This book is oddly relevant to the current political climate of our world. As I have been trying my best to escape that over the past few years, maybeThis book is oddly relevant to the current political climate of our world. As I have been trying my best to escape that over the past few years, maybe this book was not the best one to read right now!
However, it is a very interesting and thought-provoking book with the theater of politics at its core. Friends become enemies and enemies become friends all depending on which leader is saying what is right and what is wrong at the time. We watch one of the fathers of a political philosophy become one of its victims as a new rank of ideas comes to power. In the process, he becomes jailed with the very people he was responsible for putting there. Also, people he knows become guilty by association even though they really haven’t done anything at all.
Really it is all just one big chess match where nothing has really changed except for perceptions and which people decide which ideas are going to be executed. It would almost be funny if it is not so scary in its consequences.
4 stars for this interesting exploration into political folly. But not something to read if you don’t want to be frustrated and possibly angered by the futility of people killing each other over who has the “right” political idea at the time. ...more
Hatchet is a Young Adult classic and award winner that I have heard a lot about over the years and have always wanted to read. I love it when I am seaHatchet is a Young Adult classic and award winner that I have heard a lot about over the years and have always wanted to read. I love it when I am searching for an audiobook and books like this pop up as available. I think, “Ah ha! I can finally get to this one!”
It did not take me long to get through Hatchet during my daily lunchtime walks. It held my interest throughout, but probably wasn’t even long enough to lose it! It is definitely geared toward pre and early teens – however, there are a couple of more difficult topics (like death and survival) that this might be a kids first introduction to (unless they are like me and started reading Stephen King at 12!) If my kids decide to try this one out, I will be there for them if they have any questions about it.
Should you read this book? It is not bad for a quick read, but it may prove to be too simple for some peoples’ tastes. If you can adjust your mindset and think of it like a 10- to 13-year-old would, I think you will appreciate it more. Luckily, as I mentioned it is not very long, you are not committing too much of your time if it ends up not being your cup of tea. ...more
I swear that I read this when I was younger, but when I went to add this to Goodreads as a re-read (it was the January selection for my Completist BooI swear that I read this when I was younger, but when I went to add this to Goodreads as a re-read (it was the January selection for my Completist Book Club), I did not find it in my list. And, because this is one of those books that has a plot people tend to know because of movies and/or its general pop culture relevance, it is difficult for me to know which parts of my memories of this are from the book and which are from other places. But, re-read or not, I am glad I read it in January 2022.
This is classic sci fi. It is easy to see how many parts of this led to the tropes we see in literary and cinematic sci-fi today. And it is pretty amazing the creativity Wells had for coming up with such vivid and scientifically based alien technology and biology. This book was way ahead of its time!
While the setting is late 1800s England (horse carriages, telegrams, etc.), it is not hard to picture this in a modern setting. Wells did a great job making the story timeless. Often when I read books set in this era, they may be good, but they can also feel dated – not a bad thing, it is just that time moves on. But, with this one, society may have advanced, but it did not feel like time had moved on.
If you love the classics and/or love sci-fi and you have not read this book, I feel like it is a must for you to get it on your list right away. I was leaning toward 4 stars on this book, but the classic status and the effect it has had on sci fi over the years push that up to 5 stars!...more
“Seems to be a deep instinct in human beings for making everything compulsory that isn't forbidden.”
Politics and space . . . not a surprise when readi“Seems to be a deep instinct in human beings for making everything compulsory that isn't forbidden.”
Politics and space . . . not a surprise when reading Heinlein. With his writing will always be some very interesting sci-fi space travel, action, etc., but the political allegory is also always there. And, while some authors hide the point they are making under the story, I feel like Heinlein unapologetically puts his right on the surface. Sometimes this has not worked for me (I was not a huge fan of Stranger in a Strange Land), but with The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, I found the balance perfect; not only was I entertained by the sci-fi, but it made me think without feeling like I was being preached at (too much).
But as you can see with the quote below . . . as I said . . . it is right there on the surface!
“A rational anarchist believes that concepts such as "state" and "society" and "government" have no existence save as physically exemplified in the acts of self-responsible individuals. He believes that it is impossible to shift blame, share blame, distribute blame. . . as blame, guilt, responsibility are matters taking place inside human beings singly and nowhere else. But being rational, he knows that not all individuals hold his evaluations, so he tries to live perfectly in an imperfect world. . . aware that his effort will be less than perfect yet undismayed by self-knowledge of self-failure.”
If you like just straight up action sci-fi to mainly escape with for a while, Heinlein may not be for you. But if you are a fan of a bit of political introspection in the midst of your Artificial Intelligence and laser battles, this book is worth trying. ...more
Brideshead Revisited is an early 1900’s soap opera. The themes of relationships, alcoholism, religion, etc. – and the conflicts caused by each – serveBrideshead Revisited is an early 1900’s soap opera. The themes of relationships, alcoholism, religion, etc. – and the conflicts caused by each – serve to spice up this story. At times I was reminded of Downton Abbey, Poldark, and other stories of that ilk. While I do enjoy drama set in that era, I did find this one to be a bit drier than I care for. But overall I enjoyed it and would say it is about 3.5 out of 5 stars....more
I need to read up on the background behind this book as I am not sure how much is fiction and how much is just actually history told as a story by a cI need to read up on the background behind this book as I am not sure how much is fiction and how much is just actually history told as a story by a character who lived it. To me, Historical Fiction means a fiction story set in a historical time period and maybe told with real historical figures. In this case I am thinking it is more than that; not really a fictional story at all but could possibly be characterized as non-fiction.
I was fascinated by this story. It is a time period that I am aware of but that I don’t really know much about. I knew some of the characters names and a bit about their reputations, but this book really filled in everything else for me. At times it was a bit heavy and I found my mind wandering – picture listening to a history lecture – but I do like history in general, so I was able to enjoy the majority of the book.
One thing that might get tiresome for you if you decide to read this is that it is a bit repetitive. Now, that is not the fault of the author. In this case, the history itself was very repetitive and it was usually the not so pleasant stuff (murder, suicide, corruption, etc.) that was repeated. I guess you could say that it is an early Soap Opera!
This book is not for everyone. If you don’t like history or in-depth – sometimes sterile – narration of events, I don’t think it is worth giving this a try. But, if you like history, tales of the Roman Empire, the development of early Europe, etc. it may be a book that you will enjoy....more
I have never quite read a book like this one. It was a bit difficult to follow and stay interested in (as evidenced in There is brilliance in madness.
I have never quite read a book like this one. It was a bit difficult to follow and stay interested in (as evidenced in the fact that it is only 300 pages but took me about 9 months to read. But, at the same time, I enjoyed it, its themes, and its symbolism quite a lot. I think this is one that can benefit from doing some side research and interpretation while you are reading it.
The book is written as if it is a true story and the author (Charles Kinbote) is a biographer for the main character (John Shade) and is interpreting his poem, that takes up a few dozen pages, with a couple hundred pages of footnotes (which is where the main story lies). At times Charles is very frank and sincere, at other times he is borderline unhinged. While it is all fiction, it was interesting to try to extrapolate the truth from the exaggerations in the story.
If you try this one, go in knowing that it is likely unlike anything you have ever read before. Embrace the differences. Then, when confusion sets in, take a break and have a nice cup of tea – it will be waiting for you when you return! ...more
I have to admit something kind of embarrassing here. I have never really given much thought to the title of this book. Also, there has never been muchI have to admit something kind of embarrassing here. I have never really given much thought to the title of this book. Also, there has never been much reason for me to use leagues as a unit of measurement. But, up until reading this book I always thought of the "Leagues Under the Sea" as the distance under the surface they go. But, actually, it is indicating a distance AROUND the world that they are travelling under the water. So, yeah . . . my face is a bit red!
Verne may be the king of speculative sci-fi. He wrote so many books covering scientific discoveries that were just conjecture at the time, but ended up coming true. Maybe not all of it ended up in reality, but a lot of it did. I had to keep reminding myself that the things that sounded pretty normal for submarine travel were remarkable and unheard of at the time.
I am not sure if this classic will appeal to all. Some of the sections do get repetitive and tend towards dryness. However, for me, the whole experience was worth it and I am glad to add another classic to my list of books read....more
Classic and so good! I am glad I finally read this.
I am familiar with Sherlock Holmes, but I am not sure I have ever actually read any of the books. TClassic and so good! I am glad I finally read this.
I am familiar with Sherlock Holmes, but I am not sure I have ever actually read any of the books. Throughout my life, I have seen many Holmes movies and various pop culture references, so it is all kind of mashed together in my head. By reading The Hound of the Baskervilles I now know with 100% certainty that I have read a Holmes book.
And . . . it seems like it was a great place to start!
Sometimes when reading classic mysteries, they get kind of muddled and confusing for me. When reading Agatha Christie, I often have to go back over sections to clear things up or when I get to the resolution, I will find I missed something. This has also happened for me when watching the Downey, Jr. Holmes movies. But, thankfully, this was not an issue for me with the Hound of the Baskervilles. The mystery is interesting, easy to follow, and progresses nicely. It has lots of the Holmes tropes that anyone with even a passive interest in Holmes would know about. All in all, a very satisfying experience.
Looking to start your Holmes journey? I think starting here would be "Elementary"!...more
A very cute and very fun book for the holiday season!
If you are used to the usual run-of-the-mill nativity presentation at your local religious institA very cute and very fun book for the holiday season!
If you are used to the usual run-of-the-mill nativity presentation at your local religious institution and want a fresh take that is a bit out of the ordinary, it is worth giving The Best Christmas Pageant Ever a try! When a church goes to put on the same old nativity, some local ragamuffins are interested in participating (mainly due to the promise of snacks). Over the course of the story, these seemingly uncouth kids help those who have been taking the Christmas Story for granted open their eyes to the true meaning of Christmas.
I read this one out loud with my kids and we had a great time with it. The dialogue was fun and I loved hearing my wife and kids snicker after reading off a humorous line. So, not only was the book great, but it was a fantastic family read along experience. A great way to celebrate the holidays!
Peter Pan has never really been one of my favorite classic stories. I know that some people have a lot of nostalgia from childhood for t4 to 4.5 Stars
Peter Pan has never really been one of my favorite classic stories. I know that some people have a lot of nostalgia from childhood for the Disney movie. Also, there have been so many spinoff and retellings of this story and the actual life of the author, that you know that it means a lot to a lot of people. As we are preparing to watch this with our kids for the first time, I figured I ought to check out the original so that I could get a real feel for where the story started.
At first, it started slow. I am wondering if this was due to my tendency to go into things with pre-conceived expectations. Since I have had only a passive interest in the story before, I wonder if my brain was like “Hey! Why are you wasting your time on this!” I know, I know . . . this is very bad of me! So, I soldiered on, and I am very glad I did.
As the story progressed, I really got into it and the world of Neverland. The characters were fun and the fantastical plot very silly. The emotions and personalities of all the characters can be summed up by a line about Tinkerbell that said basically she could either be all mean or all nice, but never both things at once. Because of this, you pretty much know what you are going to get with each character.
The progression through to the end was melancholy, but satisfyingly sweet. It is true that we are all going to grow up someday, but the stories from our childhood never do.
Be sure check this book out - especially if you are a fan of Peter Pan, Hook, Wendy, etc. or have dreams of someday traveling off to Neverland....more
I am pretty sure I read this book when I was a kid and loved it. I figured it would be a great book to read out loud to my kids. Unfortunately 3 Stars
I am pretty sure I read this book when I was a kid and loved it. I figured it would be a great book to read out loud to my kids. Unfortunately it ended up being a somewhat painful book to read out loud.
While the stories are cute and memorable, the writing and dialogue is frequently convoluted and confusing. There is such and excess of run-on sentences that Milne even breaks the fourth wall at one point to comment about run-on sentences. Also, there is random capitalization throughout the book - which I don't think would be much of an issue reading silently to myself, but I never realized how much my brain would use capitalization as a visual cue to decide how I would say something out loud. Every chapter was stopping, restarting, apologizing to the kids, etc. All of this ended up tainting family reading time a bit.
My daughter pointed out that one of these stories is in her third grade reader. After this refresher, I fear that this book might promote some bad reading and grammar habits in kids just learning to read.
A classic, sure, but just not as fantastical and fun as I remember. I feel like being exhausted at the end of every chapter because of the writing is not a great thing....more
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow might be one of the most perfect spooky tales to read, listen to, or tell on a cool October night. I listened to the wholeThe Legend of Sleepy Hollow might be one of the most perfect spooky tales to read, listen to, or tell on a cool October night. I listened to the whole thing on one, chilly, misty, fall walk. As the leaves fell from the trees and the dew from the fog condensed on my coat, I was transported to Sleepy Hollow and the mysterious tale of Ichabod Crane and his encounter with the Headless Horseman.
I am writing this review on Halloween (even though I read it a few days ago) and can tell you this story is short enough that if my review makes you want to read it, you still have time to fit it into your plans for Halloween night. In fact, after finally reading this story that I previously only knew from pop culture references, I might make it a tradition to reread it during future Octobers. Tonight I plan to watch the classic Disney cartoon with my kids and, from what I remember, it stayed pretty true to the story.
I guess you can tell by now that I was very pleased with my experience. For a classic, it is very easy to read and follow (not always the case with classics). It is the perfect balance of spooky supernatural legend, mystery, humor, and historical fiction. You will be transported across the years, maybe a little freaked out, and left to make your own decisions about the encounter between Ichabod and The Headless Horseman!...more
This was my second Poirot after Murder On The Orient Express a few years ago. Seems like that is the one everyone has read! I read that 3 to 3.5 stars
This was my second Poirot after Murder On The Orient Express a few years ago. Seems like that is the one everyone has read! I read that one because I was interested to read it before the new movie version came out. This time I was looking to try another Poirot, and saw that Branagh was doing another run as the detective in an upcoming cinematic version of Death on the Nile, so it was the perfect one to try next.
It was good, but not quite as good as Orient Express. I am kind of not sure what else to say. It felt similar - as I am guessing they all do. Convoluted at times. I was surprised by a lot of it, but did guess a few things. I enjoyed the characters and the dialogue. Good fun, but not monumentally mind-blowing.
Worth reading for a fun little getaway that will get your mind-juices flowing. But, there are better (and worse) mysteries out there (at least from my experience). If you try it maybe it will be the best one you will have ever read - and I hope it is!...more
I feel like reviewing this could be dangerous. There are many who have strong feelings about this book. Also, as my statWhat just happened to me . . .
I feel like reviewing this could be dangerous. There are many who have strong feelings about this book. Also, as my status updates for this were hitting Twitter, I was getting several likes from random Pynchon fans, so I feel like this could be under more of a microscope than usual.
So . . . here is how I am going to do this review. The first paragraph will be my experience with the book and my star review. This is strictly my experience and does not reflect on how I feel others should feel about this book. If it triggers anyone, that is not my intention . . . but nothing surprises me anymore. After that I will have just a few bullet point observations that are not necessarily pros or cons, but just things that went through my mind while reading.
Here goes!
Overall . . . I am giving this book 3 stars. At times I felt like I was at 1 star and ready to give up. At other times I was at 5 stars and what I was reading was creative genius. So, it only seems fair to average things out around 3. It was not an easy book to read, follow, or stay interested in. I often found my mind wandering and had to go back several times to recap. But, when a section stuck with me, it really stuck with me and, overall, it is a book I will not forget.
Now . . . random Gravity’s Rainbow thoughts . . .
- If David Foster Wallace was not partially inspired by this book to write Infinite Jest, I would be very surprised. There is such a similar feel between the two. - Throughout the book I also kept thinking this felt at times like Catch-22 (released 12 years before this book), so I feel like Pynchon must have had some inspiration from that classic. - I heard that this book won the Pulitzer, but they retracted the award because of the extreme nature of the content. After reading the book, I am not saying it is right that they did it, but I can say that I am not surprised. - If you are sensitive or easily offended (and blush easily), this may not be the book for you. It has been a long time since I have been this shocked about things that were put down on the page. Also, proceed with caution when reading my next bullet point. - If there was a book about The History of the Penis, it would refer to penises less than this book does. To be blunt, I think penises (and ejaculation) came up so much in this book as a symbolism of rockets, their trajectory, and the force of a launch. - This is a book I feel you might need online resources to help you get through/understand it. It has so much bizarre stream of conscious imagery and so many outlandish plot points that a little extra help won’t hurt.
I am going to stop there for now, but this book was so long and led to so many thoughts while I was on my journey that I may come back later to add additional bullet points as I think of/remember them.
Do I recommend this book? Did you like Catch-22 and Infinite Jest? Do you like very epic, very bizarre stories that will likely make your head hurt but also might blow your mind? Are you trying to complete a list of recommended books? Then yes! But otherwise . . . no or proceed with extreme caution. ...more
What can you say about Tom Sawyer? Classic Mark Twain! I think a lot of people already know many parts of this story – whether it is from reading the What can you say about Tom Sawyer? Classic Mark Twain! I think a lot of people already know many parts of this story – whether it is from reading the book, watching old Disney movies, pop culture references, etc. Raise your hand if you think of Tom Sawyer every time you see a white fence?
I enjoy Mark Twain’s downhome storytelling. When you read this is it not hard to imagine that you are sitting next to the fireplace or around a campfire (a fire of some sort!) while your Grandpa tells you tales that might be true or might be tall. It’s like a warm bowl of stew or chicken soup in book from. It just warms the soul!
I enjoyed the audiobook of this as narrated by Nick Offerman. I am pretty sure that Nick Offerman was born to narrate Mark Twain books. I noticed that there are several other Twain books narrated by him and I will definitely be checking those out!
And, now for the mandatory “Times – they were a different” disclaimer. The content of this story is based in the late 1800s. Things were different back then and that comes through in the writing. Doesn’t make it right, but it is just how they were. In this case, I feel like they are generally minor compared to other books from Twain and the era, but it is worth noting going in if you are bothered by culturally insensitive language and stereotypes.
Now, with that out of the way . . .
If you need a nice, easy to read book to curl up with on a cool fall day and you want to check another classic off your list, you cannot go wrong with The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. ...more
This is a classic book that I could not remember if I have read before or not. I know the story and have seen many different uses, references to it, rThis is a classic book that I could not remember if I have read before or not. I know the story and have seen many different uses, references to it, retellings, etc. My favorite is probably Angry Video Game nerd on YouTube who HATES the video game version from the original Nintendo. However, now I have 100% for sure read it!
This has a similar format to other Victorian horror novels: lots of letters and retellings from some of the main characters and some bystanders. This format is well known from the books Dracula and Frankenstein. In fact, when I was done, I tried to remember if the reader ever actually meets Dr. Jekyll, or if he is just referenced in other peoples' anecdotes.
It is a decent, quick read. Maybe not really all that scary or horrific (if that is what you are looking for). But, the mystery is a bit spooky and the characters interesting. Whether you like it or not, it will only take two or three hours of your life and then you can check another classic off your list (and, you can then see how it compares to all the other references you have seen to it!)
Click below for Angry Video Game Nerd's take on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde:
This past week we have been watching Mary Poppins with the kids - their first time! They have been loving it! While looking for something to listen toThis past week we have been watching Mary Poppins with the kids - their first time! They have been loving it! While looking for something to listen to on Audible, I saw that the original P.L. Travers book was available. Seemed like the perfect time to give this one a shot.
In some ways it is similar to the movie, in most ways it is different. I like the movie better, but that might be because I am so familiar with it and it's classic music that it was hard for it to to not come out on top. If you are also very familiar with the movie I am pretty sure you will have a similar experience.
Like the movie, the book is a series of short stories highlighting the Banks children's adventures with Mary Poppins. And while there are a few of the same lines and some similar plot points, most of the little anecdotes are different and much more far fetched and bizarre. If you thought the movie was trippy, the book takes it to the next level!
Should you read this? Maybe - if for no other reason than checking out the source material for the movie. But, I think Disney did it a lot of justice and I don't think it would be a book we would be aware of without that influence; I am not sure how well it would have stood on its own....more
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