Monday, October 29, 2007

Escape from Warsaw

by Ian Serraillier

This one's a bit odd. It's the story of three children who are "orphaned" in World War II Poland. Their father is carted off to a work camp and months later their mother is hauled off, too. The children escape into the bombed out basements and alleyways of Warsaw, surviving as best they can. When the war's over, they receive word that their father had escaped his imprisonment and was last seen headed to Switzerland. They decide to follow him, giving the reader a peek into war torn Europe just after Germany's surrender. It makes for an interesting setting, unfortunately the characters are wooden and the plot is jerky. The book claims to be based upon fact, so I suspect that Mr. Serraillier simply patched together a number of war time anecdotes and called it a story. I think it would have been better if he had simply collected the smaller tales and not try to make it into some grand tale.

Educational waiting room material is still waiting room material.
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Sunday, October 28, 2007

Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons

by Bill Watterson

This one's an amusing Calvin and Hobbes collection. There's only a couple of strips that stood out--like the ones where Mr. Watterson illustrates Calvin and Susie's play as a "realistic" soap opera strip--but you still can't safely read it while eating or drinking.

It's a long time resident on my shelf.
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Saturday, October 27, 2007

All Star Comics Archives: Volume 2

by Gardner Fox and a cast of, well, nine or so.

This second collection of Justice Society adventures features the JSA trying to raise money to help war orphans, solving a mysterious outbreak of insanity, travelling to South America to thwart Axis agents and travelling to the 25th Century to secure a formula to protect America from enemy bombers. Oh, yeah, it also reprints the first Wonder Woman story. It's all presented in it's crude, 1940s comical glory--a pleasant diversion from the troubles of today.

It's on my shelf.
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Thursday, October 25, 2007

Crucible: Spock

by David R. George III

This is the second volume of the Crucible trilogy, a tale celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Star Trek. I picked up the first volume, Provenance of Shadows, for the flight home from Hong Kong and enjoyed that enough to check out the rest. This book isn't quite as enjoyable. The main storyline follows Spock as he tries again to achieve Kolinahr and remove all of his emotions. Interwoven throughout the story are flashbacks from Spock's career, most notably events experienced in the episode "City on the Edge of Forever". I think the main premise is flawed. The events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture had pretty much put Spock's desire to achieve Kolinahr at rest and to have him want to try again after so many years, even under the circumstances laid out in the story, is--dare I say it?--illogical. But so it goes. Mr. George does love Star Trek and has written a number of fine moments into the book. So I can't complain too much.

It makes for good waiting room material.
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Monday, October 22, 2007

The Endless Steppe

by Esther Hautzig

There's a difference between fiction and reality, between real life adventure and adventures crafted by a capable storyteller. A good piece of fiction will move you along steadily, over hill and valley to bring you to the climax. In reality, sometimes you seem to be moving aimlessly, from joy to crisis, and sometimes the story ends not with a triumphant crescendo, but with a quiet sigh of relief. Anyway, that was what was going through my mind as I finished up this book. It's an autobiographical tales of Ms. Hautzig's experience during World War II. One nice day in June of 1941, she, her parents and paternal grandparents were taken from their home in Vilna, Poland and shipped across hundreds of miles to Rubtsovsk, Siberia. It's a tale of hardship, survival and, in a sense, pioneering spirit. But unlike some of the historical fiction I've recently read, it doesn't flow with excitement and drama. Ah, well. It took a bit more effort to read, but it offers a peek into another world. 'Twas definitely worth the inconvenience.

Check it out!
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Sunday, October 21, 2007

Read Responsibly

by Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum

At last! It's our turn to borrow the fifth and most recent Unshelved collection from the library. Reading through the volume, I have to admit that the strip really has improved over the years. I think the best part of this book was the Sunday Book Club reviews, but the whole thing is amusing. I definitely want some Unshelved for my shelf.

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Saturday, October 20, 2007

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

by J.K. Rowling

This book let me recapture my youth. You see, back in the day, my window to the popular culture was Mad Magazine. By reading its parodies of movies and the like, I picked up a lot of references without actually experiencing the original works themselves. Flash forward to the 21st Century. Unlike most of the rest of the world (it seems like) I had not read any of the Harry Potter books. It was a fad and these days I just let fads pass me by unless they really pique my interest. (Like, say, blogging.) But when I did finally crack this book--the first in the series--I found it quite familiar. It was populated by all sorts of characters from the Torg Potter strips on Sluggy Freelance. Like "Torg Potter", the world of Harry Potter is enjoyable and fun. Not quite as funny, but enjoyable nonetheless. While the writing didn't live up to all the hype surrounding the series, it was very readable. The characters are memorable, if somewhat shallow, and the world of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a fascinating place to explore. I'll definitely want to check out the rest of the series.

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Friday, October 19, 2007

Chain of Fire

by Beverly Naidoo

Aarrrgh! I said I wanted to read a sequel to Journey to Jo'burg, since I felt that book ended before reaching a happy ending. So now I've borrowed and read the sequel and guess what? It has a worse ending. Chain of Fire picks up the tale of Naledi and her family, in 1980s South Africa. Apartheid is still in force and this time Naledi's whole village is getting the screw. The powers that be have decided that Naledi's people should go back to their "homeland"--never mind that just about everybody in the community was born in their current village. As renters, the rank and file don't have a lot of leverage to fight back, but they do what they can to protest the move. The government, of course, and... well, let's just say that apartheid sucks and I wasn't given the pleasure of seeing the bad guys put in their place. Part of me wants to ask for another sequel, but part of me wants to accept the tale as is, realizing that injustice doesn't always get a swift and tidy comeuppance. This is the type of book that should be read, so that those of us who have been spared a life of poverty might recognize some of the hallmarks of oppression and work from our end to stop it.

Check it out!
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Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Dragonfly

by Frederic S. Durbin

First read in April of 2003.
Just as good as last time.

It's on my shelf!
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Monday, October 15, 2007

Number the Stars

by Lois Lowry

While I'm officially retired as a full time home school teacher, I somehow got stuck with reviewing my daughter's writing assignments. I discovered that reading the child's school books really help when correcting her papers, so I am back to reading kids' books. Ah well. Number the Stars is the tale of Annemarie and Ellen, two girls living in 1943 Copenhagen. The day comes when the Nazis decide to round up all the Jewish folks in Denmark and the girls face the challenge of avoiding the soldiers--Ellen, because she's Jewish, and Annemarie, because she's a good friend and neighbor and wants to help. While the story isn't spectacular, you've got to like it because, hey, they're going up against Nazis. It also pulls in a lot of true events about the resistance movement in Denmark during the war. So check it out, it's good for you.
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Saturday, October 13, 2007

Scientific Progress Goes "Boink"

by Bill Watterson

A Calvin and Hobbes collection in which Stupendous Man fights Baby Sitter Girl, Spaceman Spiff escapes an alien menace, Tracer Bullet investigates a mystery, multiple duplicates wreak havoc, and peer pressure (and a phobia of cooties) leads Calvin to attempt to play baseball during recess. Funny stuff.

It's on my shelf.
LibraryThing link

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Rich Dad Poor Dad

by Robert T. Kiyosaki with Sharon L. Lechter

"And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.'"
But God said to him, "You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?"

That parable popped into my mind when I read this book. This book is about "what the rich teach their kids about money that the poor and middle class do not." It's not so much a manual on how to get rich, but more of a book on the underlying worldview of the wealthy. In it Mr. Kiyosaki contrasts his own father--Poor Dad--who got a good education, worked hard, but never quite made it big, with the father of one of his friends, who was quite successful and took Mr. Kiyosaki under his wing. I was moved to read this book because, as I've been looking over my finances, I wonder if I might not have been doing things wrong. It turns out that I'm not totally off Mr. Kiyosaki's track. By the grace of God I've been able to avoid major debt and I tend to avoid transient luxuries such as fancy cars and the latest electronic gadgets. (Of course, my two year "vacation" overseas was hardly a wealth building choice.) On the other hand, I'm too lazy to work hard and invest my finances responsibly. I'm content to stick my excess cash in the bank and forget about it. So has the book changed me? I don't know. I don't need to be rich, but I sure do covet the financial independence that wealth can buy. Even while I recognize the wisdom that Mr. Kiyosaki offers, I couldn't really buy into his world view. I'm going to have to think about this some more before I make any lifestyle changes. Could I recommend this book? Well, it was an enjoyable read despite the fact that I find finances boring. But I have two big reservations about it. The first that it was written about ten years ago, in a different financial climate. The second is that Mr. Kiyosaki has other books and materials for sale. I sometimes wonder if maybe the unspoken secret to financial success is to get a lot of people to buy your books and attend your seminars. Caveat emptor!

It's only waiting room material.
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Sunday, October 07, 2007

All Star Comics Archives: Volume 1

by Gardner Fox and more artists than I care to type.

I haven't gotten hooked back on my comic book habit (yet) but I have pulled a few off the shelf to enjoy over meals. (Comics are great to read when your hands are primarily occupied with the task of stuffing your face.) This is the first volume reprinting the Justice Society of America stories from All-Star Comics, issues three through six. According to modern standards, the art and stories are pretty crude, yet I have to admit I enjoyed them. Comics of the 1940s give a glimpse of an alien world--a world filled with gangsters, hidden civilizations, mad scientists and heroes who are unambiguously good and heroic. A fine place to escape for a half hour or so.

Check it out!
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Saturday, October 06, 2007

The Curse of the Romanovs

by Staton Rabin

Back when I reviewed Betsy and the Emperor, I actually got a comment from the author, Staton Rabin! I was so honored and awestruck that I promised to check out her latest book when I got back to the States. Actually, it was a bit more than fanboy enthusiasm. Both my kids have shown interest in the Romanov dynasty, so I thought this might be a book that they would enjoy. Well, now that I'm settled and got my new library card, I fulfilled my promise. I have to admit, sadly, that I was a bit disappointed. The Curse of the Romanovs is a fantasy tale of Alexi Romanov, the young heir to the Russian throne in 1916. He suffers from hemophilia, a disease which inhibits the clotting of one's blood. His life has been one of caution and anxiety, and his survival to the age of 12 can be credited to the mystical powers* of Grigory Rasputin. Father Rasputin has not only given Alexi the gift of healing, but has also given him the secret of following his blood line to view future generations. Then one day, when Alexi's life is threatened, he uses that ability to actually travel into the 21st Century, where he receives the help of a distant cousin. Now, unlike my daughters, I'm not into Russian history or the Romanov family. But I am a time travel geek. For me, the time travel aspect was where the story fell flat. Events worked out too quickly and conveniently regarding Alexi. Now, granted, it was only part of a well written tale, but sometimes that's all it takes to spoil the magic of a tale. So should you read the book? Well, I couldn't recommend it as a time travel tale. But as a bit of historical fiction, it had great characters and setting, as well as a big chunk of historical and medical information in the back. I certainly don't feel like I wasted my time giving it a read.
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*Whether they and Rasputin are miraculous or diabolical has been hotly debated.

Alas, 'tis but waiting room material.
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The Return of the King

by J.R.R. Tolkien

I actually finished reading the story a few days ago, but the various appendices kept me occupied through the weekend. Anyway, The Return of the King ends The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It struck me as the least compelling volume of the series--I don't know if it truly was weaker or if I was tiring of the tale. Either way, it's still a great work. A tale of conflict without and within, a celebration of hope and determination. The fact that I wasn't totally hooked on this trilogy when I first read it shows that I was truly a dull lad. I'm glad I was at least smart enough to keep it on my shelf for the day when I was old enough to truly enjoy it.
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