Stbalbach's reviews from LibraryThing

The Wreck of the "Grosvenor" by W. Clark Russell

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:58:25 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "The Wreck of the "Grosvenor" (1877) was "the most popular mid-Victorian melodrama of heroism and adventure at sea", according to John Sutherland. Russell was admired by Joseph Conrad and the similarities are striking. Russell wrote dozens of solid genre nautical fiction novels while Conrad took it to the level of literature, for better and worse. But if your looking for an easy to read 19th century sea tale with heroic deeds, evil captains, epic storms, salty old seamen who would stick ya, this is probably one of the best. It's not high literature but the action is non-stop, it feels authentic and it's a gripping plot. All around good light fun with forgotten semi-classic navel lit of the 19th century."
Dodd, Mead and Company (1930), Hardcover

The Adventures of Robin Hood by Paul Creswick

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:32:02 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "Paul Creswick's 1917 version of the ballads of Robin Hood is written in the novelistic tradition pioneered by Howard Pyle in his 1883 version, including a fictitious "old English" idiom, a heroic Robin and storyline for children - the modern Robin Hood most of us associate. Creswick's version, sort of the first generation after Pyle, has a tighter plot, a better origins story and includes more adventures than Pyle. The writing though can be strict and little bland at times compared to Pyle who is more colorful and new. Creswick at times put me to sleep but then things picked back up again on and off. Unlike Pyle, Creswick was writing during the age of film and some of the scenes have a distinct silent movie feel to them (one of the earliest films ever made was Robin Hood in 1907). Creswick's long downfall of Robin, when nothing could get worse but does, is well done - the explanation of his turn to crime has some emotional depth, and elements of King Arthur's legend. It struck me while reading this that the theme of Robin Hood is "identity" - even the name "Hood" is derived from Robin's hood which hides his true identity. Almost every episode involves one character or another changing identity as the central plot device. Why is this? Well, prior to the democratization of society in the 18th and 19th centuries, who you were was everything - what you wore born into, and the clothes you wore, determined your station in life - your merit or skills or actions were secondary, class mobility was limited and your life was mostly pre-determined. As the nobility might say "Being things is ratha bettha than doing things." Thus it was a fantasy of the lesser born to break from the restrictions of social bonds and be judged fairly on skill and ability, as Robin does of his Merry Men in encounters of strength. Robin Hood took from the rich and gave to the poor, a form of socialism - it is no accident that the legend of Robin Hood was so popular in the 19th century when the Middle Class rose to dominance and Socialism became popular."
Reader's Digest Association (1991), Hardcover, 318 pages

One Step Ahead: A Jewish Fugitive in Hitler's Europe by Alfred Philip Feldman

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:35:52 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "Alfred Feldman (b. 1923) had just turned 16 when the war began in 1939. During the next six formative years he and his family moved "one step ahead" of the fascists from their home in Germany, to Belgium, northern France, southern France, the French Alps and finally the Italian Alps. Despite numerous close calls he was never taken captive and even managed to fight alongside the resistance. He sounds like a commando but Feldman was rather mild mannered, charming and somewhat innocent Jewish son who wanted to be a science inventor. He survived by the good will of gentiles who helped him every step of the way, his family, good luck, a natural sense of how to keep out of danger and staying on the run even when all seemed hopeless. It's a good history lesson not only of the events of the war, but witness to the kind of "grey" sliding scale nature of French and Italian Collaboration vs Resistance with the Nazis. This is an extraordinary story that is gripping like a novel as it increases in tempo and danger to the very last days of the war high in the Alps. Feldman's writing is often understated and to the point, certain sentence are devastating in their brevity and honesty. When Feldman's memory is unsure, even on a minor point, he will say so, giving it a great deal of veracity. Ultimately it is a hopeful book and not too dark. One Step Head was published in 2001 by Southern Illinois University Press and seems to be fairly obscure. However the book, and Feldman himself, were used by Mary Doria Russell as a source for her popular novel <a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/17729">A Thread of Grace</a> (2005) which was nominated for a Pulitzer - her story is thus much more widely known; but Feldman's book is the original, real - and just a really good book. Recommended highly."
Southern Illinois University Press (2001), Edition: 1st, Hardcover, 360 pages

Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found by Suketu Mehta

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 22:54:52 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "Maximum City (2004; Pulitzer Prize finalist) is a remarkable book, I was hooked from the start and completely transported to another world. Bombay is the largest city on Earth and in parts the most densely populated with certain square miles containing over 1 million people. It is the "City of No" in which resources are tight and daily basic existence is a struggle for millions. Suketu Mehta grew up in Bombay and moved to New York City when he was 15 - this book is about his return to city of birth as a young adult where he spent 2.5 years as a journalist attached to various people learning about their lives. He focuses on those living beyond the norm in the extreme, on the edge of life and death and freedom: gangsters, prostitutes, movie stars, directors, runaway teenage poets, Jainism. In this way the vibrancy and immediacy of the "Maximum" city is imparted. The writing and Mehta's insights are remarkable, he is something of an artistic genius for his ability to give a sense of who a person is and what their life is like while keeping perspective on the big picture. Although I read this slowly taking probably close to 30 hours to absorb it over a few week period, I was sorry to see it end - it could have gone on forever, the stories of Bombay are unlimited."
Knopf (2004), Hardcover, 560 pages

Confessions of a Young Man by George Moore

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:14:58 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "<a href="http://www.archive.org/details/confessionsofyou00mooruoft">Confessions of a Young Man</a> (1886) is a memoir by 30-year old Irish novelist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Moore_(novelist)">George Moore (1852-1933)</a>. It is an unusually frank account, by the standards of the time, of an Irish expatriate's life as a bohemian artist in Paris and London during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fin-de-siecle">"fin-de-siecle"</a>. Moore describes drinking absinthe in Parisian cafes with founders of Impressionism - Manet, Degas, Monet and Pissaro - before England had even heard of them. His Paris studio was adorned in "pagan" trappings such as Indian lamps, red velvet ceiling canopies "to give the appearance of a tent", Turkish rugs and couches, incense and candles of the Orient, a Buddhist temple, a statue of Apollo, "a faun in terra-cotta that laughed in the red gloom." He kept a large python (snake) in the house and once a month fed it live rabbits while Gregorian chant music was played on a pipe organ. Friends came to watch. His sexual escapades are only hinted at in typical Victorian fashion, such as two satin slippers nailed to the head of his bed and used as an ashtray, or bedrooms bedecked in trees of flowers. Moore is completely unapologetic about his debaucheries, which interestingly don't seem that shocking today. Moore's memoir is unusual for Victorian writers because he is so outward with his feelings and views. He spares no ones reputation, including his own, in the name of honesty. Oscar Wilde quipped of Moore: "He conducts his education in public". It is eerily modern, yet clearly Victorian in style, an uncanny valley. The Modern Library chose it in 1917 (1925?) as among the first to be included in the series. Moore spends a lot of space on literary criticism - he is critical of just about everyone popular in the day (except Shelly and Balzac), but praises the school of Aestheticism and Walter Pater. The last chapter is probably the most gripping, describing a duel between himself and a young aristocrat whom Moore baited into a fight to gain notoriety (he is boastingly unapologetic). The book was written in various chapters over time and can be a bit inconsistent in style and focus, like a collection of essays, but lively and full of youthful energy. Two years after Confessions, his publisher Henry Vizetelly was charged with obscene libel for the publication of an uncensored translation of Emile Zola's La Terre (which contains incest and pedophilia, among other things). Moore supported Vizetelly's efforts, and his Confessions can be seen as weapon in the war against hypocritical Victorian morality. His last chapter is a sort of "bait" to his detractors to take up a public duel, Moore knew debating morality in public would expose the contradictions. He was ahead of his time and by WWI the old facades no longer held as Modernism took the center. The morality struggles Moore fought in the 1870s and 80s, like this book, are largely forgotten today - but it's a fun and curious step back in time to see how the rebels of another era are so much alike and so very different."
The Modern Library, New York (1917), Leather Bound

The End of Money and the Future of Civilization by Thomas H. Greco Jr.

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:54:22 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "Overall I found this an interesting read, a bit challenging since I have no background in economics or finance, but was still able to piece together the big picture. I was struck how similar the issues are to the online world: free software vs. commercial (Firefox vs. Internet Explorer, Linux vs. Windows), community built websites (Wikipedia vs. Britannica). If you care about open source and open content issues, then the same sort of open, democratic, egalitarian ideals can be applied to the money system. It's remarkable once you see a vision of possibility, the old (current) money system seems outdated, and somewhat evil. Greco shows that "elitism" - the central banks monopoly of credit - is at the root of the problem. The solution is to decentralize power and wealth by eliminating the banking credit monopolies which have a stranglehold on credit (money).. in other words, more openness, participation, "egalitarianism". Greco explains how to do this using what are called credit clearing or credit exchanges that can eliminate the need for money entirely. Just as banks already clear checks between one another in clearing exchanges, without actually moving money back and forth (debits and credits cancel each another), individuals could operate at the same level, without the need for money - or interest, or needing a bank for credit. Computers and the Internet make it more practical. It's an audacious long term vision - just as Creative Commons could take generations to make a dent in the stranglehold of copyright - but check it out and understand what's happening on the forefront of monetary reform."
Chelsea Green Publishing (2009), Paperback, 280 pages

The Cambridge Companion to American Travel Writing (Cambridge Companions to Literature) by Alfred Bendixen

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:22:48 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "Years ago, when I reviewed the remarkable <a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/364313">Cambridge Companion to Travel Writing</a>, my only complaint was that it didn't cover more geographic regions. Now my wish has come true with The Cambridge Companion to American Travel Writing. Like its predecessor it is a collection of linked essays by 15 scholars. It is broken into three sections: 1) travel writing by Americans about America (Niagra, Mississippi, Southwest); 2) travel writing by Americans outside of America (Europe, Middle East, Pacific, Latin America); 3) and thematic topics like black and woman travel writers, and an essay on the "road book". In general I found most of the essays useful surveys of the important literature within the defined scope. The authors take unique approaches - some are more theory based, using particular works as examples to make a point, while others are more practical, attempting an authoritative survey of the field. After reading through this I wonder about the wisdom of categorizing travel literature by nation-state. Why limit it to American writers only, at a minimum British and American writers were equally influential, it's impossible to untangle the field by nationality. I think it is the books ultimate weakness, it is not an authoritative survey since it arbitrarily excludes so many important non-American writers. Geography has political borders, but writers from all nations have written about America, just as Americans have written about other nations. It's ironic because the field of travel studies looks at this very issue of "exclusion", it is one of the core tenants, but the book remains trapped by the very thing it purports to describe. I recommend it for the serious reader of travel writing because the essays are generally good and one will find a number of reading ideas ranging from the 18th century to the 2000's."
Cambridge University Press (2009), Edition: 1, Paperback, 314 pages

This Fabulous Century, 1930-1940 by Time Life Books

Sun, 31 May 2009 13:22:38 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "Time Life's coffee table book about the 1930s is part of the series This Fabulous Century published in the later part of the 1960s when America was going through some radical changes and re-examining its past. As a Time Life book it contains many pictures, very good and very large. The written content is fairly benign, not so much a history book with analysis as a "remember when" for a popular audience. Still it's not bad and I have seen much worse in this genre. It's a good mix of popular culture media and politics. Most of the big events of the decade are touched upon, some getting more attention than others. Again, the meaning and significance of these people and events is not discussed so it's sort of flat - but the pictures themselves are worthwhile. I would read more from this series if I saw it cheap enough at a used book sale or library. See my "Recommendation" above for a very good book of this type about the 1930s, also published in the 1960s."
Time-Life Books Inc (1969/ 1971-reprint), Hardcover

Tattoo Machine: Tall Tales, True Stories, and My Life in Ink by Jeff Johnson

Sat, 30 May 2009 20:17:28 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "Tattoo Machine is an insiders view of the life of a tattoo artist. On the surface, Johnson is characteristic of the stereotype - tough guy, hard living, hard playing. But he's also a self-declared "artist intelligentsia" who knows how create an image. This masking of the vulnerable with the colorful - characteristic of tattoo's - is mirrored in the book, and Johnson himself. The gaze moves back and forth from tough guy Johnson, to the Johnson who listens to NPR and writes books on the side. A skin and bones human overlaid with a flashy colorful character. It's hard to say how much of it is real, but it delivers the sort of "flash" one might expect. I picked this up not because I have tattoo's (I don't) or even have any real interest in them, but because I wanted to delve into an American sub-culture. Sort of like an episode from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Theroux%27s_Weird_Weekends">Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends</a>, it's a crazy trip somewhere different. I think that's what the book does best. How much you like it will depend how much you like "my brand of slightly scummy charm." (Johnson, Ch.6)"
Spiegel & Grau (2009), Hardcover, 272 pages

The Happy Prince and Other Tales by Oscar Wilde

Tue, 26 May 2009 21:07:41 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "Apparently Oscar Wilde wrote two collections of fairy tales, this being his first in 1888, just a few years after his children were born, when he was still struggling financially and yet to become a famous playwright. The stories have a Hans Anderson feel to them. It's a short collection and easily read in an hour or two, with some beautiful color prints in later editions (see <a href="http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=title%3Athe%20happy%20prince%20and%20other%20tales%20AND%20mediatype%3Atexts">Internet Archive</a>), plus <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Happy_Prince_and_Other_Stories">a whole bunch of adaptations</a> in the 20th century to film, opera etc... If your a fan of fairy tales three of them are pretty good: "The Happy Prince", "The Selfish Giant" and "The Remarkable Rocket". The two others are probably too moralistic for modern tastes. "The Happy Prince" is typical of 19th century English fiction dealing with poor but good people who are given a second chance by some miracle of wealth re-distribution (the little bird of socialism) - it would have found a receptive audience with the rising middle classes (see also much of Dicken's fiction). Yet it seems late to the scene to be anything more than a beautiful period piece. "The Selfish Giant" is sort of a Dicken's "Christmas Carol" about stingy grownups whose cold stone hearts are melted by the spirit of Christ and giving. Again, typical genre fair by this time, but still well written and moving. Finally "The Remarkable Rocket" is a wonderful psychological profile of narcissism and selfishness. Well worth reading today and probably the story with longest legs."

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

Tue, 26 May 2009 21:05:17 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "One of the greatest plays ever written. Not only a non-stop roller-coaster laughs a minute ride, but satire of Victorian culture so spot on it's hard to tell it wasn't written by a 21st century author making a period piece. Wit and wisdom - the trivial and profound - merge in trademark Wilde ways. I look forward to seeing it performed on stage."

The Man Who Would Be King and Other Stories (Oxford World's Classics) by Rudyard Kipling

Mon, 25 May 2009 16:39:31 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "Oxford World's Classic edition 1999 This is a collection of 17 early stories by Rudyard Kipling, most of them written in 1888 while working at his first job as a journalist for an Indian weekly paper. It was these stories that first announced Kiplings arrival to the world and made him famous in England. The Oxford collection puts them in chronological order so one can watch as he matures and experiments with creating a narrative voice. The common thread is entrapment in a bad place, starting with the first story about being caught in a sand pit, to the more subtle but powerful stories about emotional entrapment's in bad relationships, and even colonial entrapment, the last title story, "The Man Who Would Be King", is among his most famous. The autobiographical story "Baa Baa, Black Sheep", which describes Kipling's own entrapment between the ages of 5 and 10 in a Dickens-like home for wayward children, is sort of the climax of the book bringing the rest together. It's interesting to see the psychological origin of Kipling's anti-colonialism, his personal quest for freedom from oppression mirrored the struggles of his adopted country. Considering there were 17 stories, surprisingly there were only 6 that I would want to re-read again, and of those only three stood out as the best: "The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes", "Baa Baa, Black Sheep" and "The Man Who Would Be King". Two stories are notable for their Mark Twain like ability to speak in the local language and manner of the native Indian: "Gemini" and "At Flood Time" and lastly the story "Twenty-Two" is a Zola tribute to Germinal - since its one of my favorite novels and authors I was pleased to come upon it here. Probably the best thing about reading these stories, most of them now somewhat obscure, is to discover Kipling in the same way others did. He was only 23 when he wrote most of them and his energy and optimism shine through leaving one wanting to see what he comes up with next."
Oxford University Press, USA (1999), Paperback, 352 pages

Sea Sick: The Global Ocean in Crisis by Alanna Mitchell

Sun, 17 May 2009 22:57:31 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "Sea Sick is written by Alanna Mitchell who is a journalist by profession. She travels to environmental hotspots around the world interviewing key scientists and decoding the latest research and findings about the state of the oceans: pH imbalance from CO2, coral reef destruction, oxygen dead zones, plankton reduction. I suppose this is an important book. It is a "We're in big trouble" book, one of many. Most of the big ideas could have been distilled into a single magazine article (for the amount of coverage given) - the rest of the book is travel writing and human interest story, each chapter a sort of mini adventure. The science is not explored in much depth before concluding we're in big trouble and moving on to the next exotic locale. I had hoped for something more substantial. The books strongest elements are the chapters about the pH imbalance of the ocean due to increased CO2, and the chapter or two about coral reefs. Clearly, we're in big trouble."
McClelland & Stewart (2009), Hardcover, 240 pages

The Graduate by Charles Webb

Sat, 16 May 2009 14:34:58 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "The 1967 film and Simon and Garfunkel songs are such a part of popular culture, when I saw the slim tattered hardcover for 2 dollars at a used book sale, I had to pick it up - who knew it was a 1963 novel originally, much less the first novel by a 21 year old recent college graduate, of course! The first two thirds are brilliant and hilarious, the back and forth dialogue some of the best I've ever read, in particular Mrs Robinson's "seduction" of Benjamin. The plot takes a turn for the fantastic towards the end, but it was an anti-Adult novel for the up and coming youth generation and struck a chord. Today Benjamin seems like a psychopath, but then so does Charles Webb. It's a novel of the suburbs, focusing on psychological conflicts rather than the external national, economic or racial conflicts of the decades prior. It's about anti-materialism in the boom years of abundance after WWII, the idea that a life devoted to stuff - including trophy wives and trophy young men - is empty and meaningless, a forerunner of counter-culture values of more spiritual pursuits. A great novel that deserves more attention from younger readers who wish to understand the generational conflicts of the 1960s. Update: I just read a great article "<a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0515/p09s01-coop.html">Do you get the Millennial Generation?</a>". Apparently the key to understand American history for the past 60 years can be found in three films/books: The Baby Boomers (1943-1963) with The Graduate, Generation X (1964-1982) with Risky Business and the Millennials (1983-2003) with <a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/10284">The Devil Wears Prada</a> (see the linked article for more explanation)."
The New American Library (1963), Edition: Book Club, Hardcover, 191 pages

O Pioneers! (The World's Best Reading) by Willa Cather

Tue, 12 May 2009 13:32:35 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "I picked this up at a used book sale with no idea who wrote it (me: under rock) or what it was about other than it was considered a "classic". I was expecting a pleasant story for young adults on the level of Little House of the Prairie but was delightfully surprised to find serious adult literature that is easy to read. Stylistically it is American Realism with an emphasis on what it was like as a pioneer in Nebraska - this was the "boring part" at the beginning many people didn't like but I loved for the many small details of period farm life. Cather said of its realism: "I decided not to 'write' at all, - simply to give myself up to the pleasure of recapturing in memory people and places I'd forgotten". And at first this is what it feels like, a novel as an excuse to reminisce about what it used to be like in the "old days" (say, 20 or 40 years prior). Cather's positive ecological message is also refreshing in a book this old and as important as ever. The books drab humorless tone - practical to a fault - artistically conveys the Norwegian pioneer world, but I hope not all her books are about Norwegians."
Reader's Digest Association (1990), Edition: Very Good, Hardcover, 206 pages

Down the Great Unknown: John Wesley Powell's 1869 Journey of Discovery and Tragedy Through the Grand Canyon by Edward Dolnick

Sun, 10 May 2009 17:01:44 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "Down the Great Unknown is a re-telling of the 1869 John Wesley Powell expedition by boat through the Colorado River and Grand Canyon, the first ever descent. The advantage of Dolnick's modern archival-based history over Powell's 1875 primary source memoir is that Dolnick has the perspective of time. Drawing on diaries of Powell and other crew members, and more recent historical and archaeological research, he is able to flesh out a more complete and objective re-telling. Unlike some other past biographers, Dolnick emphasizes how dangerous the trip was, that its safe conclusion was far from a sure thing. Today when rafters run the river daily as a matter of course, Powell is often seen as the lucky one who got there first - but Dolnick successfully projects for the reader how dangerous it was for first-time boatmen to take on the Superbowl of rafting in fragile wooden boats - and not knowing what danger was behind the next bend in the river, for all they knew there could be another Niagra Falls with no place to portage around, a death trap. A little slow at times as the repetition of running rapids, portaging, camping and climbing the canyons wears on, but it is the nature of the trip, and Dolnick does a pretty good job with keeping the narrative suspense flowing by using historical backgrounders and building up to a sort of climatic scene with the splitting of the party. It's not novelistic, but it is highly accurate, Dolnick doesn't embellish, it's well sourced, and easy and enjoyable to read. If your looking for a 1-book on Powell, this is a good one."
HarperCollins (2001), Edition: 1st, Hardcover, 384 pages

The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons (Penguin Classics) by John Wesley Powell

Tue, 05 May 2009 15:09:09 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "John Wesley Powell's account of the first descent of the Colorado River and Grand Canyon by boat is generally considered canonical American exploration literature. To give some sense of its perceived importance, National Geographic in its list of 100 all time best adventure books ranks the Lewis and Clark journals as number 2, and Powell's book at number 4. The Grand Canyon itself ranks as one of the worlds greatest natural features, on par with the poles, Mount Everest and the Amazon - Powell's account likewise is lifted by the sheer magnificence of its discovery, the books literary qualities and story of sheer survival enhance it further. The 1869 trip was largely funded with private money, and was supposed to have been a scientific journey of exploration. Because Powell lost in the rapids most of the science equipment, maps and records, he ended up writing most of the book years later in the first person for a wider non-scientific audience, based from his personal journal, memory and with some embellishments. Powell could be literary in his descriptions: "We think of the mountains as forming clouds about their brows, but the clouds have formed the mountains." Unfortunately the book is inconsistent and large sections contain geographic descriptions that can easily be skipped over since they were meant to be scientific, but are really more amateur science. Many of his analogies today seem dated, such as mountains with "gables" and "panels", imagery more meaningful to Victorian architecture, but this creates period atmosphere. As is usual in older exploration books, it needs a modern re-telling to fully understand and absorb the events from multiple perspectives, but reading the original account is the most authentic experience we have, short of running the river in person, which many still do with a copy of Powell's book on hand. I look forward to watching the 1999 PBS documentary done in a "Ken Burns" style with original photos, as well as the most recent and longest reconstruction Edward Dolnick's <a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/144463">Down the Great Unknown</a> (2001)."
Penguin Classics (2003), Paperback, 432 pages

Halfway to Heaven: My White-knuckled--and Knuckleheaded--Quest for the Rocky Mountain High by Mark Obmascik

Sat, 02 May 2009 20:39:15 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "A light and breezy travel book through the Colorado Rockies and its sub-culture of outdoor enthusiasts united by the desire to summit all 54 of the states 14,000 foot mountains. Obmascik attempts it over the course of one summer, driving from his home in Denver each Saturday morning a few hours to the hike and back that same night. Along the way he meets other people doing the same thing, from different walks of life, united by a common quest (and website: 14ers.com). Each short chapter recounts a climb and its follies, local Colorado historical flavor, a back-story about Obmascik's hiking partner for the day (his "man-dates"), and not a few nail biting close calls with lightning, wind and cliff. It's hard to be critical of a book like this because it makes you feel good; it's well written, funny, self-deprecating, sympathetic and educational. Obmascik is a family man with a happy marriage of 17 years, three kids, overweight, middle aged, balding - this is not exploration or macho adrenaline adventure literature - it is not `Into Thin Air`, to the benefit of every middle-aged balding overweight father who wants to do something beyond the ordinary. As A.J Jacobs says "I thank him for climbing a bunch of tall mountains so I don't have to. I was with him for every oxygen-deprived step of the way (as I lounged on my sectional sofa)." If you enjoy travel books like `A Walk in the Woods` or `A Year in Provence` this is for you."
Free Press (2009), Hardcover, 288 pages

Star Wars: Episode 4: A New Hope: The National Public Radio Dramatization by Brian Daley

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:55:48 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "This is one of my "guilty pleasures". At nearly 6 hours it greatly expands on the original film. The next paragraph is from Wikipedia. "Star Wars is a 13-part (5hr51m) radio serial first broadcast on National Public Radio in 1981. It was adapted by Brian Daley from the original film, and directed by John Madden, with music by John Williams and sound design for Lucasfilm by Ben Burtt. The series fleshes out the storyline by adding a great deal of back story not in the film. The radio serials were made with the full co-operation of George Lucas, who for one dollar each sold the rights to KUSC-FM, the public radio affiliate at his alma mater, the University of Southern California. It includes original sound effects and music from the films." I didn't know what to expect of a 6 hour radio adaptation of Star Wars but this is probably one of the best radio adaptations I've ever heard, in terms of cast, music and sound effects. The story is of course silly but still retains its ability to enthrall and captivate. The music score by John Williams is a major part of its appeal (I recommend listening to the score while flying). The plot is a bit convoluted which probably helps explain why it had so many fans going back to the theater 10 or 20 times to get all the chronology of events straight as they jump around through hyperspace and various rooms aboard ship. I was 10 when it first came out in 1977, and while not a avid fan like some, I have re-visited it occasionally over the years and appreciate how a work of art can define a generation. More than a breakthrough in special effects it was a "New Hope" that was a break from the funk of the 1970s and helped set the tone for an optimistic 1980s (continued with 1978's Superman with Christopher Reeves). The Star Wars universe can be seen as a virtual embodiment of the American suburban landscape - unlike the world of the 1960s and early 70s, where race and class divided society, in the American suburb (and Star Wars universe) race is hardly an issue - see the alien bar scene and Wookie and the droids. Hard work and good deeds lead to rewards and advancement with no barriers (Luke's meteoric rise to fame), strong middle class values prevail throughout."
Del Rey (1994), Edition: 1, Paperback, 346 pages

Genesis by Bernard Beckett

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:41:04 -0400

Stbalbach's review: "Genesis is New Zealand author Bernard Beckett's breakout novel and probably the biggest novel out of New Zealand at the moment. Originally published in his country of origin in 2006 - where it went on to win a number of awards - in 2008 Genesis made New Zealand publishing history when it was offered the largest advance ever put forward for a young adult novel. The novel was released in the UK as two separate editions: adult and young adult, and went into bidding wars in over 20 other countries, including the US. One of the blurbs says it is destined to be "a modern classic." It's very short, readable in 3 hours or so, but it is philosophically and symbolically dense that rewards reflection and slowing down. Although set in a post-apocalyptic world with science fiction trappings (ie. a giant metal "sea fence" around an island), it really is a novel about philosophically age old questions and ideas. It's been compared to Philip K. Dick with its emphasis on asking what it means to be human; the nature of consciousness and artificial intelligence; the nature of a soul and what makes humans unique. At its core it is an essentially humanistic story, relevant to the here and now, as the best fiction is. If one is reading for the plot and wondering what happens, it will not disappoint, it "gripped me like a vice" said Jonathan Stroud, but the novel brings up a whole host of questions and ideas that are really at the core of the book. This is a thinking persons story. Is it a classic? I don't think so, at least not on the level of 1984 or Brave New World, but it is very good international fiction from New Zealand, a good story, and thought provoking ideas about man and machine."
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2009), Edition: 1, Hardcover, 160 pages