LibraryThing reviews of books in smiteme's library)

Tau Zero by Poul Anderson [reviewed by bluetyson]

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 12:37:53 -0500

bluetyson's review: "<a href="http://www.wowio.com/users/product.asp?BookId=4770">http://www.wowio.com/users/product.asp?BookId=4770</a> This was quite a well handled explanation of what happens as you get close to light speed. Bits of this might even be useful in high school physics, perhaps! Well handled, although whether a crew would get that overwrought that fast, who knows. I suppose he had to throw in a bit of character conflict though, as things get pretty wild due to the speed they are travelling at. Do they try and stop, or not? <a href="http://freesf.blogspot.com/2008/08/tau-zero-poul-anderson.html">http://freesf.blogspot.com/2008/08/tau-zero-poul-anderson.html</a>"
Hugo Novel

Slaughterhouse-five by Kurt Vonnegut [reviewed by bluetyson]

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 11:17:46 -0500

bluetyson's review: "<a href="http://www.wowio.com/users/product.asp?BookId=60">http://www.wowio.com/users/product.asp?BookId=60</a> Vonnegut has written an anti-war book, but he has done it with some style. It is perhaps hard to find humor when you are being blown to hell and back, but through characters in this novel he manages to do so. Darkly amusing, I suppose is what you would call it at times. One way to view the Allied bombing of Dresden, anyway. <a href="http://freesf.blogspot.com/2008/08/slaughterhouse-five-kurt-vonnegut.html">http://freesf.blogspot.com/2008/08/slaughterhouse-five-kurt-vonnegut.html</a>"
Nebula Novel

Slaughterhouse-five by Kurt Vonnegut [reviewed by bluetyson]

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 12:43:08 -0500

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer [reviewed by Awfki]

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:34:42 -0500

Awfki's review: "Very interesting book with a nice background and history of the mountain. I had no idea how harsh conditions at the top of the mountain are."
Anchor (1999), Paperback, 368 pages

The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge [reviewed by jshillingford]

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 16:20:10 -0400

jshillingford's review: "This novel reminded me of "Dune" in a lot of ways. It was a sweeping epic that spanned galaxies, with lots of main characters, but was centered on a small world with a very important commodity that extends life. And both commodities have unusual, biological sources. But, after that these two books diverge greatly. Tiamet is ruled by the Snow Queen. She has ruled for nearly 150 years and will die when the wormhole to other worlds closes during "summer." Tiamet changes from a technological society to a rural one when the other worlders take their advances and go. It is then that the Summer Queen will reign. Only, the Snow Queen doesn't want to give up her throne, or the technology. One technology may hold her answer - cloning. Like Herbert, Vinge does get a little carried away with her world building. There are a lot of details that aren't really necessary and bog the book down at times, but overall a reader is completely absorbed. The main characters are fully developed, especially the Queen, and the political machinations are believable and complex. Vinge dallies with serious issues like witholding technology from lesser-developed societies and exploiting natural resources, while also giving us a plot ripe with murder, intrigue and pursuit of power. This book has a lot of depth, great character development and an intricate plot. Highly recommended!"
Grand Central Publishing (1989), Mass Market Paperback, 469 pages

It (Signet Books) by Stephen King [reviewed by beckylynn]

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 14:38:27 -0500

beckylynn's review: "The movie doesn't provide justice for this classic. It's a tale of a group of friends trying to find out who they really are all the while battling a horrific curse in their home town. Years after reading this book I still think of the characters and the issues that they went through. If your a King fan and enjoyed the Dark Tower or The Stand and don't mind long reads, do give this one a chance because it is well worth it. "
Signet (1987), Mass Market Paperback, 1104 pages

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice [reviewed by beckylynn]

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 14:47:24 -0500

beckylynn's review: "I wish I would have read the book before seeing the movie, but I wasn't near old enough to do it in that order when it came out. I've made it through the fifth book in the series and it doesn't get any better then this, if anything it goes down hill. This single book stands on it's own as a good story. "
Ballantine Books (1981), Mass Market Paperback

Bag of Bones by Stephen King [reviewed by beckylynn]

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 14:29:36 -0500

beckylynn's review: "This has to be my avorite. It's not a typical King book, it's a ghost story and love story combined. Reminds me a little of Wizard and Glass. Highly reccomended."
Pocket (1999), Mass Market Paperback, 752 pages

All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot [reviewed by mebrock]

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:29:28 -0500

mebrock's review: "Herriot's stories are well written and delightful, particularly for someone who enjoys animals. A child who is interested in animals or veterinarian sciences will enjoy this book, although be forewarned that there does exist some mild profanity that may be a problem for some families. Younger readers may appreciate the beautifully illustrated selections in James Herriot's Treasury of Animal Stories for Children (in my library)."

Dracula (The Classic Collection) by Bram Stoker [reviewed by CarlosMcRey]

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:00:23 -0500

CarlosMcRey's review: "There's a joke that Shakespeare is hard to read because it's full of so many cliches. The irony of that line is that much of what we might consider cliche in Shakespeare are the elements that have been so ripped off by everyone who came afterwords. Dracula feels a bit like that, especially to anyone approaching it after seeing a greater-than-average share of vampire movies or reading a similar amount of vampire novels. So, once you get past the fact that you've already seen all of Stoker's subtext turned into text and his villains transformed into tragic (or adventure) heroes, does Dracula hold up? Not entirely. The Count makes very few appearances, but those are all pretty effective. In fact, I was a bit surprised at how able he was to dominate any scene in which he took part. The passages which stuck with me most were Harker's journal in Castle Dracula and the Demeter's log of that doomed voyage. When the action moves away from the Vamp, things tend to drag a bit. Stoker's writing reminds me a bit of Dean Koontz had he been a Victorian writer. To start, there's a simple good/evil divide. If a character is noble, it's not enough to show him/her acting noble or have it be remarked upon once or twice; the other characters must go on about it at length. And if there's an opportunity for a pointless digression so that a dull character can spout off about some questionable ideas, the author will take it. Overall I'd say it's entertaining, but not nearly scary enough and a bit tedious and overlong."
Brilliance Audio on CD Unabridged (2005), Edition: Unabridged, Audio CD

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood [reviewed by DameMuriel]

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 22:17:25 -0400

DameMuriel's review: "I don't usually read books written so recently but...this is one of the best books I've read. It's a story within a story within a story. Very well written. I'm not a huge sci-fi fan which makes it difficult for me to read some of Atwood's books. I like that she incorporated some sci-fi into the story without overwhelming it. I keep trying to convince people to read this book but they won't. Why are people so stupid?"
Virago Press Ltd (2001), Paperback, 641 pages

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen [reviewed by jholcomb]

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:06:35 -0500

jholcomb's review: "Loewen examines twelve then-commonly used history textbooks in an attempt to find out how history is being taught in American schools, and see if helps explain students’ dismally poor knowledge of history. He finds that the books in general are reluctant to admit errors or wrongdoing on the part of white Americans, even when doing so is the only way to truly explain what happened later, and that they tend to see American history as uninterrupted progress, ignoring setbacks in areas like civil rights. Heroes, from Christopher Columbus to Helen Keller to Woodrow Wilson, are shown wart-free. Though now probably out of date, Loewen’s book is a useful corrective to assumptions about American history held by many adults. It tends to drag, however, perhaps because his adherence to his own philosophy of education—that teachers should teach the controversy—makes his treatment of different events become repetitive. I enjoyed the book in many places, particularly the early chapters, but found myself naturally skimming later on."
New Press (1995), Paperback, 372 pages

Bridget Jones's Diary (movie tie-in) by Helen Fielding [reviewed by shortnsweet875]

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:11:51 -0500

shortnsweet875's review: "This isn't the type of thing I usually read, and I honestly don't think I would have picked it up if I didn't have to read it for a class. I absolutely loved it. It was hysterical, and so, so relatable. The parallels to Pride and Prejudice were amusing as well, without being glaringly obvious. I couldn't put this one down."
Penguin (Non-Classics) (2001), Paperback, 288 pages

All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot [reviewed by tkraft]

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:16:09 -0400

tkraft's review: "Another warm and beautiful recollection of the bucolic life with great anecdotes of human nature. Herriot's married life. "
St. Martin's Press (1974), Hardcover

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller [reviewed by tkraft]

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:13:58 -0400

tkraft's review: "Couldn't finish it the author's intention is to confuse and befuddle the reader. One of the books where I just can't understand why it is a classic. I think that nobody wants to admit that they don't understand, so they just say it is a great novel. Don't bother."
Simon & Schuster (1961), Paperback

The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge [reviewed by nwhyte]

Sun, 02 Oct 2005 15:24:33 -0400

nwhyte's review: "<a href="http://nhw.livejournal.com/360447.html">http://nhw.livejournal.com/360447.html</a> A great story of concealed clones, hidden knowledge, the interaction between cultures, and good pacing and characterisation."
Bantam Doubleday Dell (1984), Paperback

Stranger Than Fiction: True Stories by Chuck Palahniuk [reviewed by TheWellRegarded]

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:02:10 -0500

TheWellRegarded's review: "Sort of good if you like Palahnuik fiction. I dunno at times I enjoyed it, but it sorta became a chore and reminded me why collections of essay are not meant to be read front to back. Which I tried to do with this. About 3 times. It held me up when I could've been reading something else. So I dunno. I think its one of those 'it's not you, it's me' situations. Palahnuik seems like a fun guy to hang out with, not a shut in stuffy type. (Thinking about that, I bumped it up to 3 stars from 2 1/2)"
Anchor (2005), Paperback, 256 pages

God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens [reviewed by TheWellRegarded]

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:50:26 -0500

TheWellRegarded's review: "I don't agree with everything Christopher Hitchens writes, but I pretty much did agree with everything he wrote in these 307 pages."
Twelve Books, Hachette Book Group (2007), Hardcover, 307 pages

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams [reviewed by nwhyte]

Fri, 21 Oct 2005 17:56:37 -0400

nwhyte's review: "<a href="http://nhw.livejournal.com/695795.html">http://nhw.livejournal.com/695795.html</a> For me, the original radio series remains the one and only canonical version of the story, so it's interesting to review how different bits of it were cut up and pasted together for the novelisation. One bit of good writing that is strikingly out of place is the introduction of Max Quordlepleen, the compère at Milliways: an unusual piece of character-sketching from Adams, which is original to the book, and then doesn't really go anywhere. (But the Disaster Area section is also original, and delightful.) Interesting that here Zarniwoop is left alone with the ruler of the universe by Zaphod and Trillian, his offence being, as far as I can tell, that he was being a boring git - rather different from the radio version's dramatic denouement of Arthur abandoning everyone else after he discovers who really was responsible for the destruction of the Earth."
Pocket Books

I Am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert [reviewed by TheWellRegarded]

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:28:28 -0500

TheWellRegarded's review: "This is just as funny as the show."
Grand Central Publishing (2007), Hardcover, 240 pages