Aug 25 2006
Books I’ve Read Recently
I’ve written lengthy (i.e. more than 20 words) book reviews in the past, but I’ve gotten lazy, with piles of books by the computer as a reminder to write something about them. So fuck it, here are short reviews in the J-Walk style:
- Marley & Me by John Grogan
(8/10)
This is a true tale of how John and his family raised a rambunctious Labrador retriever. It’s often laugh-out-loud funny, but I suspect only animals lovers will enjoy the tale. He’s a good writer, making you empathic to his joys and woes. - Ex Libris by Ross King
(6/10)
This is a bit of a mystery that takes place in the 1600s in London, England, during the Thirty Years War. The story provides a lot of history and atmosphere of that era. It’s about a bookseller hunting down stolen volumes - a lost Hermetic text. I recommend it for history and bibliophile buffs more than mystery fans. The author is Canadian. - The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness, and Greed (8/10)
This won the 2005 Governor General’s Award for non-fiction. Its core is about Grant Hadwin, an environmentalist who chopped down a 300 year old Sitka golden spruce, but a lot of other history is given: logging in British Columbia; the native Haida’s culture and the influence European settlers had on them; the settlement of cities on the West coast. The mystery behind Hadwin’s motive and his subsequent disappearance after destroying the sacred tree didn’t interest me as much as the descriptions of the Haidi and the history of lumbering. - Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
(7/10)
This is a fantasy novel about a world that coexists with our own, a dark, dangerous world where animals talk and magic is normal. A man unwillingly enters that world to help a girl, where good must then triumph over evil… blah, blah blah. It IS imaginative and compelling, but I’ve forgotten the story already. - Mindscan by Robert J. Sawyer (6/10)
This science-fiction novel is about people who have their consciousness copied and transferred into artificial brains, and then artificial bodies to complete the package, which makes them essentially immortal. There are then two copies of the person: the flesh and blood version, and the artificial one, but both with the same thoughts and consciousness. The story brings up lots of interesting issues: what is consciousness, what makes someone human, when is life defined… the author tackles interesting questions and provides succinct answers to some; however, the story suffers from the heavy issues: this is a quick read, like all of Sawyer’s stories; it’s compelling, making you want to see how it will conclude, but it’s TOO quick. Sawyer tries to give the characters depth, but his attempt falls short due to scientific mumbo-jumbo or cliches. As I’ve mentioned in other reviews of his books, his writing gets annoying with pop culture references and advertisements for Toyota or whatever company he APPEARS to be deliberately promoting. I think he needs a better editor.
I’ve read lots of other books, which I’ll post about soon, too. I read about 1-2 books a week.
Whoa, 1-2 books a week? You still haven’t caught up to rebecca, she reads like what, 6 books a night?
The only thing I read is muscle & fitness, and flex. I wonder what effect that has on my brain, if I’m dumber acause ov it.
You got that right. Damn Jody - read faster! :)
Ha, Rebecca, the only reason Jody dosen’t read 6 books a night is because he has a life.
u shouldnt sware man its not cool especally when the little kids like me and my sis come on this site
> the only reason Jody dosen’t read 6 books a night
I’m hoping Alex knows Rebecca, else I’ll delete that comment.
> u shouldnt sware man
Phuck dat
F**k you swear a lot Jody. I remember the first words you ever spoke to me. I think it was “How the f**k does it do that?”
Yeah, that was my first impression of you :)
I’m reading “Hound of the Baskervilles.” My first time reading a Sherlock Holmes novel. So far so good.
Neine, I do not know Rebecca, but it was a joke. Reading is cool, I read a lot.
>u shouldnt sware man its not cool especally when the little kids like me and my sis come on this site
That’s why they need to censor the entire internet, cause they’re letting little kids on it now. Kids with OPINIONS on swearing!
Ha, too true. Justin hasn’t replied to any of the comments yet though.
stop swaring jody! your mom prob taut u 2 not sware. ur pretty stupid there retard. u can delete all my coments but ask n e 1 and they willsay that u r gay. go flip urself gaylord
> stop swaring jody! your mom prob taut u 2 not sware. ur pretty stupid there retard. u can delete all my coments but ask n e 1 and they willsay that u r gay. go flip urself gaylord
Haha, he got you there jody!
I wonder why he wrote a second post swaring [sic] at you for swaring [sic].
I don’t know Alex, but it’s true.
*sob*
(I’m on vacation at the moment, so the free time which isn’t spent packing, is spent reading.)
lol, sorry Reb, it was a joke, just hope you know that.
Alex - no worries :) I thought it was funny because it’s true (at the moment) :)
Alright, cool, thanks.
thanks for responding Jody