tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-349392962012-02-16T07:33:59.372-08:00A literary travelogue. (If you can call some of the stuff I read literature...)Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.comBlogger4951100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-54877640684156268882012-02-09T19:55:00.001-08:002012-02-13T19:58:23.469-08:00

by Joyce and River HigginbothamThis book is an intro to Paganism, geared towards those seekers who might be wanting to give one of the various practices a try. It's clearly written and well laid out. So well laid out, in fact, that I was able to see right away in the first chapter that I disagreed with paganism's two main themes. I didn't let that stop me from reading the rest of the book, of

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-76119788090600190762012-02-07T19:48:00.000-08:002012-02-13T19:53:45.532-08:00

by Len Wein, et alLegacies, in my humble opinion, is DC's version of the Marvels mini-series that came out in the 90s--a series retelling some of the stories of past comics through the eyes of a regular guy. Unfortunately, despite being drawn by some of my favorite artists, it's an inferior version. In Marvels, Kurt Busiek limited himself to only part of the Marvel Universe's history, focusing on

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-74685182531322401592012-01-26T20:54:00.000-08:002012-02-02T20:56:30.316-08:00

by Walter M. Miller, jr.A tale of the second Dark Age. When civilization falls in a nuclear deluge, the brothers of the Order of Leibowitz safeguard remnants of 20th Century knowledge in hopes that one day mankind will again reap the benefits of science and technology. The question is, will this time people learn not to kill each other with it? It was an interesting read, and I appreciated how

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-21914175908281840232012-01-13T20:52:00.000-08:002012-02-02T20:54:14.369-08:00

by Raymond L. Hilgert, Philip H. Lochhaas and James L. TruesdellA professor, a pastor and a businessman collaborate to write a little guidebook on workplace ethics. It had its challenging moments, as I recognized my own shortcomings. Overall it seemed to be geared more to white collar workers. I wonder if that reflects the authors' backgrounds, or if it's just that blue collar ethics are more

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-8365341729943768752012-01-05T20:48:00.000-08:002012-02-02T20:51:05.473-08:00

by Mark TwainThis is definitely a tome meant for Mark Twain geeks. 'Tis a bunch of unfinished tales, backed up with pages and pages of notes. It was enjoyable to read, because, after all, it's Mark Twain. But overall I can't imagine anyone but a serious scholar wanting to hang onto the book.'Tis waiting room material. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-5666112052092194122011-12-30T11:19:00.002-08:002012-01-02T11:29:00.707-08:00

by Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. JenkinsY'know, I've read one other LaHaye and Jenkins book, Left Behind, which I grudgingly rated as waiting room material. (After following Fred Clark's deconstruction of the novel, I would revise my rating downward, but I'm too lazy to actually do that.) This book, a fictional speculation of how the Apostle John came to write his gospel, strikes me as much the same. As

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-90025582728337277002011-12-23T10:05:00.000-08:002011-12-24T10:16:25.542-08:00

by Charles Dickens'Tis the season.That's the reasonI read this book.It was pleasin'.That's the reasonIt's in my nook.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-49400209835531231602011-12-17T09:58:00.001-08:002011-12-24T10:01:22.012-08:00

by Harry TurtledoveThis last book of the Tosev timeline series is quite a disappointment. The timeline starts with an alien invasion of Earth in 1942. Known as the Race, these aliens plan to easily subdue the planet and it's native inhabitants. What they didn't anticipate is that human technology and society progresses (or at least changes) at a lot faster rate than theirs. So the attempted

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-26499483251604186452011-12-09T21:11:00.000-08:002011-12-15T21:16:49.550-08:00

by Harry TurtledoveThis book ends like there was supposed to be a sequel. Plotlines are loosely tied up, but there's no real sense of finality.Waiting room material.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-36319189370275448452011-12-03T21:03:00.000-08:002011-12-15T21:08:27.821-08:00

by Harry TurtledoveWaiting room material.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-6933124067890282612011-11-22T09:13:00.000-08:002011-11-26T09:19:41.555-08:00

by Harry TurtledoveI had already picked this book up at the library sale, so I figured I'd go ahead and read it anyway. Despite the fact that I was unimpressed by the first volume of the preceding Worldwar tetralogy, I found my interest piqued by this sequel. The 1960s start with the planet Earth being shared by humanity and "The Race", reptilian aliens who tried to conquer the planet in 1942.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-27416991446343997842011-11-14T15:29:00.000-08:002011-11-25T15:32:02.390-08:00

by Andrew E. SteinmannAn informative, but dry, commentary on the biblical books of Ezra and Nehemiah.Check it out. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-18541514449490989472011-11-11T15:22:00.001-08:002011-11-26T09:20:14.108-08:00

by Harry TurtledoveOdd. Usually I really like Harry Turtledove's books, but this one didn't impress me so much. Rather than read the other three books in the series, I contented myself with reading the synopses on Wikipedia. Anyhoo, this is an alternate history/science fiction hybrid speculating on what would happen if aliens invaded Earth in the middle of World War II. Mr. Turtledove tells the

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-34999701744275676832011-11-04T15:14:00.000-07:002011-11-25T15:18:25.253-08:00

by Robert SawyerThe cover pitches this as a tale about a mysterious message from space, which, when finally deciphered, threatens to push humanity to the next stage of evolution. It does finally get to that, but when I started reading the book, I thought I was reading a completely different tale. I won't say any more, so as to preserve the shock for others. Overall, I had mixed feelings about

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-12651260551070425912011-10-28T15:08:00.000-07:002011-11-25T15:13:12.883-08:00

by Frederic S. DurbinFirst read in April 2003.Somebody (besides me) should really declare this book the official novel of October. Still on my shelf.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-786743304222091532011-10-22T14:58:00.000-07:002011-11-25T15:05:45.119-08:00

by Jeffrey ZaslowKind of like the Michael Apted's Up series, but it's about a group of women who established a life long friendship while growing up in Ames, Iowa. An interesting book, but I found some of the 70s and 80s hairstyles in the old pictures gave me bad flashbacks.Good waiting room material.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-44490871354952836992011-10-14T14:52:00.001-07:002011-11-25T14:54:56.143-08:00

by Paul Levitz, Gerry Conway, and many moreThis one's a reprint volume collecting a number of issues of the All-Star Comics revival in the mid-1970s. I had purchased the first couple of issues back in the day, then went on to other things. After falling in love with Roy Thomas' All-Star Squadron in the 1980s, I picked up a few more back issues. I discovered that this version of the Justice

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-67031387224221873212011-10-06T14:46:00.000-07:002011-11-25T14:49:26.335-08:00

by Jim Butchercheck it out.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-84934399127353983462011-09-26T16:07:00.001-07:002011-10-01T16:11:24.321-07:00

by Simon HawkeLast read in August of 2003On my shelfLibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-5357570203383164602011-09-22T16:03:00.000-07:002011-10-01T16:07:15.538-07:00

by Simon HawkeLast read in August of 2003.On my shelf LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-84442691086994893672011-09-14T08:49:00.000-07:002011-09-17T08:51:59.016-07:00

by Kim Stanley RobinsonLike most sequels, I found Green Mars to be less enjoyable than its predecessor. Red Mars was an adventure--the colonization of Mars--filled with plenty of sci-fi background. Green was just as geeky, but "explore strange new worlds" was replaced by meetings, politics and spiritual issues. (spi-fi?) It's also been over a year since I read Red, so it took me a while to recall

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-61776483357472544452011-08-26T06:25:00.000-07:002011-09-14T06:27:48.238-07:00

by Robert McCrum, William Cram and Robert MacNeil This is an enjoyable survey of the English language from the mid 1980s. It starts with the birth of the language--how the events of the history of the people of Britain (especially all the invasions) served to create a unique branch of the Germanic languages. As the story progresses, the authors then show the modern results of these historical

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-78431665685974067502011-08-22T15:00:00.000-07:002011-08-26T15:03:33.728-07:00

by J.K. Rowling (first read in November 2007) Like last time, I think the second Harry Potter novel is a comedown from the original. It definitely didn't seem better on the second read. Still, there's a lot worse out there. Check it out on your way to volume 3. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-73935421640544460872011-08-16T15:53:00.001-07:002011-08-19T15:56:59.699-07:00

by K.P. Yohannan I've mixed feelings about this one. I can't figure out if it's a 226 page sermon or sales pitch. Dr. Yohannan is of the opinion that the era of sending missionaries from the West to third world mission fields is over. It's time, he argues, for Western Christians to finance evangelists from the third world instead. It makes sense. After all, someone from the third world is more

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-75401684511443675302011-08-12T15:48:00.000-07:002011-08-19T15:50:51.773-07:00

by J.K. Rowling (first read in October 2007) After viewing the last Harry Potter film, I felt inclined to reread the first book in the series. It was a lot more delightful that I remembered. It's probably due to my greater familiarity with the series--I could pick up little details that are insignificant to the first story but are built upon in subsequent books. Of course, if Ms. Rowling hadn't

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-76132919481854790222011-08-10T14:26:00.000-07:002011-08-12T14:28:06.733-07:00

by C.S. Lewis First read in the Summer of 2002 I recently saw the latest film version of this tale. I knew they had messed with the story, as Hollywood types are wont to do, but I couldn't quite remember what they changed. So I figured I'd reread the book and see how it was supposed to be. Meaning no slight to the filmmakers, the book is better and my opinion hasn't changed in the past nine

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-80673206604256954692011-08-06T14:19:00.000-07:002011-08-12T14:22:03.949-07:00

by Justus D. Doenecke In an effort to supplement the scant biography of Chester A. Arthur I had read, I picked up this book as well. It focuses specifically on the terms of each, as per the title. It's informative, albeit a little dry. It's a book about politics and since I'm more looking for personalized view of history, it's not surprising that I found it less than ideal. As presented by

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-16162532410449066192011-07-30T12:53:00.000-07:002011-07-30T17:55:46.353-07:00

by Zachary KarabellThis one's a small biography about a small president. Chester Alan Arthur was a man of little ambition who happened to be an able lieutenant in the Republican political machine of the 1870s. Through no fault of his own, he was given the Republican Vice-Presidential nomination in 1880. He was elected with James Garfield and when the latter was assassinated months later, he found

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-76048735887768392452011-07-24T17:49:00.000-07:002011-07-30T17:51:07.883-07:00

by Cory DoctorowYou have a lot of people saying this is a great book. I do agree that you should check it out, but I wasn't quite blown away by it. I was impressed how Mr. Doctorow extrapolated from current technology--the internet and its subculture--and built a whole new milieu where people have direct interface to the web and death has been circumvented by the ability to restore a person to

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-83346907708293186302011-07-22T17:38:00.000-07:002011-07-30T17:42:44.685-07:00

by C.S. ForesterI once read an article that compared Captain James T. Kirk, of Star Trek to Captain Horatio Hornblower. In fact, if I recall correctly, the article even said that Hornblower was one of the inspirations for Captain Kirk. I resolved then and there to read some of those Hornblower novels, as they were undoubtedly good stuff. So now it's thirty or so years later and I've read my first

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-60446941158928628452011-07-16T15:59:00.000-07:002011-07-22T16:01:13.666-07:00

by C. S. LewisI confess that I've come to love C.S. Lewis. He's got a way of fleshing out Christian teachings that not only touches the heart, but also helps me understand them better. In the Great Divorce, he looks at the nature of our sinfulness by recounting a visit of the outskirts of Heaven by citizens of Hell. In it we can see where our petty (but deadly) foibles will lead us and how God

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-11752119307493977892011-07-12T15:55:00.001-07:002011-07-22T15:56:47.402-07:00

by Maxwell GrantBack before network television, there were the pulps! Hack fiction meant to excite the spirit while letting the intellect slumber. This book reprints two stories from The Shadow magazine--one from 1933 and one from 1943. Then it fills it out with a couple of articles about The Shadow. 'Twas a fun read.waiting room materialLibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-44922073908514053102011-07-10T17:18:00.000-07:002011-07-17T17:21:02.680-07:00

by David BatstoneI didn't exactly pick this book up on a whim, yet it wasn't all that premeditated, either. Human trafficking is a hot topic in church circles these days, so when I read a review of this book, I was inclined to pick it up. This is a book on human trafficking, or, to quote the subtitle, "The Return of the Global Slave Trade--and How We Can Fight It." Mr. Batstone tells the tales of

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-58867179799335493842011-06-25T10:36:00.000-07:002011-07-04T10:38:50.514-07:00

by Michael FarrThe title pretty much says it all. This is a look at the series of comics created by Georges Remi, aka Hergé, filled with background information and photos for each volume in the series. Check it out, Tintin fans.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-66792850718974259772011-06-23T10:31:00.000-07:002011-07-04T10:34:16.328-07:00

by Michael Jan FriedmanA novelization of the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode where the crew of the Enterprise D encounters Mr. Scott, the chief engineer of the original starship Enterprise. I picked it up as an alternative to owning the video. However, it seems to me that I enjoyed the episode a lot more than the novelization. Maybe I was too much in fanboy mode when watching the episode

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-75641671919771733642011-06-18T10:20:00.000-07:002011-07-04T10:26:32.690-07:00

by Neil GaimanThe world is filled with a variety of people groups, each with their own cultures, stories, legends and gods. At least that's true for traditional people groups. But what happens when you start mixing those people up? What happens when you get a nation of where the majority of people are of immigrant stock, like the United States? What is the traditional American culture? Who are

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-89826234246961084392011-06-10T11:14:00.000-07:002011-06-16T11:16:45.817-07:00

by Allan Peskin(insert obligatory comic strip comment here) This 1978 biography of James A. Garfield was pretty good. It not only covered the events of his life but also related it to the events that were happening in the country around him. (Which is good because my whole rationale for reading through presidential biographies is to get a better handle on American history.) In fact, I found that

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-35427538482586289492011-06-08T11:09:00.002-07:002011-06-16T11:13:37.828-07:00

by Dean Young & Melena RyzikSo we're at my in-laws for a birthday dinner. At some point in the conversation, someone mentions that we have been reading through the Blondie archives. My sister-in-law mentions that she owns a Blondie book and as we move from dinner to opening presents, she fetches it from her bookshelf. I start skimming it and next thing I know I've missed the opening of a couple

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-76003144252075052822011-06-06T06:45:00.000-07:002011-06-06T19:19:36.781-07:00

by Daniel H. WilsonAn amusing, tongue in cheek look at icons in classic science fiction and how close modern technology has come to achieving them. The design is quite cool, with heavy paper, blue sides and a sci-fi blue, black and silver cover. But in the end, it's still just waiting room material.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-36169935963365457042011-06-05T08:50:00.001-07:002011-06-06T19:17:29.137-07:00

by Chic YoungOne of the classics on my shelf is Blondie and Dagwood's America, a celebration of Blondie's first 50 years with an historical essay and plenty of reprints. It was in that book that I learned about the strip's beginnings, the tumultuous courtship between flapper Blondie Boopadoop and railroad heir Dagwood Bumstead. The book has been well loved over the years--my children, my wife and

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-8396634946762557192011-05-25T15:00:00.000-07:002011-06-04T15:07:00.518-07:00

by Guy Franklin HershbergerThis is a challenging book on Mennonite ethics published in 1958. The challenge, of course, being all the little pricks to my conscience as Dr. Hershberger explained the way a Christian should live. Simply put, the book says that a Christian should be living a life of service to Christ--which works out in practical terms to putting the needs of others before yourself.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-84781598521051508672011-05-19T17:49:00.001-07:002011-05-21T17:52:27.948-07:00

by P.G. WodenhouseBWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!! Now I know where John Cleese gets his material.It's on my shelf.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-13867819887515360902011-05-16T17:42:00.000-07:002011-05-21T17:49:06.146-07:00

by William GibsonCheck it out. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-13777198440523226362011-05-09T21:30:00.000-07:002011-05-16T16:32:42.260-07:00

by Abbie Bernstein, et alThis here book preceded the one I just read. (The previous Firefly book, I mean, not the Dorothy Parker one.) It, too, is a bit of merchandise, but this one has actual scripts from the television show surrounded by a lesser amount of fanboy stuff. That fact alone makes it worth seeking out at the next Library sale.Check it out. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-37578055893015979592011-05-09T19:30:00.000-07:002011-05-16T16:28:54.431-07:00

by Dorothy ParkerDorothy Parker is one of those writers I've heard about long before I've actually read their work. The lady definitely lives up to her reputation as a master of language and wit. The picture she paints of early 20th Century New York is fascinating, but her constant theme of irony and heartbreak gets tiresome after a while. So I took my time perusing this 544 page volume of poems

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-13977666362078499242011-05-06T14:13:00.001-07:002011-05-07T14:18:20.904-07:00

by Ben Edlund, et alI have fallen so behind in cultural literacy. (Well, pop-cultural literacy, anyway.) 13 years of working second shift, two years of living overseas and various periods of overwork means I watch broadcast TV about once a year and read through a newspaper only somewhat more than that. So, there'sa number of things I've missed. One of them being the 2002 TV series Firefly. Oh, I

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-90088211777493693062011-04-26T14:54:00.000-07:002011-05-07T14:56:09.104-07:00

by Michael CrichtonWaiting room material. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-21353068004767832212011-04-24T14:50:00.000-07:002011-05-07T14:53:12.673-07:00

by Jim ButcherEnjoyable waiting room material.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-89891544561994870052011-04-21T14:44:00.000-07:002011-05-07T14:46:46.437-07:00

by John G. NordlingThe thing I love about a good commentary (or Bible study, for that matter) is that it causes a definite shift in my perception of the original subject matter. In the case of the book of Philemon, I've experienced two shifts. The first, a brief session years ago at a retreat, gave me a better understanding of the story behind the book. Now Dr. Nordling's tome has given me a

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-21617044660896452702011-04-13T14:38:00.001-07:002011-05-07T14:41:15.470-07:00

by Norman L. Geisler and Ron RhodesIt's a reference book, so of course it's waiting room material.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-84947971719887066132011-04-07T14:34:00.001-07:002011-05-07T14:36:28.465-07:00

edited by Julie E. Czerneda & Isaac SzpindelWaiting room material.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-7458936504885777802011-03-18T14:26:00.000-07:002011-05-07T14:29:00.356-07:00

by Alexandre DumasA sequel to The Three Musketeers. Like most sequels, not as good as the original. But I enjoyed it none the less.Gotta find room on my shelf. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-75482606435501380682011-03-16T14:22:00.000-07:002011-05-07T14:25:50.602-07:00

by Lynn JohnstonYeah, I know, I said I gave up being a For Better or For Worse fan. I thought Lynn Johnston's idea of recycling and adding to her old strips was a bad idea. But since other family members borrowed this first collection of her new classics, I figured I might as well give it a read. The first thing I have to say is that Ms. Johnston hasn't totally lost it. While on the whole I

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-1517049101445347032011-03-11T14:20:00.000-08:002011-05-07T14:21:58.395-07:00

by Donald ZochertMy wife borrowed this biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder and I snuck a peek before she had to return it to the Library. While it's not an in depth work, Mr. Zochert does a good job of telling the real story of her life--filling in the gaps between the events recorded in the Little House books and giving Mrs. Wilder's life story some historical context.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-21677619211952453642011-02-26T21:16:00.000-08:002011-05-03T21:21:47.767-07:00

by Terry Pratchett(first read on Dec 4, 2006.)Now on my shelf!LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-88153407529108588842011-02-14T17:47:00.000-08:002011-02-20T17:49:37.800-08:00

by Ari HoogenboomThis is a good book, worth far more of a review than can be generated from my beleaguered brain. Professor Hoogenboom looks at Rutherford Hayes not as the president whose administration lost the Reconstruction, but rather as a man who made the best he could of a lousy situation. (Hoogenboom argues that Reconstruction was on its way out anyway.) The book is actually an enjoyable

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-37744372520243234952011-02-06T20:16:00.000-08:002011-02-12T20:19:42.387-08:00

edited by Keith DallasWaiting room material for us comics fans.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-6605748698438527292011-01-27T20:09:00.001-08:002011-02-12T20:15:33.335-08:00

by John GardnerA slightly different take on the Beowulf story. I didn't care for it at first but it grew on me as the story progressed. Check it out if you're interested, but don't go out of your way. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-60645504486829085762011-01-18T19:55:00.000-08:002011-02-12T20:01:16.818-08:00

by Seamus HeaneyA classic heroic tale in a new, eminently readable translation. Keeping it on my shelf. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-37812443086324619972011-01-17T20:48:00.002-08:002011-01-17T20:52:15.466-08:00

by the Rev. W. St. Clair Tisdall, M.A., D.D.I was reading over my wife's shoulder again, so to speak. In this 100-year-old volume, Rev. Tisdall links portions of the Quran to earlier Jewish, Christian and Zoroastrian writings. Some of the connections he makes are quite obvious, others are a bit more tenuous. If nothing else, he shed light on certain references in the Quran that made no sense tome

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-10992389465192919852010-12-29T11:57:00.001-08:002010-12-31T11:59:39.148-08:00

by Bill KauffmanSecession? Oh, yeah, that's the quaint idea that the South came up with back in the day. The one that was proven to be wrong by the Civil War, right? Don't you believe it. The idea of secession from the United States is as old as the nation itself. (Or older, if you look at the American Revolution as the Seccession of American Colonies.) Mr. Kauffman gives us a rambling tour of

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-27901945802345878422010-12-22T11:53:00.000-08:002010-12-31T11:56:11.760-08:00

by Robert J. SawyerFirst read in 2007. Didn't like it as much the second time around.On my shelf.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-44409881964320478182010-12-15T11:51:00.000-08:002010-12-31T11:52:49.336-08:00

by Jerry Cook with Stanley C. BaldwinA bit dated piece of waiting room material.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-55066325733427820832010-12-06T11:49:00.000-08:002010-12-31T11:50:15.296-08:00

by John BrunnerAmusing, though the cover copy is way misleading.Waiting room material. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-52357840840948577542010-12-04T11:46:00.001-08:002010-12-31T11:48:17.945-08:00

edited by Gardner DozoisCheck it out. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-24893023249127478322010-12-03T11:41:00.000-08:002010-12-24T11:44:06.739-08:00

by Geoffrey PerretThis book is subtitle "Soldier & President", but you get far more of Grant the Soldier than Grant the Chief Executive. The biography starts off, as most do, with a somewhat brief account of Grant's childhood. The chapter surrounding his enrollment and education at West Point offers more detail and then you get a nice, detailed account of his service before, during and after the

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-15810172187586875912010-11-24T11:42:00.002-08:002010-12-31T11:45:26.814-08:00

by Lois LowryThis is an odd little science fiction tale that was included in my daughter's curriculum. It's set in a future dystopia, where everything is controlled and orderly. Jonas is approaching his twelfth birthday, when he will begin his apprenticeship for his life's career. While some children have a pretty good idea which role they will be assigned, Jonas is in the dark. He has done well

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-88764951182602277442010-11-20T11:36:00.002-08:002010-12-31T11:39:58.622-08:00

by Bob Kane and many othersThe purchase of this book was an indulgence--a luxury. I paid twelve times what I would have paid for another book of it's ilk. But then it was the Library Sale, so a more moden tome would have only cost me a buck.I first encountered this book in my hometown library, when I was a kid. I don't know what prompted me to check out the grown up books, but I do know I was

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-16757700949026855882010-11-19T11:31:00.002-08:002010-12-31T11:35:37.333-08:00

by S. E. HintonThis is like the movie Quadrophenia in reverse. You have a conflict between teenage gangs--in this case the Elvis-loving "Greasers" versus the Beatle preferring "Socs"--but the story is told from the perspective of the greasers. It's not a bad tale, as far as it goes. The cover of my copy touts the book as a "revealing novel about teenagers--by a teenager." It shows. There's a

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-89589555182451619732010-11-11T15:53:00.000-08:002010-11-14T15:56:44.017-08:00

by Jerry Fodor & Massimo Piattelli-PalmariniI don't know if I should review this book or not. I mean, I read it, but it was way over my head. Perhaps I should have read it with a dictionary at hand so I could understand what the heck they were talking about. But since I was reading this out of idle curiosity instead of serious scholarship, I let the big words pass by without comprehension. So

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-12745178628943503812010-10-29T11:26:00.000-07:002010-12-31T11:27:57.342-08:00

by Chaim PotokGreat book -- check it out. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-3630846263915515792010-10-17T16:13:00.000-07:002010-10-30T16:17:22.009-07:00

by Mark PahlowThis is the story of the Archie McPhee company, located in beautiful Seattle, Washington. ... Okay, I suppose technically only the first eight pages are the Archie McPhee story. The other 170 are one or two page illustrations/descriptions of various memorable products that the company has carried over the years. It's amusing, in an oddball sort of way--though I would think the

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-23733738473106064472010-10-15T11:22:00.002-07:002010-12-31T11:25:29.015-08:00

by Audrey NiffeneggerIt's a national bestseller, a major motion picture, and it involves time travel. How could I not read this book? Anyway, it is a good read. It's the tale of Henry DeTamble, a man who accidently travels through time. He has no control over it. He simply disappears from the present and appears somewhen in the past or future. Unfortunately he can't take anything with him, so his

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-58379388350094058422010-10-09T21:15:00.001-07:002010-12-31T11:18:12.927-08:00

by Jeph Loeb, Joe Madureira and Christian LightnerToo much death, cheesecake and neurotic "good guys". A fine example of why I'm not as much of a comics fan as I used to be.Waiting room material if there's nothing else to read.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-10086218849985922292010-10-09T11:12:00.000-07:002010-12-31T11:14:00.942-08:00

by Stan Lee and George MairThe semi-autobiography of Stan Lee--a light hearted bit of waiting room material. I found it most interesting when he talked about his work with Marvel Comics in the early sixties, but ol' Stan was entertaining all the way through.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-61777305241881227262010-10-06T11:08:00.000-07:002010-12-31T11:10:25.363-08:00

by John SteinbeckCheck it out--'tis a classic. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-30504521557274420212010-10-05T15:48:00.000-07:002010-11-14T15:52:39.040-08:00

by Jim ButcherAs I read this book instead of The Grapes of Wrath, it occurred to me that The Dresden Files are literary potato chips. I just want to keep reading more and more and it spoils my appetite for more wholesome literature. Anyway, Fool Moon is the second book of this series about a wizard-detective. I have to admit, I enjoyed it more than the original. There's a rash of grisly murders

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-65283521288191149262010-10-03T19:25:00.000-07:002010-10-05T19:32:46.285-07:00

by Brian W. AldissNot as good as the original.Waiting room material.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-8928675636779464292010-10-01T19:36:00.000-07:002010-10-05T19:38:27.662-07:00

by John Howard GriffinEveryone should check it out at least once in their lifetime. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-75011608253389202522010-09-25T16:05:00.000-07:002010-10-30T16:09:31.599-07:00

by Mark A. NollI wanted this book so I could improve my knowledge of the history of Christianity. While I did do that, I think I learned more about American history in the process. Professor Noll traces the history of Christians in what has become English North America and shows how their beliefs interacted with their behavior. The book starts out as your typical historical narrative. After the

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-79768618296861779942010-09-06T17:31:00.000-07:002010-09-12T17:40:48.264-07:00

by Ralph MoodyAnother tale of people struggling with poverty, but unlike A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, you never doubt that the hero, Bud, is going to make it through. It's the tale of a young man heading out west with only a dime in his pocket. He draws upon his abilities and willingness to take chances to not only make a living, but also to help others along the way. All in all it's a good book,

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-89092859449805072562010-08-28T17:41:00.000-07:002010-09-12T17:44:12.428-07:00

by Thomas BergerIndians and cowboys and more Indians. I liked it, but it was kind of weird. Or maybe I liked it because it was kind of weird. I don't know.Good waiting room material.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-9776923517900747602010-08-27T11:34:00.001-07:002010-08-28T11:41:11.633-07:00

by Betty SmithIn the days of my youth I discovered two things. The first was the Marx Brothers. The second was that people actually wrote books about popular culture, giving more details about the creation and creators of the media I enjoyed. These two discoveries led me on a journey through a number of biographies of Sam and Minnie's sons and then on to books about vaudeville and its stars. I

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-52721961483562732432010-08-10T20:26:00.000-07:002010-08-19T20:29:59.531-07:00

by Neil Anderson with Hyatt MooreGotta keep this one on my shelf.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-54110512425585498492010-08-07T20:21:00.000-07:002010-08-19T20:24:38.478-07:00

edited by Mike ResnikCheck it out. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-10313303979906538732010-08-03T16:11:00.000-07:002010-08-13T16:13:09.826-07:00

by Hans L. TrefousseThis bio came as a bit of a surprise. I had always pegged Andrew Johnson as a second class president--one of those men who make the Jacksons and the Roosevelts look oh, so good. Instead, Professor Trefousse presents a very successful politician, a self-made man who not only earned his way into the vice-presidency, but made a lasting impression on the country. The problem is, I

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-39550982481545683332010-07-24T15:54:00.001-07:002010-08-13T16:07:55.923-07:00

by Philip WylieI've been wanting to read this, the supposed inspiration for Superman, ever since Roy Thomas adapted it for his Young All-Stars comic. I finally lucked out and came across a copy at the Library sale. Gladiator is about Hugo Danner, a man born in the 1890s with strength and stamina far beyond that of a normal human. Unlike the Man of Steel, Hugo doesn't don a colorful costume and

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-82640424775729690842010-07-17T20:40:00.000-07:002010-07-26T20:42:50.254-07:00

by Elaine Pagels and Karen L. KingMore waiting room material. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-33069430529314344612010-07-15T20:44:00.001-07:002010-07-26T20:46:42.764-07:00

by Harry TurtledoveI just had to check it out again.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-30716868085332219552010-07-10T20:36:00.000-07:002010-07-26T20:47:25.391-07:00

by Elaine PagelsOnly seemed like waiting room material the second time around. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-62918288414615780822010-07-01T18:42:00.001-07:002010-07-26T20:47:43.988-07:00

by Robert J. SawyerStill on my shelf. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-85122913060805584622010-06-25T18:39:00.000-07:002010-07-25T18:41:05.797-07:00

by Jefferey Rogers HummelVery much worth checking out. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-59048838634506301192010-06-13T18:28:00.000-07:002010-07-25T18:35:14.473-07:00

by Diane CareyThis one's typical Trek fare, really. But I fell in love with the mental picture of a ship covered with video tiles and the idea of a high and mighty Starfleet captain having to prove herself in an alien culture and under different leadership. That's why I decided to grab a copy for my shelf. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-65578128781489700302010-06-09T16:54:00.001-07:002010-07-24T17:01:09.476-07:00

edited by Harry Turtledove with Martin H. GreenbergWas this indeed the best time travel stories of the past century? I don't know. I don't have the time to read all the time travel stories of the 20th Century--wish I did--so I can't tell if they missed one that was better. 'Twas indeed worth checking out. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-72558157828684420022010-06-08T16:49:00.000-07:002010-07-24T16:51:29.086-07:00

by Stephan B. OatesFor my latest selection on my Presidential biography reading list, I chose a relatively slim one--only 436 pages. I mean, when it comes to Lincoln, there are huge biographies from which to choose. This one, however, was recommended by my wife, so i figured I'd go with it rather than opt for a longer or more recent effort. It was a pleasure to read. Mr. Oates presents his

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-9539476161303728452010-05-29T13:21:00.000-07:002010-08-27T13:25:27.188-07:00

by James W. SireA good resource to have on my shelf. LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-69699851894725960642010-05-26T16:39:00.000-07:002010-07-24T16:42:09.643-07:00

by Katherine PatersonThis is the tale of Sara Louise Bradshaw, a teenager on a small island in Chesapeake Bay, who comes of age in the early 1940s. It's not a pleasant time in her life--not that she would consider any time in her life particularly pleasant. Her 13-plus years have been spent in the shadow of her twin sister, the delicate, beautiful and talented Caroline. Louise yearns for her own

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-13213165252161312942010-05-18T18:14:00.001-07:002010-06-14T18:17:55.330-07:00

by Thornton WilderSeemed like waiting room material to me.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-86198281951078350052010-05-15T18:05:00.000-07:002010-06-14T18:12:51.350-07:00

by Herman MelvilleCheck it out.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34939296.post-58747896578809258742010-05-10T13:09:00.001-07:002010-08-27T13:16:59.172-07:00

by Jim ButcherAn amusing tale--first in a series--of a wizard-detective. There are plenty of better books in the world which I could have read, but this was good, entertaining brain candy. Plus it's set in Chicago, so how could I not like it?'Twas fun waiting room material.LibraryThing link

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13725435155373619743noreply@blogger.com0