Mahsdad's (Jeff) 2016 Book Thread
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Talk 75 Books Challenge for 2016
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1mahsdad
Welcome to 2016 in my world. Come on in!
If you're new, my name is Jeff. I live in Southern California. I'm an avid reader (obviously, why else would I be doing this :) ), but I also enjoy photography, hiking and playing games and hanging out with my family. Book-wise, I have a pretty eclectic taste in what I read and I hope to give you not so much reviews but my impressions about what I read.
What you will find here is mostly my rambling, way too many (according to some :) ) Wishlist and TBR pile temptations and a smattering of my photography.
This is my 4th year in the group, but my 3rd after stepping out of the shadows and started being an active participant.
My 2013 Reading Thread
My 2014 Reading Thread
My 2015 Reading Thread
We'll start out the new year with the cover image from my 2016 Calendar. It was taking at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles
Welcome!
If you're new, my name is Jeff. I live in Southern California. I'm an avid reader (obviously, why else would I be doing this :) ), but I also enjoy photography, hiking and playing games and hanging out with my family. Book-wise, I have a pretty eclectic taste in what I read and I hope to give you not so much reviews but my impressions about what I read.
What you will find here is mostly my rambling, way too many (according to some :) ) Wishlist and TBR pile temptations and a smattering of my photography.
This is my 4th year in the group, but my 3rd after stepping out of the shadows and started being an active participant.
My 2013 Reading Thread
My 2014 Reading Thread
My 2015 Reading Thread
We'll start out the new year with the cover image from my 2016 Calendar. It was taking at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles
Welcome!
2mahsdad
2016 Statistics
Owned - 5
Bought 2015 - 1
Free/Found -
Library -
Gift - 2
Audio - 5
eBook -
Early Review - 1
Graphic Novel - 3
March
17. Atonement - Ian McEwan
16. God of Beer - Garret Keizer (ER)
15. Headhunters - Jo Nesbo (AUDIO)
14. The Girl with all the Gifts - M. R. Carey
February
13. The Marriage Plot - Jeffrey Eugenides (AUDIO)
12. Cell - Stephen King
11. The Botany of Desire - Michael Pollan
10. My Father Bleeds History (Maus) - Art Spiegelman (GN)
9. The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage - Sydney Padua (GN)
8. The Anubis Gates - Tim Powers (AUDIO)
Favorite:
January
7. St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves - Karen Russell
6. Moose - Max de Radigues (GN)
5. A Spy Among Friends - Ben Macintyre (AUDIO)
4. Gentlemen of the Road - Michael Chabon
3. The Revenant - Michael Punke
2. Revival - Stephen King (AUDIO)
1. Tunneling to the Center of the Earth - Kevin Wilson
Favorite:
Owned - 5
Bought 2015 - 1
Free/Found -
Library -
Gift - 2
Audio - 5
eBook -
Early Review - 1
Graphic Novel - 3
March
17. Atonement - Ian McEwan
16. God of Beer - Garret Keizer (ER)
15. Headhunters - Jo Nesbo (AUDIO)
14. The Girl with all the Gifts - M. R. Carey
February
13. The Marriage Plot - Jeffrey Eugenides (AUDIO)
12. Cell - Stephen King
11. The Botany of Desire - Michael Pollan
10. My Father Bleeds History (Maus) - Art Spiegelman (GN)
9. The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage - Sydney Padua (GN)
8. The Anubis Gates - Tim Powers (AUDIO)
Favorite:
January
7. St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves - Karen Russell
6. Moose - Max de Radigues (GN)
5. A Spy Among Friends - Ben Macintyre (AUDIO)
4. Gentlemen of the Road - Michael Chabon
3. The Revenant - Michael Punke
2. Revival - Stephen King (AUDIO)
1. Tunneling to the Center of the Earth - Kevin Wilson
Favorite:
3mahsdad
Books Read in 2016 by Year
2015 - 3
2014 - 3
2009 - 1
2008 - 2
2007 - 1
2006 - 2
2002 - 1
2001 - 2
1991 - 1
1983 - 1
Men - 15
Women - 2
2015 - 3
2014 - 3
2009 - 1
2008 - 2
2007 - 1
2006 - 2
2002 - 1
2001 - 2
1991 - 1
1983 - 1
Men - 15
Women - 2
4mahsdad
Currently Reading
The Math Book - Clifford Pickover - S: 2/9/14
The Ongoing Moment - Geoff Dyer - S: 8/7/15
World War Z - Max Brooks - S: 10/12/15
Burning Paradise - Robert Charles Wilson - 3/5/16
All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr - 3/21/16
The Math Book - Clifford Pickover - S: 2/9/14
The Ongoing Moment - Geoff Dyer - S: 8/7/15
World War Z - Max Brooks - S: 10/12/15
Burning Paradise - Robert Charles Wilson - 3/5/16
All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr - 3/21/16
5mahsdad
2015 Recap Statistics
Total Read - 67
Owned - 11
Bought 2015 - 15
Free/Found - 3
Library - 7
Gift - 4
Audio - 19
eBook - 1
Early Review - 5
Graphic Novel - 2
The full list is obviously still in my 2015 Thread (see above), but in no particular order, here are my 5 favs from last year.
Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
Bright Earth by Philip Ball
Thirty Seconds Over Toyko by Ted Lawson
Total Read - 67
Owned - 11
Bought 2015 - 15
Free/Found - 3
Library - 7
Gift - 4
Audio - 19
eBook - 1
Early Review - 5
Graphic Novel - 2
The full list is obviously still in my 2015 Thread (see above), but in no particular order, here are my 5 favs from last year.
Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
Bright Earth by Philip Ball
Thirty Seconds Over Toyko by Ted Lawson
6mahsdad
Pulitzer's Read
Ongoing bucket list to read all the Pulitzer winning novels.
2016 -
2015 -
2014 -
2013 -
2012 - NO AWARD
- Swamplandia - Nominee
2011 - A Visit from the Goon Squad
2010 - Tinkers
2009 -
2008 - The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
2007 - The Road
2006 - March
2005 - Gilead
2004 -
2003 - Middlesex
2002 -
2001 - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
2000 -
1999 -
1998 -
1997 -
1996 -
1995 -
1994 -
1993 - A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain
1992 - A Thousand Acres
- My Father Bleeds History (Maus) (Special Awards & Citations - Letters)
1991 -
1990 -
1989 -
1988 -
1987 -
1986 -
1985 -
1984 - Ironweed
1983 - The Color Purple
1982 -
1981 - A Confederacy of Dunces
1980 -
1979 - The Stories of John Cheever
1978 -
1977 - NO AWARD
1976 -
1975 - The Killer Angels
1974 - NO AWARD
1973 -
1972 - Angle of Repose
1971 - NO AWARD
1970 -
1969 -
1968 - The Confessions of Nat Turner
1967 -
1966 -
1965 -
1964 - NO AWARD
1963 -
1962 -
1961 - To Kill a Mockingbird
1960 -
1959 -
1958 -
1957 - NO AWARD
1956 -
1955 -
1954 - NO AWARD
1953 -
1952 - The Caine Mutiny
1951 -
1950 -
1949 -
1948 -
1947 -
1946 - NO AWARD
1945 -
1944 -
1943 -
1942 -
1941 - NO AWARD
1940 - The Grapes of Wrath
Ongoing bucket list to read all the Pulitzer winning novels.
2016 -
2015 -
2014 -
2013 -
2012 - NO AWARD
- Swamplandia - Nominee
2011 - A Visit from the Goon Squad
2010 - Tinkers
2009 -
2008 - The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
2007 - The Road
2006 - March
2005 - Gilead
2004 -
2003 - Middlesex
2002 -
2001 - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
2000 -
1999 -
1998 -
1997 -
1996 -
1995 -
1994 -
1993 - A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain
1992 - A Thousand Acres
- My Father Bleeds History (Maus) (Special Awards & Citations - Letters)
1991 -
1990 -
1989 -
1988 -
1987 -
1986 -
1985 -
1984 - Ironweed
1983 - The Color Purple
1982 -
1981 - A Confederacy of Dunces
1980 -
1979 - The Stories of John Cheever
1978 -
1977 - NO AWARD
1976 -
1975 - The Killer Angels
1974 - NO AWARD
1973 -
1972 - Angle of Repose
1971 - NO AWARD
1970 -
1969 -
1968 - The Confessions of Nat Turner
1967 -
1966 -
1965 -
1964 - NO AWARD
1963 -
1962 -
1961 - To Kill a Mockingbird
1960 -
1959 -
1958 -
1957 - NO AWARD
1956 -
1955 -
1954 - NO AWARD
1953 -
1952 - The Caine Mutiny
1951 -
1950 -
1949 -
1948 -
1947 -
1946 - NO AWARD
1945 -
1944 -
1943 -
1942 -
1941 - NO AWARD
1940 - The Grapes of Wrath
7mahsdad
Hugos Read
Ongoing bucket list to read all the Hugo winning novels
2016 -
2015 -
2014 - Ancillary Justice (DNF)
2013 - Redshirts
2012 -
2011 -
2010 -
2009 - The Graveyard Book
2008 - The Yiddish Policemen's Union
2007 -
2006 - Spin
2005 -
2004 -
2003 -
2002 - American Gods
2001 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2000 -
1999 - To Say Nothing of the Dog
1998 -
1997 -
1996 - The Diamond Age
1995 -
1994 -
1993 -
1992 -
1991 -
1990 -
1989 -
1988 - The Uplift War
1988 - Watchmen - category : Other forms
1987 - Speaker for the Dead
1986 - Ender's Game
1985 - Neuromancer
1984 - Startide Rising
1983 -
1982 -
1981 -
1980 -
1979 -
1978 -
1977 -
1976 - The Forever War
1975 -
1974 - Rendezvous with Rama
1973 -
1972 -
1971 - Ringworld
1970 - Left Hand of Darkness
1969 - Stand on Zanzibar
1968 -
1967 - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
1966 - Dune
1965 -
1964 - Way Station
1963 -
1962 - Stranger in a Strange Land
1961 - A Canticle for Leibowitz
1960 - Starship Troopers
1959 -
1958 -
1956 -
1955 -
1953 - The Demolished Man
Retro Hugos - this are given for years when no award was given (more than 50 years ago). Of those...
1939 - The Sword in the Stone
1951 - Farmer in the Sky
1954 - Fahrenheit 451
Ongoing bucket list to read all the Hugo winning novels
2016 -
2015 -
2014 - Ancillary Justice (DNF)
2013 - Redshirts
2012 -
2011 -
2010 -
2009 - The Graveyard Book
2008 - The Yiddish Policemen's Union
2007 -
2006 - Spin
2005 -
2004 -
2003 -
2002 - American Gods
2001 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2000 -
1999 - To Say Nothing of the Dog
1998 -
1997 -
1996 - The Diamond Age
1995 -
1994 -
1993 -
1992 -
1991 -
1990 -
1989 -
1988 - The Uplift War
1988 - Watchmen - category : Other forms
1987 - Speaker for the Dead
1986 - Ender's Game
1985 - Neuromancer
1984 - Startide Rising
1983 -
1982 -
1981 -
1980 -
1979 -
1978 -
1977 -
1976 - The Forever War
1975 -
1974 - Rendezvous with Rama
1973 -
1972 -
1971 - Ringworld
1970 - Left Hand of Darkness
1969 - Stand on Zanzibar
1968 -
1967 - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
1966 - Dune
1965 -
1964 - Way Station
1963 -
1962 - Stranger in a Strange Land
1961 - A Canticle for Leibowitz
1960 - Starship Troopers
1959 -
1958 -
1956 -
1955 -
1953 - The Demolished Man
Retro Hugos - this are given for years when no award was given (more than 50 years ago). Of those...
1939 - The Sword in the Stone
1951 - Farmer in the Sky
1954 - Fahrenheit 451
8mahsdad
Probably won't post much more here until after the 1st. Got to finish up some loose threads in 2015.
10PaulCranswick
Great to see your visually stunning thread will grace the group again Jeff.
13Crazymamie
Dropping off my star, Jeff!
17mahsdad
Happy New Year everyone!
Since its Friday, I would be remiss if I didn't start off the year with a Foto Friday (as Lori reminded me). So here is January's entry on my calendar. Enjoy!
Since its Friday, I would be remiss if I didn't start off the year with a Foto Friday (as Lori reminded me). So here is January's entry on my calendar. Enjoy!
19msf59
Happy New Year and Happy New Thread, Jeff! Love that topper. Still enjoying that story collection?
21mahsdad
>19 msf59: :) I am enjoying the Wilson quite a bit. I'm about half way thru. Very offbeat stories. Just my style.
22richardderus
Ohhhhh JEEEEeeeeeeeefffff...the January covers for the purpose of busting your budget, keeping your son out of college, and making sure you can't retire!
Did I forget to mention that I'm now a one-percenter?
Did I forget to mention that I'm now a one-percenter?
23lkernagh
>17 mahsdad: - That is a great January image! Reminds me that spring is just around the corner. ;-)
25PaulCranswick
Have a wonderful bookfilled 2016, Jeff.
28mahsdad
Question - Anyone read Richard Ford's Independence Day? Its been on my shelf for a while ( I picked it up at a library sale since it won the Pultizer). I was going to start reading it, but I noticed that it was a sequel to The Sports Writer.
Should I read The Sports Writer first, or could I get away with just starting with Independence Day
Opinions welcome...
Should I read The Sports Writer first, or could I get away with just starting with Independence Day
Opinions welcome...
29mahsdad
First book of the year done.
Tunneling to the Center of the Earth, delightfully weird stories. Some more weird than delightful, but I definitely liked this collection.
More later. I still have 4 books from 2015 to talk about. :)
Tunneling to the Center of the Earth, delightfully weird stories. Some more weird than delightful, but I definitely liked this collection.
More later. I still have 4 books from 2015 to talk about. :)
30mahsdad
In the spirit of recapping 2015, I've come up with my favorites for the year, they are up top on post >5 mahsdad:
31scaifea
>28 mahsdad: Hi, Jeff! I've got both of those waiting for me on my shelves (for the same reason - Pulitzer list!) but haven't read them yet. I think I remember last year a discussion of whether it's okay to skip the first one, but I can't remember the details. Helpful, I know. I think Mark may remember...?
32mahsdad
Thanks Amber. My work lunch book is currently The Revenant, but when I'm done maybe I'll try to get the Sports Writer from the library.
33michigantrumpet
Happy New Year, Jeff!
34msf59
I read Independence Day first, many years ago (20 plus) and finally read The Sportswriter, back in March. I will revisit Independence Day this year and I think they should be read in order.
Hooray for The Revenant. My daughter is currently reading it too. Thanks to good old Dad!
Hooray for The Revenant. My daughter is currently reading it too. Thanks to good old Dad!
35mahsdad
Thanks for the insight Mark.
Picked up All the Light We Cannot See at the YMCA Free Bookshelf tonight. Occasionally, there is wheat among the chaff.
Picked up All the Light We Cannot See at the YMCA Free Bookshelf tonight. Occasionally, there is wheat among the chaff.
36scaifea
>35 mahsdad: Oooh, nice free find! I've got that one on my Read Soon shelves...
37mahsdad
Fell down a wonderful rabbit hole on Youtube and found the Ted talk done by Ann Morgan, titled "My Year Reading a Book from Every Country in the World"
The basic gist was that after some reflection, she found that she was a bit a xenophobe when it came to books (something that I know I am) and wanted to read the works of authors outside of English based UK and North American authors. You can watch the talk at the YT link, but I immediately thought of our community, when as she struggled to figure out how to get translated works from around the world, she heard from a person in Kuala Lumpur (I'm surprised it was you @paulcranswick) who sent her a book from Malaysia and Singapore. Its something we would have done gladly.
Ted talk video : https://youtu.be/Hh09xlzxRmE
Ted website with maps of each country and what she read : http://ideas.ted.com/your-guide-to-reading-the-world/?utm_source=ideas&utm_m...
The books she read by country : http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/thelist/
I might just have to read this list as a daily devotional, starting with Afghanistan and ending with Zimbabwe to follow her journy
The basic gist was that after some reflection, she found that she was a bit a xenophobe when it came to books (something that I know I am) and wanted to read the works of authors outside of English based UK and North American authors. You can watch the talk at the YT link, but I immediately thought of our community, when as she struggled to figure out how to get translated works from around the world, she heard from a person in Kuala Lumpur (I'm surprised it was you @paulcranswick) who sent her a book from Malaysia and Singapore. Its something we would have done gladly.
Ted talk video : https://youtu.be/Hh09xlzxRmE
Ted website with maps of each country and what she read : http://ideas.ted.com/your-guide-to-reading-the-world/?utm_source=ideas&utm_m...
The books she read by country : http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/thelist/
I might just have to read this list as a daily devotional, starting with Afghanistan and ending with Zimbabwe to follow her journy
38catarina1
Thanks, Jeff, for the links. I'm heading there to check them out. "I'm surprised it was you paul cranswick". I'm surprised, happily, but also not very surprised.
41Thebookdiva
*lurking*
42mahsdad
Glad to have you lurk. Sometimes I wish LT had "like" buttons or star/visit counts. That way we'd know how many people are actually seeing our drivel. :)
43scaifea
>42 mahsdad: Ha! I *like* that idea! (Ouch, sorry - that was unintended, honestly!)
44mahsdad
We went to the movie theater last night to see the new Sherlock (The Abominable Bride), it was a Fathom Event. It was excellent. Probably not my favorite episode, but right up there. If you haven't seen it, I'm turning the spoilers on. I loved the Inception-like way he went down into his mind palace, but what we are a little fuzzy on is that fact that he was only up in the air for five minutes from the end of the last series and then OD'd to try to figure out the old case to figure out how Moriarity came back. I'll suspend my disbelief, but I think I need to watch it again . Can't wait for the rest/start of Series 4.
Very cool seeing it on the big screen with a bunch of other Holmes fans. Now I'm spoiled, want to see everything on a 100 ft wide movie theater screen. :)
Very cool seeing it on the big screen with a bunch of other Holmes fans. Now I'm spoiled, want to see everything on a 100 ft wide movie theater screen. :)
45michigantrumpet
Also loved the Abominable Bride. Got to the end n the DVR, went to delete, and then thought "... Nah, better watch that one again!"
46mahsdad
Book 2 done. Revival by Stephen King. Listened to it on Audio. Read by David Morse.
Enjoyed it. Wasn't thinking it was too much horror until the very end, when it went decidedly HP Lovecrafty
Enjoyed it. Wasn't thinking it was too much horror until the very end, when it went decidedly HP Lovecrafty
48mahsdad
Happy Foto Friday folks!
Today's image comes to you from Desert Hot Springs. We went out to the desert to visit the MIL last weekend. Mostly so we could see Star Wars with her. While we were there, we went to the Cabot Pueblo Museum. Its one of those outsider art kinda things. This man Cabot Yerxa (yes that's his name) built this adobe home entirely himself in the 40s, basing his designs on Hopi indian dwellings in the South West US. Interesting place.
Today's image comes to you from Desert Hot Springs. We went out to the desert to visit the MIL last weekend. Mostly so we could see Star Wars with her. While we were there, we went to the Cabot Pueblo Museum. Its one of those outsider art kinda things. This man Cabot Yerxa (yes that's his name) built this adobe home entirely himself in the 40s, basing his designs on Hopi indian dwellings in the South West US. Interesting place.
50msf59
Happy Friday, Jeff! Love the Foto!
Nice find with the All the Light. It's a terrific read.
Cheers, my friend.
Nice find with the All the Light. It's a terrific read.
Cheers, my friend.
51mahsdad
Thank you kind sir. Enjoy your vacation.
Still enjoying The Revenant, and I just started A Spy Among Friends (Kim Philby), which you gave me in our last audiobook swap.
I'm also reading Chabon's Gentlemen of the Road, which when he was writing it, he called it "Jews with swords". A departure from normal Chabon writing, but one that I am enjoying.
Still enjoying The Revenant, and I just started A Spy Among Friends (Kim Philby), which you gave me in our last audiobook swap.
I'm also reading Chabon's Gentlemen of the Road, which when he was writing it, he called it "Jews with swords". A departure from normal Chabon writing, but one that I am enjoying.
52msf59
We have plans on seeing The Revenant film, soon. I heard DiCaprio is amazing.
I have not read A Spy Among Friends, yet, but I do love Macintyre.
I have not read A Spy Among Friends, yet, but I do love Macintyre.
53Crazymamie
Happy Saturday, Jeff! I love that Friday photo!
54Carmenere
I love the southwest and your Friday foto nicely captures some of what's so cool about it.
Have a good weekend.
Have a good weekend.
55rretzler
Hi, Jeff. Just stopped by to drop my star. Happy New Year!
What a great idea to keep a list of the Pulizer's and the Hugo's. I was thinking of trying to read the Hugo's and had been trying to read the Newbery winners as well. If you don't mind me stealing your idea, I think I may keep track of those on my thread as well!
What a great idea to keep a list of the Pulizer's and the Hugo's. I was thinking of trying to read the Hugo's and had been trying to read the Newbery winners as well. If you don't mind me stealing your idea, I think I may keep track of those on my thread as well!
56mahsdad
Thanks for swinging by Robin. And by all means steal away. I'm quite certain I took the idea (along with just about every other structural element on my thread from someone else). Share and share alike. :)
57mahsdad
Okay, way behind on reviews. To finish up last year...
62. Watchmen - The classic GN that I should have read so many years ago. It was more novel than I realized. Excellent
65. Bone Clocks - Very interconnected story (as Mitchell is wont to do) of a world behind the world where powerful psychic horologists battle soul-sucking vampires. Excellent read, one of my favorites last year.
67. The Deaths of Tao - the sequel to The Lives of Tao. A good thriller of good vs evil. In this case the good and evil are gaseous alien superbeings that inhabit human hosts and help influence the world, evolution and society. A really neat premise and a fun read.
62. Watchmen - The classic GN that I should have read so many years ago. It was more novel than I realized. Excellent
65. Bone Clocks - Very interconnected story (as Mitchell is wont to do) of a world behind the world where powerful psychic horologists battle soul-sucking vampires. Excellent read, one of my favorites last year.
67. The Deaths of Tao - the sequel to The Lives of Tao. A good thriller of good vs evil. In this case the good and evil are gaseous alien superbeings that inhabit human hosts and help influence the world, evolution and society. A really neat premise and a fun read.
58jnwelch
Oh, I thought A Spy Among Friends was terrific, Jeff. Hope you enjoy it.
Watchmen and Bone Clocks both worked for me, too.
Watchmen and Bone Clocks both worked for me, too.
59mahsdad
The last from 2015
Slade House - David Mitchell - I got this book from the Early Review program at Librarything, in exchange for an honest review. This a sequel, or more properly a companion book to Bone Clocks. It came out around Halloween and is a great little horror thriller.
Told in five different sections telling the story of the mysterious Slade House. A house that doesn't seem to exist, except every 9 years. Each section (starting in 1979) tells the tale of one person who seemed compelled to find the house, although when they do, they might wish they hadn't.
Ultimately I really liked this book. Along with Bone Clocks, Mitchell has created a creepy world of psychic agents and immortal soul vampires. Its a world I want to visit again. And given how interconnected his books are, I probably will. It was a little slow ramping up in the first section, but it finished strong. A short novel that I can definitely recommend.
8/10
S: 11/11/15 - F: 11/30/15 (20 Days)
Slade House - David Mitchell - I got this book from the Early Review program at Librarything, in exchange for an honest review. This a sequel, or more properly a companion book to Bone Clocks. It came out around Halloween and is a great little horror thriller.
Told in five different sections telling the story of the mysterious Slade House. A house that doesn't seem to exist, except every 9 years. Each section (starting in 1979) tells the tale of one person who seemed compelled to find the house, although when they do, they might wish they hadn't.
Ultimately I really liked this book. Along with Bone Clocks, Mitchell has created a creepy world of psychic agents and immortal soul vampires. Its a world I want to visit again. And given how interconnected his books are, I probably will. It was a little slow ramping up in the first section, but it finished strong. A short novel that I can definitely recommend.
8/10
S: 11/11/15 - F: 11/30/15 (20 Days)
60mahsdad
Anyone else watching or watched Making a Murder on Netflix? I've been binging all day. Fascinating. Much better than any police procedural on TV.
61Oberon
>60 mahsdad: Facinating and a horrific indictment of or justice system.
62mahsdad
I'm in the middle of Ep 6, and so far the biggest jackhole's have been Brendan's public defender and his sleazy investigator
63Oberon
>62 mahsdad: That public defender is just embarrassing. Even lawyers who never practice criminal law a day in their careers know that talking to the cops is a bad idea. I wouldn't let a normal criminal defendant talk to the police much less a juvenile with limited intelligence. Really shocking.
64rretzler
>60 mahsdad: Ohh - sounds like something I might be interested in. I'll be watching after I finish all of the River Song episodes of Doctor Who. I'm trying to like her more!
65mahsdad
In a similar vein, theres a new short podcast series I started listening to. Joe Kenda is a former homicide detective in Colorado and apparently he does a show on Investigation Discovery called Homicide Hunters. I heard about him on Nerdist.
Well, he did a 10 part podcast called Detective, about his cases, career and such. Pretty interesting.
Here's the link to Discovery's page, but if you search for Detective podcast, you'll find it.
https://corporate.discovery.com/discovery-newsroom/investigation-discovery-launc...
Well, he did a 10 part podcast called Detective, about his cases, career and such. Pretty interesting.
Here's the link to Discovery's page, but if you search for Detective podcast, you'll find it.
https://corporate.discovery.com/discovery-newsroom/investigation-discovery-launc...
66mahsdad
1. Tunneling to the Center of the Earth - Kevin Wilson - Received this as a Christmas present from my reading group on LibraryThing. A debut collection of 11 short stories. I enjoyed all of them to one degree or another. This is a very sincere, but offbeat collection.
From the the story; "The Gran Stand In", about a service that provides grandparents for hire to replace someone's ailing or deceased parents when they can't bear to tell the grandkids, to "Museum of Whatnot" that takes hording to the next level.
Hard to pick my favorite, but I'll go with the title story about a trio of recent college grads who don't know what do do with their lives and decide to do exactly what the title suggests, well not exactly.
"First of all, we were never tunneling to the center of the earth. I mean, we're not stupid" - the opening line.
I can definitely recommend this collection.
8/10
S: 12/27/15 - F: 1/3/16 (8 Days)
67mahsdad
My New Year's Resolution is going to be that I never have more than 2 books to review at a time. I just finished reading book #3 (The Revenant) and so I posted my thoughts on book #1.
We'll see how long this lasts. :)
We'll see how long this lasts. :)
68thornton37814
>67 mahsdad: LOL, Jeff. It would last about a second with me.
70mahsdad
Happy Foto Friday folks! Today's image is another one from my visit to the Cabot Pueblo Museum. Its of a redwood and cedar statue called Waokiye (means traditional helper in Lakota Sioux). It was carved in late 70's by a Hungarian artist named Peter Toth. Its the 27th in a series called Trail of the Whispering Giants that he has been doing around the world. The head is redwood and the feather is the cedar and is 40 feet high.
73michigantrumpet
>66 mahsdad: very nice review. Am getting into short story collections much more than before, and this one sounds intriguing. Thanks!
Another big fan of Ben McIntyre. His Philby book was great and a little departure from his usual concentration in WWII
Another big fan of Ben McIntyre. His Philby book was great and a little departure from his usual concentration in WWII
74mahsdad
Reading St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves (Thanks Mark). Just finished the first story (Ava Wrestles the Alligator, which she obviously expanded to write Swamplandia!). I do enjoy her writing style. One line that jumped out at me was...
"Swamp dawns feel like bearing witness to a quiet apocalypse. Infinity comes lapping over, concentric circles on still water. It's otherworldly, a river of grass, and a red needle of light on the horizon."
"Swamp dawns feel like bearing witness to a quiet apocalypse. Infinity comes lapping over, concentric circles on still water. It's otherworldly, a river of grass, and a red needle of light on the horizon."
75mahsdad
>37 mahsdad: I mentioned here about the woman who "read the world", and I've been having fun occassionally reading her reviews of each country. Now being who I am, I had to pull the list from her website and clean it up to just the books she read (her site had all the suggestions for each country) and post it here.
Sure its 197 books, and I'll probably never read but a fraction of them, I think its nice to have around. Broaden's my horizons.
So here you go...
Sure its 197 books, and I'll probably never read but a fraction of them, I think its nice to have around. Broaden's my horizons.
So here you go...
76mahsdad
Ann Morgan's Country List for "My Year Reading a Book from Every Country in the World"
-
Afghanistan Atiq Rahimi The Patience Stone
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Albania Ismail Kadare Broken April
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Algeria Leïla Marouane The Sexual Life of an Islamist in Paris
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Andorra Albert Salvadó The Teacher of Cheops
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Angola Ondjaki The Whistler
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Antigua and Barbuda Jamaica Kincaid Lucy
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Argentina Martin Kohan Seconds Out
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Armenia Grigoris Balakian Armenian Golgotha
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Australia Tim Winton Cloudstreet
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Austria Anna Kim Frozen Time
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Azerbaijan ? Ali and Nino
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The Bahamas Garth Buckner Thine is the Kingdom
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Bahrain Ali Al Saeed Quixotiq
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Bangladesh Tahmima Anam The Good Muslim
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Barbados Glenville Lovell Song of Night
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Belarus Uladzimir Karatkievich King Stakh's Wild Hunt
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Belgium Francois Emmanuel Invitation to a Voyage
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Belize Zoila Ellis On Heroes, Lizards and Passion
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Benin Rashidah Ismaili Abubakr Stories We Tell Each Other
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Bhutan Kunzang Choden The Circle of Karma
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Bolivia Giovanna Rivero Sweet Blood
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Bosnia and Herzegovina Sasa Stanisi? How the Soldier Repairs the Gramophone
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Botswana Bessie Head A Question of Power
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Brazil João Ubaldo Ribeiro House of the Fortunate Buddhas
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Brunei Christopher Sun (aka Sun Tze Yun) Four Kings
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Bulgaria Georgi Gospodinov Natural Novel
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Burkina Faso Nobert Zongo The Parachute Drop
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Burundi Marie-Therese Toyi Weep Not, Refugee
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Cambodia Vaddey Ratner In the Shadow of the Banyan
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Cameroon Mongo Beti Mission to Kala
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Canada Nicole Brossard Mauve Desert
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Cape Verde Germano Almeida The Last Will & Testament of Senhor da Silva Araújo
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Central African Republic Pierre Makombo Bamboté Dada's Travels from Ouadda to Bangui
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Chad Joseph Brahim Seid Told by Starlight in Chad
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Chile Alejandro Zambra The Private Lives of Trees
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China Han Dong Banished!
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Colombia Laura Restrepo Delirium
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Comoros Mohammed Toihiri The Kafir of Karthala
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Congo, Democratic Republic of Frederick Yamusangie Full Circle
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Congo, Republic of Emmanuel Dongala Johnny Mad Dog
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Costa Rica Oscar Nunez Olivas Cadence of the Moon
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Côte d'Ivoire Ahmadou Kourouma Allah is not Obliged
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Croatia Robert Perisi? Our Man in Iraq
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Cuba Lydia Cabrera Afro-Cuban Tales
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Cyprus Nora Nadjarian Ledra Street
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Czech Republic Bohumil Hrabal Too Loud a Solitude
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Denmark Christian Jungersen The Exception
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Djibouti Abdourahman Waberi In the United States of Africa
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Dominica Pupils of Atkinson School The Snake King of the Kalinago
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Dominican Republic Junot Diaz The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao
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East Timor Luis Cardoso The Crossing
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Ecuador Jorge Icaza Huasipungo
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Egypt Radwa Ashour Granada Spectres
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El Salvador Horacio Castellanos Moya Senselessness
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Equatorial Guinea Donato Ndongo Shadows of your Black Memory
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Eritrea Sulaiman Addonia The Consequences of Love
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Estonia Viivi Luik The Beauty of History
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Ethiopia Maaza Mengiste Beneath the Lion's Gaze
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Fiji Peter Thomson Kava in the Blood
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Finland Arto Paasilinna The Year of the Hare
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France Faïza Guène Just Like Tomorrow
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Gabon Daniel Mengara Mema
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The Gambia Dembo Fanta Bojang & Sukai Mbye Bojang Folk Tales and Fables from The Gambia
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Georgia ed Elizabeth Heighway Contemporary Georgian Fiction
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Germany Clemens Meyer All the Lights
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Ghana Gheysika Adombire Agambila Journey
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Greece Margarita Karapanou Kassandra and the Wolf
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Grenada Tobias Buckell Merle Collins The Ladies are Upstairs
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Guatemala Miguel Angel Asturias The President
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Guinea Camara Laye The Radiance of the King The Guardian of the Word
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Guinea-Bissau Amilcar Cabral Unity and Struggle
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Guyana Oonya Kempadoo Buxton Spice
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Haiti Dany Laferriere I am a Japanese Writer
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Honduras Guillermo Yuscaran Points of Light
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Hungary Ferenc Karinthy Metropole
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Iceland Gyrdir Eliasson Stone Tree
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India M T Vasudevan Nair Kaalam
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Indonesia Yusuf Bilyarta Mangunwijaya (Romo Mangun) DurgaUmayi
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Iran Shahrnush Parsipur Touba and the Meaning of Night
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Iraq Hassan Blasim The Madman of Freedom Square
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Ireland James Joyce Ulysses
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Israel Aharon Appelfeld Blooms of Darkness
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Italy Roberto Saviano Gomorrah
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Jamaica Marlon James John Crow's Devil
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Japan Hiromi Kawakami Manazuru
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Jordan Abdulrahman Munif Cities of Salt
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Kazakhstan Ilyas Esenberlin Nomads
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Kenya Philo Ikonya Kenya, Will You Marry Me?
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Kiribati Teweiariki Teaero Waa in Storms
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Kurdistan Jalal Barzanji The Man in Blue Pyjamas.
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Kuwait Danderma The Chronicles of Dathra, a Dowdy Girl from Kuwait
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Kyrgyzstan Chinghiz Aitmatov Jamilia
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Laos Outhine Bounyavong Mother's Beloved
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Latvia Sandra Kalniete With Dance Shoes in Siberian Snows
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Lebanon Hanan al-Shaykh One Thousand and One Nights
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Lesotho Various Basali! Stories by and about women in Lesotho
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Liberia Mardia Stone Konkai: Living Between Two Worlds
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Libya Ibrahim Al-Khoni The Bleeding of the Stone
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Liechtenstein Heinrich Harrer Seven Years in Tibet
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Lithuania Various No Men, No Cry
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Luxembourg Robi Gottlieb-Cahen Minute Stories
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Macedonia Rumena Buzarovska Conversation with Spinoza
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Madagascar ed. Jacques Bourgeacq and Liliane Ramarosoa Voices from Madagascar
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Malawi Samson Kambalu The Jive Talker
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Malaysia Shih-Li Kow Ripples and Other Stories
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Maldives Abdullah Sadiq Dhon Hiyala and Ali Fulhu
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Mali Amadou Hampâté Bâ The Strange Destiny of Wangrin
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Malta Immanuel Mifsud Happy Weekend
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Marshall Islands Ed Daniel Kelin Marshall Islands Legends and Stories
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Mauritania Mohamed Bouya Bamba Angels of Mauritania and the Curse of the Language
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Mauritius Barlen Pyamootoo Benares
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Mexico Laura Esquivel Like Water for Chocolate (trans. Carol Christensen and Thomas Christensen)
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Micronesia, Federated States of Luelen Bernart The Book of Luelen
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Moldova Ion Drutse The Story of an Ant
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Monaco ed. Richard and Danae Projetti Grace Kelly: Princesse du Cinema
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Mongolia Galsan Tschinag The Blue Sky
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Montenegro Xenia Popovich A Lullaby for No Man's Wolf
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Morocco Tahar Ben Jelloun The Sand Child
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Mozambique Ungulani Ba Ka Khosa Ualalapi
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Myanmar Nu Nu Yi Inwa Smile as they Bow
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Namibia Neshani Andreas The Purple Violet of Oshaantu
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Nauru Ben Bam Solomon et al Stories from Nauru
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Nepal Ajit Baral The Lazy Conman and Other Stories
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Netherlands Gerbrand Bakker The Twin
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New Zealand Alan Duff Once Were Warriors
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Nicaragua Gioconda Belli Infinity in the Palm of her Hand
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Niger recounted by Nouhou Malio The Epic of Askia Mohammed
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Nigeria Lola Shoneyin The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
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North Korea Ri In Mo My Life and Faith
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Norway Knut Hamsun Hunger
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Oman Khadija bint Alawi Al-Dhahab My Grandmother's Stories
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Pakistan Jamil Ahmad The Wandering Falcon
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Palau Susan Kloulechad Spirits' Tides
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Palestine Mahmoud Shukair Mordechai's Moustache and his Wife's Cats, and Other Stories
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Panama Juan David Morgan The Golden Horse
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Papua New Guinea Regis Stella Mata Sara
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Paraguay Augusto Roa Bastos The Prosecutor
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Peru Mario Vargas Llosa Death in the Andes
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Philippines Miguel Syjuco Illustrado
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Poland Grazyna Plebanek Illegal Liaisons
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Portugal Eca de Queiroz The Mandarin and Other Stories
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Qatar Abdul Aziz Al Mahmoud The Corsair
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Romania Filip and Matei Florian The Baiut Alley Lads
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Russia Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (trans. Ralph Parker)
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Rwanda Barassa Teta
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Saint Kitts and Nevis Bertram Roach Only God Can Make a Tree
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Saint Lucia Michael Aubertin Neg Maron
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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Cecil Browne The Moon is Following Me
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Samoa Lani Wendt Young Telesa: The Covenant Keeper
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San Marino Giuseppe Rossi The Republic of San Marino
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Sao Tome and Principe Olinda Beja The Shepherd's House
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Saudi Arabia Rajaa Al-Sanea Girls of Riyadh
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Senegal Mariama Bâ So Long a Letter
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Serbia Srdjan Valjarevic Lake Como
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Seychelles Glynn Burridge Voices
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Sierra Leone Ishmael Beah A Long Way Gone
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Singapore Su-Chen Christine Lim Fistful of Colours
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Slovakia Pavol Rankov Peter Pis?anek Rivers of Babylon
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Slovenia Luka Novak The Golden Shower or What Men Want
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Solomon Islands John Saunana The Alternative
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Somalia Nuruddin Farah Secrets
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South Africa Siphiwo Mahala African Delights
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South Korea Hwang Sok-yong The Guest
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South Sudan Julia Duany 'To Forgive is Divine Not Human'
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Spain Juan Goytisolo Exiled from Almost Everywhere
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Sri Lanka Sunethra Rajakarunanayake Metta
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Sudan Tayeb Salih Season of Migration to the North
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Suriname Cynthia Mcleod The Cost of Sugar
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Swaziland Sarah Mkhonza Weeding the Flowerbeds
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Sweden Jonas Hassen Khemiri Montecore
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Switzerland Aglaja Veteranyi Why the Child is Cooking in the Polenta
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Syria Rafik Schami Damascus Nights
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Taiwan Su Wei-chen Pai Hsien-yung Crystal Boys
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Tajikistan Andrei Volos Hurramabad
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Tanzania Abdulrazak Gurnah Desertion
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Thailand Chart Korbjitti Time
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Togo Tété-Michel Kpomassie An African in Greenland
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Tonga Joshua Taumoefolau A Providence of War
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Trinidad and Tobago Vahni Capildeo One Scattered Skeleton
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Tunisia Abdelwahab Meddeb Talismano
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Turkey Elif Shafak The Forty Rules of Love
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Turkmenistan Ak Welsapar The Tale of Aypi
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Tuvalu Various Tuvalu: A history
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Uganda Moses Isegawa Abyssinian Chronicles
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Ukraine Andrey Kurkov
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United Arab Emirates Mohammad Al Murr The Wink of the Mona Lisa
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United Kingdom Caryl Lewis Martha, Jack and Shanco
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United States of America Neil Gaiman American Gods
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Uruguay Horacio Quiroga The Decapitated Chicken
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Uzbekistan Hamid Ismailov The Railway
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Vanuatu Sethy Regenvau Laef Blong Mi: From Village to Nation
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Vatican City Luigi Marinello & The Millenari Shroud of Secrecy of Gone with the Wind in the Vatican
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Venezuela Alberto Barrera Tyszka The Sickness
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Vietnam Bao Ninh The Sorrow of War (trans. Frank Palmos, Phan Thanh Hao)
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Yemen Zayd Mutee' Dammaj The Hostage
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Zambia Binwell Sinyangwe A Cowrie of Hope
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Zimbabwe Tendai Huchu The Hairdresser of Harare
78Carmenere
>70 mahsdad: Impressive!
>76 mahsdad: YIKES!
I very much enjoyed Slade House as well. It was my first Mitchell and had no idea that Bone Clocks was connected to it. So now I seem to have some backtracking to do but I believe it is a To Do list that I will enjoy.
>76 mahsdad: YIKES!
I very much enjoyed Slade House as well. It was my first Mitchell and had no idea that Bone Clocks was connected to it. So now I seem to have some backtracking to do but I believe it is a To Do list that I will enjoy.
79mahsdad
While my literary home will always be LT, the announcement that Amazon is shuttering Shelfari makes me glad that I posted my read books in LT, GR and Shelfari. If one goes away, I won't lose too much history.
Thru some of the things I read, I just learned about Leafmarks. Anyone using this service?
Thru some of the things I read, I just learned about Leafmarks. Anyone using this service?
80michigantrumpet
>76 mahsdad: Wowza! Thanks for posting!
>79 mahsdad: LT is my only real cataloging engine. Losing all my work here sends a painful chill down the ol' spine ... Interested in hearing other people's thoughts.
>79 mahsdad: LT is my only real cataloging engine. Losing all my work here sends a painful chill down the ol' spine ... Interested in hearing other people's thoughts.
81mahsdad
I started doing it in all 3 years ago, because I came to LT slowly, years ago. Well before I found the best part of this site; this group. :)
On GR and Shelfari, I would only post the books that I had read, my WL and TBR stayed always on LT. One reason I did continue to do GR, was I liked their IOs app (before LT got theirs), and the integration to Facebook for reviews seemed to be better in GR than LT. I'm on the fence now. I'll probably still do GR going forward.
On GR and Shelfari, I would only post the books that I had read, my WL and TBR stayed always on LT. One reason I did continue to do GR, was I liked their IOs app (before LT got theirs), and the integration to Facebook for reviews seemed to be better in GR than LT. I'm on the fence now. I'll probably still do GR going forward.
82mahsdad
Just saw one of those meme pictures that said...
"I sometimes pretend to myself that I have insomnia. When what I really have is a good book and an inadequate respect for tomorrow"
Truth.
"I sometimes pretend to myself that I have insomnia. When what I really have is a good book and an inadequate respect for tomorrow"
Truth.
84michigantrumpet
>81 mahsdad: If I were to do GR as a 'back up', how difficult is that? I have over 2K books listed here. I dread the idea of going through the input again.
85mahsdad
Because I've done it over the years, I've input books into GR one at a time. Like I said, I don't have ALL my books over there, just the ones I've read in the last 4 years or so.
They probably have an Import feature, just like LT does. If you did want to diversify, I would suggest getting a CSV export of your library from LT and then play around with importing into GR.
I also started recording my reads in the real world too. I have a little moleskin journal book that I write down when I finish a book. I'm weird that way.
They probably have an Import feature, just like LT does. If you did want to diversify, I would suggest getting a CSV export of your library from LT and then play around with importing into GR.
I also started recording my reads in the real world too. I have a little moleskin journal book that I write down when I finish a book. I'm weird that way.
86mahsdad
Interesting tidbit. Was just playing around on the stats page on GR and it will show you the longest book you've read in each year. For me the longest books I've read in the last 4 years (only been tracking there for that long) were from 2 authors.
2015 - Stephen King - IT
2014 - Stephen King - The Stand
2013 - Neal Stephenson - Cryptonomicon
2012 - Neal Stephenson - Reamde
Just a fun fact from my world.
2015 - Stephen King - IT
2014 - Stephen King - The Stand
2013 - Neal Stephenson - Cryptonomicon
2012 - Neal Stephenson - Reamde
Just a fun fact from my world.
87mahsdad
2. Revival - Stephen King - Read this on audio. An interesting tale with the usual King flourishes. The story is told thru the eyes of Jamie. As a kid in small town Maine, he witnesses the young preacher heal his brother of a throat injury using a gadget of his own making that runs off of some strange new form of electricity. Later, Jamie meets the man again, now a carnival side show performer, still making electrical gadgets. The preacher, cures Jamie of his drug addiction. Later still, Jamie sees the preacher again, back in the church, this time as a faith healer still using some sort of gadget to cure people of their afflictions. It being a King story, you know something just isn't right.
Throughout the majority of this book, it felt like a twilight zone/sci fi type of story and not too typically King. That is, right up til the end, when the story took a turn and "typical" showed up. Good read.
7/10
S: 12/23/15 - F: 1/7/16 (16 Days)
88msf59
Good review of Revival, Jeff. You beat me to that one. I am definitely getting behind on King. I want to read this one and Mr. Mercedes.
89mahsdad
He'll alway be my go to for good commute reads. I'm reading Cell right now as my work lunch book. It's a King kinda month for me.
Just finished the Book about Philby, and then I started The Anubis Gates
Just finished the Book about Philby, and then I started The Anubis Gates
90Whisper1
Drat, I had this book in my hand and didn't purchase it. I think I saw it at Ollie's (a discount warehouse type of store.)
I'll return there to see if they still have it. If not, I'll obtain a copy from the library. I swore off King after the Tommy Knockers when he was adding pages upon pages for no good reason, and then ended the story in a bizarre fashion.
I'll return there to see if they still have it. If not, I'll obtain a copy from the library. I swore off King after the Tommy Knockers when he was adding pages upon pages for no good reason, and then ended the story in a bizarre fashion.
91msf59
I have all these King books on audio but no time. My audiobooks have become quite the bottleneck, something I would have never imagined a few years ago.
I have had The Anubis Gates on the stacks forever.
I have had The Anubis Gates on the stacks forever.
92mahsdad
Just read Moose. Wow that was an intense little comic.
Won't say I enjoyed it. Its not really one that you enjoy, but it was excellent.
Won't say I enjoyed it. Its not really one that you enjoy, but it was excellent.
94drneutron
The Anubis Gates is one of my faves I'm a sucker for that sort of thing. :)
95mahsdad
I was asked a daunting question today at lunch. The young woman at the checkout, noticed my book and said "I've been meaning to read a book. What would you recommend?"
As I stammered, my wife (being the smarter person that she is) very astutely said, oh you should go to the library and look at the What's New shelf to see what you like.
Her question made it sound (to me anyway), like reading was an alien concept, one she might like to try. How the heck can you recommend a first book in that scenario. Ack.
As I stammered, my wife (being the smarter person that she is) very astutely said, oh you should go to the library and look at the What's New shelf to see what you like.
Her question made it sound (to me anyway), like reading was an alien concept, one she might like to try. How the heck can you recommend a first book in that scenario. Ack.
96msf59
Happy Friday, Jeff. At least, your wife handled that question with aplomb. I would have stuttered my butt off too. It's tough to answer those super vague questions.
97PaulCranswick
>95 mahsdad: I often get asked that and stumble Jeff. I think that the more you read, the more difficult it is to pick a single tome out......good answer by 'Er Indoors, buddy.
>76 mahsdad: That's one heck of a list mate - who is Ann Morgan?
>76 mahsdad: That's one heck of a list mate - who is Ann Morgan?
98mahsdad
Hey Paul, thanks for stopping by.
Ann Morgan - she's a freelance writer. I found her TED talk, and started reading her blog/list. My original post about her, with links is at >37 mahsdad:
Ann Morgan - she's a freelance writer. I found her TED talk, and started reading her blog/list. My original post about her, with links is at >37 mahsdad:
99PaulCranswick
>98 mahsdad: I am going to purloin that list anyway and modify to my heart's content and to suit the dictates of my own home library.
100mahsdad
Oh by all means. Her original list, from her website had multiple books on a lot of the different countries, all the different suggestions she got. The ones I posted were the books she actually read for her challenge.
Certainly broadening my horizons.
Certainly broadening my horizons.
101msf59
Hey, Jeff. Hope you had a good weekend. Congrats running that marathon. Very impressive, my friend.
102mahsdad
Well I missed last Friday's Foto, so as punishment (mine or yours, I"m not sure which), I thought I'd share a couple images from yesterday. I ran my first half marathon. It was a lot of fun with a little bit of pain doing the training and the actual race. I completed the 13.1 miles in 2:24 with an average mile pace of 11.01. WELL exceeding my expectations.
Enjoy...
Enjoy...
103mahsdad
3. Revenant - Michael Punke - Got this because I always prefore to read the book before I see the movie adaptation (even potentially). This was written in 2002 by Michael unke. He is now the US Amabassador to the World Trade Organization. During the run up to the film version of the book, the US State Department forbid him from doing any promotion whatsoever.
The book tells the stroy of real life frontiersman; Hugh Glass. Glass was a part of a fur trapping expedition and very early on in the book, he is attached and brutally mauled by a bear. Glass is left for dead. He somehow, however, survives and begins a long journey that he starts out crawling on his belly to try to catch up to the men who betrayed him. It starts out as a story of revenge, but ultimately becomes one of redemption. Certainly not a feel good read, but a worth while one. Excellent historical fiction, that skirts on the edge of narrative non-fiction.
I've said it before, but I wouldn't last 5 minutes living in the uncharted west of the 1820's.
8/10
S: 12/21/15 - F: 1/14/16 (16 Days)
104jnwelch
>103 mahsdad: Woo, nice review, Jeff. You should copy it onto the book page if you haven't yet.
Between you and Mark, you've interested me in this book I'd never heard of before the movie publicity.
Between you and Mark, you've interested me in this book I'd never heard of before the movie publicity.
105mahsdad
>104 jnwelch: Thanks for the reminder, Joe. I always forget to post my drivel to the book page. Only seem to do it for the ER books. I will do that indeed.
I, like you, had never heard of the book or the history behind it before the movie. See movies are worthwhile in society (still haven't seen the movie, but I read the book). :)
I, like you, had never heard of the book or the history behind it before the movie. See movies are worthwhile in society (still haven't seen the movie, but I read the book). :)
106streamsong
Congrats on the half marathon!
Stopped in because I'm a fan of your photos and I thought I'd delurk for a moment. *Whips off invisibility cloak*
You might be interested in keeping track of your global reading here : http://www.librarything.com/groups/theglobalchallenge It's a group with almost no talk and very, very few members, but I an enjoying having a place to keep track of my global reading and seeing what others are reading. The list-keeper in me is horribly pleased to have just made an ILL request for a GN about the Peace Corp in Turkmenistan. :-)
Stopped in because I'm a fan of your photos and I thought I'd delurk for a moment. *Whips off invisibility cloak*
You might be interested in keeping track of your global reading here : http://www.librarything.com/groups/theglobalchallenge It's a group with almost no talk and very, very few members, but I an enjoying having a place to keep track of my global reading and seeing what others are reading. The list-keeper in me is horribly pleased to have just made an ILL request for a GN about the Peace Corp in Turkmenistan. :-)
108rretzler
>44 mahsdad: Loved The Abombinable Bride! I have to say that I thought Moffat did a much better job with the Sherlock special than I thought he did with the Doctor Who special, The Husbands of River Song. The beginning of season 4 is awfully far away...
109mahsdad
I know, Sherlock too far away.
Netflix is dropping Doctor Who, just as we finished Season 8. Not sure where I'm going to get my fix now. (Don't have BBC America)
Netflix is dropping Doctor Who, just as we finished Season 8. Not sure where I'm going to get my fix now. (Don't have BBC America)
110rretzler
>109 mahsdad: It is on amazon, but I think you have to buy the seasons. It's also on Hulu and the good thing about Hulu is that it has more of the classic episodes than either Netflix or amazon. We've subscribed to Hulu for Doctor Who alone, but have found some other good shows to watch, as well as getting caught back up on the X-Files.
111mahsdad
Unfortunately for you, its leaving Hulu too. Supposedly, the BBC is coming out with its own streaming service soon.
113mahsdad
4. Gentlemen of the Road - Michael Chabon - Chabon is one of my favorite authors, and as such, I'll read just about everything he releases. So when I saw this, I had to pick it up.
This is a "serial" novel of a swashbuckling tale set in the 10th Century Southwest Russia. Chabon said that his working title when he was writing these stories was, "Jews with Swords". When he learned of the history of this area and of the Jewish Khazar kingdoms, he was compelled to research and write about this era.
The main characters are Amram (an African warrior/mercenary) and his friend and partner Zelikman (a German physician). During their travels, looking for work and adventure, they find themselves in the middle of a political power struggle and war in the kingdom of Arram. The series of what I would call vignettes were originally published in serial form in the New York Times magazine. While all connected, as you would expect from a magazine serial, they seemed a little disjointed to me in full book form, as if there were some missing pieces in between each section. At any rate, it was a very enjoyable read. It was interesting reading about the adventure/rogue tropes set against a society and geography that was completely new to me.
8/10
S: 1/3/15 - F: 1/15/16 (13 Days)
114kgodey
Gentlemen of the Road sounds great, Jeff! I'm going to have to add it to my wishlist.
115scaifea
>113 mahsdad: I love Chabon and I've had this one on my shelves for a good long while. I should get round to it soonish...
116lkernagh
>76 mahsdad: - That is some list. From that list, I have read a whole.... 2 books. How embarrassing. ;-)
Conrats on completing your first half marathon!
Like you I really, really liked Chabon's Gentlemen of the Road. My kind of story. I am also very happy that it was my first Charbon read. I struggled with Kavalier and Clay and only managed to finished that one after two false starts, making me a little leery of attempting another Chabon read.
Conrats on completing your first half marathon!
Like you I really, really liked Chabon's Gentlemen of the Road. My kind of story. I am also very happy that it was my first Charbon read. I struggled with Kavalier and Clay and only managed to finished that one after two false starts, making me a little leery of attempting another Chabon read.
117mahsdad
I think what I like about Chabon is that every book is different, with the only thing connecting them is his words. And I guess I really like the words he's putting down on the page, regardless of genre.
You didn't like Kavalier, Lori and that's fine. Its the only one in the comic book adventure genre.
I really enjoyed Mysteries of Pittsburgh. One, for the obvious reason, that I'm from Pittsburgh. But also, I liked the characters and the interplay as the main character (a guy) is attracted to both of his friends (a girl and a guy) in the summer after he graduates from college.
Summerland is also a fun/weird YA fantasy type of book dealing with the end of the world and baseball.
And another that is completely different is Telegraph Avenue, which centers around a record store in Oakland, and the interactions of the people who live and work near it.
I don't know, different strokes for different folks. I'm always hesitant to make explicit suggestions (other than just reporting on what I read). I never want someone to have a bad experience with something I recommend.
You didn't like Kavalier, Lori and that's fine. Its the only one in the comic book adventure genre.
I really enjoyed Mysteries of Pittsburgh. One, for the obvious reason, that I'm from Pittsburgh. But also, I liked the characters and the interplay as the main character (a guy) is attracted to both of his friends (a girl and a guy) in the summer after he graduates from college.
Summerland is also a fun/weird YA fantasy type of book dealing with the end of the world and baseball.
And another that is completely different is Telegraph Avenue, which centers around a record store in Oakland, and the interactions of the people who live and work near it.
I don't know, different strokes for different folks. I'm always hesitant to make explicit suggestions (other than just reporting on what I read). I never want someone to have a bad experience with something I recommend.
118scaifea
>117 mahsdad: I thought Summerland was amazing and bought a copy for Charlie's shelves.
119mahsdad
" A great work of literature transcends genre... and that includes literary fiction" - Michael Chabon.
Was going down a youtube rabbit hole and watched an interview and thought this was a profound quote
Was going down a youtube rabbit hole and watched an interview and thought this was a profound quote
120mahsdad
The ER fates have shined down on me again this month. Have no clear idea what God of Beer is about, but I'm getting a copy.
Just for the title alone, I'm sure I'll enjoy it. :)
Just for the title alone, I'm sure I'll enjoy it. :)
121michigantrumpet
Lots of good reading happening here, Jeff! particularly taken with your review >103 mahsdad: of Revenant,
Just purchased my tickets for the Best Picture Showcase (back-to-back-to-back showing of all nominated films over two days.) Had not been looking forward to Revenant, which seemed like some sort of Deliverance type thing. Your review intrigued me. We'll have to see if the movie comes close!
Also like the The Abominable Bride. Way too long until the next one comes along. *Sigh*
Just purchased my tickets for the Best Picture Showcase (back-to-back-to-back showing of all nominated films over two days.) Had not been looking forward to Revenant, which seemed like some sort of Deliverance type thing. Your review intrigued me. We'll have to see if the movie comes close!
Also like the The Abominable Bride. Way too long until the next one comes along. *Sigh*
122mahsdad
Thanks Marianne.
Back to Back Best Picture marathon... sounds excellent.
Haven't seen Revenant the movie. I've heard it does depart from the text a bit, but cinematography-wise, it is supposed to be gorgeous.
Back to Back Best Picture marathon... sounds excellent.
Haven't seen Revenant the movie. I've heard it does depart from the text a bit, but cinematography-wise, it is supposed to be gorgeous.
123msf59
I did like The Revenant, but there were irritating things about it as well. I wish it would have followed the book closer. Of course, all the back story would have been difficult. They included an indian son for Glass, which was a bad move.
124mahsdad
Yeah, I had heard that, about the son. I guess being left for dead and getting your stuff taken isn't enough grounds for revenge in Hollywood(not that the story, at least the book, is ultimately about revenge), the huddled masses need things to be spoon feed to them.
125mahsdad
5. A Spy Among Friends - Ben Macintyre (AUDIO) - This is the story of one of the most notorious Soviet spies the world has ever known, Kim Philby. Recruited by Soviet agents before WWII, Philby continued to provide information about Western intelligence activites in London, the Middle East and Washington thru the late 50's. As other spies were captured or defected on both sides, he was able to survive several different investigations where he was suspected of being a double agent, until his friend and fellow British agent confronted him in Beruit in 1963. Seeing the end in sight, Philby then defected to the Soviet Union, avoiding capture.
A fascinating story of the history of spycraft during the Cold War, with shades of Ian Fleming and John LeCarre. LeCarre was a field agent in MI5 and MI6 in Germany and was exposed by Kim Philby. Philby the other spies in the Cambridge Ring were inspirations for his seminal novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.
7/10
S: 1/7/15 - F: 1/21/16 (15 Days)
126msf59
"Yeah, I had heard that, about the son." Yes, it was a bad move and, to make it worse, it has Fitzgerald kill him off. Come on!! Like I said, I liked the film but it could have been a great one.
You beat me to, A Spy Among Friends. I am way overdue for a Macintyre. Good review!
You beat me to, A Spy Among Friends. I am way overdue for a Macintyre. Good review!
128jnwelch
>125 mahsdad: I liked Spy Among Friends a lot, too, Jeff. Philby's ability to stay afloat was remarkable.
129mahsdad
Happy Foto Friday Folks.
Since we are early into February (ack, how did that happen?), today's image is my February selection in my 2016 Calendar. Enjoy...
Since we are early into February (ack, how did that happen?), today's image is my February selection in my 2016 Calendar. Enjoy...
130rretzler
>117 mahsdad: Jeff, I didn't realize you were from Pittsburgh. I'm originally from Wintersville, OH, which is just outside of Steubenville. I've spent so much time in Pittsburgh - South Hills Village, Pittsburgh Zoo, Forbes Field, Three Rivers Stadium, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, Carnegie Museum of Natural History and more recently Robinson Towne Center and Ikea! When I was growing up, it was quicker for my family to get to Pittsburgh from home than it is for me to get to the other side of Columbus now! Small world!
131mahsdad
It certainly is a small world. Yep, born and raised in Pittsburgh. I grew up in the North Hills. Went to college in WV, at Wesleyan. Opportunity brought me west, and here I've stayed. Longer now in CA, than PA, but I'll always be a 'Burgher.
132catarina1
>129 mahsdad: Another great photo. You have a good eye. Do you make a calendar every year, for family?
133mahsdad
Yeah I do. This is my 7th year, I think. My self-imposed rule is that the pictures have to have been shot in the previous year, so it's a "best of" calendar.
134lkernagh
>117 mahsdad: - Telegraph Avenue sounds promising and more up my alley as a read. Will keep it in mind during one of my visits to the library. Thanks!
135mahsdad
Just finished The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage and because I have to take it and Moose back to the Library, I'll let them jump the line and review them out of order.
136mahsdad
6. Moose - Max de Radigues - A beautiful and sparsely drawn graphic novel about a young boy and his experiences being bullied in school (middle school/junior high). All I'll say is that it took a devastating turn at the end that I wasn't expecting. Quick, excellent read.
9/10
S: 1/21/15 - F: 1/21/16 (1 Days)
137mahsdad
9. The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage - Sydney Padua - A fun graphic novel "loosely" based on the life and friendship of Ada Lovelace (more properly Ada Byron, Lovelace is her title, her husband was the Earl of Lovelace) and Charles Babbage. Babbage is credited as the father of the first mechanical computer (the Difference Engine) and the designer of the much more complex Analytical Engine (never built). Lovelace (who's father was the poet Lord Byron) was educated in mathematics and science from a very early age. She wrote (among other things) an analysis of the functioning and capabilities of the Analytical Engine, that contained was is regarded as the first computer program.
The speculation in this book is, what would happen if they had actually been able to build the Analytical Engine and write code to program the machine. This speculation happens in a pocket universe where Padua can let her imagination flow. This book had a very interesting structure. Its the first book where I needed 2 bookmarks. Each page of each chapter had footnotes that related to the action in the various panels. There were also endnotes that further clarified the footnotes, as well as several appendices of various period documents (letters and articles) that helped emphasis the story.
What both fascinates me and frustrates me is that I'm not sure what's true and what's fiction. Obviously the main story is fiction, but the footnotes and endnotes provide excellent historical backup, but in some cases, I think, "that can't be true, can it?". Its witty, self-deprecating and I thoroughly enjoyed it. While I knew of Babbage and Lovelace beforehand, this give me incentive to read more about them.
8/10
S: 1/21/15 - F: 2/8/16 (19 Days)
138michigantrumpet
Interesting about Revenant. I'm a little concerned about the graphic violence. Wish I was going with someone who knew the movie/book, so they could tell me when to uncover my eyes!
>125 mahsdad: I really liked that one, too, Jeff. Although, I liked some of the WWII Spy ones by McIntyre even better. He seems to have made a cottage industry out of all the recently unclassified WWII records.
>125 mahsdad: I really liked that one, too, Jeff. Although, I liked some of the WWII Spy ones by McIntyre even better. He seems to have made a cottage industry out of all the recently unclassified WWII records.
139mahsdad
Currently reading update:
Still working on Cell by Stephen King. Typical dystopian distaster road/travel story that King does so well. Interesting McGuffin on the cause
Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan. Excellent story of Apples, Tulips, Marijuana and Potatos and how it relates to humans and different types of desire.
Picked up Maus at the library. Mark is gradually pulling me into the GN camp.
Also started listening to The Marriage Plot on audio
Still working on Cell by Stephen King. Typical dystopian distaster road/travel story that King does so well. Interesting McGuffin on the cause
Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan. Excellent story of Apples, Tulips, Marijuana and Potatos and how it relates to humans and different types of desire.
Picked up Maus at the library. Mark is gradually pulling me into the GN camp.
Also started listening to The Marriage Plot on audio
140mahsdad
And in case you hadn't seen it, there is a thread talking about search and touchstone problems. (as of 2/10 at 11:44a PST), so it ain't just you .
:)
:)
141charl08
>140 mahsdad: Thanks!
142PaulCranswick
The Marriage Plot touchstone works fine here Jeff I guess the touchstones dare not mess with the tropics!
Have a great Sunday mate.
Have a great Sunday mate.
143mahsdad
Hey Buddy, thanks for stopping by. I should probably gone back and edited that post. Touchstones were down for a little bit the other day. But, as you say, they are working now.
144msf59
Happy Sunday, Jeff! Hope all is well with you. Glad to see you enjoying those GNs. I loved both Moose & Lovelace and Babbage.
Looking forward to your thoughts on The Marriage Plot. I have heard very little about that one, on LT.
Looking forward to your thoughts on The Marriage Plot. I have heard very little about that one, on LT.
145mahsdad
Added My Father Bleeds History (Maus) to my Pulitzer list. Just reading in Wikipedia that it won a special citation Pulitzer in 1992. It was the first graphic novel to win one. Interesting.
146mahsdad
>144 msf59: Hey Mark. Yeah, now that I've got the bug, I've got to go thru your recommendations and start putting in hold requests at my local libraries (home and work). Neither of them seem to have a very big GN selection, but the other libraries in the networks do.
The Marriage Plot is pretty good so far. Its your basic literary (award worthy, obvious as it won the Pulitzer) day-in-the-life story about a young woman and her friends dealing with their life and issues at the end of their college life. Not sure if I would have necessarily picked it up on its own, but its on the Pulitzer bucket list and its an enjoyable read so far.
The Marriage Plot is pretty good so far. Its your basic literary (award worthy, obvious as it won the Pulitzer) day-in-the-life story about a young woman and her friends dealing with their life and issues at the end of their college life. Not sure if I would have necessarily picked it up on its own, but its on the Pulitzer bucket list and its an enjoyable read so far.
147mahsdad
I'm pretty sure I've shared this before, but I love this guy and I watched this again and wanted to share again.
This is Chip Kidd's TED talk; The Hilarious Art of Book Design. He's designed the book jackets of many books you've read.
https://youtu.be/cC0KxNeLp1E?list=PLOGi5-fAu8bEQyP33YklrJr4TUPDShX1F
This is Chip Kidd's TED talk; The Hilarious Art of Book Design. He's designed the book jackets of many books you've read.
https://youtu.be/cC0KxNeLp1E?list=PLOGi5-fAu8bEQyP33YklrJr4TUPDShX1F
148qebo
>137 mahsdad: I have The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage sitting on the floor, one of not too many books I've transferred from the old house to the new house. I mostly get fiction as e-books, but this was an exception because of the graphics. Things are still so discombobulated here that I'm not sure about adding two-bookmark awkwardness, but your review is motivating.
149thornton37814
While I eventually would like to read a fiction or non-fiction book set in every country of the world, I am not particularly feeling led to make sure the writer is native to that country, and I'd never consider doing it in a single year.
150mahsdad
>148 qebo:. I suppose if the endnotes had been at the END of the whole book, it wouldn't be necessary. But because there were notes at the end of each section, I needed it. Your mileage may vary. :)
>149 thornton37814: Exactly. I don't think I'll ever do it in my lifetime, let alone a year
>149 thornton37814: Exactly. I don't think I'll ever do it in my lifetime, let alone a year
151mahsdad
Finished reading The Botany of Desire last night. Loved it. If you haven't read it, its a book where Michael Pollan talks about various aspects of human desire thru 4 different plants (Apples, Tulips, Marijuana and Potatoes).
The potato section dealt with GMO foods and Monsanto, so its a little dated in what's been going on in the 15 years since it was first published, but an excellent read. More later, I've got 3 books in the review queue ahead of it (so much for my resolution of only being behind 2 books at a time :) )
The potato section dealt with GMO foods and Monsanto, so its a little dated in what's been going on in the 15 years since it was first published, but an excellent read. More later, I've got 3 books in the review queue ahead of it (so much for my resolution of only being behind 2 books at a time :) )
152qebo
>151 mahsdad: I have it and started it some years ago, but IIRC I got through apples and stopped. I'm more interested in this sort of thing now, should give it another try. Though he's more of a purist than I am.
153mahsdad
12. Cell - Stephen King - Continuing my occasional trip down King's bibliography. Got this at Christmas '14 from one of my friends in my book group. Its a pretty good, probably right in the middle of the pack.
Its a apocalyptic road story, where the mcguffin is that some unnamed source as created a "pulse" that when listened to thru cellphones, turns people into mindless zombies. The King twist is that they don't really become "mindless" zombies, they become of one mind, a telepathic hive mind. One that is out to get our plucky group of survivors. An interesting idea on the illogical conclusion to the growing cellphone obsession in the early 21st century.
This came out a year before the first iPhone. Would be interesting to see how the story would be different in today's world. Would more people be turned with the ubiquitousness of of smartphones, or less because no one actually talks on the phone anymore.
6/10
S: 1/18/15 - F: 2/18/16 (32 Days)
154mahsdad
Just finished The Marriage Plot on audio. It was pretty good, but it wasn't until the author interview at the end, that I figured out what the overarching reason/plot of the book was. Oh well, I'm a shallow reader like that.
On to Headhunters by Jo Nesbo. 20 minutes in, I'm intrigued and have no idea where this thing is going. Cool.
On to Headhunters by Jo Nesbo. 20 minutes in, I'm intrigued and have no idea where this thing is going. Cool.
155rretzler
>154 mahsdad: Oh, you are in for a treat! I loved Headhunters. I can say with honesty that you may not know where it's going until the end of the book...
That's funny about not finding out the overarching plot until the author interview - I've done that a few times myself, or felt that I had to look it up because I just had this vague unsettled feeling that I had totally missed something. Oh, well, indeed
That's funny about not finding out the overarching plot until the author interview - I've done that a few times myself, or felt that I had to look it up because I just had this vague unsettled feeling that I had totally missed something. Oh, well, indeed
156mahsdad
That's one of the few drawbacks (IMO) of audiobooks, especially on a commute. Sometimes, you can get lost in the drone of voice and think, hey wait, what did they just say? Who's George again?, etc. Really hard to flip back and reread. :)
157msf59
Hi, Jeff! I remember Cell being pretty forgettable. I have been meaning to get to Headhunters. I enjoyed his other stand-alone, Blood on Snow, which was also good on audio.
I also really liked The Botany of Desire. He sure took a dry subject and turned it into an entertaining read. I've been wanting to read more Pollan.
I also really liked The Botany of Desire. He sure took a dry subject and turned it into an entertaining read. I've been wanting to read more Pollan.
158rretzler
>156 mahsdad: I completely understand...I have been trying to listen to Artemis Fowl for weeks in the car. Every time I put it on, about 30 seconds in, I start to think of something else and have no idea what's happening. I'm sure if I were sitting down to read it, it would catch my attention more. I don't know if I just can't get into the reader or whether I have too much on my mind these days, but I've started it easily 10 times now and couldn't tell you much beyond the Preface!
159mahsdad
I usually like to listen at 1.25 or 1.5x speed (on iOS). It USUALLY still sounds great, but there are certain narrators that don't work well for me even at normal speed. Those I "Nancy Pearl" them and move on. :)
160mahsdad
>157 msf59: Yeah Cell, not one of King's better works. I think he thought, ooo, cell phones are popular. What can I do with them.
161PaulCranswick
A fly past and catch up Jeff.
Have a great Sunday.
Have a great Sunday.
162mahsdad
Won a copy of Dodgers on ER for Feb. Anyone else win anything?
I'm 16 for 30. I struck out a lot when I first start requesting ER books, but ever since I've been more vocal in the group (I believe), I've been more and more successful.
I'm 16 for 30. I struck out a lot when I first start requesting ER books, but ever since I've been more vocal in the group (I believe), I've been more and more successful.
163mahsdad
I'm reading The Girl with All the Gifts. Little over half way, loving it, wasn't what I was expecting, but that's just fine.
I'm on the road, in Jacksonville for work. So I'm at a restaurant by myself reading and I had an epiphany, as to why I like reading so much. And it's the same epiphany I had about playing music. I played saxophone for about 20 years, from 4th grade to just about a year shy of my 30th birthday.
My epiphany of music was that I was just smart enough to know when I heard good music and a good musician, but I knew that I was never going to be good enough to play like those I heard. And I was fine about that.
My love of reading is like that as well. I KNOW, that I could never write anything close to the worst thing I ever read, but I can appreciate good writing and the incredible talent it takes to write it. I'm fine with that. I just loving chewing on a good piece of prose, but then trash is great too.
Okay off my sentimental rant (I've been by myself in a hotel too long. Okay only 4 days, but that's too long). I know this crowd can appreciate it. READ ON!
I'm on the road, in Jacksonville for work. So I'm at a restaurant by myself reading and I had an epiphany, as to why I like reading so much. And it's the same epiphany I had about playing music. I played saxophone for about 20 years, from 4th grade to just about a year shy of my 30th birthday.
My epiphany of music was that I was just smart enough to know when I heard good music and a good musician, but I knew that I was never going to be good enough to play like those I heard. And I was fine about that.
My love of reading is like that as well. I KNOW, that I could never write anything close to the worst thing I ever read, but I can appreciate good writing and the incredible talent it takes to write it. I'm fine with that. I just loving chewing on a good piece of prose, but then trash is great too.
Okay off my sentimental rant (I've been by myself in a hotel too long. Okay only 4 days, but that's too long). I know this crowd can appreciate it. READ ON!
164mahsdad
14. The Girl with all the Gifts - M. R. Carey - For some reason when I first heard about this book, I thought it was going to be more a superhero type story. Boy was I wrong, and I love it when I'm wrong. A dystopian tale that opens with the daily experiences of a young girl named Melanie, who is in, either a very strange school, pretending to be a prison, or a very strange prison pretending to be a school.
We gradually learn what has happened in the world and what/why the characters we meet are doing at this facility. And when the penny drops...very satisfying twist that I wasn't expecting. I'm not going to go into anymore details. This is one of those stories that is meant to sneak up on you with reveals, better not to know, I was.
Very fun, if not graphic and intense read.
8/10
S: 2/18/16 - F: 3/4/16 (15 Days)
165mahsdad
Hey folks, its been a while since I did a Foto Friday (and yes I know its not Friday, but I was flying last Friday and then got busy then ill over the weekend). Since its March (ack!), I thought I'd share this month's image from my calendar. Enjoy...
166mahsdad
Deadtree editions rule, the license for a physical book can't be revoked...
Apparently Nook is going out of business in the UK and you "might" be able to get all of your purchased books onto the new service. Maybe.
http://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/you-dont-own-your-ebooks-1763333576
Apparently Nook is going out of business in the UK and you "might" be able to get all of your purchased books onto the new service. Maybe.
http://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/you-dont-own-your-ebooks-1763333576
167msf59
Hi, Jeff! I am so glad you enjoyed The Girl with all the Gifts. Like you, it is one that caught me completely by surprise. My daughter is currently reading it and I also have a co-worker reading it too. Spreading that book joy, my friend.
I have a copy of Dodgers too. Let me know when you are going to read it.
Ooh, I you reading World War Z?
I have a copy of Dodgers too. Let me know when you are going to read it.
Ooh, I you reading World War Z?
168mahsdad
Dodgers, I haven't gotten my copy yet from the little gremlins of LTER (it was February's batch)
I just got God of Beer today, and that was for January. I'll let you know when I get it.
I read World War Z many years ago and had loaned it to a co-worker trying to foster a reading habit, but it sat on his desk for about 5 years and so I took it back. I started reading it again, as my work book, but then got side tracked a couple times. Not the least of which was the aforementioned Girl with all the Gifts.
I'm now reading Robert Charles Wilson's Burning Paradise (gotta update my topper list). :)
I just got God of Beer today, and that was for January. I'll let you know when I get it.
I read World War Z many years ago and had loaned it to a co-worker trying to foster a reading habit, but it sat on his desk for about 5 years and so I took it back. I started reading it again, as my work book, but then got side tracked a couple times. Not the least of which was the aforementioned Girl with all the Gifts.
I'm now reading Robert Charles Wilson's Burning Paradise (gotta update my topper list). :)
169mahsdad
Anyone ever read Hologram for the King? by Dave Eggers? I've read a couple of his things, but never this one.
I guess I'll have to now. Tom Hanks is doing the movie version. Looks interesting...
https://youtu.be/UO5KGKtBvd4
I guess I'll have to now. Tom Hanks is doing the movie version. Looks interesting...
https://youtu.be/UO5KGKtBvd4
170PaulCranswick
>169 mahsdad: I have it on the shelves Jeff but haven't read it yet. Should of course get there before Tom Hanks puts the definitive take on it in my mind.
Have a great Sunday.
Have a great Sunday.
171mahsdad
>170 PaulCranswick: Thanks for stopping by Paul.
I spent my Sunday in a shiny metal tube moving at 500 mph. Spending the week in Florida.
Does Malaysia do Daylight Saving Time? Ugh, what a pain. Flying 3 time zones east with an extra hour lost was not fun.
Oh well. Gotta do what ya gotta do.
Have a great week!
I spent my Sunday in a shiny metal tube moving at 500 mph. Spending the week in Florida.
Does Malaysia do Daylight Saving Time? Ugh, what a pain. Flying 3 time zones east with an extra hour lost was not fun.
Oh well. Gotta do what ya gotta do.
Have a great week!
172drneutron
>171 mahsdad: I spent my Sunday in a shiny metal tube moving at 500 mph. Spending the week in Florida.
I'll be there in a couple of weeks for a few days in Cocoa Beach - I get to spend my time in a conference room. Yay! :)
I'll be there in a couple of weeks for a few days in Cocoa Beach - I get to spend my time in a conference room. Yay! :)
173mahsdad
At least there's a window in my conference room. (I'm in Jacksonville). The hotel is a 5 minute walk from the office (if 4 of those minutes you walk in the opposite direction, in otherwords, its really close and consequently, we don't spend a lot of time out of the office. :)
Hope you get a window.
Hope you get a window.
174scaifea
Boy, work trips to Florida are apparently all the rage these days - Tomm just got back from one of those.
Hopefully you'll find at least a little time to soak up some sunshine, Jeff.
Hopefully you'll find at least a little time to soak up some sunshine, Jeff.
175msf59
Hey, Jeff. I have not read Hologram for the King. I did not care for the Circle, so I am a bit gun-shy about reading another of his fictional works. I much prefer his nonfiction.
**I plan on mailing out the books today.
**I plan on mailing out the books today.
176mahsdad
>175 msf59: I guess I'm in the same boat. My memories of Eggers is the non-fiction stuff. Oh well. If I get to it, I get to it.
** Thanks for the books!
** Thanks for the books!
177mahsdad
Okay, Tom Hanks doing an Eggers book is cool.
But Tim Burton doing Ransom Riggs, is INCREDIBLE. Here's the first trailer for Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
https://youtu.be/tV_IhWE4LP0
My only criticism would be that it looks too bright, too clean, but that's probably because of the old B-n-W photos from the book. Was expecting dark and grainy.
Can't wait.
But Tim Burton doing Ransom Riggs, is INCREDIBLE. Here's the first trailer for Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
https://youtu.be/tV_IhWE4LP0
My only criticism would be that it looks too bright, too clean, but that's probably because of the old B-n-W photos from the book. Was expecting dark and grainy.
Can't wait.
178mahsdad
8. The Anubis Gates - Tim Powers (AUDIO) - Egyptian mystical time travel gates used to get the main characters (including Brendan Doyle, a literary expert) back to 1810 England to see a lecture by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Doyle gets stuck in time, joins a beggars guild run by a freaky clown magician. Is chased by a shape sifting werewolve, goes back further in time, has more adventures and returns to the 1800's. He ultimately lives out his life as an obscure British poet that he was an expert on in modern day. He writes the poems of the author from his memory of what he read of the book that he would ultimately write in the past. (Time paradox?)
Typical stuff, fun read.
7/10
S: 1/21/16 - F: 2/4/16 (15 Days)
180rretzler
>163 mahsdad: Another fellow sax player!! Which did you play? I played both alto and bari and would love to get my hands on a tenor or soprano (especially a rare curved one!) In high school, I switched to base clarinet for awhile, but will always be a sax player at heart! Funny story - I've always loved music but in 5th grade when the music teacher asked me which instrument I would like to play, I couldn't think of the names of any band instruments! So, I blurted out the first one that came to mind - saxophone. I guess subconsciously I must have remembered the one I liked the most as I have always loved the sound of a sax!
181mahsdad
Hey Robin, I played Alto all thru High School. In College, I played Bari. The school had an antique Selmer Mark 6 that was glorious to play. After school, I played tenor and bari in a community band.
Its sad that there really isn't a music program in today's schools like there was when we had it. My son had one opportunity to join the school band in 6th grade, but because he was in an advanced math class, due to the enforced schedule, he had to take choir for his one elective. After that he was shut out.
If any young person has the opportunity to get into music, I say take it. It gave me the ability to travel round the country and the world. Domestically, I went to various parades and festivals. Internationally, I got to travel to a half dozen European countries, including Romania and Hungary.
Its sad that there really isn't a music program in today's schools like there was when we had it. My son had one opportunity to join the school band in 6th grade, but because he was in an advanced math class, due to the enforced schedule, he had to take choir for his one elective. After that he was shut out.
If any young person has the opportunity to get into music, I say take it. It gave me the ability to travel round the country and the world. Domestically, I went to various parades and festivals. Internationally, I got to travel to a half dozen European countries, including Romania and Hungary.
182rretzler
That's too bad that your school didn't let your son join band. We have been more lucky here. In 5th grade, the kids have the opportunity to go to the middle school before elementary school starts and take orchestra - my older son played the viola and my younger son is currently playing the cello. Both my boys are also in advanced math classes, my older 8th grader has been going to the high school for two years for math, but fortunately he can participate in band - he plays the trombone. When he was in 6th grade, he participated in both orchestra and band, but my younger son won't have the opportunity to do that next year. Orchestra and band are every other day opposite each other - next year is the first year for Cog (gifted cognitive classes) every other day, so he has chosen to play percussion in the band next year.
The only frustration that I have with the music program is high school. My son wants to stay in the band, but he plays soccer and wants to try out for the soccer team. He will not be allowed to participate in marching band, but he will get to be in concert band. I've heard that the band director does not treat the non-marchers very well, so we'll see next year.
Were you at Blue Lake? My husband (french horn) went to Blue Lake a couple of summers and went overseas to several countries.
I agree that music programs are wonderful. Isn't it interesting that good mathematicians seem to gravitate toward music?
The only frustration that I have with the music program is high school. My son wants to stay in the band, but he plays soccer and wants to try out for the soccer team. He will not be allowed to participate in marching band, but he will get to be in concert band. I've heard that the band director does not treat the non-marchers very well, so we'll see next year.
Were you at Blue Lake? My husband (french horn) went to Blue Lake a couple of summers and went overseas to several countries.
I agree that music programs are wonderful. Isn't it interesting that good mathematicians seem to gravitate toward music?
184mahsdad
Had to Pearl a book. Picked up a book called Visions from a Foxhole, a first person account of William Foley's time in WWII. I love these types of books, but this one wasn't really all that well written, and it was a major slog. Had to move on.
In contrast , started ER book God of Beer at the beginning of today's flights home and I almost finished it. And that was including taking a 2 hour break to watch the Big Short. An EXCELLENT film BTW.
Picked up 2 pulitzers while I was gone this week. The Orphan Master's Son and Good Earth
Came home to another ER, got my copy of Dodgers.
This was on balance, a pretty good book week.
In contrast , started ER book God of Beer at the beginning of today's flights home and I almost finished it. And that was including taking a 2 hour break to watch the Big Short. An EXCELLENT film BTW.
Picked up 2 pulitzers while I was gone this week. The Orphan Master's Son and Good Earth
Came home to another ER, got my copy of Dodgers.
This was on balance, a pretty good book week.
185mahsdad
Amber found an article about the free reading of Moby Dick. This group got different people to each read a chapter and put it out as a podcast. Brilliant idea. I've gotten thru 4 chapters so far.
http://www.mobydickbigread.com/
Chapter 1 - Looming - Tilda Swinton. Brilliant way to start off a book. I want her to read the whole thing
Chapter 2 - The Carpet-Bag - Captain Robert Hone - a nautical lecturer at Plymouth College that sponsored the big read
Chapter 3 - The Spouter-Inn - Nigel Williams a British author
Chapter 4 - The Counter Pane - Caleb Crain - American author
I'll keep updating when I finish each chapter. There's only 135, shouldn't take me too long. :)
http://www.mobydickbigread.com/
Chapter 1 - Looming - Tilda Swinton. Brilliant way to start off a book. I want her to read the whole thing
Chapter 2 - The Carpet-Bag - Captain Robert Hone - a nautical lecturer at Plymouth College that sponsored the big read
Chapter 3 - The Spouter-Inn - Nigel Williams a British author
Chapter 4 - The Counter Pane - Caleb Crain - American author
I'll keep updating when I finish each chapter. There's only 135, shouldn't take me too long. :)
186qebo
>185 mahsdad: 4 chapters
That's more than I've managed on my own so far.
That's more than I've managed on my own so far.
187mahsdad
Audio helps. Listened to a couple on the way home from the airport and a couple on my run this morning.
188PaulCranswick
Lot to catch up on Jeff.
Firstly
>171 mahsdad: No mate we don't do Daylight Savings here thank heavens - people are so often late as it is!
>181 mahsdad: etc. Schools are cutting back all the time all over the world as they try to prioritise aren't they? Sometimes the experience of being in a collective effort such as a band is worth much more to a child than what type of computer the class is using.
>184 mahsdad: I would also take beer over foxholes any day.
>185 mahsdad: What a great idea. I'll bet Tilda Swinton is really good.
Have a great weekend.
Firstly
>171 mahsdad: No mate we don't do Daylight Savings here thank heavens - people are so often late as it is!
>181 mahsdad: etc. Schools are cutting back all the time all over the world as they try to prioritise aren't they? Sometimes the experience of being in a collective effort such as a band is worth much more to a child than what type of computer the class is using.
>184 mahsdad: I would also take beer over foxholes any day.
>185 mahsdad: What a great idea. I'll bet Tilda Swinton is really good.
Have a great weekend.
189Cait86
>185 mahsdad: That's so cool! Thanks for sharing - I've been reading a lot of classics on audio this year and have enjoyed figuring out what I like in a narrator. I'm going to check out Moby Dick.
190mahsdad
Moby Dick update
Chapter 5 - Breakfast - Musa Okwonga - British Poet
Chapter 6 - The Street - Mary Norris - author and copy editor at The New Yorker
Chapter 7 - The Chapel - Keith Collins - not sure, think he's a gardener/artist/fisherman
Chapter 8 - The Pulpit - Nick Atkinson - Actor?
Chapter 5 - Breakfast - Musa Okwonga - British Poet
Chapter 6 - The Street - Mary Norris - author and copy editor at The New Yorker
Chapter 7 - The Chapel - Keith Collins - not sure, think he's a gardener/artist/fisherman
Chapter 8 - The Pulpit - Nick Atkinson - Actor?
191mahsdad
11. The Botany of Desire - Michael Pollan - Pollan takes four aspects of human desire and how plants epitomize that desire. Sweetness = Apples. Beauty = Tulips. Intoxication = Marijuana. Control = Potato. A really excellent read. I learned a lot, from the real story of Johnny Appleseed, to the level that Monsanto was going at crop manipulation, even back in 2001 when this was first written. Would be really interested in seeing how things have changed, especially in the Control section.
"The seeds of this book were first planted in my garden - while I was planting seeds, as a matter of fact."
Apples : "Figures of tart wildness, both have been thoroughly domesticated - Chapman (Appleseed) transformed into a benign Saint Francis of the American frontier, the apple into a blemish-free plastic-red saccharine orb. "Sweetness without dimension" is how one pomologist memorably described the Red Delicious; the same might be said of the Johnny Appleseed promulgated by Walt Disney and several generations of American children's book writers."
Tulips : "Though we self-importantly regard domestication as something people have done to plants, it is at the same time a strategy by which the plants have exploited us and our desires - even our most idiosyncratic notions of beauty - to advance their own interests."
Marijuana : "There it is, right in the middle of the word intoxication, hidden in plain sight: toxic. The bright line between food and poison might hold, but not the one between poison and desire."
Potato : "Monoculture is where the logic of nature collides with the logic of economics; which logic will ultimately prevail can never be in doubt. In Ireland under British rule the logic of economics dictated a monoculture of potatoes; in 1845, the logic of nature exercised its veto, and a million people - many of whom probably owed their existence to the potato in the first place - perished."
8/10
S: 1/28/16 - F: 2/16/16 (20 Days)
192mahsdad
Moby Dick Update
Chapter 9 - The Sermon - Simon Callow - British actor you would recognize as soon as you saw him. In (among other things) Amadeus and Four Weddings and a Funereal. Very powerful chapter, all about Jonah and the "whale"
Chapter 10 - A Bosom Friend - Stephen Fry - short-sheeted with only 10 minutes. Could listen to him read the phone book
Chapter 11 - Nightgown - Neil Tennant - Pet Shop Boys; say no more.
Chapter 12 - Biographical - Witi Ihimaera - New Zealand author (Whale Rider)
Chapter 13 - Wheelbarrow - Mama Tokus - singer/poet
Chapter 14 - Nantucket - Nathaniel Philbrick author of In the Heart of the Sea, the true story of the Essex, the inspiration for Moby Dick
Chapter 15 - Chowder - Peter Burgess - philosopher
Chapter 16 - The Ship - Chad Harbach author of The Art of Fielding
Really enjoying this podcast. Unfortunately the episodes and the website do not give any bio information for the readers, but google seems to be working quite nicely.
Chapter 9 - The Sermon - Simon Callow - British actor you would recognize as soon as you saw him. In (among other things) Amadeus and Four Weddings and a Funereal. Very powerful chapter, all about Jonah and the "whale"
Chapter 10 - A Bosom Friend - Stephen Fry - short-sheeted with only 10 minutes. Could listen to him read the phone book
Chapter 11 - Nightgown - Neil Tennant - Pet Shop Boys; say no more.
Chapter 12 - Biographical - Witi Ihimaera - New Zealand author (Whale Rider)
Chapter 13 - Wheelbarrow - Mama Tokus - singer/poet
Chapter 14 - Nantucket - Nathaniel Philbrick author of In the Heart of the Sea, the true story of the Essex, the inspiration for Moby Dick
Chapter 15 - Chowder - Peter Burgess - philosopher
Chapter 16 - The Ship - Chad Harbach author of The Art of Fielding
Really enjoying this podcast. Unfortunately the episodes and the website do not give any bio information for the readers, but google seems to be working quite nicely.
193rretzler
>192 mahsdad: Was waivering until I saw that Simon Callow, Stephen Fry and Neil Tennant were all in a row...checked it out and at least downloaded the podcast. I'll have to find some time when I can concentrate now!
194mahsdad
It helps if you have a 2 hour commute (round-trip) and like to do the occasional run for exercise. Plus I had just finished my last audio book; Jo Nesbo's Headhunters and I needed something new. Came at a perfect time. Thanks again to Amber for the FB posting.
195mahsdad
Moby Dick Update - commutes were long the last couple days
Chapter 17 - The Ramadan - Warren Cole - Don't know
Chapter 18 - His Mark - David Coslett - Vice Chancellor of Plymouth University
Chapter 19 - The Prophet - Mark Sealy - curator/cultural historian
Chapter 20 - All Astir - Avril Bellinger Professor at Plymouth University
Chapter 21 - Going Aboard - Kate Sparshatt - Executive Director, Plymouth Arts Centre
Chapter 22 - Merry Christmas - Fran King - Don't know
Chapter 23 - The Lee Shore - Paul Bonaventura - Don't know
Chapter 24 - The Advocate - James Woudhuysen - Motivational speaker
Chapter 25 - Postscript - Fiona Shaw - British actress you'd recognize instantly. Most popularly known as Mrs Dursley in the Harry Potter movies
Chapter 26 - Knights & Squires - Jake Phillips - Don't know
Chapter 27 - Knights & Squires - Alyson Leeds - Don't know
Chapter 17 - The Ramadan - Warren Cole - Don't know
Chapter 18 - His Mark - David Coslett - Vice Chancellor of Plymouth University
Chapter 19 - The Prophet - Mark Sealy - curator/cultural historian
Chapter 20 - All Astir - Avril Bellinger Professor at Plymouth University
Chapter 21 - Going Aboard - Kate Sparshatt - Executive Director, Plymouth Arts Centre
Chapter 22 - Merry Christmas - Fran King - Don't know
Chapter 23 - The Lee Shore - Paul Bonaventura - Don't know
Chapter 24 - The Advocate - James Woudhuysen - Motivational speaker
Chapter 25 - Postscript - Fiona Shaw - British actress you'd recognize instantly. Most popularly known as Mrs Dursley in the Harry Potter movies
Chapter 26 - Knights & Squires - Jake Phillips - Don't know
Chapter 27 - Knights & Squires - Alyson Leeds - Don't know
196mahsdad
Catchup time. "Full" reviews eventually, but I wanted to at least clear the decks (Moby Dick on the brain) and sort of get current
7. St Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves - Karen Russell - 8/10
10. My Father Bleeds History (Maus) - Art Spiegelman - 9/10
13. The Marriage Plot - Jeffrey Eugenides - 7/10
15. Headhunters - Jo Nesbo - 9/10
16. God of Beer - Garret Keizer - 9/10
17. Atonement - Ian McEwan - 6/10
7. St Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves - Karen Russell - 8/10
10. My Father Bleeds History (Maus) - Art Spiegelman - 9/10
13. The Marriage Plot - Jeffrey Eugenides - 7/10
15. Headhunters - Jo Nesbo - 9/10
16. God of Beer - Garret Keizer - 9/10
17. Atonement - Ian McEwan - 6/10
197rretzler
>196 mahsdad: Glad to see you liked Headhunters. I would consider it one of the most tightly plotted books I've ever read - I enjoyed every minute of it. I don't think I've ever read a book with more twists!
198mahsdad
>197 rretzler:. Exactly. It went absolutely nowhere that I was expecting. Love it when a story does that
199PaulCranswick
Have a wonderful Easter.
201charl08
>200 mahsdad: Too true!
203msf59
Happy Friday, Jeff! Good review of The Botany of Desire. I was impressed with the book too and would like to read more Pollan.
So far so good on the Dodgers.
>200 mahsdad: Love it!
So far so good on the Dodgers.
>200 mahsdad: Love it!
204mahsdad
16. God of Beer - Garret Keizer - I got this thru the LT Early Review program, in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I chose this book because of the title. God of Beer? I wanted to know more. I'm glad I did, it turned out to be a very enjoyable, quick read.
Set in rural Vermont, its a story that centers around Kyle and his friends Quaker and Diana. The title comes from a question that their senior social studies teacher asked. He said that Gandhi was quoted as saying that if God were to come to India, he would come in the form of bread, because that's the only way the starving masses would be able to comprehend God. The question was, what form would God come to the people of Ira County (where the story is set). Kyle, after now one speaks up, is asked directly and he blurts out... Beer. It seems to be the focus of most social interactions in the town, including those underage in the high school.
Kyle and his friends want to take this fact and use it in their group term project and perform a peaceful protest to change the thinking, laws and impact of drinking in their town. The story goes off from there and takes some turns that I wasn't expecting.
A different take on the typical YA, story of underdog hero's who are friends with the super popular jock who helps them in their plights. In this case the super popular jock is also the super hot star basketball center, Diana (who Kyle has been secretly pining for, for years). Well worth the time. Recommend.
"My friend Quaker Oats says that I changed his life simply by answering one of Mr. Whalen's questions in senior social studies class."
9/10
S: 3/18/16 - F: 3/19/16 (2 Days)
205weird_O
For a Happy Easter, eat ya a couple a Peeps! You know you want to… Made right here in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania. Weird, huh?
206mahsdad
Moby Dick Update - got behind, this is several days worth.
Chapter 28 – Ahab – Anthony Wall – British Professional Golfer
Chapter 29 – Enter Ahab; to Him, Stubb – Thomas White
Chapter 30 – The Pipe – David Cameron – British Prime Minister
Chapter 31 – Queen Mab – Maureen Burgess
Chapter 32 – Cetalogy – Martin Attrill – Diretor of Marine Institute, Plymouth College
Chapter 33 – The Specksynder – Cheryl Hurrell
Chapter 34 – The Cabin Table – Charlie Phillips
Chapter 35 – The Mast-Head – John Gullett
Chapter 36 – The Quarter-Deck – Jon Cleave – author
Chapter 37 – Sunset – Raphaelia Ferns
Chapter 38 – Dusk – Jeff Lawson
Chapter 39 – First Night-Watch – Liberty Scarlett
Chapter 40 – Midnight, Forecastle – Clive Charlton – Plymouth University
Chapter 41 – Moby Dick – Blake Morrison - Poet
Lots of exposition, its not until Chapter 28 that we meet Ahab, and not until 41 that we finally talk about Moby Dick. Chapter 32 is one long discussion of all the different type of whales. Very interesting comparing 1850's knowledge to today.
Most interesting reading in this batch, was David Cameron. Had to play a couple youtube clips to compare, to make sure it was him.
Chapter 28 – Ahab – Anthony Wall – British Professional Golfer
Chapter 29 – Enter Ahab; to Him, Stubb – Thomas White
Chapter 30 – The Pipe – David Cameron – British Prime Minister
Chapter 31 – Queen Mab – Maureen Burgess
Chapter 32 – Cetalogy – Martin Attrill – Diretor of Marine Institute, Plymouth College
Chapter 33 – The Specksynder – Cheryl Hurrell
Chapter 34 – The Cabin Table – Charlie Phillips
Chapter 35 – The Mast-Head – John Gullett
Chapter 36 – The Quarter-Deck – Jon Cleave – author
Chapter 37 – Sunset – Raphaelia Ferns
Chapter 38 – Dusk – Jeff Lawson
Chapter 39 – First Night-Watch – Liberty Scarlett
Chapter 40 – Midnight, Forecastle – Clive Charlton – Plymouth University
Chapter 41 – Moby Dick – Blake Morrison - Poet
Lots of exposition, its not until Chapter 28 that we meet Ahab, and not until 41 that we finally talk about Moby Dick. Chapter 32 is one long discussion of all the different type of whales. Very interesting comparing 1850's knowledge to today.
Most interesting reading in this batch, was David Cameron. Had to play a couple youtube clips to compare, to make sure it was him.
This topic was continued by Mahsdad's (Jeff) 2016 Thread - Part 2.
