Arlie's Reading Continues in 2023 - Thread 3
This is a continuation of the topic Arlie's Reading Continues in 2023 - Thread 2.
Talk75 Books Challenge for 2023
Join LibraryThing to post.
1ArlieS
I'm Arlie, 65, newly retired software engineer. This is my third year of the 75 books challenge.
I read about half-and-half fiction and non-fiction; the former mostly SF/Fantasy, and the latter mostly science, technology, and history, with a bit of biography and economics thrown in for extra flavor.
I mostly read in English, but am capable of reading French and German after a fashion, and very occasionaly pick up a book or a band dessinée to help me retain my less-than-stellar linguistic abilities.
I'm Canadian, but live in California, USA, where I moved in pursuit of career opportunity in 1997. My household consists of two retired adults and one aging dog. We also feed an ever changing menagerie of stray and feral cats.
The character of the books I read has changed somewhat since retirement. I no longer come home from work mentally exhausted, fit only to read a lightweight novel or play a mindless computer game to unwind. So I'm reading rather more challenging non-fiction, and rather less mindless escapist fiction. I also seem to be spending less time reading than I did in the first months of retirement, and the year of illness preceding that - I have time and energy for other activities.
Those activities include playing bridge, cooking more than I ever had time for, playing computer games, reducing the amount of stuff in our home while reorganizing what remains, and helping my body recover from at least 5 decades of spending most of my time at a desk. (Yes, I count that starting in my teens.)
I read about half-and-half fiction and non-fiction; the former mostly SF/Fantasy, and the latter mostly science, technology, and history, with a bit of biography and economics thrown in for extra flavor.
I mostly read in English, but am capable of reading French and German after a fashion, and very occasionaly pick up a book or a band dessinée to help me retain my less-than-stellar linguistic abilities.
I'm Canadian, but live in California, USA, where I moved in pursuit of career opportunity in 1997. My household consists of two retired adults and one aging dog. We also feed an ever changing menagerie of stray and feral cats.
The character of the books I read has changed somewhat since retirement. I no longer come home from work mentally exhausted, fit only to read a lightweight novel or play a mindless computer game to unwind. So I'm reading rather more challenging non-fiction, and rather less mindless escapist fiction. I also seem to be spending less time reading than I did in the first months of retirement, and the year of illness preceding that - I have time and energy for other activities.
Those activities include playing bridge, cooking more than I ever had time for, playing computer games, reducing the amount of stuff in our home while reorganizing what remains, and helping my body recover from at least 5 decades of spending most of my time at a desk. (Yes, I count that starting in my teens.)
2ArlieS
My rules
In past years, I've counted only books I read from cover-to-cover in the relevant year for the first time. No rereads, and no books started Dec 31 of the previous year, or finished Jan 1 of the following year.
This year my only rule is that the whole book must have been read, part of the reading must have happened in 2023, and I can't count the same read for multiple years - it's either 2023 or 2024, not both, unless I read it twice.
I'm making these changes because:
- I'm likely to read less this year, but would still like to reach 75. Counting rereads might make the difference.
- I found a job lot of books in my to-be-read shelves with bookmarks in them. If I finish them without a complete restart they wouldn't count under my prior rules, and I'm afraid that might discourage me from picking them up again.
- It's more consistent with everyone else's practice.
Rules Addendum (3/18/2023)
When a book has a large excerpt from some other book at the end, as a teaser for something else by the same author or publisher, I don't have to read or reread the teaser to count as having read or reread the book, even if the page count includes the teaser.
My Rating System
5. Excellent. Read this now!
4.5. Very Good. If fiction, well worth rereading; if non-fiction, I learned a lot.
4. Very good, but not quite 4.5. If fiction, likely reread; if non-fiction, I learned a lot.
3. Decent read, but not special in any way.
2.5 Why did I bother finishing this?
2. Did not finish.
1. Ran screaming, and you should too.
In past years, I've counted only books I read from cover-to-cover in the relevant year for the first time. No rereads, and no books started Dec 31 of the previous year, or finished Jan 1 of the following year.
This year my only rule is that the whole book must have been read, part of the reading must have happened in 2023, and I can't count the same read for multiple years - it's either 2023 or 2024, not both, unless I read it twice.
I'm making these changes because:
- I'm likely to read less this year, but would still like to reach 75. Counting rereads might make the difference.
- I found a job lot of books in my to-be-read shelves with bookmarks in them. If I finish them without a complete restart they wouldn't count under my prior rules, and I'm afraid that might discourage me from picking them up again.
- It's more consistent with everyone else's practice.
Rules Addendum (3/18/2023)
When a book has a large excerpt from some other book at the end, as a teaser for something else by the same author or publisher, I don't have to read or reread the teaser to count as having read or reread the book, even if the page count includes the teaser.
My Rating System
5. Excellent. Read this now!
4.5. Very Good. If fiction, well worth rereading; if non-fiction, I learned a lot.
4. Very good, but not quite 4.5. If fiction, likely reread; if non-fiction, I learned a lot.
3. Decent read, but not special in any way.
2.5 Why did I bother finishing this?
2. Did not finish.
1. Ran screaming, and you should too.
3ArlieS
Links
My 2021 thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/328797
My 2022 thread, part 1: https://www.librarything.com/topic/337717
My 2022 thread, part 2: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341510
My 2023 thread, part 1: https://www.librarything.com/topic/346763
My 2023 thread, part 2: https://www.librarything.com/topic/350549
My 2021 thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/328797
My 2022 thread, part 1: https://www.librarything.com/topic/337717
My 2022 thread, part 2: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341510
My 2023 thread, part 1: https://www.librarything.com/topic/346763
My 2023 thread, part 2: https://www.librarything.com/topic/350549
4ArlieS
Books Completed Jan 2023
1. Hopes and prospects by Noam Chomsky
2. The eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff
3. 1637 : the Transylvanian decision by Eric Flint and Robert E. Waters
4. The perfectionists : how precision engineers created the modern world by Simon Winchester
5. The serpent by David Drake
6. The Silver Branch by Rosemary Sutcliff
1. Hopes and prospects by Noam Chomsky
2. The eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff
3. 1637 : the Transylvanian decision by Eric Flint and Robert E. Waters
4. The perfectionists : how precision engineers created the modern world by Simon Winchester
5. The serpent by David Drake
6. The Silver Branch by Rosemary Sutcliff
5ArlieS
Books Completed Feb 2023
7. Ranks of Bronze by David Drake (reread)
8. The Excalibur Alternative by David Weber (reread)
9. Foreign Legions edited by David Drake (reread)
11. Frontier wolf by Rosemary Sutcliff
12. Into the West by Mercedes Lackey
13. White Trash : The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg
14. The case of the spellbound child by Mercedes Lackey
15. The Apocalypse Troll by David Weber (reread)
16. The Economics of Inequality by Thomas Piketty
17. March Upcountry by David Weber and John Ringo (reread)
18. The Lantern Bearers by Rosemary Sutcliff
7. Ranks of Bronze by David Drake (reread)
8. The Excalibur Alternative by David Weber (reread)
9. Foreign Legions edited by David Drake (reread)
11. Frontier wolf by Rosemary Sutcliff
12. Into the West by Mercedes Lackey
13. White Trash : The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg
14. The case of the spellbound child by Mercedes Lackey
15. The Apocalypse Troll by David Weber (reread)
16. The Economics of Inequality by Thomas Piketty
17. March Upcountry by David Weber and John Ringo (reread)
18. The Lantern Bearers by Rosemary Sutcliff
6ArlieS
Books Completed Mar 2023
19. Sea power : the history and geopolitics of the world's oceans by James Stavridis
20. March to the Sea by David Weber and John Ringo (reread)
21. The great divide : unequal societies and what we can do about them by Joseph E. Stiglitz
22. March to the Stars by David Weber and John Ringo (reread)
23. Saving capitalism : for the many, not the few by Robert B. Reich
24. We Few by David Weber and John Ringo (reread)
25. The 99% invisible city : a field guide to the hidden world of everyday design by Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt
26. Shenanigans edited by Mercedes Lackey
27. Kindred : Neanderthal life, love, death and art by Rebecca Wragg Sykes
28. Why we fight : the roots of war and the paths to peace by Christopher Blattman
19. Sea power : the history and geopolitics of the world's oceans by James Stavridis
20. March to the Sea by David Weber and John Ringo (reread)
21. The great divide : unequal societies and what we can do about them by Joseph E. Stiglitz
22. March to the Stars by David Weber and John Ringo (reread)
23. Saving capitalism : for the many, not the few by Robert B. Reich
24. We Few by David Weber and John Ringo (reread)
25. The 99% invisible city : a field guide to the hidden world of everyday design by Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt
26. Shenanigans edited by Mercedes Lackey
27. Kindred : Neanderthal life, love, death and art by Rebecca Wragg Sykes
28. Why we fight : the roots of war and the paths to peace by Christopher Blattman
7ArlieS
Books Completed Apr 2023
29. Decluttering at the speed of life : winning your never-ending battle with stuff by Dana K. White
30. 24739544::Into the Light by David Weber and Chris Kennedy
31. 28763911::What price victory? edited by David Weber
32. 27670670::Boundaries : all-new tales of Valdemar edited by Mercedes Lackey
33. A people's history of the United States by Howard Zinn
34. 1637 : the coast of chaos by Eric Flint and many others
35. Survival of the sickest : a medical maverick discovers why we need disease by Sharon Moalem and Jonathan Prince
36. Isolate by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
37. The son also rises : surnames and the history of social mobility by Gregory Clark
38. Councilor by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
29. Decluttering at the speed of life : winning your never-ending battle with stuff by Dana K. White
30. 24739544::Into the Light by David Weber and Chris Kennedy
31. 28763911::What price victory? edited by David Weber
32. 27670670::Boundaries : all-new tales of Valdemar edited by Mercedes Lackey
33. A people's history of the United States by Howard Zinn
34. 1637 : the coast of chaos by Eric Flint and many others
35. Survival of the sickest : a medical maverick discovers why we need disease by Sharon Moalem and Jonathan Prince
36. Isolate by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
37. The son also rises : surnames and the history of social mobility by Gregory Clark
38. Councilor by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
8ArlieS
Books Completed May 2023
39. Terminal Peace by Jim C. Hines
40. The knowledge machine : how irrationality created modern science by Michael Strevens
41. How Rome fell : death of a superpower by Adrian Keith Goldsworthy
42. The heart of valor by Tanya Huff
43. Valor's trial by Tanya Huff
44. End of the megafauna : the fate of the world's hugest, fiercest, and strangest animals by Ross D. E. MacPhee
45. Trade Secret by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (reread)
46. The Case Against Reality: Why Evolution Hid the Truth from Our Eyes by Donald Hoffman
39. Terminal Peace by Jim C. Hines
40. The knowledge machine : how irrationality created modern science by Michael Strevens
41. How Rome fell : death of a superpower by Adrian Keith Goldsworthy
42. The heart of valor by Tanya Huff
43. Valor's trial by Tanya Huff
44. End of the megafauna : the fate of the world's hugest, fiercest, and strangest animals by Ross D. E. MacPhee
45. Trade Secret by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (reread)
46. The Case Against Reality: Why Evolution Hid the Truth from Our Eyes by Donald Hoffman
9ArlieS
Books Completed Jun 2023
47. The Truth of Valor by Tanya Huff
48. Fair Trade by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
49. A new clan by David Weber and Jane Lindskold
50. Climate chaos : lessons on survival from our ancestors by Brian M. Fagan and Nadia Durrani
51. An ancient peace by Tanya Huff
52. The genetic lottery : why DNA matters for social equality by Kathryn Paige Harden
53. Wizard's first rule by Terry Goodkind
54. A peace divided by Tanya Huff
55. Woman, Captain, Rebel: The Extraordinary True Story of a Daring Icelandic Sea Captain by Margaret Willson
56. The privilege of peace by Tanya Huff
57. The private world of Georgette Heyer by Jane Aiken Hodge
58. Dragon's eye edited by Christopher Stasheff (part previously read)
47. The Truth of Valor by Tanya Huff
48. Fair Trade by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
49. A new clan by David Weber and Jane Lindskold
50. Climate chaos : lessons on survival from our ancestors by Brian M. Fagan and Nadia Durrani
51. An ancient peace by Tanya Huff
52. The genetic lottery : why DNA matters for social equality by Kathryn Paige Harden
53. Wizard's first rule by Terry Goodkind
54. A peace divided by Tanya Huff
55. Woman, Captain, Rebel: The Extraordinary True Story of a Daring Icelandic Sea Captain by Margaret Willson
56. The privilege of peace by Tanya Huff
57. The private world of Georgette Heyer by Jane Aiken Hodge
58. Dragon's eye edited by Christopher Stasheff (part previously read)
10ArlieS
Books Completed Jul 2023
59. Killers of a certain age by Deanna Raybourn
60. For profit : a history of corporations by William Magnuson
61. Mind Changer : A Sector General Novel by James White
62. The last days of the dinosaurs : an asteroid, extinction, and the beginning of our world by Riley Black
63. The Order War by L. E. Modesitt, Jr. (reread)
64. Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold (mostly reread)
65. The personal librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
66. Hospital Station by James White
67. Bones of the past by Holly Lisle
68. Stardoc by S. L. Viehl
69. Super volcanoes : what they reveal about earth and the worlds beyond by Robin George Andrews
70. The Aliens Among Us by James White
71. Plows, Plagues, and Petroleum by William F. Ruddiman
72. Roman Keycard Blackwood: The Final Word by Edwin B. Kantar
73. Woke racism : how a new religion has betrayed Black America by John H. McWhorter
74. The Radical Potter: The Life and Times of Josiah Wedgwood by Tristram Hunt
75. Chicks in Chainmail edited by Esther Friesner (reread)
76. Did You Say Chicks? edited by Esther Friesner (reread)
77. Homo sapiens rediscovered : the scientific revolution rewriting our origins by Paul Pettitt
78. The silvered by Tanya Huff
59. Killers of a certain age by Deanna Raybourn
60. For profit : a history of corporations by William Magnuson
61. Mind Changer : A Sector General Novel by James White
62. The last days of the dinosaurs : an asteroid, extinction, and the beginning of our world by Riley Black
63. The Order War by L. E. Modesitt, Jr. (reread)
64. Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold (mostly reread)
65. The personal librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
66. Hospital Station by James White
67. Bones of the past by Holly Lisle
68. Stardoc by S. L. Viehl
69. Super volcanoes : what they reveal about earth and the worlds beyond by Robin George Andrews
70. The Aliens Among Us by James White
71. Plows, Plagues, and Petroleum by William F. Ruddiman
72. Roman Keycard Blackwood: The Final Word by Edwin B. Kantar
73. Woke racism : how a new religion has betrayed Black America by John H. McWhorter
74. The Radical Potter: The Life and Times of Josiah Wedgwood by Tristram Hunt
75. Chicks in Chainmail edited by Esther Friesner (reread)
76. Did You Say Chicks? edited by Esther Friesner (reread)
77. Homo sapiens rediscovered : the scientific revolution rewriting our origins by Paul Pettitt
78. The silvered by Tanya Huff
11ArlieS
Books Completed Aug 2023
79. Invention and Innovation: A Brief History of Hype and Failure by Vaclav Smil
80. Brother Cadfael's Penance by Ellis Peters (Edith Pargeter))
81. Essential retirement planning for solo agers : a retirement and aging roadmap for single and childless adults by Sara Zeff Geber
82. Fledgling : a new Liaden universe novel by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (reread)
83. Rights talk : the impoverishment of political discourse by Mary Ann Glendon
84. Red by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner
85. Rainbow's end by Ellis Peters
86. The Fires of Paratime by L. E. Modesitt, Jr. (reread)
87. Where do camels belong? : the story and science of invasive species by Ken Thompson
88. Plagues upon the earth : disease and the course of human history by Kyle Harper
89. The Passion of the Western Mind: Understanding the Ideas That Have Shaped Our Worldview by Richard Tarnas
90. Bird brain : an exploration of avian intelligence by Nathan Emery
91. Exit, voice, and loyalty : responses to decline in firms, organizations, and states by Albert O. Hirschman (previously partially read)
92. The Grand Tour, or, The purloined coronation regalia : being a revelation of matters of high confidentiality and greatest importance, including extracts from the intimate diary of a noblewoman and the sworn testimony of a lady of quality by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
93. Edible economics : a hungry economist explains the world by Ha-Joon Chang
94. The Bishop at the Lake: A Bishop Blackie Ryan Novel by Andrew M. Greeley
95. The Impact of Opening Leads Against No Trump Contracts: How to Take More Tricks on Defense (Audrey Grant Bookmark Series) by Audrey Grant
79. Invention and Innovation: A Brief History of Hype and Failure by Vaclav Smil
80. Brother Cadfael's Penance by Ellis Peters (Edith Pargeter))
81. Essential retirement planning for solo agers : a retirement and aging roadmap for single and childless adults by Sara Zeff Geber
82. Fledgling : a new Liaden universe novel by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (reread)
83. Rights talk : the impoverishment of political discourse by Mary Ann Glendon
84. Red by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner
85. Rainbow's end by Ellis Peters
86. The Fires of Paratime by L. E. Modesitt, Jr. (reread)
87. Where do camels belong? : the story and science of invasive species by Ken Thompson
88. Plagues upon the earth : disease and the course of human history by Kyle Harper
89. The Passion of the Western Mind: Understanding the Ideas That Have Shaped Our Worldview by Richard Tarnas
90. Bird brain : an exploration of avian intelligence by Nathan Emery
91. Exit, voice, and loyalty : responses to decline in firms, organizations, and states by Albert O. Hirschman (previously partially read)
92. The Grand Tour, or, The purloined coronation regalia : being a revelation of matters of high confidentiality and greatest importance, including extracts from the intimate diary of a noblewoman and the sworn testimony of a lady of quality by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
93. Edible economics : a hungry economist explains the world by Ha-Joon Chang
94. The Bishop at the Lake: A Bishop Blackie Ryan Novel by Andrew M. Greeley
95. The Impact of Opening Leads Against No Trump Contracts: How to Take More Tricks on Defense (Audrey Grant Bookmark Series) by Audrey Grant
12ArlieS
Books Completed Sep 2023
96. Irish Cream: A Nuala Anne McGrail Novel by Andrew M. Greeley
97. Some we love, some we hate, some we eat : why it's so hard to think straight about animals by Hal Herzog
98. Happy are Those Who Thirst For Justice by Andrew M. Greeley (reread)
99. Happy are the Peacemakers by Andrew M. Greeley (reread)
100. Magic below stairs by Caroline Stevermer
101. Making modern science : a historical survey by Peter J. Bowler and Iwan Rhys Morus
102. The mislaid magician, or, Ten years after : being the private correspondence between two prominent families regarding a scandal touching the highest levels of government and the security of the realm by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
103. A brief history of science : as seen through the development of scientific instruments by Thomas Crump
104. Death and the joyful woman by Ellis Peters
105. A nice derangement of epitaphs by Ellis Peters
106. Bees of the World A Guide to Every Family by Laurence Packer
107. The kindness of strangers : the abandonment of children in Western Europe from late antiquity to the Renaissance by John Boswell
108. The Bodies Keep Coming: Dispatches from a Black Trauma Surgeon on Racism, Violence, and How We Heal by Brian H. Williams
109. Monstrous regiment by Terry Pratchett
110. Pathogenesis : a history of the world in eight plagues by Jonathan Kennedy
111. Gideon's Day by J.J. Marric (John Creasey)
96. Irish Cream: A Nuala Anne McGrail Novel by Andrew M. Greeley
97. Some we love, some we hate, some we eat : why it's so hard to think straight about animals by Hal Herzog
98. Happy are Those Who Thirst For Justice by Andrew M. Greeley (reread)
99. Happy are the Peacemakers by Andrew M. Greeley (reread)
100. Magic below stairs by Caroline Stevermer
101. Making modern science : a historical survey by Peter J. Bowler and Iwan Rhys Morus
102. The mislaid magician, or, Ten years after : being the private correspondence between two prominent families regarding a scandal touching the highest levels of government and the security of the realm by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
103. A brief history of science : as seen through the development of scientific instruments by Thomas Crump
104. Death and the joyful woman by Ellis Peters
105. A nice derangement of epitaphs by Ellis Peters
106. Bees of the World A Guide to Every Family by Laurence Packer
107. The kindness of strangers : the abandonment of children in Western Europe from late antiquity to the Renaissance by John Boswell
108. The Bodies Keep Coming: Dispatches from a Black Trauma Surgeon on Racism, Violence, and How We Heal by Brian H. Williams
109. Monstrous regiment by Terry Pratchett
110. Pathogenesis : a history of the world in eight plagues by Jonathan Kennedy
111. Gideon's Day by J.J. Marric (John Creasey)
13ArlieS
Books Completed Oct 2023
112. Gideon's week by J.J. Marric (John Creasey)
113. The secret lives of bats : my adventures with the world's most misunderstood mammals by Merlin D. Tuttle
114. The grass-widow's tale by Ellis Peters
115. Gideon's Night by J. J. Marric (John Creasey)
116. Dancing cockatoos and the dead man test : how behavior evolves and why it matters by Marlene Zuk
117. Pirate enlightenment, or the real Libertalia by David Graeber
118. Gideon's Month by J.J. Marric (John Creasey)
119. Gideon's Staff by J.J. Marric (John Creasey)
112. Gideon's week by J.J. Marric (John Creasey)
113. The secret lives of bats : my adventures with the world's most misunderstood mammals by Merlin D. Tuttle
114. The grass-widow's tale by Ellis Peters
115. Gideon's Night by J. J. Marric (John Creasey)
116. Dancing cockatoos and the dead man test : how behavior evolves and why it matters by Marlene Zuk
117. Pirate enlightenment, or the real Libertalia by David Graeber
118. Gideon's Month by J.J. Marric (John Creasey)
119. Gideon's Staff by J.J. Marric (John Creasey)
16ArlieS
Books Pearl Ruled in 2023
1. Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life by Karen Rauch Carter
2. How to be a star at work : nine breakthrough strategies you need to succeed by Robert Earl Kelley
3. The gordian protocol by David Weber and Jacob Holo
4: Beaverland : how one weird rodent made America by Leila Philip
5. An indigenous peoples' history of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
6: Ironhead, or, Once a young lady by Jean-Claude van Rijckeghem
7: Beyond Varallan by S. L. Viehl
1. Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life by Karen Rauch Carter
2. How to be a star at work : nine breakthrough strategies you need to succeed by Robert Earl Kelley
3. The gordian protocol by David Weber and Jacob Holo
4: Beaverland : how one weird rodent made America by Leila Philip
5. An indigenous peoples' history of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
6: Ironhead, or, Once a young lady by Jean-Claude van Rijckeghem
7: Beyond Varallan by S. L. Viehl
20ArlieS
It's the first of September; time for a new thread. I made the second one this year on May 1. So each thread lasts 4 months, and two of them start more or less on Labour Day - as observed in very different jurisdictions.
Come on in.
Come on in.
22FAMeulstee
Happy new thread, Arlie!
24PaulCranswick
Happy new thread, Arlie.
We have precisely one book in common this year amongst our reads and it was your second book completed and my first!
We have precisely one book in common this year amongst our reads and it was your second book completed and my first!
25ArlieS
>21 drneutron: >22 FAMeulstee: >23 quondame: >24 PaulCranswick: Thank you all.
>24 PaulCranswick: I bet we both read it for the British authors challenge.
>24 PaulCranswick: I bet we both read it for the British authors challenge.
27ArlieS
>26 atozgrl: Thank you
28ArlieS
95. The Impact of Opening Leads Against No Trump Contracts: How to Take More Tricks on Defense (Audrey Grant Bookmark Series) by Audrey Grant
This was an OK book about a specific aspect of bridge. I've read - and own - a lot of other books by this author. Most of them were very useful to me. So I bought this book sight unseen.
Unfortunately, I can only describe the book as "OK", rather than "great" or even "good". It has some useful tips, and some worked out examples. It explains some of the why of the tips, so they aren't just rules to follow blindly - but not enough for me to feel like I really get it. This author is usually much better.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, bridge, series: n/a, 2012
- Author: female, Canadian, born 1940, "professional educator and contract bridge teacher", author previously read
- English, purchased new, 118 pages, 3 stars
- read Aug 8-30, 2023, book not previously read
This was an OK book about a specific aspect of bridge. I've read - and own - a lot of other books by this author. Most of them were very useful to me. So I bought this book sight unseen.
Unfortunately, I can only describe the book as "OK", rather than "great" or even "good". It has some useful tips, and some worked out examples. It explains some of the why of the tips, so they aren't just rules to follow blindly - but not enough for me to feel like I really get it. This author is usually much better.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, bridge, series: n/a, 2012
- Author: female, Canadian, born 1940, "professional educator and contract bridge teacher", author previously read
- English, purchased new, 118 pages, 3 stars
- read Aug 8-30, 2023, book not previously read
29ArlieS
96. Irish Cream: A Nuala Anne McGrail Novel by Andrew M. Greeley
This is another mystery by the author of my #94 for the year. After reading it, and then pulling another by the same author from my shelves for a reread, I now understand why works by this author would be languishing in TBR-land.
There are multiple issues, not all of them specific to this particular novel. For the author in general:
- too much similarity between plots and settings from book to book
- too much attention to lust, and (marital) sex
- only two(?) models of a good man, and one(?) of a good woman
- everybody's corrupt - the bad guys use "undue influence" routinely, and so do the good guys. There are old boy/person networks in the police, the courts, and the Roman Catholic Church. The heroes are "well connected" - i.e. use these whenever it seems useful.
- too many people have enough money to do whatever they want. In my #94, the dysfunctional family was portrayed as quite rich. That was fine; an essential part of the plot, including the college student with her own private airplane. But here the money greases everything without being treated as notable. (I guess most of these monied folks are only in the 1% or .5%, not the .01%, so not notably "rich"?)
Getting to the book at hand:
- two separate stories, connected only by the characters of the present day story reading about the earlier one, and eventually finding one of the present day characters descended from the past characters. Both stories were interesting, but the connection was forced. How about writing two novellas rather than one short novel
- the viewpoint character in the present day story spends far too much time discussing his sex life. (He's *very* happily married.) This reader got bored with it.
- OTOH both stories were captivating enough that I finished it in two days - on yet another day when I wasn't feeling well and wanted light easy to read distraction.
Finally, we have Happy are those who thirst for justice. I pulled that off my shelf for a reread this morning, wanting more distraction. Its main character has an extremely similar sexual relationship with *his* wife. The plot involved yet another dysfunctional Irish family, with money, like my #94. I put it back on the shelf it came from, muttering something uncomplimentary about "soft porn". Note that this would have happened to Irish Cream if I'd started it right after Happy are those who thirst for justice, rather than the other way round. One uxorious character talking too much about his lusts and their satisfaction could be a way to make a story unique. Two similar characters with different names and the same preoccupations is merely boring.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 2005
- Author: male, American, born 1928, priest, sociologist and novelist, author of my #94 for 2023
- English, TBR shelf, 314 pages, 3 stars
- read Aug 30-Sep 1, 2023; not previously read
This is another mystery by the author of my #94 for the year. After reading it, and then pulling another by the same author from my shelves for a reread, I now understand why works by this author would be languishing in TBR-land.
There are multiple issues, not all of them specific to this particular novel. For the author in general:
- too much similarity between plots and settings from book to book
- too much attention to lust, and (marital) sex
- only two(?) models of a good man, and one(?) of a good woman
- everybody's corrupt - the bad guys use "undue influence" routinely, and so do the good guys. There are old boy/person networks in the police, the courts, and the Roman Catholic Church. The heroes are "well connected" - i.e. use these whenever it seems useful.
- too many people have enough money to do whatever they want. In my #94, the dysfunctional family was portrayed as quite rich. That was fine; an essential part of the plot, including the college student with her own private airplane. But here the money greases everything without being treated as notable. (I guess most of these monied folks are only in the 1% or .5%, not the .01%, so not notably "rich"?)
Getting to the book at hand:
- two separate stories, connected only by the characters of the present day story reading about the earlier one, and eventually finding one of the present day characters descended from the past characters. Both stories were interesting, but the connection was forced. How about writing two novellas rather than one short novel
- the viewpoint character in the present day story spends far too much time discussing his sex life. (He's *very* happily married.) This reader got bored with it.
- OTOH both stories were captivating enough that I finished it in two days - on yet another day when I wasn't feeling well and wanted light easy to read distraction.
Finally, we have Happy are those who thirst for justice. I pulled that off my shelf for a reread this morning, wanting more distraction. Its main character has an extremely similar sexual relationship with *his* wife. The plot involved yet another dysfunctional Irish family, with money, like my #94. I put it back on the shelf it came from, muttering something uncomplimentary about "soft porn". Note that this would have happened to Irish Cream if I'd started it right after Happy are those who thirst for justice, rather than the other way round. One uxorious character talking too much about his lusts and their satisfaction could be a way to make a story unique. Two similar characters with different names and the same preoccupations is merely boring.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 2005
- Author: male, American, born 1928, priest, sociologist and novelist, author of my #94 for 2023
- English, TBR shelf, 314 pages, 3 stars
- read Aug 30-Sep 1, 2023; not previously read
30PlatinumWarlock
Happy new thread, Arlie!
31vancouverdeb
Happy New Thread đŸ§µ, Arlie!
32ArlieS
>30 PlatinumWarlock: >31 vancouverdeb: Thank you both.
33ArlieS
97. Some we love, some we hate, some we eat : why it's so hard to think straight about animals by Hal Herzog
This is a book by an academic about human attitudes to various non-human animals, with emphasis on areas where attitudes seem illogical or contradictory. It wound up on my TBR list because it was cited in Beaverland : how one weird rodent made America.
It's an OK book; maybe more than OK if you are more interested in the topic than I turned out to be. The author is quite readable. He does research in the area he wrote about, so there's no science journalist effect.
Read it if you want to know more about cock fighters, animal rights activists, animal conservation volunteers, pet owners, and similar.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, social science (psychology), series: n/a, 2010
- Author: male, American(?), age unknown (BA 1968, Ph.D. 1979), academic (psychology), author not previously read
- English, public library, 326 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Aug 20-Sep 1, 2023, book not previously read
This is a book by an academic about human attitudes to various non-human animals, with emphasis on areas where attitudes seem illogical or contradictory. It wound up on my TBR list because it was cited in Beaverland : how one weird rodent made America.
It's an OK book; maybe more than OK if you are more interested in the topic than I turned out to be. The author is quite readable. He does research in the area he wrote about, so there's no science journalist effect.
Read it if you want to know more about cock fighters, animal rights activists, animal conservation volunteers, pet owners, and similar.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, social science (psychology), series: n/a, 2010
- Author: male, American(?), age unknown (BA 1968, Ph.D. 1979), academic (psychology), author not previously read
- English, public library, 326 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Aug 20-Sep 1, 2023, book not previously read
34ArlieS
98. Happy are Those Who Thirst For Justice by Andrew M. Greeley
In spite of my comments in >29 ArlieS: I reread two of Greeley's mysteries. I'll plead in my defense that in the case of this one, I'd restarted it before the realizations in >29 ArlieS:, and wanted to know what happened, particularly to the granddaughter.
Verdict: interesting mystery; too much of Greeley's IMO delusional beliefs about (all) good Catholic sexual relationships. At least this one had only one episode of marital relations; unfortunately parts of the plot were revealed while the characters were in bed.
Never read more than one Greeley novel in a year. They are far too repetitious.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1987
- Author: male, American, born 1928, priest, sociologist and novelist, author of my #94 and #96 for 2023
- English, own shelves, 304 pages, 3 stars
- read ???-Sep 4, 2023; reread
In spite of my comments in >29 ArlieS: I reread two of Greeley's mysteries. I'll plead in my defense that in the case of this one, I'd restarted it before the realizations in >29 ArlieS:, and wanted to know what happened, particularly to the granddaughter.
Verdict: interesting mystery; too much of Greeley's IMO delusional beliefs about (all) good Catholic sexual relationships. At least this one had only one episode of marital relations; unfortunately parts of the plot were revealed while the characters were in bed.
Never read more than one Greeley novel in a year. They are far too repetitious.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1987
- Author: male, American, born 1928, priest, sociologist and novelist, author of my #94 and #96 for 2023
- English, own shelves, 304 pages, 3 stars
- read ???-Sep 4, 2023; reread
35ArlieS
99. Happy are the Peacemakers by Andrew M. Greeley
In spite of my comments in >29 ArlieS: I reread two of Greeley's mysteries. I'll plead in my defense that in the case of this one, I was desperate for light reading matter, and hoped that with the lead characters unmarried, I'd be spared reading about both the marital bed and the husband's lust. (Instead, I got the author's idea of courtship. *sigh*)
Never read more than one Greeley novel in a year, and then only when feeling tolerant of gender-essentialist nonsense. Don't recommend these books to young adults who haven't yet formed their own models of how romantic and marital relationships work, unless you are reasonably sure they won't take their relationship model as normative. (Be especially careful with young people on the autistic spectrum, who may be using the narrator's voice in novels to try to understand incomprehensible (to them) social behaviour they encounter in real life.)
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1993
- Author: male, American, born 1928, priest, sociologist and novelist, author of my #94, #96 and #98 for 2023
- English, own shelves, 300 pages, 3 stars
- read Sep 1-6, 2023; reread
In spite of my comments in >29 ArlieS: I reread two of Greeley's mysteries. I'll plead in my defense that in the case of this one, I was desperate for light reading matter, and hoped that with the lead characters unmarried, I'd be spared reading about both the marital bed and the husband's lust. (Instead, I got the author's idea of courtship. *sigh*)
Never read more than one Greeley novel in a year, and then only when feeling tolerant of gender-essentialist nonsense. Don't recommend these books to young adults who haven't yet formed their own models of how romantic and marital relationships work, unless you are reasonably sure they won't take their relationship model as normative. (Be especially careful with young people on the autistic spectrum, who may be using the narrator's voice in novels to try to understand incomprehensible (to them) social behaviour they encounter in real life.)
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1993
- Author: male, American, born 1928, priest, sociologist and novelist, author of my #94, #96 and #98 for 2023
- English, own shelves, 300 pages, 3 stars
- read Sep 1-6, 2023; reread
36ArlieS
100. Magic below stairs by Caroline Stevermer
This is a cute little children's novel, in the same universe and with some of the same characters as my #92 for this year. The plot is a bit thin in places - this author may do better as a collaborator - but it was an enjoyable read.
Statistics:
- fiction, fantasy, juvenile, series (not first), 2010
- Author: Caroline Stevermer: female, American, born 1955, novelist, co-author of my #92 for 2023
- English, public library (inter-library loan), 199 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Sep 7, 2023; not previously read
This is a cute little children's novel, in the same universe and with some of the same characters as my #92 for this year. The plot is a bit thin in places - this author may do better as a collaborator - but it was an enjoyable read.
Statistics:
- fiction, fantasy, juvenile, series (not first), 2010
- Author: Caroline Stevermer: female, American, born 1955, novelist, co-author of my #92 for 2023
- English, public library (inter-library loan), 199 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Sep 7, 2023; not previously read
37ArlieS
101. Making modern science : a historical survey by Peter J. Bowler and Iwan Rhys Morus
This is designed to be a textbook for first year students on the history of science, that also works for the general reader. It succeeds pretty well at this, while also covering lots of things I didn't already know. I enjoyed it.
It would take at least 2 or 3 readings for me to absorb everything it covers, and the style (independently-assignable chapters) is such that I didn't automatically absorb a high level outline. That's not a huge flaw; when I was younger I'd have absorbed rather more, and the college students it's intended for will doubtless extract significant details for memorization. But it kept me from rating the book 4.5.
There's lots of good information in here. There's also an orientation I haven't encountered often - the authors are interested in both the process of doing history and the cultural presuppositions and belief systems of the times being studied, and wish to teach something about these along with the specifics of scientific development. They'd also like to transmit these interests to their students. This would be a good book to consult if you wanted to write a historical fiction novel that stayed close to reality, rather than merely seeming plausible to those raised on modern myths of early science.
Nonetheless, it's very much a book I can only recommend to those who really want to learn about the topic. It's quite readable, but the authors aren't the kind of historians who write so beautifully that whatever topic they pick becomes enjoyable. and you'll probably need to do extra work to retain the contents, beyond merely reading the book; it's quite information-dense, in the manner of textbooks.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, history of science, series: n/a, 2005
- Author 1: Peter J. Bowler: male, British, born 1944, academic (history of biology), author not previously read
- Author 2: Iwan Rhys Morus: male, British, born 1964 , academic (history), author not previously read
- English, public library (inter-library loan), 529 pages, 4 stars
- read Aug 14-Sep 8, 2023, book not previously read
This is designed to be a textbook for first year students on the history of science, that also works for the general reader. It succeeds pretty well at this, while also covering lots of things I didn't already know. I enjoyed it.
It would take at least 2 or 3 readings for me to absorb everything it covers, and the style (independently-assignable chapters) is such that I didn't automatically absorb a high level outline. That's not a huge flaw; when I was younger I'd have absorbed rather more, and the college students it's intended for will doubtless extract significant details for memorization. But it kept me from rating the book 4.5.
There's lots of good information in here. There's also an orientation I haven't encountered often - the authors are interested in both the process of doing history and the cultural presuppositions and belief systems of the times being studied, and wish to teach something about these along with the specifics of scientific development. They'd also like to transmit these interests to their students. This would be a good book to consult if you wanted to write a historical fiction novel that stayed close to reality, rather than merely seeming plausible to those raised on modern myths of early science.
Nonetheless, it's very much a book I can only recommend to those who really want to learn about the topic. It's quite readable, but the authors aren't the kind of historians who write so beautifully that whatever topic they pick becomes enjoyable. and you'll probably need to do extra work to retain the contents, beyond merely reading the book; it's quite information-dense, in the manner of textbooks.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, history of science, series: n/a, 2005
- Author 1: Peter J. Bowler: male, British, born 1944, academic (history of biology), author not previously read
- Author 2: Iwan Rhys Morus: male, British, born 1964 , academic (history), author not previously read
- English, public library (inter-library loan), 529 pages, 4 stars
- read Aug 14-Sep 8, 2023, book not previously read
38ArlieS
102. The mislaid magician, or, Ten years after : being the private correspondence between two prominent families regarding a scandal touching the highest levels of government and the security of the realm by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
This is another fun installment in a series of epistolary novels, set in the post-Napoleonic period in a world where magic exists, but the course of world events basically follows real world history. This one is enlivened by the excitement of raising magically talented children.
As with the rest of the series, there's a mystery involving magic, which takes a fair amount of solving, and a bit of luck besides. There's also plenty of humor.
It is perhaps a hair less wonderful than the first two books in its series, netting it a rating of 4 rather than 4.5. But it's still well worth a read, particularly if you like the idea of a Regency-romance-like setting, though minus the romance (none of the characters are looking for a wife/husband; most are already married).
Statistics:
- fiction, fantasy, series (not first), 2006
- Author 1: Patricia Wrede: female, American, born 1953, novelist, author of my #92 for 2023
- Author 2: Caroline Stevermer: female, American, born 1955, novelist, author of my #92 and #100 for 2023
- English, public library (inter-library loan), 328 pages, 4 stars
- read Sep 8-12, 2023; not previously read
This is another fun installment in a series of epistolary novels, set in the post-Napoleonic period in a world where magic exists, but the course of world events basically follows real world history. This one is enlivened by the excitement of raising magically talented children.
As with the rest of the series, there's a mystery involving magic, which takes a fair amount of solving, and a bit of luck besides. There's also plenty of humor.
It is perhaps a hair less wonderful than the first two books in its series, netting it a rating of 4 rather than 4.5. But it's still well worth a read, particularly if you like the idea of a Regency-romance-like setting, though minus the romance (none of the characters are looking for a wife/husband; most are already married).
Statistics:
- fiction, fantasy, series (not first), 2006
- Author 1: Patricia Wrede: female, American, born 1953, novelist, author of my #92 for 2023
- Author 2: Caroline Stevermer: female, American, born 1955, novelist, author of my #92 and #100 for 2023
- English, public library (inter-library loan), 328 pages, 4 stars
- read Sep 8-12, 2023; not previously read
39ArlieS
103. A brief history of science : as seen through the development of scientific instruments by Thomas Crump
This is a history of scientific development that does what it says on the tin. In particular, it focuses on the how of scientific discovery - what prior discoveries were needed to design and make the tools needed to investigate some phenomenon and make new discoveries. It doesn't generally go into great detail about how the tools were made, though there are some descriptions and diagrams. Mostly it's about connecting the dots of scientific discovery.
It's readable and interesting, though I curse my aging inability to effortlessly absorb details, as I would have done when I was younger.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, history of science, series: n/a, 2001
- Author: male, nationality unknown (worked at university of Amsterdam; wrote in English), age unknown (retired 1994), academic (anthropology), author not previously read
- English, public library (inter-library loan), 425 pages, 4 stars
- read Aug 28-Sep 14, 2023, book not previously read
This is a history of scientific development that does what it says on the tin. In particular, it focuses on the how of scientific discovery - what prior discoveries were needed to design and make the tools needed to investigate some phenomenon and make new discoveries. It doesn't generally go into great detail about how the tools were made, though there are some descriptions and diagrams. Mostly it's about connecting the dots of scientific discovery.
It's readable and interesting, though I curse my aging inability to effortlessly absorb details, as I would have done when I was younger.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, history of science, series: n/a, 2001
- Author: male, nationality unknown (worked at university of Amsterdam; wrote in English), age unknown (retired 1994), academic (anthropology), author not previously read
- English, public library (inter-library loan), 425 pages, 4 stars
- read Aug 28-Sep 14, 2023, book not previously read
40jjmcgaffey
>39 ArlieS: Oh, phooey - not in any of my Libby libraries. I'll have to look for that one. I _loved_ Consider the Fork (not the same author), a history of cooking via the implements used; this sounds like it takes a similar angle and I'd love to read it.
Hah - ILLed it (Link+). It looks like he's written a lot I'd like to read...I'll have to keep an eye out for him.
Hah - ILLed it (Link+). It looks like he's written a lot I'd like to read...I'll have to keep an eye out for him.
41ArlieS
>40 jjmcgaffey: Hurrah for Link+; that's what I use too. Without it, either my reading choices or my bank account would be poorer - and if the latter, I'd have to find some place to store the books.
42ArlieS
104. Death and the joyful woman by Ellis Peters
This is one of Ellis Peters' Inspector Felse mysteries. I tracked it down and read it as the result of a book bullet from jimmcgaffey. It was worth the effort. It's an enjoyable murder mystery with numerous potential suspects. The situation is made more complex by the inspector's 16-year old son, halfway to adulthood, who has a crush on one of the potential suspects.
As is common with these mysteries, the detective is acquainted with the deceased before his death. He's also acquainted with at least one person who resents the victim's past behaviour; they clashed over a property both of them wished to purchase. And of course many other potential suspects turn up as the story progresses.
In terms of plot construction, this book reminds me a lot of Rainbow's End, my #85 for this year. The victim had hosted an event attended by the detective off duty in which other people mentioned their resentment of their host. There's an intelligent and brave school boy integral to the plot. The list of people with motives for killing proves rather long. And boring police procedure is often referenced, and provides useful information, but often takes place off stage.
Overall, the mix of familiar elements works nicely, as reflected by me reading the whole book in a single day. And it's nice that the detective has a life, outside of his job - and that life isn't depressingly noir. (He likes a pint of mild, but isn't a drunk; he's happily married with a teenage son, who's got his own personality; he doesn't act like an obsessive workaholic, though he works hard when that's needed.)
But it is a bit predictable, and won't have reread potential until or unless I forget the plot.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1961
- Author: female, British, born 1913, writer, author of my #80 and #85 for this year
- English, public library (inter-library loan), 189 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Sep 14, 2023; book previously unread
This is one of Ellis Peters' Inspector Felse mysteries. I tracked it down and read it as the result of a book bullet from jimmcgaffey. It was worth the effort. It's an enjoyable murder mystery with numerous potential suspects. The situation is made more complex by the inspector's 16-year old son, halfway to adulthood, who has a crush on one of the potential suspects.
As is common with these mysteries, the detective is acquainted with the deceased before his death. He's also acquainted with at least one person who resents the victim's past behaviour; they clashed over a property both of them wished to purchase. And of course many other potential suspects turn up as the story progresses.
In terms of plot construction, this book reminds me a lot of Rainbow's End, my #85 for this year. The victim had hosted an event attended by the detective off duty in which other people mentioned their resentment of their host. There's an intelligent and brave school boy integral to the plot. The list of people with motives for killing proves rather long. And boring police procedure is often referenced, and provides useful information, but often takes place off stage.
Overall, the mix of familiar elements works nicely, as reflected by me reading the whole book in a single day. And it's nice that the detective has a life, outside of his job - and that life isn't depressingly noir. (He likes a pint of mild, but isn't a drunk; he's happily married with a teenage son, who's got his own personality; he doesn't act like an obsessive workaholic, though he works hard when that's needed.)
But it is a bit predictable, and won't have reread potential until or unless I forget the plot.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1961
- Author: female, British, born 1913, writer, author of my #80 and #85 for this year
- English, public library (inter-library loan), 189 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Sep 14, 2023; book previously unread
43quondame
>42 ArlieS: I had "issues" with The Joyful Woman. I didn't remember them until I looked at my review, but I do remember something about a sign.
44ArlieS
I've finally begun the fun task of tabulating the books I've read in 2023, with the aid of an even more sophisticated spread sheet than I used last year. It's early days yet, but I may eventually have actual contents for post 18 of this thread.
I've also received and started to read my very first early reviewer book from LibraryThing. Fortunately, I like it. I know I'm only committed to an honest review, not a favorable one, but I wouldn't want to have to write an unfavorable review of a book that came as what amounts to a gift.
I've also received and started to read my very first early reviewer book from LibraryThing. Fortunately, I like it. I know I'm only committed to an honest review, not a favorable one, but I wouldn't want to have to write an unfavorable review of a book that came as what amounts to a gift.
45ArlieS
105. A nice derangement of epitaphs by Ellis Peters
Another day, another murder mystery. Also another book bullet from jimmcgaffey.
This is another one of Ellis Peters' Inspector Felse mysteries. It's another workmanlike job, with extra excitement unrelated to the crime(s). This time Inspector Felse is away from home on vacation when he's invited to participate in the opening of an old tomb to investigate whether anything interesting was buried with the corpse. This is all being done officially, with the approval of the Church. But it turns out that someone else has been there before them.
This time Inspector Felse doesn't know the locals, but there's a local policeman who does, and who encourages Felse to assist him. The locals, officially fishermen, routinely supplement their earnings by smuggling, and have been doing this for centuries. One of the local policeman's first acts is to announce where he can easily be overheard that he's not interested in evidence of smuggling - just in solving the murder.
To say more would be too much in the way of spoilers. Suffice it to say that all turns out well in the end, except for the crime victims, and they aren't portrayed as either likeable or liked, though this time they mostly aren't despised and hated. There are two young men involved this time; one 15 and one 18 or so, but they aren't anywhere as deeply involved as the youngsters in my #85 and #104.
If you want a nice mystery fix, cozy in spite of having real policemen involved, you could do a lot worse.
About my only complaint is casual low grade sexism on the part of the characters and setting. (Women are generally homemakers, helpmeets, mothers, and not much more.) But that's extremely realistic for 1965. And even so, the book passes the Bechdel test.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1965
- Author: female, British, born 1913, writer, author of my #80 and #85 for this year
- English, public library (inter-library loan), 196 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Sep 15-17, 2023; book previously unread
Another day, another murder mystery. Also another book bullet from jimmcgaffey.
This is another one of Ellis Peters' Inspector Felse mysteries. It's another workmanlike job, with extra excitement unrelated to the crime(s). This time Inspector Felse is away from home on vacation when he's invited to participate in the opening of an old tomb to investigate whether anything interesting was buried with the corpse. This is all being done officially, with the approval of the Church. But it turns out that someone else has been there before them.
This time Inspector Felse doesn't know the locals, but there's a local policeman who does, and who encourages Felse to assist him. The locals, officially fishermen, routinely supplement their earnings by smuggling, and have been doing this for centuries. One of the local policeman's first acts is to announce where he can easily be overheard that he's not interested in evidence of smuggling - just in solving the murder.
To say more would be too much in the way of spoilers. Suffice it to say that all turns out well in the end, except for the crime victims, and they aren't portrayed as either likeable or liked, though this time they mostly aren't despised and hated. There are two young men involved this time; one 15 and one 18 or so, but they aren't anywhere as deeply involved as the youngsters in my #85 and #104.
If you want a nice mystery fix, cozy in spite of having real policemen involved, you could do a lot worse.
About my only complaint is casual low grade sexism on the part of the characters and setting. (Women are generally homemakers, helpmeets, mothers, and not much more.) But that's extremely realistic for 1965. And even so, the book passes the Bechdel test.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1965
- Author: female, British, born 1913, writer, author of my #80 and #85 for this year
- English, public library (inter-library loan), 196 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Sep 15-17, 2023; book previously unread
46jjmcgaffey
If you want one from the woman's POV, do read The Grass Widow's Tale - Bunty gets her own adventure. Glad to see you're enjoying the Felses.
47vancouverdeb
>44 ArlieS: Arlie , you can write an unfavourable review of a LT early reader book, even though it is a gift. I used to feel like you, but someone else on LT who had quite a few Early Reviews Book wins told me that as long as you write the minimum number of words , I forget how many , it does not matter whether the review is positive or negative. Just that you write a review. You’ll still win more ER books if you want them . It sounds like you like this book anyway , but just so you know .
48richardderus
>39 ArlieS: That one vaults onto my damn TBR. *shakes fist at Arlie*
Oh, and happy new thread since this appears to be my first visit (to my surprise).
Oh, and happy new thread since this appears to be my first visit (to my surprise).
49ArlieS
>46 jjmcgaffey: Now on its way to me via inter-library loan
>47 vancouverdeb: Fortunately, I continue to like it, but it's making me think. And reviewing may be difficult; the topic is full of landmines, at least for anyone who is not themselves black.
>48 richardderus: Turn about is fair play. You've certainly contributed enough to my TBR ;-)
>47 vancouverdeb: Fortunately, I continue to like it, but it's making me think. And reviewing may be difficult; the topic is full of landmines, at least for anyone who is not themselves black.
>48 richardderus: Turn about is fair play. You've certainly contributed enough to my TBR ;-)
50ArlieS
106. Bees of the World A Guide to Every Family by Laurence Packer
This book does precisely what it says on the tin - it gives a wee bit of information on every genus of bees, including at least two pictures per genus. I found it on the new book shelf at one of my local libraries, and borrowed it on impulse.
The information is systematic and fairly detailed. There are maps showing where each genus is found, and a bit of information on how it makes a living. I had no idea so many species of bees existed, and knew only a bit about the existence and lifestyles of bees other than honeybees and bumblebees.
I believe I'd vaguely heard of social parasitism among insects - a female of species A replaces the queen in a nest of insects of species B, and and tricks the species B workers into raising her offspring. I'm not sure I was aware that some bee species used this strategy at the expense of other species of bees.
I'm sure I'd never heard of "cuckoo bees". This kind of parasite invades the nest of another species of bee, replacing or supplementing their eggs with her own. The resources left by the mother to nourish her own offspring are instead consumed by the parasite's offspring - which also kill the unwilling host's offspring if their mother hasn't already done that.
I also didn't realize that bees often gather different food for themselves and for their offspring. I'd certainly never heard of "sweat bees", who gather nutritional resources from e.g. human sweat.
Sadly, those surprises are about all I absorbed, plus the huge variety in the size and appearance of bees, and how they've produced many more species than their ancestors, the wasps. There's plenty of other detail there - an attentive reader could probably use it to make a stab at identifying bees in their environment. But I just read for the gestalt impression
It's a good book, but more like a reference for an aspiring bee watcher (a term I just coined, by analogy with bird watcher) than something to simply read, except that it doesn't limit itself to any particular geographical area. (Most books for birders tend to be a lot more limited.)
Statistics:
- non-fiction, science, series: n/a, 2022
- Author: male, Canadian? (1st 2 degrees in UK), age unknown (BA 1976; Ph.D 1986), academic (biology, in particular melittology), author not previously read
- English, public library, 240 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Sep 12-20, 2023, book not previously read
This book does precisely what it says on the tin - it gives a wee bit of information on every genus of bees, including at least two pictures per genus. I found it on the new book shelf at one of my local libraries, and borrowed it on impulse.
The information is systematic and fairly detailed. There are maps showing where each genus is found, and a bit of information on how it makes a living. I had no idea so many species of bees existed, and knew only a bit about the existence and lifestyles of bees other than honeybees and bumblebees.
I believe I'd vaguely heard of social parasitism among insects - a female of species A replaces the queen in a nest of insects of species B, and and tricks the species B workers into raising her offspring. I'm not sure I was aware that some bee species used this strategy at the expense of other species of bees.
I'm sure I'd never heard of "cuckoo bees". This kind of parasite invades the nest of another species of bee, replacing or supplementing their eggs with her own. The resources left by the mother to nourish her own offspring are instead consumed by the parasite's offspring - which also kill the unwilling host's offspring if their mother hasn't already done that.
I also didn't realize that bees often gather different food for themselves and for their offspring. I'd certainly never heard of "sweat bees", who gather nutritional resources from e.g. human sweat.
Sadly, those surprises are about all I absorbed, plus the huge variety in the size and appearance of bees, and how they've produced many more species than their ancestors, the wasps. There's plenty of other detail there - an attentive reader could probably use it to make a stab at identifying bees in their environment. But I just read for the gestalt impression
It's a good book, but more like a reference for an aspiring bee watcher (a term I just coined, by analogy with bird watcher) than something to simply read, except that it doesn't limit itself to any particular geographical area. (Most books for birders tend to be a lot more limited.)
Statistics:
- non-fiction, science, series: n/a, 2022
- Author: male, Canadian? (1st 2 degrees in UK), age unknown (BA 1976; Ph.D 1986), academic (biology, in particular melittology), author not previously read
- English, public library, 240 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Sep 12-20, 2023, book not previously read
51jjmcgaffey
I knew sweat bees, but didn't realize they are actually bees - thought they were some kind of beetle, I think. They used to hang out with me a lot in Virginia when I was a kid. They're small and fast enough I've never gotten a good look at one.
52ArlieS
107. The kindness of strangers : the abandonment of children in Western Europe from late antiquity to the Renaissance by John Boswell
This was an interesting book. I borrowed it not because of any particular interest in the topic, but because the author came up in a discussion of historians who write so well that whatever they write is an enjoyable read, perhaps up to and including their personal grocery lists ;-) Of course I *am* interested in any and all history; only the specific topic was kind of "whatever" to me.
I'm glad I read it, though I didn't find the author to be quite as great a writer as Mary Beard or David Hackett Fischer, who are my favorite examples of historians who write incredibly well. I learned a lot about something that doesn't tend to get mentioned in popular histories.
The thesis is that in many pre-contraception societies, desired family size was commonly achieved by moving surplus children outside of the family. This was not normally done by infanticide (as often imagined), but by a variety of methods that resulted in the children being transferred to other households. This was important to rich families, particularly in times and places where any inheritance was required to be shared more of less evenly among all surviving heirs; re-homing surplus male children allowed family holdings to remain intact. It was even more important to the very poor, who might well have more children than they could afford to rear.
The specific methods vary with the society, and even within a given society. Some children were sold as slaves. Some were exposed, for whatever passerby who wanted to pick up and rear, either as family or as servant/slave. Some were oblated - donated to a monastery in childhood, with little or no option to avoid becoming a monk, nun, or monastic servant. Some were dropped in anonymous baby boxes, to be reared in government supported orphanages. Some were given directly to the people who rear and perhaps adopt them, perhaps friends or relatives of the parents.
Sometimes this was also the standard way of handling children deemed defective in some way, to the point where there are complaints extant about an overwhelming proportion of monks in some places being either stupid or crippled.
And of course this still happens today, in spite of the availability of effective contraception, though oblation is AFAIK no longer one of the available methods of getting a child off one's hands.
Boswell brings together all kinds of evidence for the frequency of this and the forms it took in various time periods in Europe. None of it is entirely conclusive; there simply aren't any statistics for most of this period, with a few limited exceptions mostly towards the end of the period, with the beginning of civic orphanages.
He does this while displaying a masterful command of languages - rare in an American, even an academic. Citations are to works in a surprising (to me) variety of languages, and there's an appendix containing a few relevant sources Boswell has translated into English.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, history, series: n/a, 1988
- Author: male, American, born 1947, academic (history), author previously read
- English, public library, 488 pages, 4 stars
- read Sep 4-20, 2023, book not previously read
This was an interesting book. I borrowed it not because of any particular interest in the topic, but because the author came up in a discussion of historians who write so well that whatever they write is an enjoyable read, perhaps up to and including their personal grocery lists ;-) Of course I *am* interested in any and all history; only the specific topic was kind of "whatever" to me.
I'm glad I read it, though I didn't find the author to be quite as great a writer as Mary Beard or David Hackett Fischer, who are my favorite examples of historians who write incredibly well. I learned a lot about something that doesn't tend to get mentioned in popular histories.
The thesis is that in many pre-contraception societies, desired family size was commonly achieved by moving surplus children outside of the family. This was not normally done by infanticide (as often imagined), but by a variety of methods that resulted in the children being transferred to other households. This was important to rich families, particularly in times and places where any inheritance was required to be shared more of less evenly among all surviving heirs; re-homing surplus male children allowed family holdings to remain intact. It was even more important to the very poor, who might well have more children than they could afford to rear.
The specific methods vary with the society, and even within a given society. Some children were sold as slaves. Some were exposed, for whatever passerby who wanted to pick up and rear, either as family or as servant/slave. Some were oblated - donated to a monastery in childhood, with little or no option to avoid becoming a monk, nun, or monastic servant. Some were dropped in anonymous baby boxes, to be reared in government supported orphanages. Some were given directly to the people who rear and perhaps adopt them, perhaps friends or relatives of the parents.
Sometimes this was also the standard way of handling children deemed defective in some way, to the point where there are complaints extant about an overwhelming proportion of monks in some places being either stupid or crippled.
And of course this still happens today, in spite of the availability of effective contraception, though oblation is AFAIK no longer one of the available methods of getting a child off one's hands.
Boswell brings together all kinds of evidence for the frequency of this and the forms it took in various time periods in Europe. None of it is entirely conclusive; there simply aren't any statistics for most of this period, with a few limited exceptions mostly towards the end of the period, with the beginning of civic orphanages.
He does this while displaying a masterful command of languages - rare in an American, even an academic. Citations are to works in a surprising (to me) variety of languages, and there's an appendix containing a few relevant sources Boswell has translated into English.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, history, series: n/a, 1988
- Author: male, American, born 1947, academic (history), author previously read
- English, public library, 488 pages, 4 stars
- read Sep 4-20, 2023, book not previously read
53alcottacre
Happy new-ish thread, Arlie. It has been far too long since I have visited!
54richardderus
>52 ArlieS: Interesting that he wrote this as well as the posthuously savaged Same-Sex Unions in Pre-Modern Europe. I wonder if that's undergone critical re-evaluation now that it's thirty. His loss is still a wound to me.
55ArlieS
>53 alcottacre: Good to see you. And it's close to impossible to keep up with all the threads one wants to, at least for me.
>54 richardderus: I read Same-Sex Unions decades ago, when it was fairly new. As I remember it, there was a lot of "maybe" about it, due to the nature of the evidence, just as there was with The Kindness of Strangers. I'd expect historians to argue fiercely about the plausibility of the interpretation; that's what historians do.
But of course that wasn't their only motivation, and certainly wasn't the motivation of the average non-historian reviewer. Lots of people were very attached to a straights-uber-alles view of history, and some still are.
I'm surprised there isn't more conflict about The Kindness of Strangers as well - of maybe there is, but I missed it. Surely it also goes against cherished views, aka "self-evident truths".
>54 richardderus: I read Same-Sex Unions decades ago, when it was fairly new. As I remember it, there was a lot of "maybe" about it, due to the nature of the evidence, just as there was with The Kindness of Strangers. I'd expect historians to argue fiercely about the plausibility of the interpretation; that's what historians do.
But of course that wasn't their only motivation, and certainly wasn't the motivation of the average non-historian reviewer. Lots of people were very attached to a straights-uber-alles view of history, and some still are.
I'm surprised there isn't more conflict about The Kindness of Strangers as well - of maybe there is, but I missed it. Surely it also goes against cherished views, aka "self-evident truths".
56richardderus
>55 ArlieS: If The Kindness of Strangers caused storms in the 1980s, they were in academia and never made it into straight-people media. I was deep into publishing then and think I'd remember such a kerfuffle. The heresies of this one weren't as red-meat-right baiting as the mere notion that faggots and dykes were *ever* recognized by The Church.
57ArlieS
I'm currently in the middle of what I'm calling The Great Furniture Replacement of 2023. I'm replacing my beautiful huge old L-shaped pre-computer-era desk with a modern sit-stand computer desk. The old one is, sadly, too large for the room it's in, and even with a keyboard and mouse tray added, it's implicated in my chronic backaches. I'm also replacing my desk chair, kitchen table, and kitchen/dining room chairs.
Unfortunately I'm no longer fit enough to put furniture together, let alone move anything much larger than a chair. I had to have everything delivered, and now I'm waiting for a person I hired via Taskrabbit to come and put everything together on Monday.
Meanwhile I need to get the old desk out of here. I'd hoped to find it a new owner on Freecycle, but I haven't had any nibbles. If I don't get a nibble by some time this afternoon, I'll have to call a junk removal service to come in Sunday evening and take the desk, along with various other items. (The plan had been to call a junk removal service after the new furniture was set up, to get rid of various furniture that seemed unlikely to be wanted by anyone, plus sundry large e-waste objects. I'll have to do that in any case - we won't have time to identify everything that needs to go, and make it accessible, particularly since we'll be working around furniture flat packs in the space we would have used for staging items small enough that I or my housemate can move them ourselves.)
If I'm offline for a while, it will probably be because my schedule delaminated, leaving me with no usable computer desk for several days, while I find a replacement for a no-show assembler. (No reason to believe he'll be a no show; I'm just fretting.)
In other news, I'm scheduled for a covid booster in about an hour. I may be really low energy for much of the day and into tomorrow. But if I can manage it, I'll try to find time to review my first ever early reviewers book, which I finished earlier this morning.
Unfortunately I'm no longer fit enough to put furniture together, let alone move anything much larger than a chair. I had to have everything delivered, and now I'm waiting for a person I hired via Taskrabbit to come and put everything together on Monday.
Meanwhile I need to get the old desk out of here. I'd hoped to find it a new owner on Freecycle, but I haven't had any nibbles. If I don't get a nibble by some time this afternoon, I'll have to call a junk removal service to come in Sunday evening and take the desk, along with various other items. (The plan had been to call a junk removal service after the new furniture was set up, to get rid of various furniture that seemed unlikely to be wanted by anyone, plus sundry large e-waste objects. I'll have to do that in any case - we won't have time to identify everything that needs to go, and make it accessible, particularly since we'll be working around furniture flat packs in the space we would have used for staging items small enough that I or my housemate can move them ourselves.)
If I'm offline for a while, it will probably be because my schedule delaminated, leaving me with no usable computer desk for several days, while I find a replacement for a no-show assembler. (No reason to believe he'll be a no show; I'm just fretting.)
In other news, I'm scheduled for a covid booster in about an hour. I may be really low energy for much of the day and into tomorrow. But if I can manage it, I'll try to find time to review my first ever early reviewers book, which I finished earlier this morning.
58ArlieS
I duly got the covid booster yesterday, and perhaps because it was at 11:15 almost all of the bad part happened over night. I woke up a repeatedly last night shifting to find a better position for my sore arm. But by the time I got out of bed, it was no longer bugging me. And I slept adequately long, if somewhat disjointedly. Excellent scheduling decision, even if it was simply Hobson's choice - they had an appointment available then, so I took it.
No one wants the desk, alas, so the folks at 1-880-got-junk will be coming to pick it up this evening, along with several other large objects and whatever smaller stuff we thought of. I think we may have managed to identify and make accessible everything that's too large for a pair of 65 year old women to drag to the curb for a special garbage collection by the city, and most of the larger e-waste, which the city won't accept.
I have 10 hours to finish emptying the desk, and get the resulting boxes of stuff out of the way. The latter will need to be after doing my physical therapy exercises for the day, since I fear we'll have to put them where I normally lay out my yoga mat. I go offline towards the end of the 10 hours, when I disconnect and move my monitors and computers.
I won't start that though until I'm closer to awake; my next project will be drinking coffee and reading books.
No one wants the desk, alas, so the folks at 1-880-got-junk will be coming to pick it up this evening, along with several other large objects and whatever smaller stuff we thought of. I think we may have managed to identify and make accessible everything that's too large for a pair of 65 year old women to drag to the curb for a special garbage collection by the city, and most of the larger e-waste, which the city won't accept.
I have 10 hours to finish emptying the desk, and get the resulting boxes of stuff out of the way. The latter will need to be after doing my physical therapy exercises for the day, since I fear we'll have to put them where I normally lay out my yoga mat. I go offline towards the end of the 10 hours, when I disconnect and move my monitors and computers.
I won't start that though until I'm closer to awake; my next project will be drinking coffee and reading books.
59ArlieS
108. The Bodies Keep Coming: Dispatches from a Black Trauma Surgeon on Racism, Violence, and How We Heal by Brian H. Williams
This book chronicles an American black man's transformation from don't rock-the-boat middle class professional success, to determination to work on fixing systemic issues, particularly those that affect black Americans in particular. Although I am white, I found it very easy to identify with the author; he's a STEM professional (trauma surgeon), with a relationship with Harvard (intern at its medical school). His attitude and reactions to the special mistreatment he received as a black person changed over time, just like my attitudes to the special mistreatment I received as a female person. And as an immigrant to the US, and/or an autistic person, I'm don't have the normal American programming to see race as the essence of who a person is - i.e. the author's blackness doesn't make him automatically Other to me.
That was the best part of the book for me. Next best were vignettes of life as a trauma surgeon, including the day that made the author famous, when he treated multiple policemen shot in the same incident. I recall having tears in my eyes reading these sections, and they furthermore added to my collection of examples that give me the best models I can have for the experiences of some blacks in the United States.
The rest of the book was about politics. The book calls out various systemic issues that both effect black people and intersect with the author's personal experiences - more often as a doctor than as a victim. It also suggests approaches to remedying them.
This part seemed to me to be pretty much also-ran. I've heard it all before, and the potential remedies haven't worked yet, sometimes because politics or bureaucratic inertia has prevented them from being tried. Dr. Williams also has the perennial American blind spot - "black" and "poor" are treated almost as synonymns. Arguments he makes in favor of some point may cite a mix of statistics about black people and statistics about poor people, with no sense that the author sees a difference between them. Yet the author himself is a middle class black man - not poor by any stretch of the imagination. If this were the entire book, I'd be rating it "3", which in my system is something like a gentleman's C.
The author is, at root, a work-within-the-system optimist. He wants to reduce the availability of firearms and increase the availability of medical care. It's not mentioned in the book, but a quick web search informed me that he's running for Congress in 2024. I'm inclined to send him a donation, because people like him should be encouraged. I don't know how well (to me) middle-of-the-road policies like that will play with the Texas electorate.
Read this book if you share my taste for getting knowledge of black American experience from individual people's self-descriptions. Read it if you like political books that confirm you in your non-radical but very much Democratic politics. Read it if you want some optimism in your political input. Don't read it if you want stridency or burn-it-all-down radicalism. And if all you want is to read about life as a trauma surgeon, there are probably better alternatives; this book will whet your appetite but absolutely not sate it.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, politics, series: n/a, 2023
- Author: male, American, born 1969, medical doctor, author not previously read
- English, early reviewer copy, 260 pages, 4 stars
- read Sep 15-23, 2023, book not previously read
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book chronicles an American black man's transformation from don't rock-the-boat middle class professional success, to determination to work on fixing systemic issues, particularly those that affect black Americans in particular. Although I am white, I found it very easy to identify with the author; he's a STEM professional (trauma surgeon), with a relationship with Harvard (intern at its medical school). His attitude and reactions to the special mistreatment he received as a black person changed over time, just like my attitudes to the special mistreatment I received as a female person. And as an immigrant to the US, and/or an autistic person, I'm don't have the normal American programming to see race as the essence of who a person is - i.e. the author's blackness doesn't make him automatically Other to me.
That was the best part of the book for me. Next best were vignettes of life as a trauma surgeon, including the day that made the author famous, when he treated multiple policemen shot in the same incident. I recall having tears in my eyes reading these sections, and they furthermore added to my collection of examples that give me the best models I can have for the experiences of some blacks in the United States.
The rest of the book was about politics. The book calls out various systemic issues that both effect black people and intersect with the author's personal experiences - more often as a doctor than as a victim. It also suggests approaches to remedying them.
This part seemed to me to be pretty much also-ran. I've heard it all before, and the potential remedies haven't worked yet, sometimes because politics or bureaucratic inertia has prevented them from being tried. Dr. Williams also has the perennial American blind spot - "black" and "poor" are treated almost as synonymns. Arguments he makes in favor of some point may cite a mix of statistics about black people and statistics about poor people, with no sense that the author sees a difference between them. Yet the author himself is a middle class black man - not poor by any stretch of the imagination. If this were the entire book, I'd be rating it "3", which in my system is something like a gentleman's C.
The author is, at root, a work-within-the-system optimist. He wants to reduce the availability of firearms and increase the availability of medical care. It's not mentioned in the book, but a quick web search informed me that he's running for Congress in 2024. I'm inclined to send him a donation, because people like him should be encouraged. I don't know how well (to me) middle-of-the-road policies like that will play with the Texas electorate.
Read this book if you share my taste for getting knowledge of black American experience from individual people's self-descriptions. Read it if you like political books that confirm you in your non-radical but very much Democratic politics. Read it if you want some optimism in your political input. Don't read it if you want stridency or burn-it-all-down radicalism. And if all you want is to read about life as a trauma surgeon, there are probably better alternatives; this book will whet your appetite but absolutely not sate it.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, politics, series: n/a, 2023
- Author: male, American, born 1969, medical doctor, author not previously read
- English, early reviewer copy, 260 pages, 4 stars
- read Sep 15-23, 2023, book not previously read
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
60richardderus
I hope your various removals, rebuildings, and resitings are but memories now, and you're sitting/standing comfortably at last amid oodles of freed-up space.
61ArlieS
>60 richardderus: I got the computers put back together and rebooted a bit less than an hour ago. My wonderful housemate - who slept through the Tasker assembling furniture, in spite of the dog's best efforts - made it a priority to get the too-heavy-for-me monitors onto my new desk, and the also-too-heavy new chair into the office, while I was pretending to take a nap after the Tasker left.
There's all kinds of stuff still needing to be put back or rehomed, but my first, second and third priority was getting back online. (Cell phones don't count.)
I'm pretty much fresh out of ambition right now, except for fiddling with adjustments to get the perfect desk and chair arrangement.
So the rest of the cleanup can wait.
There's all kinds of stuff still needing to be put back or rehomed, but my first, second and third priority was getting back online. (Cell phones don't count.)
I'm pretty much fresh out of ambition right now, except for fiddling with adjustments to get the perfect desk and chair arrangement.
So the rest of the cleanup can wait.
62ArlieS
109. Monstrous regiment by Terry Pratchett
This is a humorous fantasy novel, with much of the humour coming from somewhat heavy-handed satire. I read it because it got mentioned in discussion about novels featuring women disguising themselves as men in order to enlist.
It was good relaxing humour, a bit slow to get into, but rewarding once more interesting things started happening.
It's possible but unlikely that this was a rereading; I've read a lot of Pratchett's works, and this one was published well before I became reliable about recording books I'd read but not purchased. OTOH, it's not very likely, since my memory wasn't triggered while reading it, and it came out after my peak period of reading this author.
Worth noting:
- the comment about heavy-handed satire is not a complaint, just a description. Some satire is subtle, and you need to think to get it. Other satire gets its humour in part from exaggerating the thing satirized beyond any real world example. This book is in the latter category, particularly with regard to the official religion of the country the characters have enlisted to fight for.
- the title is an allusion to a work by John Knox, The First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women.
Statistics:
- fiction, fantasy, series (not first), 2003
- Author: male, British, born 1948, novelist, author previously read
- English, public library, 353 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Sep 18-24 2023; book probably previously unread
This is a humorous fantasy novel, with much of the humour coming from somewhat heavy-handed satire. I read it because it got mentioned in discussion about novels featuring women disguising themselves as men in order to enlist.
It was good relaxing humour, a bit slow to get into, but rewarding once more interesting things started happening.
It's possible but unlikely that this was a rereading; I've read a lot of Pratchett's works, and this one was published well before I became reliable about recording books I'd read but not purchased. OTOH, it's not very likely, since my memory wasn't triggered while reading it, and it came out after my peak period of reading this author.
Worth noting:
- the comment about heavy-handed satire is not a complaint, just a description. Some satire is subtle, and you need to think to get it. Other satire gets its humour in part from exaggerating the thing satirized beyond any real world example. This book is in the latter category, particularly with regard to the official religion of the country the characters have enlisted to fight for.
- the title is an allusion to a work by John Knox, The First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women.
Statistics:
- fiction, fantasy, series (not first), 2003
- Author: male, British, born 1948, novelist, author previously read
- English, public library, 353 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Sep 18-24 2023; book probably previously unread
63alcottacre
>55 ArlieS: I used to be able to keep up when the group was much smaller, but those days are long gone!
>61 ArlieS: I am glad to hear that things are getting where they need to be, Arlie.
>62 ArlieS: Prachett's humor is very hit and miss with me, unfortunately. I have tried several times to get into his Discworld books to no avail.
>61 ArlieS: I am glad to hear that things are getting where they need to be, Arlie.
>62 ArlieS: Prachett's humor is very hit and miss with me, unfortunately. I have tried several times to get into his Discworld books to no avail.
64ArlieS
110. Pathogenesis : a history of the world in eight plagues by Jonathan Kennedy
This book wants to be the updated replacement for William H. McNeill's, Plagues and Peoples. It fails. Plagues upon the earth : disease and the course of human history by Kyle Harper (my #88 this year) does a much better job. Read it instead.
If it hadn't expressed that goal, I might have rated it 3 instead of 2.5. It's an also-ran attempt at a history of hominid - not just human - encounters with disease. It states "truths" I've never encountered before without footnoting them. It gives capsule summaries of bits and pieces of history and pre-history that I'd expect any halfway interested reader to already know. The "eight plagues" of the sub-title aren't specific plagues - they are more like specific historical and pre-historical contexts.
Who knew that all non-human hominids became extinct because of their lesser ability to handle diseases spread by homo sapiens? I still don't know that, but this author appears quite certain of it; at a guess it "stands to reason" given the experience of Native Americans with the Columbian exchange. (He does not appear to have been able to find another author to cite in support of this claim.)
Throw in a bit of politics, and I found myself continuing with the book primarily for the purpose of writing a bad review. The next person on the hold list for this book is welcome to it.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, history, series: n/a, 2023
- Author: male, British, age unknown, academic (sociology, public health), author not previously read
- English, public library, 294 pages, 2.5 stars
- read Sep 21-28, 2023, book not previously read
This book was recommended to me by LibraryThing's new recommendation system. This did not increase my confidence in that system. I'm putting it in a collection not to be used for future recommendations.
This book wants to be the updated replacement for William H. McNeill's, Plagues and Peoples. It fails. Plagues upon the earth : disease and the course of human history by Kyle Harper (my #88 this year) does a much better job. Read it instead.
If it hadn't expressed that goal, I might have rated it 3 instead of 2.5. It's an also-ran attempt at a history of hominid - not just human - encounters with disease. It states "truths" I've never encountered before without footnoting them. It gives capsule summaries of bits and pieces of history and pre-history that I'd expect any halfway interested reader to already know. The "eight plagues" of the sub-title aren't specific plagues - they are more like specific historical and pre-historical contexts.
Who knew that all non-human hominids became extinct because of their lesser ability to handle diseases spread by homo sapiens? I still don't know that, but this author appears quite certain of it; at a guess it "stands to reason" given the experience of Native Americans with the Columbian exchange. (He does not appear to have been able to find another author to cite in support of this claim.)
Throw in a bit of politics, and I found myself continuing with the book primarily for the purpose of writing a bad review. The next person on the hold list for this book is welcome to it.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, history, series: n/a, 2023
- Author: male, British, age unknown, academic (sociology, public health), author not previously read
- English, public library, 294 pages, 2.5 stars
- read Sep 21-28, 2023, book not previously read
This book was recommended to me by LibraryThing's new recommendation system. This did not increase my confidence in that system. I'm putting it in a collection not to be used for future recommendations.
65ArlieS
111. Gideon's Day by J.J. Marric (John Creasey)
This is the first of a series of 26 police procedurals, featuring a senior officer at Scotland Yard named Gideon. The first book was published in 1955, so the setting is a London that's currently barely in living memory; I shudder to imagine how any recent American novelist would misrepresent this setting.
I very much enjoyed books from both this series and the Inspector West series by the same author, when I read them many years ago - probably in the 1980s. But not all books age well, so when I decided I'd like to reread some, I borrowed them rather than attempting to purchase them second hand.
I'm pleased to report that this series is still quite enjoyable, and relaxing besides. I read this volume in the course of three days, reading more any time I needed a mental/emotional pick-me-up. I then started volume two, and put in an inter-library loan request for volume three. I imagine they'll be a bit repetitious and formulistic, binge-read in this way, but I'm quite sure it won't be a frustrating experience like the one I got when dipping back into Andrew Greeley's mysteries.
This particular book chronicles everything a somewhat workaholic senior officer in Scotland Yard experiences in a single overly long day, along with some of the criminal activity he only hears about. You see him reacting to situations, giving orders, reading reports, and sometimes dealing with parts of a few cases personally. Progress is made in some cases, and there are even a few arrests; other cases go nowhere useful.
There's nothing much profound in here - it's basically escapist reading. But Gideon is the sort of policeman I'd like to see a lot more of - patient, methodical, thorough, etc. The overall flavor is optimistic - the system works, though not perfectly, as long as good people keep doing their jobs. And the people, with a few exceptions, are themselves good. Not the criminals, of course, but even they often have something good about them. The series is not cosy, but it's also not remotely noir.
It's dated in lots of ways, but most of those are utterly appropriate to the setting, as well as to the year it was written. Marijuana is presented as just about as dangerous and addictive as heroin really is. Women appear, and they aren't all merely love interests or mothers - but the book nonetheless doesn't pass the Bechdel test. (Of course that's difficult when the primary character is male.) Fortunately it's not dated in ways that bother me.
Read this book if you like police procedurals that aren't "noir", and find the 1950s London setting positive or neutral.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, first of a series, 1955
- Author: male, British, born 1908, novelist, author previously read
- English, public library, 216 pages, 4 stars
- read Sep 27-291 2023; book may have been previously read
This is the first of a series of 26 police procedurals, featuring a senior officer at Scotland Yard named Gideon. The first book was published in 1955, so the setting is a London that's currently barely in living memory; I shudder to imagine how any recent American novelist would misrepresent this setting.
I very much enjoyed books from both this series and the Inspector West series by the same author, when I read them many years ago - probably in the 1980s. But not all books age well, so when I decided I'd like to reread some, I borrowed them rather than attempting to purchase them second hand.
I'm pleased to report that this series is still quite enjoyable, and relaxing besides. I read this volume in the course of three days, reading more any time I needed a mental/emotional pick-me-up. I then started volume two, and put in an inter-library loan request for volume three. I imagine they'll be a bit repetitious and formulistic, binge-read in this way, but I'm quite sure it won't be a frustrating experience like the one I got when dipping back into Andrew Greeley's mysteries.
This particular book chronicles everything a somewhat workaholic senior officer in Scotland Yard experiences in a single overly long day, along with some of the criminal activity he only hears about. You see him reacting to situations, giving orders, reading reports, and sometimes dealing with parts of a few cases personally. Progress is made in some cases, and there are even a few arrests; other cases go nowhere useful.
There's nothing much profound in here - it's basically escapist reading. But Gideon is the sort of policeman I'd like to see a lot more of - patient, methodical, thorough, etc. The overall flavor is optimistic - the system works, though not perfectly, as long as good people keep doing their jobs. And the people, with a few exceptions, are themselves good. Not the criminals, of course, but even they often have something good about them. The series is not cosy, but it's also not remotely noir.
It's dated in lots of ways, but most of those are utterly appropriate to the setting, as well as to the year it was written. Marijuana is presented as just about as dangerous and addictive as heroin really is. Women appear, and they aren't all merely love interests or mothers - but the book nonetheless doesn't pass the Bechdel test. (Of course that's difficult when the primary character is male.) Fortunately it's not dated in ways that bother me.
Read this book if you like police procedurals that aren't "noir", and find the 1950s London setting positive or neutral.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, first of a series, 1955
- Author: male, British, born 1908, novelist, author previously read
- English, public library, 216 pages, 4 stars
- read Sep 27-291 2023; book may have been previously read
66vancouverdeb
>59 ArlieS: Great work with the review of you Early reader win, Arlie. It sounds like an interesting book.
67ArlieS
>66 vancouverdeb: Thank you. It is.
68ArlieS
My binge-reading of the Gideon series continues apace. I'm far too close to the end of volume 2, have ordered volume 3 by inter-library loan, have volume 4 already on my shelves along with a handful of others, and have just ordered 9 more used volumes (all they had in stock) from Powells, a wonderful independent book seller, that I've only had a chance to visit in person once.
Since I'm trying to (re)read them in order, there will be a pause after volume 2, in which I'll just have to read more of Ellis Peters' Felse Investigations series, which I'm not trying to read in order. Or I could make another attempt at a pair of novels that I'm more likely to Pearl-rule than finish. Or I could get back to New Pompeii or Thrice Upon a Time, which I probably will eventually finish.
Isn't it terrible to have so many choices of light reading ;-)
Since I'm trying to (re)read them in order, there will be a pause after volume 2, in which I'll just have to read more of Ellis Peters' Felse Investigations series, which I'm not trying to read in order. Or I could make another attempt at a pair of novels that I'm more likely to Pearl-rule than finish. Or I could get back to New Pompeii or Thrice Upon a Time, which I probably will eventually finish.
Isn't it terrible to have so many choices of light reading ;-)
69richardderus
>68 ArlieS: Not that you asked, but New Pompeii is the one I'd nudge you towards....
70ChrisG1
>68 ArlieS: I live in the Portland area & Powell's is quite the local institution. I can easily spend hours there.
71ArlieS
>69 richardderus: I'll keep that in mind. I take it you've read it and liked it.
>70 ChrisG1: I've only been to Portland once - interviewing for some job or other, probably in the late '90s; Powell's was one of the highlights of the trip.
>70 ChrisG1: I've only been to Portland once - interviewing for some job or other, probably in the late '90s; Powell's was one of the highlights of the trip.
72ArlieS
112. Gideon's week by J.J. Marric (John Creasey)
This is the second in the series of police procedurals that began with my #111 for this year. Much of the non-spoiler detail I could give about Gideon's Week would really be about the series, and already mentioned with Gideon's Day.
Drug-dealing isn't prominent this time; instead we have murders and a prison breakout, with a blackmail case progressing slowly in the background.
Once again, it's a nice light snack.
This time it's one I'm sure I've previously read; I remembered some details of one of the major cases.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1956
- Author: male, British, born 1908, novelist, author of my #111 for this year
- English, public library, 215 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Sep 29-Oct 1, 2023, book previously read
This is the second in the series of police procedurals that began with my #111 for this year. Much of the non-spoiler detail I could give about Gideon's Week would really be about the series, and already mentioned with Gideon's Day.
Drug-dealing isn't prominent this time; instead we have murders and a prison breakout, with a blackmail case progressing slowly in the background.
Once again, it's a nice light snack.
This time it's one I'm sure I've previously read; I remembered some details of one of the major cases.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1956
- Author: male, British, born 1908, novelist, author of my #111 for this year
- English, public library, 215 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Sep 29-Oct 1, 2023, book previously read
73richardderus
>71 ArlieS: I read New Pompeii in 2016, before it was released. It's a thriller-adjacent alternate history novel that honestly doesn't make the joy hair stand up, but compared to more Felse or the Hogan, it's top o' the pops.
74ArlieS
113. The secret lives of bats : my adventures with the world's most misunderstood mammals by Merlin Devere Tuttle
This is a book about a bat conservationist and scientist's adventures with bats, from childhood onwards. I enjoyed the author's style, and learned a fair bit about bats and how experts capture, handle, and photograph them.
It's a fun book with lots of pictures - those are somewhat of the author's specialty, as a repeated contributor to National Geographic. and there was enough about the bats - as compared to the coworkers, poachers, politicians, etc. - to keep my science-loving heart happy.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, science, series: n/a, 2015
- Author: male, American, born 1941, academic (sociology, public health), author not previously read
- English, public library, 271 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Sep 25-Oct 3 2023, book not previously read
I read this book as the result of mining the bibliography of Plagues Upon the Earth for interesting-looking books.
This is a book about a bat conservationist and scientist's adventures with bats, from childhood onwards. I enjoyed the author's style, and learned a fair bit about bats and how experts capture, handle, and photograph them.
It's a fun book with lots of pictures - those are somewhat of the author's specialty, as a repeated contributor to National Geographic. and there was enough about the bats - as compared to the coworkers, poachers, politicians, etc. - to keep my science-loving heart happy.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, science, series: n/a, 2015
- Author: male, American, born 1941, academic (sociology, public health), author not previously read
- English, public library, 271 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Sep 25-Oct 3 2023, book not previously read
I read this book as the result of mining the bibliography of Plagues Upon the Earth for interesting-looking books.
75karenmarie
Hi Arlie. A very belated Happy New Thread.
From your last thread, I’m sorry about the De Quervain’s Tensynovitis diagnosis. I went to the Mayo Clinic’s website instead of Wikipedia for this one. I remember that my Great-Uncle Grover had a card-holder made for him by a friend – his was for pinochle and poker, however, not bridge.
On a bad day, I wish to inform the universe that I'm heartily sick of random low grade aches and pains, seriously unpleased with anything more painful, and positively furious about any reduction in my abilities, or even my energy level. Yes. Seriously yes. I’m trying to do this aging thing with grace, sometimes more successfully than others.
OMG. elderly-esistent medication packaging. It’s evil, pure evil.
>2 ArlieS: My rule for counting a book as having been read is when I finished it, regardless of when I started it. I read books across years, alas.
>28 ArlieS: I seriously embarrassed myself the two times I played bridge after being coerced into filling a seat in an emergency. Once was in high school with my mother’s bridge group, the other was after I moved to NC in 1991 and sat in on my husband’s stepmother’s mother’s bridge group. My grandmother was a serious and marvelous bridge player, so I’ll put the embarrassing memories aside and use your review to remember her.
>44 ArlieS: I love spreadsheets. Spreadsheets about books are the best. An ER review only has to be 25 words, and I’ve always given honest reviews, even when they’re unfavorable. I’ve abandoned ER books, too, and written why in the reviews.
>52 ArlieS: Your review of this book reminds me that I was upset about Hildegaard of Bingen’s being given to the Church at a young age by her wealthy family – two possible reasons are commonly given: religious visions and political positioning of her family. However, she had a brilliant life, probably much better than had she followed the traditional path for women of the 12th century.
>57 ArlieS: Sorry you have to hire someone to put new furniture together. I recently bought a second cat condo and my daughter assembled it for us. We recently had our landscaping company send out a large truck and capable young man, and Jenna and I filled it with all sorts of crap from the garage.
>58 ArlieS: Glad you got your booster, sorry you had a bit of bother overnight. I’ll be getting the Covid booster in 12 days. For some strange reason my doctor wanted me to get the flu shot first, wait 2 weeks then get the Covid booster, then wait another two weeks then get the RSV vaccine.
>64 ArlieS: I’ve added Plagues Upon the Earth to my wish list.
From your last thread, I’m sorry about the De Quervain’s Tensynovitis diagnosis. I went to the Mayo Clinic’s website instead of Wikipedia for this one. I remember that my Great-Uncle Grover had a card-holder made for him by a friend – his was for pinochle and poker, however, not bridge.
On a bad day, I wish to inform the universe that I'm heartily sick of random low grade aches and pains, seriously unpleased with anything more painful, and positively furious about any reduction in my abilities, or even my energy level. Yes. Seriously yes. I’m trying to do this aging thing with grace, sometimes more successfully than others.
OMG. elderly-esistent medication packaging. It’s evil, pure evil.
>2 ArlieS: My rule for counting a book as having been read is when I finished it, regardless of when I started it. I read books across years, alas.
>28 ArlieS: I seriously embarrassed myself the two times I played bridge after being coerced into filling a seat in an emergency. Once was in high school with my mother’s bridge group, the other was after I moved to NC in 1991 and sat in on my husband’s stepmother’s mother’s bridge group. My grandmother was a serious and marvelous bridge player, so I’ll put the embarrassing memories aside and use your review to remember her.
>44 ArlieS: I love spreadsheets. Spreadsheets about books are the best. An ER review only has to be 25 words, and I’ve always given honest reviews, even when they’re unfavorable. I’ve abandoned ER books, too, and written why in the reviews.
>52 ArlieS: Your review of this book reminds me that I was upset about Hildegaard of Bingen’s being given to the Church at a young age by her wealthy family – two possible reasons are commonly given: religious visions and political positioning of her family. However, she had a brilliant life, probably much better than had she followed the traditional path for women of the 12th century.
>57 ArlieS: Sorry you have to hire someone to put new furniture together. I recently bought a second cat condo and my daughter assembled it for us. We recently had our landscaping company send out a large truck and capable young man, and Jenna and I filled it with all sorts of crap from the garage.
>58 ArlieS: Glad you got your booster, sorry you had a bit of bother overnight. I’ll be getting the Covid booster in 12 days. For some strange reason my doctor wanted me to get the flu shot first, wait 2 weeks then get the Covid booster, then wait another two weeks then get the RSV vaccine.
>64 ArlieS: I’ve added Plagues Upon the Earth to my wish list.
76ArlieS
>75 karenmarie: I love the way you combine lots of responses into one reply.
Counting books as read when finished makes more sense than my complex rules.
Bridge is a game you can go on learning for a whole lifetime. We're also-ran players compared to a lot of our opponents.
I'm using the same system as your doctor - first the flu shot, then the covid booster, and eventually the RSV. I have mildly unpleasant reactions each time, and don't want to find out how bad it would be to have two at one time, and in any case I'm only allowed to get shots in one arm now. (That's a legacy of breast cancer; they removed lymph nodes to look for cancer cells - fortunately didn't find any - but that creates a risk of something nasty called lymphedema, and anything else done on that side since that time adds to the potential risk. So shots, blood draws, blood pressure tests etc. all happen on my right side now.)
Counting books as read when finished makes more sense than my complex rules.
Bridge is a game you can go on learning for a whole lifetime. We're also-ran players compared to a lot of our opponents.
I'm using the same system as your doctor - first the flu shot, then the covid booster, and eventually the RSV. I have mildly unpleasant reactions each time, and don't want to find out how bad it would be to have two at one time, and in any case I'm only allowed to get shots in one arm now. (That's a legacy of breast cancer; they removed lymph nodes to look for cancer cells - fortunately didn't find any - but that creates a risk of something nasty called lymphedema, and anything else done on that side since that time adds to the potential risk. So shots, blood draws, blood pressure tests etc. all happen on my right side now.)
77ArlieS
114. The grass-widow's tale by Ellis Peters
This was another book-bullet from jimmcgaffey. I rate it as the best of the Felse mysteries I've read so far. Inspector Felse himself barely figures in the story - this story is about Bunty, wife to the inspector.
It's hard to do justice to any work of fiction without including spoilers, and even harder when the story is a mystery. So I'll just say that Bunty stumbles into a dangerous situation when she befriends an unhappy stranger. She uses intelligence, pluck, knowledge of police practices, and amazing insights into human nature to survive and bring the situation to a positive conclusion. (It's not a spoiler to say the conclusion was positive, at least not to anyone familiar with the series or even its author.)
I wavered between rating this book 4 and 4.5 - settled on 4 mostly because it's a mystery and thus less likely than most fiction to be reread.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1968
- Author: female, British, born 1913, writer, author of my #80, #85 and #105 for this year
- English, public library (inter-library loan), 205 pages, 4 stars
- read Oct 2-5, 2023; book previously unread
This was another book-bullet from jimmcgaffey. I rate it as the best of the Felse mysteries I've read so far. Inspector Felse himself barely figures in the story - this story is about Bunty, wife to the inspector.
It's hard to do justice to any work of fiction without including spoilers, and even harder when the story is a mystery. So I'll just say that Bunty stumbles into a dangerous situation when she befriends an unhappy stranger. She uses intelligence, pluck, knowledge of police practices, and amazing insights into human nature to survive and bring the situation to a positive conclusion. (It's not a spoiler to say the conclusion was positive, at least not to anyone familiar with the series or even its author.)
I wavered between rating this book 4 and 4.5 - settled on 4 mostly because it's a mystery and thus less likely than most fiction to be reread.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1968
- Author: female, British, born 1913, writer, author of my #80, #85 and #105 for this year
- English, public library (inter-library loan), 205 pages, 4 stars
- read Oct 2-5, 2023; book previously unread
78jjmcgaffey
>77 ArlieS: I've reread it a few times - even when I know what the end will be, the discussions are wonderful. But then, I've reread a lot of the Felses when I want a comfort read...
BTW, it's JJ, not Jim.
BTW, it's JJ, not Jim.
79ArlieS
>78 jjmcgaffey: Oops, sorry
80jjmcgaffey
No biggie, it's a common misreading...
81richardderus
Hi Arlie...knowing you're of Canada, but likely aren't much interested in the whole thing, I hope you'll sense my ironically raised eyebrow in the image with the text.
Happy Thanksgiving, Canadian friends.
Happy Thanksgiving, Canadian friends.
82ArlieS
115. Gideon's Night by J. J. Marric (John Creasey)
I am continuing my project of (re)reading most of John Creasey's Gideon series in the order that they were released. This one features Gideon (Commander of Scotland Yard) working the night shift, because he suspects the weather will give the police a chance at a certain problem criminal, known for coming out in fog.
As with all these books, there are many things going on at once. Sometimes the police succeed, and sometimes they do not. Some successes are partial - two investigations are resolved with the perpetrator captured and provably guilty, but not in time to prevent additional death(s). Three other potential victims are found still alive, and successfully treated. And one of the usual suspects tangles with a potential victim who turns out to be a better scammer than he is.
Personal matters continue to progress. Gideon's youngest child is exploring career options. The problematic marriage of one of Gideon's top subordinates takes a fairly major step downhill. Another subordinate comes looking for advice about his musically talented daughter. And Gideon begins forging a working relationship with a somewhat irritating but thoroughly competent senior night worker.
I didn't recall any details from this book before reading them, so it might not be a reread.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1957
- Author: male, British, born 1908, novelist, author of my #111 and #112 for this year
- English, purchased used, 192 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Oct 6-7, 2023, book probably not previously read
I am continuing my project of (re)reading most of John Creasey's Gideon series in the order that they were released. This one features Gideon (Commander of Scotland Yard) working the night shift, because he suspects the weather will give the police a chance at a certain problem criminal, known for coming out in fog.
As with all these books, there are many things going on at once. Sometimes the police succeed, and sometimes they do not. Some successes are partial - two investigations are resolved with the perpetrator captured and provably guilty, but not in time to prevent additional death(s). Three other potential victims are found still alive, and successfully treated. And one of the usual suspects tangles with a potential victim who turns out to be a better scammer than he is.
Personal matters continue to progress. Gideon's youngest child is exploring career options. The problematic marriage of one of Gideon's top subordinates takes a fairly major step downhill. Another subordinate comes looking for advice about his musically talented daughter. And Gideon begins forging a working relationship with a somewhat irritating but thoroughly competent senior night worker.
I didn't recall any details from this book before reading them, so it might not be a reread.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1957
- Author: male, British, born 1908, novelist, author of my #111 and #112 for this year
- English, purchased used, 192 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Oct 6-7, 2023, book probably not previously read
83ArlieS
116. Dancing cockatoos and the dead man test : how behavior evolves and why it matters by Marlene Zuk
This is a perfectly good science book for lay people, by an author I've loved in the past, but somehow it failed to hit the spot for me. The topic is the intersection of evolution and behaviour. Both of these tend to bring out crackpots and true believers. They also tend to people who ought to know better (actual scientists and students of science) who nonetheless get themselves stuck in fallacious oversimplifications, and include those oversimplifications as a hidden premise when drawing (bad) conclusions.
Unfortunately, the author spends far too much time combating various types of nonsense, and not enough systematically addressing the evolution of behaviour. Most of what I remember is the author stressing that what we see comes from genes as influenced by environment, that behaviour really is affected by evolution, etc etc.
The same author wrote another book that I loved: Paleofantasy: What Evolution Really Tells US about Sex, Diet, and How We Live. That one advertised in its title that it was focused on combating/refuting the kind of ideas about human evolution that give rise to the "paleo diet", and presumably other related popular errors. It did what it said on the tin, complete with lots of things about evolution I didn't know at the time. (One that I didn't know was that the human species has collectively developed/evolved _5_ different ways of digesting milk and milk products in adulthood, including at least one set of symbiotic gut microbes. I had previously only really been aware of the system common among those of European descent, which is presumably the one my own body uses.)
I'm disappointed with this one; Professor Zuk set a high standard in her earlier book, and didn't do quite as good a job this time. Perhaps I'd have liked it better if I'd gone into it expecting more refutation and less description, explanation, examples, and supporting research. Perhaps my tastes have evolved. Or perhaps this just isn't as good a book as the earlier one.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, science, series: n/a, 2022
- Author: female, American, born 1956, academic (evolutionary biology, behavioral ecology), author previously read
- English, public library, 330 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Sep 24 - Oct 8, 2023, book not previously read
I read this book because it sounded interesting when the author was interviewed about it on CBC's Quirks & Quarks podcast. I didn't realize until I had the book in my hands that I'd previously read another book by the same author.
This is a perfectly good science book for lay people, by an author I've loved in the past, but somehow it failed to hit the spot for me. The topic is the intersection of evolution and behaviour. Both of these tend to bring out crackpots and true believers. They also tend to people who ought to know better (actual scientists and students of science) who nonetheless get themselves stuck in fallacious oversimplifications, and include those oversimplifications as a hidden premise when drawing (bad) conclusions.
Unfortunately, the author spends far too much time combating various types of nonsense, and not enough systematically addressing the evolution of behaviour. Most of what I remember is the author stressing that what we see comes from genes as influenced by environment, that behaviour really is affected by evolution, etc etc.
The same author wrote another book that I loved: Paleofantasy: What Evolution Really Tells US about Sex, Diet, and How We Live. That one advertised in its title that it was focused on combating/refuting the kind of ideas about human evolution that give rise to the "paleo diet", and presumably other related popular errors. It did what it said on the tin, complete with lots of things about evolution I didn't know at the time. (One that I didn't know was that the human species has collectively developed/evolved _5_ different ways of digesting milk and milk products in adulthood, including at least one set of symbiotic gut microbes. I had previously only really been aware of the system common among those of European descent, which is presumably the one my own body uses.)
I'm disappointed with this one; Professor Zuk set a high standard in her earlier book, and didn't do quite as good a job this time. Perhaps I'd have liked it better if I'd gone into it expecting more refutation and less description, explanation, examples, and supporting research. Perhaps my tastes have evolved. Or perhaps this just isn't as good a book as the earlier one.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, science, series: n/a, 2022
- Author: female, American, born 1956, academic (evolutionary biology, behavioral ecology), author previously read
- English, public library, 330 pages, 3.5 stars
- read Sep 24 - Oct 8, 2023, book not previously read
I read this book because it sounded interesting when the author was interviewed about it on CBC's Quirks & Quarks podcast. I didn't realize until I had the book in my hands that I'd previously read another book by the same author.
84ArlieS
Pear Rule #6: Ironhead, or, Once a young lady by Jean-Claude van Rijckeghem
This children's historical fiction was a negative book bullet from richarderus. I couldn't quite believe it was as bad as he said it was, and just had to find out for myself. And so I did: it turned out to be worse.
I just cannot like a main character who routinely lies for her own advantage, bullies her brother while at the same time resenting him, and handles distressing family revelations by "acting out", sometimes involving others who don't want to be part of it.
And that's even though I have a somewhat nostalgic fondness for the basic plot/genre: approximately teenaged girl/woman hates the limitations assigned to her because of her gender, and abandons her family/community to live as she prefers, usually disguising herself as male to make this possible.
I made it through 3 chapters, 39 pages total, and that was more than enough.
This children's historical fiction was a negative book bullet from richarderus. I couldn't quite believe it was as bad as he said it was, and just had to find out for myself. And so I did: it turned out to be worse.
I just cannot like a main character who routinely lies for her own advantage, bullies her brother while at the same time resenting him, and handles distressing family revelations by "acting out", sometimes involving others who don't want to be part of it.
And that's even though I have a somewhat nostalgic fondness for the basic plot/genre: approximately teenaged girl/woman hates the limitations assigned to her because of her gender, and abandons her family/community to live as she prefers, usually disguising herself as male to make this possible.
I made it through 3 chapters, 39 pages total, and that was more than enough.
85richardderus
>84 ArlieS: sadly preening my book-bulleting aim's success
86ArlieS
Pearl rule #7: Beyond Varallan by S. L. Viehl
This science fiction series started with an excellent premise, and the first book (my #68 for this year) was decent, though the revelation that upped the stakes near the end changed the story in ways I didn't like.
This sequel fundamentally fails to make sense. It has lots of exciting incidents, glued together primarily as happening in time order, but there isn't much of a plot arc. The heroine appears to have only short term agency - she can and does take charge and deal with today's crisis, often quite creatively, but she's stuck on a treadmill of never ending attacks, misunderstandings, and overly persistent suitors.
Any given chapter or two is perfectly readable, but I know that in the long run it won't matter - the same old thing will happen again and again, with only the details changed.
That works for some books, and some series (e.g. Star Trek). But even there, the individual episodes/volumes have something resembling a plot arc. It can even work when part of the series premise is that the plot arc will always have loose ends (the Gideon series I'm currently reading). But it doesn't work for this book, and I don't plan to find out whether it works for any of the later books in its series.
This science fiction series started with an excellent premise, and the first book (my #68 for this year) was decent, though the revelation that upped the stakes near the end changed the story in ways I didn't like.
This sequel fundamentally fails to make sense. It has lots of exciting incidents, glued together primarily as happening in time order, but there isn't much of a plot arc. The heroine appears to have only short term agency - she can and does take charge and deal with today's crisis, often quite creatively, but she's stuck on a treadmill of never ending attacks, misunderstandings, and overly persistent suitors.
Any given chapter or two is perfectly readable, but I know that in the long run it won't matter - the same old thing will happen again and again, with only the details changed.
That works for some books, and some series (e.g. Star Trek). But even there, the individual episodes/volumes have something resembling a plot arc. It can even work when part of the series premise is that the plot arc will always have loose ends (the Gideon series I'm currently reading). But it doesn't work for this book, and I don't plan to find out whether it works for any of the later books in its series.
87ArlieS
117. Pirate enlightenment, or the real Libertalia by David Graeber
This book attempts to reconstruct political experiments in Madagascar approx 1690-1750. The author's thesis is that Enlightenment inspired more than just Europeans. In particular, interesting things happened in Madagascar.
Madagascar is somewhat of a cross roads, one of those place that over the course of history continually receives and absorbs new immigrant groups. In the relevant time period, many of those arriving were pirates, many of them European, looking either for bases or safe places to retire. They tended to marry local wives, and they and especially their children became integrated in local culture.
Most of what's written about these pirates is very much unreliable. Sometimes informants were lying, often pretending power they did not have. Sometimes authors were making up stories out of whole cloth, the better to entertain their audiences.
Graeber thinks the pirates brought ideas to the Malagasy. The pirates themselves tended to egalitarian, voting organization internally (captains were elected, etc.), along with public shows of virtually unlimited power. Some would be also be quite aware of Enlightenment ideas and books. These got brought into a society that likes to talk about ideas. The ideas spread, were criticized in the context of local experience and needs, and eventually were drawn upon when some people wanted alternatives to solve particular current problems.
The rest is details.
Based on my past experience with his work, Graeber never saw an egalitarian or anti-authoritarian situation he didn't love, and quite likely tended to see them where other people saw something more hierarchical. So there's likely an aspect of seeing what he wanted to see. But OTOH, he's absolutely not postulating a non-hierarchical utopia - just a bunch of competing influences, all promoted by those pursuing their own personal or group interests.
Sadly, while the book was interesting, I doubt there's any way to really know what happened or why. There's ample room for all kinds of fun historical novels. But I feel sure plenty of other histories of the period would be equally plausible.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, history, series: n/a, 2023 (French original 2019)
- Author: male, American, born 1961, academic (anthropology), author of my #60 and #89 for 2022
- English, public library, 175 pages, 3 stars
- read Oct 5-10, 2023, book not previously read
This book attempts to reconstruct political experiments in Madagascar approx 1690-1750. The author's thesis is that Enlightenment inspired more than just Europeans. In particular, interesting things happened in Madagascar.
Madagascar is somewhat of a cross roads, one of those place that over the course of history continually receives and absorbs new immigrant groups. In the relevant time period, many of those arriving were pirates, many of them European, looking either for bases or safe places to retire. They tended to marry local wives, and they and especially their children became integrated in local culture.
Most of what's written about these pirates is very much unreliable. Sometimes informants were lying, often pretending power they did not have. Sometimes authors were making up stories out of whole cloth, the better to entertain their audiences.
Graeber thinks the pirates brought ideas to the Malagasy. The pirates themselves tended to egalitarian, voting organization internally (captains were elected, etc.), along with public shows of virtually unlimited power. Some would be also be quite aware of Enlightenment ideas and books. These got brought into a society that likes to talk about ideas. The ideas spread, were criticized in the context of local experience and needs, and eventually were drawn upon when some people wanted alternatives to solve particular current problems.
The rest is details.
Based on my past experience with his work, Graeber never saw an egalitarian or anti-authoritarian situation he didn't love, and quite likely tended to see them where other people saw something more hierarchical. So there's likely an aspect of seeing what he wanted to see. But OTOH, he's absolutely not postulating a non-hierarchical utopia - just a bunch of competing influences, all promoted by those pursuing their own personal or group interests.
Sadly, while the book was interesting, I doubt there's any way to really know what happened or why. There's ample room for all kinds of fun historical novels. But I feel sure plenty of other histories of the period would be equally plausible.
Statistics:
- non-fiction, history, series: n/a, 2023 (French original 2019)
- Author: male, American, born 1961, academic (anthropology), author of my #60 and #89 for 2022
- English, public library, 175 pages, 3 stars
- read Oct 5-10, 2023, book not previously read
88ArlieS
118. Gideon's Month by J.J. Marric (John Creasey)
This police procedural is book 4 in the Gideon series, published when I was approx. 1 year old. It was another nice light snack, suitable for reading when I'm first out of bed, or otherwise not wanting anything especially difficult.
Like the others I've been reading, it gives a nice and quite unintentional hit of "Britain in the 1950s", more authentic than most recent historical fiction, though naturally shaped by whatever stereotypes were current. E
It's mostly a story of youthful pickpockets and serial murderers, and I rated it a hair lower than the first three books in the series. Maybe I'm getting bored with this binge, but I think it just isn't quite as good an offering.
I didn't recall any details from this book before reading them, so it might not be a reread. (It was on my shelves a part of a job lot of books received from a relative, from authors and series I knew I loved, and might have read decades ago when living with her.)
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1958
- Author: male, British, born 1908, novelist, author of my #111, #112 and #115 for this year
- English, own shelves, 206 pages, 3. stars
- read Oct 8-11, 2023, book probably not previously read
This police procedural is book 4 in the Gideon series, published when I was approx. 1 year old. It was another nice light snack, suitable for reading when I'm first out of bed, or otherwise not wanting anything especially difficult.
Like the others I've been reading, it gives a nice and quite unintentional hit of "Britain in the 1950s", more authentic than most recent historical fiction, though naturally shaped by whatever stereotypes were current. E
It's mostly a story of youthful pickpockets and serial murderers, and I rated it a hair lower than the first three books in the series. Maybe I'm getting bored with this binge, but I think it just isn't quite as good an offering.
I didn't recall any details from this book before reading them, so it might not be a reread. (It was on my shelves a part of a job lot of books received from a relative, from authors and series I knew I loved, and might have read decades ago when living with her.)
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1958
- Author: male, British, born 1908, novelist, author of my #111, #112 and #115 for this year
- English, own shelves, 206 pages, 3. stars
- read Oct 8-11, 2023, book probably not previously read
89ArlieS
Another 383 recommendations yesterday from LibraryThing's recommendation system. Sadly, I'll be somewhat shocked if I click on more than 3 of them, looking for additional information - or read and like more than one. I'd prefer more quality and less quantity, as with the classic recommendation system.
E2A: It did figure out I'm binge-reading John Creasey's Gideon series, but recommended me one of the later ones, written by someone else using the same pseudonymn (J.J. Marric). I have no idea whether the replacement author's work will be attractive to me, though to be fair, I do have one of those already in my catalog - purchased used accidentally before I became aware of the author switch.
Second edit: and 5 more books by John Creasey or his aliases, from at least 3 series. Classic reccs would probably do that too, given how many of that series I've added recently. So looks like 5 or 6 I'm likely to read and enjoy, if I'm lucky enough to be able to find them.
E2A: It did figure out I'm binge-reading John Creasey's Gideon series, but recommended me one of the later ones, written by someone else using the same pseudonymn (J.J. Marric). I have no idea whether the replacement author's work will be attractive to me, though to be fair, I do have one of those already in my catalog - purchased used accidentally before I became aware of the author switch.
Second edit: and 5 more books by John Creasey or his aliases, from at least 3 series. Classic reccs would probably do that too, given how many of that series I've added recently. So looks like 5 or 6 I'm likely to read and enjoy, if I'm lucky enough to be able to find them.
90ArlieS
119. Gideon's Staff by J.J. Marric (John Creasey)
This police procedural is book 5 in the Gideon series. This time Gideon is mainly occupied fending off threats to farther cut police budgets - and staffing levels - while others deal with much of his usual activity. There are the usual varied crimes, some more and some less urgent, and a bit about the competence - or otherwise - of individual policemen. (One individual in particular rouses Gideon's ire for laziness, and determines to make good, proving quite useful later in the book.)
Overall though, it didn't work as well for me as other books in the series. A Gideon who's worried about his own career prospects (after sticking his neck out over staffing) is less fun for me than one laser focused on the crimes. This gets worse when he attends meetings as acting Assistant Commissioner which start him comparing death rates caused by crime to death rates caused by traffic accidents (much, much higher). Though I suppose that would count as character development to many readers.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1959
- Author: male, British, born 1908, novelist, author of my #111, #112, #115 and #118 for this year
- English, public library (inter-library loan), 213 pages, 3 stars
- read Oct 12-15, 2023, book probably not previously read
This police procedural is book 5 in the Gideon series. This time Gideon is mainly occupied fending off threats to farther cut police budgets - and staffing levels - while others deal with much of his usual activity. There are the usual varied crimes, some more and some less urgent, and a bit about the competence - or otherwise - of individual policemen. (One individual in particular rouses Gideon's ire for laziness, and determines to make good, proving quite useful later in the book.)
Overall though, it didn't work as well for me as other books in the series. A Gideon who's worried about his own career prospects (after sticking his neck out over staffing) is less fun for me than one laser focused on the crimes. This gets worse when he attends meetings as acting Assistant Commissioner which start him comparing death rates caused by crime to death rates caused by traffic accidents (much, much higher). Though I suppose that would count as character development to many readers.
Statistics:
- fiction, mystery, series (not first), 1959
- Author: male, British, born 1908, novelist, author of my #111, #112, #115 and #118 for this year
- English, public library (inter-library loan), 213 pages, 3 stars
- read Oct 12-15, 2023, book probably not previously read
