Review: Atlantic: Great Sea Battles, Heroic Discoveries, Titanic Storms & a Vast Ocean of a Million Stories

Atlantic: Great Sea Battles, Heroic Discoveries, Titanic Storms & a Vast Ocean of a Million Stories by Simon Winchester
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

slow at the start, gets better. very dense read.

View all my reviews

Review: Zone One

Zone One by Colson Whitehead
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Too clever by half. A dense frustrating read that was tough to get through.

Not recommended.

View all my reviews

Review: Brainrush

Brainrush by Richard Bard
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Meh. This book needed some editing. Unrealistic even for fiction.

View all my reviews

Review: A Delicate Truth

A Delicate Truth by John le Carré
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Always a struggle to get through Le carre. No different here. Really proves the fact that the British and Americans are two people separated by a common language.

As for the plot. Pretty good. Ends badly.

View all my reviews

Review: A Slight Trick of the Mind

A Slight Trick of the Mind by Mitch Cullin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A sad story about an ancient Sherlock Holmes who has lost almost everything.

Typically not the type of book I read. Very sentimental and subtle. However, as a sherlockian, I enjoyed it. Very plausible and fitting description of what the twilight days of Sherlock Holmes might be.

A film version is in the works staring Ian mckellen.

View all my reviews

Review: Running Blind

Running Blind by Lee Child
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Typical reacher. Obvious who done it though. Red herrings were good however

View all my reviews

Review: This Town: Two Parties and a Funeral — plus plenty of valet parking! — in America’s Gilded Capital

This Town: Two Parties and a Funeral — plus plenty of valet parking! — in America’s Gilded Capital by Mark Leibovich
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Gossipy tell all about the most self important people in the world - the press and dignitaries who live and work in DC.

Attempts to give the reader some insight into the clubby world of DC and clearly settles some insider scores.

Really the only shocking thing is that Washington is as bad as everyone says it is and thinks it is. High school culture money grubbing agendas stupid people. It's all there.

Unless your a political junky, I wouldn't recommend. But if you are, it's pure gold.

View all my reviews

Review: One Shot

One Shot by Lee Child
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

One of the better reacher stories. I can see why they used this one for the movie (although the movie changed some stuff)

Recommended.

View all my reviews

Review: The Enemy

The Enemy by Lee Child
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another reacher story - actually back story as this one happens in 1990.

My 3 stars pretty much says it all: good if your into the reacher series.

View all my reviews

Review: Tripwire

Tripwire by Lee Child
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Read enough of these now to say tripwire is one of the best reacher stories.

View all my reviews

Review: Our Kind of Traitor

Our Kind of Traitor by John le Carré
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Very typical Le carre : tough read, layered and dark.

An acquired taste.

View all my reviews

Review: A Wanted Man

A Wanted Man by Lee Child
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

typical reacher. good fun.

View all my reviews

Review: CyberStorm

CyberStorm by Matthew Mather
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Pretty typical end of the world story based on the idea of cyberattack.

Ending was pretty predictable in addition to being abrupt.

View all my reviews

Review: Reamde

Reamde by Neal Stephenson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a very long book. Very long. Basically it's a hacker/terrorist action thriller. Except because its so detailed and well, long, it doesn't exactly "zip" like many action books. What redeems it is that Stephenson is clearly very very talented (this is the first book of his I have read).

That said, giving it three stars because it is so slow to get going and I was not found of the fact that he has so so much Almost needless detail and loves to jump from point if view to point of view and back and forth in time. This break in the flow of the story was mildly annoying. For these reasons I give it 3 stars instead of 4.

Recommend however if you have the time.

View all my reviews

Review: Bad Monkey

Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A crazy funny detective story set in the Florida keys.

Really well done.

Highly recommended.

View all my reviews

Review: The Dinner

The Dinner by Herman Koch
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Giving this 3 stars. It was a tough call. The plot mesmerizing and disturbing the book is very well written. But in the end, it was disappointing. There only reason the characters seem to behave in the way they do is some unknown genetic disease.

I'd recommend it with the warning that if you are a parent, it will tug on your worst fears.

View all my reviews

Review: The Closing of the American Mind

The Closing of the American Mind by Allan Bloom
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Decided to read this to see if it was relevant at all. The sad answer is yes, but it flaws are even larger with age.

Most of bloom's arguments are of the "get off my lawn" sort of grumpy old men. Nearly all of part I falls into this category.

Part 2 is more philosophy than anything else and bloom's mastery of it is unquestionable.

Part 3 is mixed: in some ways dated, in some ways more relevant.

Regardless, bloom's contention: that a liberal education does not exist is even more true now than it was back in 1987. Despite his call to arms over 25 years ago, almost nothing has been done. The vast majority of america's universities are simply mechanisms one endures to get a job (or, given the most recent economic conditions, not get a job).

While much of the political conservative world internalized Bloom in the 1980s and 90s, I think one thing they miss is that bloom really takes no stand one way or the other on "right" vs "left" as we currently understand them (but he did have strong - not good - opinions on the 60s and the "radical left" of that era).

In the end, a tough book to read whose arguments are interesting but whose evidence is stale. Sadly, Bloom died in 1992 but it would have been fun to hear what he would have said 25 yrs later.

View all my reviews

Review: A Reader on Reading

A Reader on Reading by Alberto Manguel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Went back and forth on this book 3 stars or 4? Went with 4 because its so well written. Many of the essays are exquisite many are annoying.

I despise Alice in wonderland so the fact that it is woven throughout nearly every essay grated.

Overall if you are looking for essays on reading and literature as well as some nice insights on authors, I recommend. Personally, I probably wouldn't have read.

View all my reviews

Review: The Presidents Club: Inside the World's Most Exclusive Fraternity

The Presidents Club: Inside the World's Most Exclusive Fraternity by Nancy Gibbs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If your a political junky a fun read.

The one knock is that for most political junkies, much of this book is already known. Indeed, given the lengthy notes and bibliography, most of the stories in here have been reported in prior books and articles. What this book does quite nicely is put them in a coherent context.

There is little to no original history and the sections on the more recent presidents (George w bush, Barack Obama) are quiet thin.

Nevertheless, recommend.

View all my reviews

Review: How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading

How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading by Mortimer J. Adler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book deserves a detailed review but, I think the best review I could give it is this:

Oh how I wish I had read this when I was 18!

Highly recommended.

View all my reviews

Review: The Celtic Conspiracy

The Celtic Conspiracy by Thore D. Hansen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Good idea bad execution.

I almost stopped reading this about a quarter of the way through. But, in the sprit of fairness I kept going hoping it would get better. It didn't.

Should be a 1 star review but I gave it an extra star because the central idea of the plot could have made a good book. Alas it didn't.

Not recommended.

View all my reviews

Review: The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America

The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America by George Packer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is not a happy book. But does weave a narrative that must be told about how America in 2013 came to be - not through the acts of the famous but through the lives of everyday people.

After reading this, I'm left with the thought that any hope of undoing the "great unwinding" of America will happen by the actions of everyday people.

Recommended with reservation: you will be depressed while reading this.

View all my reviews

Review: Casino Royale

Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Classic.

Not like the films, much darker.

Highly recommended

View all my reviews

Review: Ender's Game

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great scifi is many things at once: a great story, philosophy, commentary on human history, psychology and more. Very few scifi novels reach that pinnacle. Enders game does.

Why not 5 stars? Despite the fact that it is great scifi, with a great story and characters, for me there still is a one flaw: it's difficult to follow the battles and this makes it just a bit too esoteric for 5 stars.

Also, on a fundamental level it's a kids book or at least should be.

Despite that, highly recommended.

View all my reviews

Review: The Alchemist

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Beautiful little book but alas not my cup of tea.

View all my reviews

Review: Wool Omnibus

Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very good but long (it's original format was as an amazon kindle serial) post apocalyptic story.

Recommend

View all my reviews

Review: World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

To be honest I thought long and hard about giving this 3 stars instead of 4. The plot is simply a puzzle you have to patch together on your own from the various interview "vignettes" that make up the book. But, as an end of the world Zombie story, it's very good. So, for that and it's attention to every small detail, I give it the extra star.

Recommend.

View all my reviews

Review: The Nature of Things

The Nature of Things by Lucretius
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Read this in preparation for reading "The Swerve" about the discovery of Lucretius' poem. Have to say that it is a difficult read. The translation is not "modern" in any sense. That said, the ingeniousness of Lucretius is evident: very nearly explaining the true scientific nature of the world at a time when humankind ascribed everything to "the gods".

My recommendation is to find a different (better) translation (although I don't know if one exists).

View all my reviews

Review: The Eye of God

The Eye of God by James Rollins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fun read. Really well done.

Recommend.

View all my reviews

Review: The Alienist

The Alienist by Caleb Carr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Although not really a "page turner" of a mystery, this is a really well done book. The plot and story are more of a "whydoneit" than "whodoneit".

I did find it hard to get through the first half if the book - mainly because there's lots of backstory and speculation vice "action". Additionally, there is an incredible amount of science - namely psychology. Nevertheless, even this is interesting given the setting - New York in the 1890's when Teddy Roosevelt was police commissioner.

The action picks up in the last half of the book and I found that despite my initial misgivings, I would like to pick up the adventures of the stories investigators in the sequel.

If you like historical fiction and mystery, you will like this book.

View all my reviews

Review: Odyssey

Odyssey by Homer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As with my review of Lombardo's translation of the Iliad, I will not comment on homers masterful and classic story. Many others have done so and I can add little.

But, like his translation of the Iliad, Lombardo's modern and dramatic style make this classic engaging.

Highly recommended.

View all my reviews

Review: Iliad

Iliad by Homer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The back cover of lombardo's translation of the Iliad boldly states "this is as good as Homer gets in English". I don't doubt it. The language is clearly more modern than other translations I have sampled and its pace is gripping.

Obviously, the are tons if ink spilled in reviewing the Iliad, so I will not even attempt to add to it in describing Homer's story.

But, I will say it is, at essence a war story and Lombardo has captured it in English incredibly well. The average reader may dread the suggestion of reading Homer as it has a reputation as dense ancient poetry. Not so with Lombardo.

Highly recommended.

View all my reviews

Review: Live by Night

Live by Night by Dennis Lehane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A classic prohibition gangster tale, masterfully told.

As a reader, I enjoy a lot of fun junk food. But occasionally I'll enjoy a nice steak dinner. This book is one of those.

Incredibly plotted, paced and characterized this book about a Boston Irish gangster in the 1920's through the 1930's follows the now classic gangster path but with a few new twists.

No doubt it will be adapted sometime down the road, although it will be tough to do.

Highly recommend.

View all my reviews

Review: The Fear Index

The Fear Index by Robert Harris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Interesting thriller about a hedge fund math genius and his master money making algorithm.

Well written, quick paced read.

Recommended.

View all my reviews

Review: The Angel of Darkness

The Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you enjoyed the alienist, you will like this book even more. Not only because there is more to like but because many if the weaknesses of the first book are missing in the second.

Now, it is a long slog but it is a pleasant one. While there are a few patches that drag and many of the authors foibles are on display (character after character constantly saying "I'll tell you what I've learned as soon as we get with everyone else and sit down to a fine meal." And then several pages describing the walk to the restaurant before the character tells his tale. ) the choice of voice in this book (as compared to the alienist) seems to smooth over these patches.

As usual, the author has a fine eye for per turn of the century New York but he does not let it get in the way.

All in all worthwhile.

View all my reviews

Review: The Hangman's Daughter

The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Pötzsch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good historic thriller set in the 1600's. very well written. As several reviews have noted the hangman's daughter is not really the focus of the book. Rather, it's the hangman who is kind of the neighborhood executioner, doctor, private eye.

SPOILER (kinda) One knock against it is that since it is a "whodoneit", would have been better to have even suspected the ultimate villain. He kind of pops in at the end and says "oh,yeah, I did it".

All in all very good worth the time.

View all my reviews

Review: The Malice of Fortune

The Malice of Fortune by Michael Ennis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very good historical mystery with most of the characters based in real people. Great theme of "science" (represented by di Vinci) vs psychology (represented by Machiavelli).

View all my reviews

Review: Yesterday's Gone: Season One

Yesterday's Gone: Season One by Sean Platt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fun read. Serialized so its long. Which means still not sure what the cause of the catastrophe is. Hopefully in season 2.

View all my reviews

Review: Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End

Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End by Manel Loureiro
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Very good zombie end of the world story although its a bit light on hope. Danger mayhem and fear for 90% of the story.

View all my reviews

Review: The Map of Time

The Map of Time by Félix J. Palma
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I didn't really like this book about 1/3 of the way through. It's broken into 3 sections and after the first I began to feel cheated. But I plowed on to the second section and things didn't seem to be getting better. Until section two turned into a lovely little story and the threads that tie all three sections are revealed. The final third is a mind blowing and thought provoking bow tie that wraps the whole novel.

Really well done. Helps is your a fan of h.g. Wells but that's not mandatory.

Recommend highly.

View all my reviews

Review: Inferno

Inferno by Dan Brown
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'll write a longer review sometime later but I think this summarizes:

In a strange reversal, lets hope the inevitable film is better than the book.

View all my reviews