10.30.2004
Sex, Time and Power
by Leonard Shlain, 370 pgs, hardcover
Amazon site
Overall Grade: B
This guy has some very interesting points to make about how the unique reproductive changes to the human species brought out our understanding of time and hence, other structures that persist in our modern society. While I can buy some of, he has an obvious feminist streak running through the book that reaks sometimes.
Humans really a weird species, I'll grant him that.
Amazon site
Overall Grade: B
This guy has some very interesting points to make about how the unique reproductive changes to the human species brought out our understanding of time and hence, other structures that persist in our modern society. While I can buy some of, he has an obvious feminist streak running through the book that reaks sometimes.
Humans really a weird species, I'll grant him that.
Labels: genre: non-fiction, genre: science, media: book
The Essential Illiad
by Homer, translated by Stanley Lombardo
157 pgs, paperback
Amazon site
Overall Grade: B-
Usually Homer is pretty good, and I really did like Lombardo's translation. Its very easy to read and just has a really good feel to it. But perhaps my thoughts are tainted by the rushed pace I had to read this book in for class. I didn't even read the preface, but that usually just talks about things I went over & over again last year when my class read Lombardo's Odyssey translation. Plot: Story begins where the Greeks are fighting the Trojans because Helen ran off with Paris like ten years ago. Mostly this story is about Achilles and how stubborn he is and how the gods are manipulating everybody. Most of you probably know the basics of the story, just let me add that the Illiad doesn't cover all you know about the Trojan War; no prologue of Helen actually leaving; no Trojan horse; forget the movie. Also, lots of extraneous details are loped off of this edition, so if you want a quicker read, this is it.
157 pgs, paperback
Amazon site
Overall Grade: B-
Usually Homer is pretty good, and I really did like Lombardo's translation. Its very easy to read and just has a really good feel to it. But perhaps my thoughts are tainted by the rushed pace I had to read this book in for class. I didn't even read the preface, but that usually just talks about things I went over & over again last year when my class read Lombardo's Odyssey translation. Plot: Story begins where the Greeks are fighting the Trojans because Helen ran off with Paris like ten years ago. Mostly this story is about Achilles and how stubborn he is and how the gods are manipulating everybody. Most of you probably know the basics of the story, just let me add that the Illiad doesn't cover all you know about the Trojan War; no prologue of Helen actually leaving; no Trojan horse; forget the movie. Also, lots of extraneous details are loped off of this edition, so if you want a quicker read, this is it.
Labels: genre: fiction, genre: foreign language, genre: historical, media: book
10.17.2004
An Almost Perfect Moment
by Binnie Kirshenbaum, 321 pgs, hardcover
Amazon site
Overall Grade: B-
This was a pretty interesting book about a Jewish girl, her mother, and the world she lives in, which is Brooklyn a few decades ago. The plot is something about how she becomes mysteriously pregnant and how she affects other people's life. She also looks like the Virgin Mary, which is used to some effect, but is not a complete model. Anyway, what was really good about this story was the way the author captured how people act and think. There's lots of second-thoughts & changed minds, but they never have happy literary out-comes. Instead, the bends & twists of relationships are captured pretty realistically. There's a little bit of language and some sexual stuff, but its really not dwelled on how alot of modern fiction does. Decent read.
Amazon site
Overall Grade: B-
This was a pretty interesting book about a Jewish girl, her mother, and the world she lives in, which is Brooklyn a few decades ago. The plot is something about how she becomes mysteriously pregnant and how she affects other people's life. She also looks like the Virgin Mary, which is used to some effect, but is not a complete model. Anyway, what was really good about this story was the way the author captured how people act and think. There's lots of second-thoughts & changed minds, but they never have happy literary out-comes. Instead, the bends & twists of relationships are captured pretty realistically. There's a little bit of language and some sexual stuff, but its really not dwelled on how alot of modern fiction does. Decent read.
Labels: genre: fiction, media: book
10.13.2004
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
by Erik Larson, 390 pgs, hardback
Amazon page
Overall Grade: B+
While this book was very interesting, it just wasn't catchy enough to make my A-list. Anyway, this is an awesome historical work about the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, or Columbian Exhibitition as it was known at the time. You'd be surprised how many things in our American heritage came from that fair. It has colorful descriptions of the problems constructing the fair, behind schedule, overcost, and during an economic downturn. The devil is one, perhaps, two really psycho people, one of whom befriended and murdered young women that found their way to Chicago. I recommend this read to anybody interested in the subjects I described above.
Amazon page
Overall Grade: B+
While this book was very interesting, it just wasn't catchy enough to make my A-list. Anyway, this is an awesome historical work about the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, or Columbian Exhibitition as it was known at the time. You'd be surprised how many things in our American heritage came from that fair. It has colorful descriptions of the problems constructing the fair, behind schedule, overcost, and during an economic downturn. The devil is one, perhaps, two really psycho people, one of whom befriended and murdered young women that found their way to Chicago. I recommend this read to anybody interested in the subjects I described above.
Labels: genre: historical, genre: non-fiction, media: book
The Grim Grotto: A Series of Unfortunate Events #11
by Lemony Snicket, 325 pgs, hardcover
Amazon site
Overall Grade: A
Series: A Series of Unfortunate Events
I can tear through these books so fast now that I could hardly remember if I liked it or not. This one was pretty good though. A few more pieces fell together, at least for me, and I enjoyed the way that the characters are actually growing up. And can you believe it, it has a not unhappy ending!
To shame if you are expecting a plot summary, you need to start at "A Bad Beginning"
Amazon site
Overall Grade: A
Series: A Series of Unfortunate Events
I can tear through these books so fast now that I could hardly remember if I liked it or not. This one was pretty good though. A few more pieces fell together, at least for me, and I enjoyed the way that the characters are actually growing up. And can you believe it, it has a not unhappy ending!
To shame if you are expecting a plot summary, you need to start at "A Bad Beginning"
Labels: genre: fiction, genre: YA, media: book, series: Series of Unfortunate Events
10.08.2004
The Gormenghast Trilogy
by Mervyn Peake
953 pgs, paperback
Barnes & Noble page
Overall Grade: B+
This is book actaully encompasses 3 works, 'Titus Groan' 'Gormenghast' and 'Titus Alone.' The first two were made into an excellent tv miniseries by the BBC a few years back which prompted me to read them in the first place. That said, these are some of the weirdest books you'll ever read. The first two are very cohesive and tell the intertwining story of the boyhood of the future Earl Titus, his sister Fuchsia, power-hungry former kitchen boy named Steerpike, and the large cast of surrounding characters. Peake devotes long passages to describing precedent and physical aspects of the characters. This is definitely not a book to make you happy, or mow through without a mental commitment. Once you get past that a wonderfully rich, dark world flows around as you read. Unfortunately the last book feels much more piecemeal. Perhaps this is an effect to enhance the reader's immersion into Titus' character, but personally I was just puzzled most of the time. Titus is a hard one to understand & I'm pretty sure that I don't get it because I have little to none of the issues he grapples with. Overall quite excellent, watch the miniseries too!
953 pgs, paperback
Barnes & Noble page
Overall Grade: B+
This is book actaully encompasses 3 works, 'Titus Groan' 'Gormenghast' and 'Titus Alone.' The first two were made into an excellent tv miniseries by the BBC a few years back which prompted me to read them in the first place. That said, these are some of the weirdest books you'll ever read. The first two are very cohesive and tell the intertwining story of the boyhood of the future Earl Titus, his sister Fuchsia, power-hungry former kitchen boy named Steerpike, and the large cast of surrounding characters. Peake devotes long passages to describing precedent and physical aspects of the characters. This is definitely not a book to make you happy, or mow through without a mental commitment. Once you get past that a wonderfully rich, dark world flows around as you read. Unfortunately the last book feels much more piecemeal. Perhaps this is an effect to enhance the reader's immersion into Titus' character, but personally I was just puzzled most of the time. Titus is a hard one to understand & I'm pretty sure that I don't get it because I have little to none of the issues he grapples with. Overall quite excellent, watch the miniseries too!
Labels: genre: fantasy, genre: fiction, media: book
10.02.2004
Gattaca soundtrack
~55 minutes
Hastings website w/ track clips
Overall Grade: A
I'm pretty much in love with this music right now. After happily stumbling across at a local B&N while killing time, I am now spinning this almost non-stop. I think the best thing about it is that there aren't really any tracks that I dislike or skip through. Enjoyable, classical-type music the whole way through. However, if pressed I would have to say that 'The One Moment' 'Becoming Jerome' and 'The Departure' are some my favorites.
Hastings website w/ track clips
Overall Grade: A
I'm pretty much in love with this music right now. After happily stumbling across at a local B&N while killing time, I am now spinning this almost non-stop. I think the best thing about it is that there aren't really any tracks that I dislike or skip through. Enjoyable, classical-type music the whole way through. However, if pressed I would have to say that 'The One Moment' 'Becoming Jerome' and 'The Departure' are some my favorites.
Labels: genre: scifi, genre: soundtrack, media: music
