plots fast paced, but it doesn't completely work for me.

Eclipse One: New Science Fiction and Fantasy

2008-01-26T12:39:00.000-08:00

[**] ISBN: 1597801178

I wasn't as impressed as I was supposed to be. I think I read a recommendation for this on someone's blog and figured it was time to be up-to-date in my short story reading. But this can't really be the good stuff, could it? I can't say I read a single story that really knocked my socks off. There was one about a hermaphrodite bigfoot that captured my attention and then lost my respect when the ending imploded. To top it off, I wasn't that impressed with the binding. This one gets two stars for trying, but I'm sure there are better collections out there.

Plotting and Writing Suspense Fiction (Patricia Highsmith)

2008-01-25T06:25:00.000-08:00

[**] ISBN: 0871160722

I skimmed through this and read a bit of several chapters. Interesting, but not earth-shattering. Mostly it recounts how Ms. Highsmith, the author of Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley, approached her writing. It's filled with the typical stuff about twisting any old idea into the plot of a whodunnit by combining it with other ideas and real life incidents and allowing them to ferment. A little bit about mechanics, but not enough to suit me. I suppose if I was more interested in her style of writing, I'd be more interested in how she did it.

Writing the Breakout Novel (Donald Maass)

2008-01-20T17:48:00.000-08:00

[****] ISBN: 9781582971827

In this book, a literary agent gives his perspective on what an author needs to do, in their writing, to break out of the mid-list and into the best-seller lists. What's interesting is that there may not really be anything new here. It seems as though I have heard much of this advice before. But Mr. Maass presents it in such a compelling and straightforward fashion that it seems new. And it seems right. His thoughts should help me, and any author with their current work. I know I will have to return to this book more than once when I'm ready to take things to the next phase. Recommended.

One for the Money (Janet Evanovich)

2008-01-19T06:25:00.000-08:00

[**] ISBN: 9780312362089

I hope these get better. I got this title from the library because I read an interview with the author in Writer's Digest and liked her approach to writing. It also sounded like I might like her books. I have mixed feelings.

On the one hand, I stuck with it and read the whole thing through in only six evenings. I was fascinated by this brassy, klutzy character and her predicament. The characters and setting were vivid, the pace was (mostly) unrelenting and the thrills and mysteries kept piling up.

On the other hand, the coincidences kept piling up as well. I didn't like that. Just how likable is this dame that her new acquaintance Ranger would bail her out so many times? Isn't it amazing that her brother in law is a cop that can train her to use a gun? How did she ever survive so long in New Jersey by being so stupid and reckless? Why should anyone like a book where the mystery is solved by someone so stupid just happening to be in the right place at the right time? Hello? Stephanie Plum should have been staking out the butcher shop long before 40 pages from the end of the book.

No doubt Ms. Evanovich has figured this all out and her plots have improved. Otherwise, she wouldn't have the fan base she has. Even some of her loyal readers have made negative comments about how much more raw this first book feels. I will have to try another one on for size. And I'll keep busy figuring out how I would do it better.

Tides of Light (Gregory Benford)

2008-01-13T21:36:00.000-08:00

[**] ISBN: 9780553282146

This is the fourth book in Benford's "Galactic Center" series, and the second one set far in the future. I finally liked it. But it was a tough slog through the middle third or so. I think the whole book could have used the tightening of another draft.

To his previous war between man and mechs, the author adds insectoid cybers and other organic and inorganic lifeforms that may or may not be sentient. The fascinating and frustrating part of this book was the totally alien point of view that the cybers bring to it. That might be enough for some readers. But the only thing that really kept me going was desiring the payoff for the investment that I'd made in the previous book.

There are two more books in the series. I hope Professor Benford does not disappoint.

The Measure Of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (Sidney Poitier)

2008-01-11T09:50:00.000-08:00

[***] ISBN: 9780061355431 [audio], 9780061357916 [hardcover]

I think I could tell what Mr. Poitier was trying to do in this book, as evidenced in his title. But I don't think he quite does it. He doesn't really give us anything spiritual on which to hang our hat.

Yes, he waxes philosophical in many places. But I don't think these ramblings can really be counted as spiritual or that enlightening. They really just come across as the opinions of one senior citizen looking back on life. Without any corroborating accounts or data, that all they really are: ramblings and opinions.

On the other hand, when the author really sticks to what he knows - his life - then the story tends come alive and speak. It's in these moments where we actually get some actual glimpses into the 'spirituality' of the man. He doesn't have to pretend to be a philosopher to reveal his spiritual or philosophical side. He should stay with the facts.

Still a fun listen, in the audio version.

Crafty Screenwriting: Writing Movies That Get Made (Alex Epstein)

2007-12-18T06:50:00.000-08:00

[****] ISBN: 9780805069921

If this isn't the first book you read about writing a script, it ought to be the second. The author has very pointed and practical advice about all of the phases of the process of getting a script actually made into a movie. He starts with the concept (the hook) and follows it all the way through to the rewrite and then shopping it around. Every step focuses on making sure that the script you have will capture the attention of a producer that will pay money to make it.

My Stroke of Luck (Kirk Douglas)

2007-12-12T05:51:00.000-08:00

[****] ISBN: 9780060081416 (audio) 9780060009298 (hardcover)

I really enjoyed this book. Who would have thought that Kirk Douglas was so poetic, so thoughtful, so inspirational? While this short volume does focus in on the changes a minor stroke brought to his life, he also manages to give some insights into his life, his family, and his soul. Anyone with older parents struggling with health issues (stroke or otherwise) will benefit from reading this book.

Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life (Steve Martin)

2007-12-08T07:22:00.000-08:00

[****] ISBN: 9781416553649

Sometimes I think of Steve Martin like an older cousin I never met. We both lived in Garden Grove, California (I even performed on the stage of the theater at Garden Grove High School, which he attended) and we both worked at Disneyland (albeit 20 years apart). It's been fun watching him make good and this book does a good job chronicling that process, up through the beginning of his film career.

What works is that he doesn't sensationalize anything, but he doesn't shrink away from emotional issues, either. He really does seem to want to tell it like it was, successes and failures. What also comes through is the amount of persistent hard work it took to be an overnight success. He seems to personify the saying the luck is being ready to take advantage of an opportunity when it comes.

For any fan of Steve Martin, this is a must read.

Voyagers (Ben Bova)

2007-12-06T06:45:00.000-08:00

[*] ISBN: 9780786154289 [audio] 9780385148900 [hardcover]

An alien encounter novel that probably felt outdated when it was published. It is full of descriptions of technology and behavior that was probably not even real at the time. Both felt clumsy and misunderstood. Perhaps the story was not quite as boring back then, which is why it still gets good marks from other reviewers.

This tries to be a reality-based account of humanity's reaction when an alien spacecraft suddenly arrives in our solar system. Odd radio signals are found to emanate from Jupiter. Then a powerful telescope spots the spacecraft orbiting that planet and watches it turn toward earth. The story follows a motley group of scientists and others, falling in and out of bed with each other, using computers that take minutes to program and hours to do calculations, as they jockey for power.

None of the characters ever really sprang to life for me. All were there to serve the plot and not vice versa. I liked the overall premise of the story. It's too bad much of the book felt like padding. Five pounds of potatoes in a ten pound bag. I won't be picking up the next books in the series to see what happens.

Sins of the City: The Real Los Angeles Noir (Jim Heimann)

2007-12-04T07:47:00.000-08:00

[***] ISBN: 9780811823197

This is a concise portrait of Los Angeles during the noir period (1930s to 1950s) as captured by various news and other photographers. A short essay at the front sets the stage, but it's the photos that tell the story of a city growing up.

The Little Sister (Raymond Chandler)

2007-12-04T07:36:00.000-08:00

[**] ISBN: 0375415025

I read this while writing a first-person novel set in the same time period and setting, early 1950s Hollywood. It was a great help for kickstarting that process, and there is some genuinely inspired prose in this book, but I ultimately found the story lacking. The connections between characters and the leads the detective follows were a bit too tenuous. Marlowe's observations of other characters is very penetrating, but he came across as a bit too morose and unmotivated. But that may have been part of the point of the book.

This is not considered one of Chandler's strongest stories by many critics. I can't recommend it, but I liked it enough that I will definitely read some more of his work. I may even pick up a copy of this omnibus volume, in order to have it on hand for future reference.

American Pastoral (Philip Roth)

2007-11-24T11:28:00.000-08:00

[***] ISBN: 9780395860212

On the opposite end of the spectrum from In Cahoots is this Pulitzer Prize-winning book. While I did not finish reading this title (yet), I found that I liked the smooth and subtle prose and the rich character landscape created by the author. I understand why it won. Why didn't I finish it then and why didn't I give it more stars? Because it got pushed aside for some different reading I needed to do during NaNoWriMo and it became due at the library. Because I didn't finish it, I can't say that I recommend it yet, either. I may come back and try it again, mainly because I want to work my way through several Pulitzer books to see what make them tick.

In Cahoots: A Novel of Southern California, 1953 (Malcolm Cook MacPherson)

2007-11-10T05:25:00.000-08:00

[*] ISBN: 9780679422044

If this book weren't so darn encouraging to me, as an aspiring author, I would have never finished reading it. I figure if this book can be published by a major publisher, someday, something I write can get published, too. Well, maybe I would have finished it just because it's set in approximately the same time and place (pre-Disneyland Orange County, CA) of the book I'm writing for National Novel Writing Month. This doesn't mean that I intend to steal ideas from it, just that I found some clues for coloring the world I'm creating.

What worked: the characters were sweet and kooky, some passages were pleasantly evocative of time and place, the overall idea of California as a land of dreams.

What didn't work: the author started right off throwing bits of localized jargon at the reader without explaining it and never looked back, most of the kooky characters were never really fleshed out into individuals that we actually cared about - they seemed to be just place holders and cogs in the plot - what they did never really jelled into funniness, and the plot was convoluted enough for an amazing mystery or spy novel but was not well drawn enough to overcome the other faults of the book.

As another reviewer noted, if you're a big fan of Disney or Disneyland, you might enjoy skimming through this. Otherwise, it's just another excuse for you to say to yourself, "I could write a book better than that."

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores The Hidden Side Of Everything (Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner)

2007-10-18T18:49:00.000-07:00

[****] ISBN: 9780060776138 (audio) ISBN: 9780060731328 (hardcover)

Steven Levitt has a warped mind. He is the rogue economist of the title, and he manages, by having such a unique perspective about so many things, to really make you think about how you see the world. And it's not just that he's just being contrarian in his world view. He applies genuine science, mathematics, and statistics to answer hard questions about the world. The unique part comes from the questions he is asking, the way he asks them, and the way he applies the science, etc. to answer them. I came away convinced that the so-called common wisdom is obviously wrong in many cases and so very easy to subvert. With the other Stephen (of the New York Times) joining in to help with the writing, these two are essentially the Mythbusters of economics (and, by implication, sociology).

You're Lucky You're Funny: How Life Becomes a Sitcom (Phil Rosenthal)

2007-10-09T05:24:00.000-07:00

[***] ISBN: 9781597771436 (audio) ISBN: 9780452288782 (paperback)

This book is an almost perfect resource for anyone who is trying, or considering trying, to break into television scriptwriting, especially for sit-coms. For them it's really a four-star book. It's loaded with keen insight into the world of television production and writing.

It's also a four-star book for anyone who is a fan of the show Mr. Rosenthal created, Everyone Loves Raymond. It's loaded with hilarious behind-the-scenes stories about how the show came to be and the people involved.

For everyone else, it's worth at least three-stars, especially the audio edition where you get to hear the author, in his very ethnic New York voice, tell all the stories and do the voices and play some recordings. It's just plain funny.

Thanks for Tuning In (Richard Ruelas)

2007-09-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

[***] ISBN: 9780975282212

There is a sure-fire test to find out if someone grew up in Arizona any time between 1955 and 1998. Do they remember Wallace and Ladmo? I do. So does Stephen Spielberg. This is the story of Wallace, the driving force behind It's Wallace? and The Wallace and Ladmo Show. The latter is the longest running children's television show ever.

Actually, this starts out as the story of Bill Thompson, the sparky son of a successful New York stockbroker. This early history is fascinating and tells us much about how Bill became and remained Wallace. He just never grew up.

I'm glad the author managed to get all of this information out of Wallace and his family and friends and then got it put into a structure that works. He doesn't hide any of the realities of the long and colorful life of this permanent cut-up. But he doesn't dwell on them either. The result is a lovely portrait of a beloved man behind a beloved character.

Forty Signs of Rain (Kim Stanley Robinson)

2007-09-26T08:33:00.000-07:00

[***] ISBN: 9780553803112

This is a well-written, straight-ahead novel about a possible near future of global environmental catastrophe. There are times when it feels like the author is hitting you over the head with a two-by-four of science facts. But these can be excused because they are relevant and interesting.

The characters are well-drawn, charming, and down-to-earth. The author even manages to draw the Bush-like President in a likable, if not flattering way. The settings are mundane, yet evocative. The reader is always present in the places and the weather becomes another character.

The ending of this book is really the set-up for the next book, which makes it a bit unsatisfying. But I will definitely read the next two volumes to see where the story takes me.

Lisey's Story (Stephen King)

2007-09-14T04:35:00.000-07:00

[***] ISBN: 9780743289412

It's hard for me to give this book three stars - 'well worth reading'. But it ultimately deserves it, as long as I can qualify the rating. This book is worth reading if you enjoy this sort of thing, or if you want to experience some unique storytelling (and haven't read much by this author, apparently). I fall in the latter camp.

The author truly took some chances here. And he largely pulled it off. Much of the story takes place inside the titular Lisey's mind as she remembers, or is forced to remember, bits of her life with her deceased husband of 25 years, the author Scott Landon. In order to do this, the story needs to jump between the present, Lisey's past with Scott, and Scott's childhood. The mechanism that King uses to do this seemed unique and mostly worked for me. The story also has to jump back and forth between the real world and an alternate world that isn't quite imaginary, but is made of the stuff of dreams and nightmares. This also worked somewhat. The widow's state of mind, along with that of other characters, is often reflected by the language used. As a whole, this worked, too. As an inspiration for how to tell stories, I found this to be a pretty rich experience. It's not your typical novel.

On the other hand, some other reviews I've seen of the book say that many of these elements, and others, are typical King. I'll have to take their word on that. My problem with the book was not that he'd done this all before, but that he did so much of it. This book did not need to be 600 pages long. I got very close to putting it down at several points. We were spending so much time with Lisey's internal monologue that I was convinced she was simply insane, would not get sane, and that the entire story was ultimately just her own fantasy. When it became clear that this was not entirely the case, that real, albeit unbelievable, events were unfolding, I was able to hang in there. But because the story turned out to be so simple, I wish the author would have stripped away about a third of the words.

This might be the sort of thing you'd like, if you like this sort of thing.

The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film (Charles Lippincott)

2007-09-08T17:44:00.000-07:00

[****] ISBN: 9780345477613

This is an amazing book documenting the amazing story of an amazing film. The big revelation for me was that George Lucas really didn't have the whole story of all of the episodes mapped out before he began the process of making the film (which is what SW lore would have you believe). Amazingly, he didn't even have the entire plot of this first film mapped out until after he started shooting (something that is not that uncommon, but I did not really comprehend) and didn't really finish it off until the end. I think I learned more about story development from following this saga than from reading any other texts on how to do it.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Frank Miller)

2007-08-27T05:35:00.000-07:00

[****] ISBN: 9781563893421

This is a 5-star graphic novel, but only a 3-star book. I split the difference. The problem I have in being more enthusiastic about this book is that by now, twenty years after it was first published, this ground has been thoroughly covered and trampled to the point where it's hard to turn new dirt. It's obvious why it was considered groundbreaking at the time, but there are ways in which it doesn't wear well (Reagan and the communists are gone, you know). That makes it difficult for it to stand up as a true 'classic' piece of literature.

That being said, I do give it high marks for fresh story telling (especially for the time) and for overall endurance (it still is a decent read).

Lost in Space: Voyage to the Bottom of the Soul (Bill Mumy, Michal Dutkiewicz)

2007-08-21T07:24:00.000-07:00

[***] ISBN: 0976543605

This is Bill Mumy's long unfinished epic graphic novel of the Robinson family finally reaching Alpha Centauri. I'm very glad to finally read the whole thing, after having it interrupted when Innovation went out of business over 10 years ago. I liked the story, swiftly read the entire thing in a couple of sittings, and was pleased with the ending. But I have to report some disappointment in the execution.

The good: the story was interesting, true to the characters and held my attention; the preface material by the creators that outlined the history of the book and their history with the franchise was almost the best part

The bad: the storytelling was a bit stiff in spots; the art struck me as varying from lush and beautiful to mushy and awkward; several misspellings in the text

I would recommend this to fans of the series.

Fifty Things To Do When You Turn Fifty (Ronnie Sellers, ed.)

2007-08-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

[**] ISBN: 9781569065907

Yes, this is the birthday I had this year. But this book didn't tell me much I didn't already know. It may be enlightening to someone who was caught completely unaware of their age. But I think most folks hitting this milestone will realize that they aren't kids anymore and will have started thinking these issues through.

That's not to say there isn't good stuff here and that I didn't learn anything. It's just that the essays are all rather short and most of them are very predictable (change your eating habits, exercise, rethink your portfolio, try a new hobby, give something back). I would recommend this as a book to skim through and use as a jumping off point to topics that might need more attention one's life.

The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down (Colin Woodard)

2007-08-17T07:45:00.000-07:00

[***] ISBN: 9780156034623

I listened to the audio edition of this for a couple of weeks. In some ways, I wish that there had been an edited version, instead of having to listen to 383 pages worth of "the 300 ton sloop this" and "the 400 ton frigate captained by Bob Smith" over and over again. But then again, there is an awful lot of ground to cover when discussing pirates in the eighteenth century and the author does an admirable job of focusing on the key players and taking the reader through the events and politics of the time and region. This is a real eye-opener for anyone interested in the subject.

Disclosure (Michael Crichton)

2007-08-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

[**] ISBN: 9780345391056

I'm torn on this one. The story finally sort of paid off. But I actually set it aside for a couple of weeks to read The Golden Compass. It's not that it was bad, the writing was OK. I just didn't care for the characters that much, one of the scenes actually made me very uncomfortable (and not just in the way the author intended), and some of the action hit too close to home (high-tech company politics). That last point could be a little disingenuous on my part, since it's one of the things that attracted me to the book in the first place. I guess I found that I wasn't quite over my recent encounter with that sort of thing (not the sexual harassment stuff per se, just politics).

Anyway, after I picked it up again, the story finally seemed to click and I enjoyed the mystery angle of it all. And I think this type of story will help with the one I'm currently writing, so that's good. But I think there were just a few too many characters, there was a genuine deus ex machina character at the end (someone that had been given one previous scene and then conveniently brought back out of the blue to provide critical information at the critical moment), and I lost a little respect when the author didn't quite get his local facts straight. There is no "Queen Anne's hill" in Seattle. It's simply Queen Anne hill. Wish I could give this three stars, but it only gets two.

The Further Adventures of Hank the Cowdog (John R. Erickson)

2007-08-13T06:50:00.000-07:00

[**] ISBN: 9780877191209

I like children's books. Sometimes it's fun to put one in the mix and read something with a simpler point of view. This isn't a bad one, but I don't think it's a good one. There are some cute concepts, starting with the title character and his 'job'. And there are some interesting supporting characters here. But I think the book falls short on a couple of points.

First, a good children's book doesn't talk down to it's audience. In the most subtle of ways, I think that's what this one does. It's OK to have some rough language in a book about life on a ranch or a farm. But I think the writing here goes a bit too far in an attempt to let kids be in on the joke of a curmudgeonly dog that doesn't take any guff and has a problem with 'eye-crosserosis'.

Second, a good children's book simply shouldn't promote fighting as a way to solve problems. At least not one written in the last twenty years. This one does. OK, 1983 is a bit outside the time window. But I still wouldn't have read it to my kids, if I'd have encountered it back then. This may reflect how dogs act, especially those living on a ranch. That doesn't mean this behavior should be encouraged.

That all being noted, it's not a horrible book. Just disappointing. Perhaps most disappointing was that in a book about a 'cow dog', there were no cows (or other cattle). They're sort of implied by the setting, and maybe the first book in the series had some, but they are not visible in this story.

The Golden Compass (Philip Pullman)

2007-08-10T17:42:00.001-07:00

[****] ISBN: 0440238137

It was very refreshing to read a straight ahead story of fantasy and adventure like this. It's quite a feat for an author to make just about anyone identify with a young girl hero. But that seems to be what Pullman has done here. I keep reading and hearing good things about this series every where.

What worked for me was the powerful prose, the breakneck pace, the engrossing (if ultimately unsatisfying) story, amazing places and colorful characters. What didn't really work for me was where the story wound up. In a way it was inevitable, except I didn't quite accept the convergence of the two adults. But it will be interesting to see where the story goes from here.

The Life And Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir (Bill Bryson)

2007-07-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

[***] ISBN: 9780739315231 (audio) ISBN: 9780375434303 (hardcover)

Bill Bryson grew up in the fifties in the mid-west. This is his story. I grew up in the sixties in the mid-west and west. A bunch of this is also my story.

In some ways, this is everyone's story. The whole idea of 'kidworld', with its own rules. The inexplicability of adults, especially relatives, and their world. The wonderfulness of creating your own entertainments, followed by television and popular culture taking over and defining our lives.

This is also the story of a disappearing way of life. Neighborhoods full of children playing outside, unchaperoned - vanishing. Cities full of distinctive neighborhoods, stores, and restaurants - homogenized by corporations.

I listened to the author reading his own work, and in this case, he pulled it off. Of course, it's his reminiscence. Even beneath the reading, the words were crafted with poetry and care. The book makes the people and places come alive again, in a distinctive and funny way. I do mark the book down a little (I took away a star) because there are several spots where the author turns a bit preachy on a subject or two, diverting the otherwise delightful stream of memories. Otherwise, I'd recommend this book to anyone that wants a flavor of growing up in the fifties.

Orange County Choppers: The Tale of the Teutuls (Senior, Paulie, Mikie)

2007-07-10T06:23:00.000-07:00

[***] ISBN: 9780446528016

This is a good tie-in with the show. Supposedly in their own words, the Tuetuls ('tuttles') and some of their cohorts, describe their pasts, their bikes, their show (American Chopper) and their future.

This isn't really a tell-all book. It's all been told before. But it is comprehensive and colorful, though a bit repetitive (how many times do we need to read that Senior shouts and likes old-school bikes and Paulie is mellow and likes new-school bikes?). The one fact that is not really a surprise, but is under-emphasized elsewhere is the claim that the family makes of being born-again Christians. This does ring true in many ways (they won't do bikes with booze, naked girls or devils). But sometimes the way they act makes you wonder. Then again, who says Christians are perfect (yet)?

All-in-all, a fun read for fans of the show or anyone wondering what it's all about.

It's Good to Be the King: The Seriously Funny Life of Mel Brooks (James Robert Parish)

2007-07-03T19:53:00.000-07:00

[****] ISBN: 9780471752677

I didn't realize that Mel Brooks took his work quite so seriously. I also didn't know how hard he had to work to break into show business. I suppose I should have. Most entertainers are only overnight sensations after they put in years of hard work and paying dues.

I learned a few things about screenwriting and writing comedy, in particular. After writing a script in 30 days myself, working mornings and weekends, I thought someone that devoted full time to it would be able to knock one out in a few months. This especially seemed true of Mel Brooks movies, which seem so unrehearsed at times. But no, he took years to write most of them. And he usually did it with a writing partner or two. Comedy is probably easier to write when you have another sense of humor around to fill in your blind spots.

The biographer himself found a good structure for Mel's story and usually writes well. The text is full of attributions, but doesn't come off as a dry academic exercise. The one disappointing spot I found was the very sparse treatment given to developing Blazing Saddles. This is especially puzzling given the importance of this work in bringing Mel into the national spotlight. No matter, I recommend this to anyone that wants to learn more about this great talent.

Blink: The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking (Malcolm Gladwell)

2007-06-15T04:43:00.000-07:00

[****] ISBN: 9781586217198 (audio)

Blink is a fascinating survey of how the human mind perceives the world, especially in the first two seconds of an encounter. The author balances examples of the mind's incredible power to almost instantly and unconsciously thin slice a situation and reach amazingly accurate conclusions on the slimmest of evidence against it's own tendency to fool itself by semi-consciously over analyzing and yielding to irrelevant input.

Gladwell is a journalist, not a scientist. But that allows him the freedom to wonder far afield to bring together amazingly varied and seemingly unrelated research to build his case. When viewed together, the studies and anecdotes create a tantalizing glimpse of what seems to be happening inside our heads.

Oh, and this is one of the few times when having the author read the audio book works.

Oscar-Winning Screenwriters on Screenwriting (Joel Engel)

2007-06-09T07:44:00.000-07:00

[***] ISBN: 9780786886906

This book gives some insight into the grit, heart and soul of writing for film. Mr. Engel interviewed 11 Oscar-winning writers about their craft and edited the result into 11 monologues that often provide zesty insight into the life of a screenwriter. A common lament is the lack of recognition that the writers get in the industry (and by film fans). A common bond is the love of storytelling. Here and there the reader can also pick up some tips on how to write and sell a good script.

Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting (Syd Field)

2007-06-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

[****] ISBN: 9780385289153

This book is very solid stuff. It's exactly what someone (like me) getting started writing screenplays needs in order to get started and not fly off in the wrong direction. Syd tells you about structure. He tells you about character. He tells you about emotion. This book even gives you a peek at what it will take to market your screenplay (except I haven't read that section because I'm doing Script Frenzy and needed to do more writing). There's a reason why this book is almost always mentioned as a resource to people that want to write for film. I will probably have to get a (more up-to-date) copy of this for my writing bookshelf.

Screenwriting for Hollywood (Michael Hauge)

2007-05-30T07:33:00.000-07:00

[***] ISBN: 9781880717608 (audio only)

These are three hours of highlights of a seminar that Mr. Hauge gives over the course of a weekend. It's a fabulous jumpstart for someone that wants to understand how to write a script. It's not quite as invaluable as a good book on screenwriting (like Syd Field's). But it's well worth a listen and easier to access while commuting to work.

The Incredible Journey (Sheila Burnford)

2007-05-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

[***] ISBN: 0385322798

I've actually given this one more star than I really got out of it. That's because I can tell it's a good book. It just didn't do anything for me at this point in time. I like reading more junior material from time to time. And I got this one thinking it would be good research for a story I was considering in about the same genre. But I've put that project on the back burner and the story didn't otherwise click with me.

The animals are genuine characters, even though they don't talk. The situations are realistic, interesting, exciting and well told. I think where the author lost me was on the overall motivation of the animals to just take off on the journey. That may be part of the realism--how do you really know what an animal is thinking? But it made it hard for me to stick with it. Maybe I'll pick it up again sometime.

Until Proven Guilty (J.A. Jance)

2007-05-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

[**] ISBN: 9781556864148 (audio)

My overall impression of this book is that I didn't like it. I've decided I really don't like the 'hero' J.P. Beaumont. He's not a very good detective and he shows he's much too passive here. He was too easily seduced by the woman in red and I never really quite believed her character at all. Unfortunately, she turned out to be even more key to the story than I was led to believe.

That being said, the writing is not too bad. The settings are vivid. The supporting characters and plot are interesting. And the overall plot was imaginative and surprising. I just won't be spending any more time with detective Beaumont.

Stardust (Neil Gaiman)

2007-05-16T06:25:00.000-07:00

[****] ISBN: 9780061142024

I should have guessed that a 'fairy tale for adults' was going to wind up being a love story, but I really didn't know what to expect (other than a good story) when I picked up this book. All I knew was the generally positive vibe about the author from the comic book world and the jaw-dropping world creation, storytelling and characterizations in the movie MirrorMask. I wanted to see what else he could do.

The magic in this book isn't just in the story. It is also in the storytelling. Somehow, Mr. Gaiman weaves the tale in such a way that the magic seems perfectly plain and natural and the reader simultaneously feels they are aware of all the facts, but knows there is another level, another turn coming. And the reader is correct, there is always another turn. And when the end comes, there is an extra twist. Yet even this feels completely natural and fitting.

The hero is well formed, likable and easy to identify with. He definitely grows up and grows on you. A few characters sort of show up and then disappear. But even they are well drawn.

I'd recommend this to anyone that wants a few hours of completely charming reading.

Knight Life (Peter David)

2007-05-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

[**] ISBN: 9780441010776

This got much higher ratings from readers on Amazon.com than I can justify giving it. I guess after reading several of Peter's later works (all based on licensed properties) and after reading the preface he added about all of the work he put into 'improving' this book, I was expecting 300+ pages of intrigue, fun and giggles. The concept certainly seemed to be there. I just don't think this book executed it.

My problems with the story are several: (1) The plot is pedestrian. It never really engaged my interest. It was pretty obvious that Arthur would become mayor of New York. There were too few surprises in how he got there. (2) The characters were stereotypical. We already know Arthur is tragic and heroic and that Morgan Le Fey is wicked. But shouldn't we (or they) know more about why after a thousand or more years? (3) The comedy implied by the situation was never really given a chance to pay off. Either it was far too subtle for my feeble brain, or I was in a bad mood, or it just wasn't there.

Even so, I was glad to read one of Peter David's earlier works (even though it is updated). I did read it all of the way through. I won't stop looking for and reading his other works.

Here's Johnny! (Ed Mcmahon)

2007-04-27T21:18:00.000-07:00

[**] ISBN: 159859088X (CD) 9780786285785 (hardcover)

This was enjoyable, but I was hoping for so more. Over the course of four-plus hours, Ed regales the listener with memories of Johnny Carson. Often these are new and funny (which is what I expected), sometimes only one or the other, all too often they are neither.

It's obvious that Ed Mcmahon has a high regard for Johnny Carson and he wants to make a convincing case for us to like him, too. Here and there, there are genuine insights into the man that was our late-night master of ceremonies for thirty years. Ed also shares some interesting background on his own journey into television and how he and Johnny were thrown together. Most of the time, however, we are left bobbing on the surface wishing we could see beneath the water line.

How many times must Ed remind us he was a side-show barker? A marine? A mini-celebrity in Philadelphia local television? Why must he tell us the well-known Ed Ames "hatchet throwing story" at all, much less two times or more?

I still have fond memories of Johnny and Ed. They were the "forbidden fruit" of after-bedtime television when I growing up. In this audio book, Ed adds a few more good memories. I just wish he would have added more.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (J.K. Rowling)

2007-04-18T22:32:00.000-07:00

[****] ISBN: 9780590353403

More catching up for me. I suppose I must concur with the rest of the world and declare that this is a highly entertaining and readable book. It is definitely incredible that this is the first effort by the author. She hit so many notes just right. Almost as incredible is the fact that she's apparently sustained it through many more volumes.

The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)

2007-04-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

[***] ISBN: 9780684801520

Yes, it's really that Gatsby. I probably read this back in high school, but I have no strong memory of it. I think I probably enjoyed it more this time around. Yet was also disappointing.

The writing is evocative and beautiful. The plot is spun out in an interesting and charming manner, even though it is ultimately quite simple. The characters are richly drawn, if mostly unsympathetic, misguided and tragic. The settings appear sketchy, with only major features and no minor details. This is a book to which to return, in order to learn poetic, lyrical and emotional storytelling.

Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Richard P. Feynman)

2007-04-13T21:07:00.000-07:00

[***] ISBN: 9780393019216

This was quite entertaining to listen to. It's not so much a biography, or even a memoir, as a bunch of personal anecdotes. These happen to be more interesting than the personal anecdotes of most people, even most celebrities. And somehow, Mr. Feynman (and his co-author) manage to organize them in such a way that they actually do say quite a bit about the life of this well-loved and quirky physics professor (there are even some references to the physics he did). Along the way, he manages to say or imply quite a bit about what it means to live life to the fullest. However, I was a bit taken aback (and somewhat disappointed) by some of the more colorful adventures and his free-wheeling attitude toward sex and drinking.

A Day With Wilbur Robinson (William Joyce)

2007-04-11T13:30:00.000-07:00

[***] ISBN: 9780060229672

Saw the film (Meet the Robinsons); had to read the book, even though it's a slim volume for young children (ages 4-8). It's easy to see why someone thought this was charming. But it also must have been a chore adding a real story to what is essentially just a collection of humorous vignettes. Apparently, there is a second edition that adds a few more scenes, but is still not exactly what is in the film. Fun!

The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One, 1929-1965 (Robert Silverburg, ed.)

2007-04-05T22:06:00.000-07:00

[****] ISBN: 0765305364

I got this in order to read the short story that inspired the current move The Last Mimzy. The story is "Mimsy Were the Borogroves" by Lewis Padgett (1943). It's pretty good, and indicative of the era. It raises interesting questions about nature verses nurture, sparingly told and barely framed within a time travel context. It will be interesting to see what the film makers have done with it.

As to the collection itself, if I didn't already have a couple of solid collections of short science fiction stories, I would be tempted to obtain a copy for my own library. These were chosen (a while ago) by the members of the Science Fiction Writers of America as a way to honor stories that were written before the society began bestowing the Nebula awards. I would love to, and probably should, read through the entire thing. But that will probably have to wait.

From Sawdust to Stardust: The Biography of DeForest Kelley, Star Trek's Dr. McCoy (Terry Lee Rioux)

2007-03-31T14:50:00.000-07:00

[***] ISBN: 0743457625

This is a pretty decent account of the life of the actor that brought to life one of the great cultural icons of my time. After having read the autobiographies of many of the actors behind the other major characters of Star Trek, I had always wished that DeForest had written his as well. Since he did not, I was glad to find someone did it on his behalf.

There's plenty here to like. There are many details about his formative years and pre-Trek career in cowboy films and television. There's also an appropriate amount of detail about his later illness and passing. I really like how the author was able to elicit plenty of memories and opinions from De's neighbors and friends. Oh yeah, she also includes plenty of anecdotes about making the Star Trek television shows and movies.

What didn't work is expecting the reader to always remember the cast of unknown characters surrounding the Kelleys in their private life. I've never heard of these people, so it was hard to keep them straight. I needed a bit more structure so I could remember how they fit into the picture (was that someone he met at the Long Beach theater or is it the mail man?). One other annoyance for me was the occasional lapse into editorial by the author, as she waxed poetic about the meaning of Star Trek or DeForest Kelley's career. But this was usually excusable.

Recommended for anyone who loves Star Trek, or cowboy movies.

The Art of Fiction: A Guide for Writers and Readers (Ayn Rand)

2007-03-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

[**] ISBN: 0786188847

This is a frustrating work. It's filled with wonderful thoughts and ideas about how fiction works, how to make characters live and breath with emotion and how authors can enhance their own creative process. On the other hand, it's also full of preposterous ideas about the purpose of fiction, what makes a book worth writing or reading and her own philosophical invective.

To top off my frustration, I watched the film version of her book The Fountainhead, in order to get a flavor of her writing. As I feared, it's full of the same melodramatic, selfish, intellectual drivel. I felt like Ayn (who wrote the book and the screenplay) was constantly pounding the sides of my head with a philosophical two-by-four using her completely ridiculous dialog (this stuff might work in some sorts of books, but it never works in film). It ruined what could have been a fascinating film with amazing directing and acting (very evident when no one was speaking). Whatever inclination I might have had to actually read some of her fiction has been squeezed out of my brain.

My hope is to remember and use the more practical and reasonable ideas that Rand puts forward in The Art of Fiction. I also hope to forget the crap (and never again hear the word bromide). It's too bad that's unlikely.

The Skystone (Jack Whyte)

2007-03-10T07:59:00.001-08:00

[****] ISBN: 0812551389

I believe I first got tipped off about this series by reading a rave on Orson Scott Card's blog. I'm glad I followed up on it.

The Skystone is the first volume of many in a retelling of the legend of King Arthur and Camelot (according to the reviews and the cover blurb). You wouldn't know it from reading the story (until you start getting clues in the latter half of the book). This story is set years before Arthur, when Britain was still under the rule of Rome and the Roman legions. It follows Plublius Varrus, one of those Roman soldiers, through well-staged bloody battles, intriguing political feuds and troubling personal demons. This is quite an adventure.

I found the writing and plotting to be first-rate overall. I read the book straight through in a week (it helped to be sitting in airports and on planes). A few things keep me from giving it a full four stars: (1) Secondary characters seem to be either fully trustworthy and noble or not. It's way too easy to identify allies and enemies. Where are the turncoats? (2) Life in ancient Britain comes across as a bit too idyllic. Although some difficulties are described, the author glosses over many of the harsh realities of everyday life in this period. (3) Typical of most secular books, the Christian themes are very muted and easily confused with simple morality.

I will definitely find and read the rest of the books in this series.

Cryptid: The Lost Legacy of Lewis & Clark (Eric Penz)

2007-03-03T07:56:00.000-08:00

[***] ISBN: 158348485X

Somehow I stumbled across this author's web site and got excited because he lived nearby, worked full time and had still managed to get something written and published. More dots connected because I had recently read (er, listened to) a history of Lewis and Clark and was also starting to work on a novel revolving around a fictional creature and a cover-up. Thankfully, Cryptid is both completely different than what I have in mind and proves that the concept can work.

The early chapters of the book worked the best for me. They draw vivid pictures of convincing characters in dire situations and create a fascinating world of paleontology, anthropology and history in which the creature (bigfoot) can exist, along with the cover-up. But then the story bogs down even as the pace picks up. The middle of the book, filled with thrilling scenes, turns into a muddle -- a seemingly endless chase through the dark (underground and in the forest), filled with nasty people, malevolent beasts and a rising body count. This was not at all what I expected or wanted. And then the end wraps it all up (just like that).

That being said, I found the book hard to put down. The prose is clear and compelling. The dialog is true. Events follow each other pretty logically (though I did find I lost track of a few things). I hope my story turns out at least this well.

I Shouldn't Even Be Doing This! (Bob Newhart)

2007-02-20T07:36:00.000-08:00

[***] ISBN: 1401384862 (abridged CD) 1401302467 (hardcover)

I love Bob Newhart. My dad shared his humor with me, so I shared this book with him for his birthday and then downloaded the audio version from the library. It had me giggling in the car. Even routines that are as old as I am (since both my life and Bob's career started in the 1950's) brought at least a smile. They're no longer fresh. But they are still funny.

What's richer is hearing Bob tell them in the context of the story of his career. Sometimes he let's us in on where the idea came from, or how much work it was to create or how someone stole his material. His life has been interesting, but not overly so (other than being a celebrity). He's just this guy from Chicago.

There's nothing shocking here. Yes, he smoked and quit. Yes, he drank and still does. But, thank God, neither has led to real tragedy. He courted and stayed married. He raised kids. He has not renounced his faith or church. He kept working and still does. I still like Bob Newhart.

Tyrannosaur Canyon (Douglas Preston)

2007-02-12T11:50:00.000-08:00

[**] ISBN: 0765311046

I thought this would have everything I could want in a thriller: a mysteriously missing moon rock sample (which is ignored between the prologue and the last few chapters), an indecipherable treasure map, a murder, a trail of mystery with more questions than answers, men and women at odds with nature and each other - plus dinosaurs and a moon landing (!). Based on his track record, I guess the author should have been able to pull this off. He didn't.

Much of the story is admirable enough and full of suspense. The first few chapters had me really going. And for a while the mystery was somewhat interesting. But then it turned into a simple kidnapping story on the one hand and an oversimplified "CSI:Cretaceous" on the other. Followed up by the return of the moon rock by way of a rogue NSA black op.

On top of that, the storytelling was not up to my expectations of a best-selling author. I do not expect a potboiler like this to also be a piece of fine literature But I would like the story to move forward by means other than structure and inertia. I don't want the story constantly chopped up with irrelevant detail, description and storytelling (rather than showing). And I'd like chapters to be more than a half a scene, chopped up just for the sake of creating suspense.

While the characters were more than cardboard cutouts, they were fraught with cliché (the murderer is an ex-con, his boss is a fop, the ex-CIA monk is grizzled, etc.) and convenient coincidences (the wife knows how to handle guns as well as horses, the ex-CIA monk is a cryptographer, the geologist is also skilled at paleontology).

This is not a complete disaster. In many ways it was a fun read (er... listen). But I learned just as much about how not to tell a story than how to do it.

Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom (Cory Doctorow)

2007-02-03T13:36:00.000-08:00

[***] ISBN: 0765304368

It was interesting reading this book right on the heals of Rainbow's End by Vernor Vinge. Both books cover some of the same territory: in the not too distant future (a century or two) on Earth, medical technology is extending and enhancing life (indefinitely, in the case of Doctorow's Bitchun Society), computing and networking has become even more ubiquitous (to the point that most or all folks 'wear' or have implanted devices). But the two books are quite different. I liked them both.

Whereas Mr. Vinge went for depth and detail and epic sweep, Cory went for outrageousness, fun and personal intrigue. This is emphasized by the first-person perspective and locating most of the story in and around Disney World. Cory's rendering is much more approachable and fun to read, as well. I was able to jump right into the story and enjoyed almost every single page. Then again, I'm also a Disney-phile and probably have at least as much knowledge about the park (well, at least Disneyland) as the author. It's likely that those without such background or leanings would not be able to fill in as much detail and not enjoy it as much. For them, perhaps Mr. Doctorow could have spent a bit more time coloring in the whole picture. But that might have slowed things down to much.

I am looking forward to reading more stories by Cory Doctorow.

Rainbow's End (Vernor Vinge)

2007-01-26T05:47:00.000-08:00

[***] ISBN: 0312856849

I'm torn about this book.

On the one hand, the ideas presented about the cyberfuture and medical utopia are compelling, truly futuristic, solidly grounded in the present and completely developed. Mr. Vinge has extrapolated a networked near future full of technological miracles and complications. Anyone working or playing in the field of computers, gaming and networks, as I do, can easily start to believe in the inevitability of the vision. The reader loses track of the here and now, living entirely in that other world. Several main characters are full of life and motivation, I found myself yearning to learn what they would do next and why. They often surprised me.

On the other hand, getting there was somewhat laborious. The novelty and virtuality of the invented future, the mystery surrounding several characters and their motivations, and the obscure nature of many fantasies within the fantasy made some scenes difficult to wade through. Even at the end of the book, not everything or everyone is explained. On the one hand, I believe this is intentional. Hats off to Mr. Vinge for not spoon feeding the reader and allowing us to fill in the blanks with our own imaginations. On the other hand, I know there are potential readers that will be left completely at sea.

This is thought-provoking, challenging science fiction at its finest. If you want to know where our technology and entertainment choices are taking us, this might be it.

Callahan's Con (Spider Robinson)

2007-01-22T17:17:00.000-08:00

[**] ISBN: 0786183470

I had some fun listening to this book. But I have to hold back on giving it a very high rating. Even knowing that one has to suspend disbelief for this sort of book and that this book is meant to be over the top, I thought the characters, situation and plot were a bit too contrived. The denizens of "The Place" are too varied, too goofy and too understanding to be remotely believable. It's hard enough to get four or five people to agree on anything, much less a hundred or more. The whole mob plot was much too stereotyped. And Mr. Robinson violated some of his own rules of time traveling when it came right down to carrying out the con.

To top it off, I found the prose to be somewhat forced. And the humor was off the mark. I will probably try another Callahan book. Perhaps the earlier volumes that actually include Mike Callahan, where the story is just getting started are better.

Writing Mysteries: A Handbook by the Mystery Writers of America

2007-01-03T21:51:00.000-08:00

[****] ISBN: 1582971021

Back in October, I read and reviewed Writing the Mystery. It was not all it advertised itself to be. In contrast, Writing Mysteries is everything it claims to be (a handbook) and more, including everything that the previous book touted. I think one reason this volume is so much more successful is that it is written by a collection of successful, published mystery writers. They bring a variety of viewpoints and tips such that the total exceeds the sum of the parts. Each essay also stands on its own, available as a reference on a particular topic. Any author, beginning or experienced, writing a mystery or other genre, can find help or encouragement in this book.

Great Sky River (Gregory Benford)

2006-12-25T07:35:00.000-08:00

[***] ISBN: 0553273183

Well, now I'm hooked. This is the third book in Benford's "Galactic Center" series, but the first one set this far in the future. I liked it. I will have to see what happens in the next book, too.

The author has created a rich world of the future where mankind is on the run from intelligent machines that dominate his world. Centuries of human advancement have seemingly been lost in the years of war. The story is about the struggle of a last few hundred on one planet.

Mr. Benford heightens the interest by allowing the characters to speak in a language that is both familiar and different. The world they inhabit is alien to both them and the reader and the author's descriptions keep it that way, without getting burdensome.

This is one of the most satisfying SF novels I've read in a while.

Men In Black (Steve Perry)

2006-12-10T19:42:00.000-08:00

[**]

I often like film novelizations. Done well, they open up the interior life of the characters that is largely invisible on film. Like most things, the quality can be hit or miss. This is a miss. Rather than use the opportunity of the written words to drive deeper into the characters, revealing their thoughts and capturing their motivations (well, he does try), the author mostly attempts to capture the humor of the movie. The trouble is, much of the movie humor was visual. That does not often translate well into prose.

A few things work. I liked some of what he did with the inner life of the bug (Edgar). But much of the alien vocabulary was too obviously just throw away. He captures a little of the playful banter between Jay and Kay. Even this sometimes comes off a little forced.

It's not like I wish I had a flashy thing to erase my memories of the book. I will have to watch the movie a couple of times, though, to write over those memories with the better stuff.

Zen in the Art of Writing (Ray Bradbury)

2006-12-07T22:44:00.000-08:00

[****]

I found this short (176 pages of sparse text) collection of essays on the writerly art to be both inspirational and educational. I am also, sadly, a bit intimidated. Mr. Bradbury has a unique gift of almost photographic observation that he uses to great effect in creating works of great insight and color. On the other hand, there are lessons to be learned here of how to think beyond what others perceive and capture those images and thoughts in words for them to enjoy. I will have to revisit this book and try to learn a bit from this master storyteller.

Sunk (me)

2006-11-29T22:50:00.000-08:00

Sunk is the working title for the partial first draft of a novel I wrote in November for National Novel Writing Month (see my NaNoWriMo Adventure). And while it's not exactly something I read, it's what has kept me busy this month not reading other stuff. I should have some other books finished and mini-reviewed, soon.

Blog Reboot

2006-11-25T13:07:00.000-08:00

I'm taking the opportunity here to repurpose this blog. I'm sure I'm the only one that cares.

Rather than mix in a bunch of blogistic murmuring about my life and how it relates to everything, I'm streamlining this to just comment on books that I've read. Previous posts about books are being split into their constituent parts and each entry will now be dated with the (sometimes approximate) day that I finished (or put down) the work.

Harvest of Stars (Poul Anderson)

2006-11-10T12:58:00.000-08:00

[*]

The one star rating is as low as I'll go. I did not finish this book. Maybe it's because I don't feel like investing the time it in (it's 531 pages long). Maybe it's because it's filled with crazy dialect-ridden dialog. Maybe it's because it comes across as a hyperbolic rant against religion and government. I think it's all of that and because it just wasn't very interesting. The premise appears to be that there is some future where governments are mostly puppets of huge corporations and special interest groups. One of the more powerful and benign corporations finds itself in conflict with a somewhat fascist special interest that is currently running one of the larger governments. There is intrigue. There is an AI. There are special agents. Yawn. I could put it down and did. I don't know if I'll ever pick it up again.

Injustice For All (J.A. Jance)

2006-11-01T11:40:00.000-08:00

[***]

On a lark, I picked this up from the $1 rack at Half-Price Books. I liked it. It's not necessarily one of my all-time favorite books. But it is a solid, enjoyable read in the mystery genre. The protagonist, J.P. Beaumont, is your typical hard-boiled police detective, softened up a bit for the Seattle P.D.

I discovered after reading the story that this is the second entry in the series. I knew it wasn't the first, based on references to previous events. In this entry, Beau is recovering at the Rosario Resort from the events of the first book. A dead man shows up on the beach almost on page one. From there the body count mounts and the detective must deal with his healing emotions, his feelings for one of the victims and clues that don't add up.

The writing is good. The characters are fine, though I question some of Beau's morals. And that's where some of the problems arise. I think the plotting that involves his relationships with other characters in the book are a bit hard to take.

All in all, though, a good read.

Writing the Mystery (G. Miki Hayden)

2006-10-30T21:47:00.000-08:00

[**]

This book does not come close to living up to its cover blurb. It is not a "start-to-finish" guide. Some of this may not be entirely the author's fault. It's just that most of the lessons in the book are readily available elsewhere, and I've already read them. A complete novice may find some of the material to be helpful, although it is not presented in the most accessible way. An expert would be completely bored.

About half of the interviews in the back of the book were interesting. I love to read about how other writers approach the craft. Many of the interviews are allowed to veer into areas that have little to do with writing mystery novels, eliminating the need to even include them.

Someone considering this book would do better to find Writing Mysteries: A Handbook by the Mystery Writers of America edited by Susan Grafton. I am most of the way through that book and it is much more insightful and accessible.

Rum Punch (Elmore Leonard)

2006-09-10T12:32:00.000-07:00

[***]

I'd say this was a pretty decent Elmore Leonard book. Not great. But decent. I think the trouble that I had was that it was hard to find a character to really like and identify with. I had the same trouble with the movie (Jackie Brown), but the visual style of that made it fascinating to watch. In this one, many of the characters are just plain nasty and I didn't want to spend all that much time with them.

Songs of Distant Earth (Arthur C. Clarke)

2006-09-06T13:28:00.000-07:00

[***]

This is a very clever short story made novel length. What happens when ark-ships are sent to distant planets and the humans are raised by robots, along with the rest of the flora and fauna. Who decides the kind of social structure they will inherit? Who decides what kind of art and culture they get? What happens when much speedier travel is possible and their cousins from earth show up, carrying all the negative cultural and sociological baggage the ark-children were denied?

These are interesting questions, entertainingly entertained. Ultimately, the typical, liberal spin is given to everything. But the story is nicely told and most of the characters are richly drawn.

Black (Ted Dekker)

2006-09-06T07:48:00.000-07:00

[*]

Ted Dekker is supposed to be a pretty good writer. I would not assent to that proposition based on this book. Based on the high ratings and good reviews of this work on Amazon.com, I had hoped this would be a good introduction to the author and a fun, but challenging, read. I could barely finish it.

The one thing Mr. Dekker does well here is create two distinct worlds and keep the protagonist and the reader wondering which one is real. Is it the world that seems to be our own, with all of its wars, disease and crime? Or is it the land the protagonist visits when he is sleeping (or in a coma), where evil is decidedly black and good is innocent and naive?

The problem is that I don't care. The fantasy world is not rich enough and things are too black and white. The allegory is both too obvious and too dense to penetrate. I'm not sure what the author is trying to show. Events in the real world are either too coincidental or too dependent on an almost omniscient and omnipotent antagonist. No one has that kind of power and insight. And the protagonist is too laid back for a novel. Things just happen to him, even when he's trying to be a bit assertive. I made it all the way to the end of the book, looking for something to really happen or be explained. It never was. And I don't care enough about it to pick up the other two books and spend the hours needed to read them.

Deception Pass (Earl Emerson)

2006-09-04T12:36:00.000-07:00

[***]

This is the second or third book I've read by Mr. Emerson. He's a good writer. But this book was disappointing. The protagonist, Thomas Black, seemed a bit too goofy. There were a few too many coincidences. And there was not enough taking place at the Deception Pass of the title. I think there's enough here to make me sample this writer again.

A Bridge Too Far (Cornelius Ryan)

2006-08-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

[***]

This is the rugged, true and tragic history of Operation: Marketgarden. Mr. Ryan does a grand job of introducing us to the men involved in this operation, from the generals down to the cooks. The only trouble is that this is the largest operation of World War II and there are just too darn many of them to keep straight. So you just have to slog forward (somewhat like they did) and trust in the author. With that in mind, you are treated to the grand sweep of the plan, the infeasibility of key parts of it and the personal cost and valor involved in attempting it. Good maps and photos, too.

Universal Principles of Design (William Lidwell)

2006-07-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

[**]

There are a lot of positive reviews for this on Amazon.com. I was not impressed. I guess if you need a reference list of obvious human factors principles, this would be it. But I think it's too general to be a real reference book for any given application.

Strange Angel (George Pendle)

2006-06-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

[****]

The sub-title says it all: The Otherworldly Life of Rocket Scientist John Whiteside Parsons. I saw this lying on a table at the library and was fascinated by the cover, both the title and the pictures. Reading the jacket convinced me, I had to know more about this goofy mad scientist that worked on rocket engines and hung around with science fiction authors and spiritual con men at the dawn of the rocket age. I had never heard of him before and now I will never forget him.

City (Clifford Simak)

2006-05-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

[***]

I liked this. It's really four long short stories (or three stories and a novella?) based on the premise that in the far future man has departed the earth for a better place, dogs have inherited the earth (with the help of the robots man built for them) and man has become the stuff of myth and legend.

The downside of the book is that you have to be willing to put up with early fifties anachronisms like impossible sociology (everyone moves to huge suburban estates, commutes by helicopter and communicates by television) and completely speculative science (something does live under all that gas pressure on Jupiter and man can be surgically altered to adapt to the same environment). Fascinating.

The Girl in the Hairy Paw (Ronald Gottesman)

2006-04-11T13:30:00.000-07:00

Double Star (Robert Heinlein)

2006-03-28T13:18:00.000-08:00

[****] audiobook

Wonderful stuff. A space-opera, told in first person, about an actor caught up in political intrigue of galactic proportions (in a future imagined in 1956). The imagined martians are as anachronistic as the rockets. Still, I need to read more stuff like this.

The Third Policeman (Flann O'Brien)

2006-03-26T13:16:00.000-08:00

[*]

One of the few books I have started that I actually did not finish. Perhaps I would have slogged through it if I felt like I had some leisure time (that is, time to waste). But I didn't feel that way and this is certainly even more esoteric and off-beat than I was expecting. Somehow this abstract 'novel' (with no real plot, how can it really be a novel?) is referenced or related to the television show Lost. I hope I read enough to figure out how. Something about death and hell and infinite loops, but it was also supposed to be funny (in some Irish way that I didn't understand). We'll see.

P.S. I still haven't seen how this relates to Lost (11/25/06)

Kong Unbound (edited by Karen Haber)

2006-03-23T13:14:00.000-08:00

[***]

Some of these I skipped, but I read most. Several helped me with insights into the Kong myth and origins. Others were just personal ruminations that were fun, but irrelevent.

Living Dangerously: Merian C. Cooper (Mark Cotta Vaz)

2006-03-14T13:12:00.000-08:00

[****]

This is the biography of the creator of King Kong. I had not previously known that this guy had lived a life rivaling Indiana Jones or any other adventurer. I thoroughly enjoyed this and might have to read it again. But not too soon, or I'll spoil any chance I have of writing my story about the origins of Kong.

California Girl (T. Jefferson Parker)

2006-03-09T13:11:00.000-08:00

[***] audio

Since we both attended the University of California at Irvine, I've been wanting to read something by this author for a long time. This had it's faults, which other, better critics have called out (the family relations were a bit contrived and clumsy, and the epic sweep did not sweep me up). But I thought the prose was grand and I loved reading about my old stomping grounds in Orange County, California.

Robison Crusoe (Daniel Defoe)

2006-02-23T11:59:00.000-08:00

[****] audiobook

Yes, this is the classic novel by Daniel Defoe. Yes, its old and stodgy in a way, but it's wonderful stuff. I read or heard something that said it was the original English-language novel. How did one guy get it so right? Yes, it's anachronistic. But it's also engaging and fun, especially when read aloud by someone with a British accent.

Golden Buddha (Clive Cussler and Craig Dirgo)

2006-02-10T12:25:00.000-08:00

[*] audio

Wow! What a truly horrendous mash of contrived television-grade plots and stereotyped characters and clunky writing. How did this get published? If these guys can get a book into print, I think I can. From what I've read, this is not representative of Clive's writing. I will give him another chance. Please don't read this book.