| The Panda's Thumb by S J Gould, 343 pages Steven Krise Monday, August 01, 2005 Natura non facit saltum. | The Panda's Thumb by S J Gould, 343 pages Steven Krise Thursday, June 29, 2006 He said radial sesamoid...huhuh. |
Dinosaur in a Haystack: Reflections in Natural History by S J Gould, 480 pages Steven Krise Monday, March 30, 2009 |
Blade Dancer by S. L. Viehl, 314 pages Julie Gephart Saturday, July 24, 2004 I love a good sword-fighting book. |
The Silent Gondoliers (1983) by S. Morgenstern, 110 pages A Bennett Wednesday, May 19, 2004 "We are gondoliers, and we make our own decisions: explanations are not part of our vocabulary." - George of the Gritti (If you can find this book, please read it. It will make both you and me happy.) |
Island in the Sea of Time by S.M. Stirling, 608 pages Julie Gephart Saturday, August 24, 2002 The modern-day island of Nantucket wakes up one morning to find that it's been plunked down in the middle of the Bronze Age. Thoroughly interesting look at how the town plans for survival and for building a new society with only the small reserves of food and fuel on their island to get them started. |
The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie, 561 pages Tony Pisarenkov Sunday, April 23, 2006 The famous novel, sprawling (perhaps a little too much so) and wonderfully cinematic. One of the very few books that I really wish someone would adapt to the screen, but in today's social and geo-political climate, what are the chances? Someone with a greater knowledge of both the Quaran and Indian culture would no doubt get many of the references and allegories that were lost on me. |
Extreme Brewing by Sam Calagione, 184 pages Steven Krise Saturday, August 08, 2009 Despite its title, this is actually a conventionally organized book. Preamble is discussion of equipment and process to make "your first batch of beer" and the postscript is a discussion of beer and food pairings. The reason to buy this book, however, is the recipes in the middle half of the book which includes several malt extract versions of recipes for Dogfish Head classics such as 60 Minute IPA, Raison D'Etre, and Midas Touch. |
The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason by Sam Harris, 320 pages Jonathan Misirian Monday, February 13, 2006 The End of Faith: Religion, Terror and the Future of Reason Harris’ premise is that all religion is destructive and that people of any faith are at fault. Ask Pol Pot or Edie Amin how this approached worked for them. |
Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris, 96 pages Steven Krise Wednesday, May 06, 2009 I was warned this was a ridiculous rant by a fool, but as far as I can tell it is just obvious statements about the absurdity of religious fundamentalism by an unashamed atheist. It is a very quick read (easily finished in an hour or two), that feels like a condensed "God Is Not Great" by Hitchens. Not a bad overview if you need to get your atheist card re-stamped, but if you have more time just read Hitchens. |
Patriotic Pacifism: Waging War on War in Europe, 1815-1914 (1991) by Sandi. E. Cooper, 210 pages James Donahue Wednesday, July 30, 2008 The best general survey of the nineteenth-century Continental peace movement available. For those who've heard of the Interparliamentary Union, Alfred Nobel, the women's peace movement, international arbitration, or the Hague Conferences but have not yet found a good synthetic work on these subjects, this is the best alternative for you. |
Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros, 439 pages Jaqi Ross Sunday, April 04, 2004 Fun read; didn't care for the ending. |
Sidney Gulick and the Search for Peace with Japan by Sandra Taylor, 254 pages James Donahue Saturday, April 10, 2004 Rough book that winds and repeats itself. Biography of one of the main opponents of the treatment of Japanese-Americans from 1900-1945. Missionary. Confusing figure. |
The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell, 196 pages Micaela Larkin Saturday, June 17, 2006 |
The Partly Cloudy Patriot (2002) by Sarah Vowell, 196 pages James Donahue Wednesday, October 04, 2006 Hilarious outtakes from an historically-obsessed ex-Montana nerd - - - who is not moi! |
The Wordy Shipmates (2008) by Sarah Vowell, 272 pages James Donahue Monday, December 01, 2008 |
The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow, 536 pages Tony Pisarenkov Thursday, March 29, 2007 A sprawling bildungsroman full of great characters and some amazing prose. A major undertaking to be sure, but well worth it. |
Memory, History, and the Extermination of the Jews by Saul Friedlander, 142 pages James Donahue Monday, August 05, 2002 Seven essays by a Jewish historian on the impossibility of writing a coherent history on an irreducibly incoherent genocide. |
Reflections of Nazism: An Essay on Kitsch and Death by Saul Friedlander, 141 pages James Donahue Saturday, August 10, 2002 Examines why in spite of ourselves contemporary culture is fascinated with Hitler and Nazism. Friedlander identifies our fascination on the Nazi combination of kitsch and death, familial normality and genocide, order and chaos. Very provocative; a quick-read. |
Sarge: The Life and Times of Sarge Shriver by Scot Stossell, 704 pages Micaela Larkin Monday, January 01, 2007 A++ I read it in one sitting. |
Ghost Killer by Scott Chandler, 277 pages Jeff Gadd Friday, August 01, 2003 A strange book about something that gets kill in a man by a detective,that comes back in a female. |
Poker Nights: Rules, Strategies, and Tips for the Home Player by Scott Tharler, 128 pages Steven Krise Tuesday, April 14, 2009 Slicker (literally) and more colorful than Vorhaus's book about home poker. However, Tharler tries to cover every home poker variation imaginable and consequently only devotes a paragraph at most to describe the rules, action, and strategy. This is a very light-weight book without much meat to offer. |
The Spirit Level (2001) by Seamus Heaney, 80 pages James Donahue Saturday, June 23, 2007 |
Beowulf by Seamus Heaney, translator, 116 pages Tony Pisarenkov Saturday, January 12, 2008 Re-read in preparation for John Gardner's Grendel |
Charlotte Gray by Sebastian Faulks, 497 pages A Bennett Monday, August 18, 2003 Possibly one of the most disappointing books I may have ever read. And second only to Breakfast at Tiffany's under the header: 'novel most-changed from book form to screenplay'. Something happened between Charlotte and her father when she was a child, something horrible and devastating that changed "everything" and powered her jump into WWII espionage. Of course we never find out with any certainty what this was. Easily fifteen seperate points of view exist in this work, with new ones being introduced as late as page 370. Why name a book Charlotte Gray if the first sentence is going to begin (and for a long time stay in) the mind of 'Peter Gregory'? I selected this book because I wanted to learn about women spying in WWII, about a regular person doing an extraordinary thing, only to find out that that was nowhere near the story the author wanted to tell. In favor of moodiness and overly-precious writing, Faulks throws over any hope of an exciting narrative, though surely there was one here somewhere, in some draft before he excised it almost but entirely. Also, a lot of Petain-bashing. Necessary vocabulary: Boch, frisson. Necessary reading list: Proust. Necessary pre-requisite courses: Socialism 101, French politics 1860-1945, Vichy Geography 202, Verdun and the Gaul Imagination 407. |
The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger, 301 pages Steve Gadd Tuesday, April 04, 2000 The reader follows the last days of a fishing boat doomed to vanish in the North Atlantic's "storm of the century." |
The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger, 301 pages Jeff Gadd Saturday, June 24, 2000 |
Fire by Sebastian Junger, 256 pages Mike Gadd Friday, January 18, 2002 |
Fire by Sebastian Junger, 250 pages Steve Gadd Saturday, July 26, 2003 A collection of excellent journalism from war zones and mountain wildfires, including eyewitness reporting on the blood diamonds of Sierra Leone, the fall of the Taliban, and the last harpoon whaler in the world. Perhaps the most interesting chapter was "Dispatches From a Dead War" in Cyprus, where the UN has its longest-lasting peacekeeping campaign. Like so many other hotspots in the world, the history and deep enmity suggest that the two sides will not come to agreement anytime soon. But in 25 years since the UN intervened, only 16 people were killed along the Green Line dividing the island, despite its being the world's most militarized country after North and South Korea. |
The Irresistible Revolution (2006) by Shane Claiborne, 367 pages Jonathan Misirian Tuesday, March 27, 2007 Claiborne is hard to pin down. He is unapologetically Christian and rejects most of the cultural trappings of the American church. His commitment to follow Jesus means that he makes his own clothes and shoes, lives in community with the homeless, and practices non-violence where-ever possible. Fascinating life: from living with Mother Theresa to doing an internship at Willow Creek, to traveling to Iraq. Excellent read for those dissatisfied with cultural Christianity. |
Blood and Milk: short stories by Sharon Solwitz, 236 pages Kristin Schrock Saturday, March 01, 2003 Alas, this book will not secure my place in the Gadd-o-sphere. It was nice, even for a short time. For the most part, these stories are unremarkable. Women with husbands and children, usually feeling out of place, unhappy. And I don't think that just because the author once stole my pen. |
The Tiger Claw (2004) by Shauna Singh Baldwin, 567 pages Jennifer Dear Friday, July 13, 2007 The dust jacket says: "An extraordinary story of love and suspense." Jen says: "Books about the Holocaust always depress me a little." |
The Russian Revolution by Sheila Fitzpatrick, 181 pages James Donahue Wednesday, September 04, 2002 A standard in the field that explodes a lot of popular (ie propaganda from Cold War) misconceptions. |
The Russian Revolution by Sheila Fitzpatrick, 211 pages James Donahue Monday, October 18, 2004 |
Maude Royden: A Life (1989) by Sheila Fletcher, 289 pages James Donahue Sunday, February 19, 2006 Royden was England's first woman preacher of note. This biography sheds light primarily on her suffragist and pacifist activism. But Fletcher also does a good job revealing the chaotic ecclesial debates that followed her throughout the Anglo-American world. |
Molding Japanese Minds by Sheldon Garon, 243 pages James Donahue Monday, May 24, 2004 |
The Wisdom of the Body by Sherwin B. Nuland, 369 pages Steve Gadd Sunday, May 16, 1999 Not quite as interesting as his How We Die (this book was retitled How We Live, appropriately), the general surgeon takes the reader on a tour of the amazing systems of the body. |
Silence by Shusaku Endo, 201 pages Steve Gadd Saturday, March 01, 1997 |
The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester, 242 pages Steve Gadd Monday, February 11, 2002 Dr. William C. Minor, a mentally unstable American army doctor, murdered a London man in a fit of paranoia. Confined to an institution for most of the rest of his life, he became one of the most prolific contributors to the Oxford English Dictionary. |
Krakatoa by Simon Winchester, 390 pages Steve Gadd Wednesday, December 29, 2004 The eruption/explosion of this volcanic island is well known as the loudest sound in recorded history, heard thousands of miles away. Winchester tells the interesting tale of colonization in the Dutch East Indies, throws in a lesson in plate tectonics, and then gives an account of the 1883 disaster that became the first international news story carried by undersea telegraph cable. Published last year, the book ominously predicted that Krakatoa would "play it tricks on the world once again, and before very much longer." |
Krakatoa by Simon Winchester, 393 pages Jonathan Misirian Monday, July 04, 2005 Winchester's account of the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa extends far beyond the volcanic ash and tsunamis. He chronicles every aspect of life in Indonesia, and employing the same skill that brought his, The Professor and the Madman, such success; writes a beautifully written piece of bio-investigative journalism. |
The Map That Changed The World by Simon Winchester, 320 pages Jonathan Misirian Tuesday, September 27, 2005 The content didn't live up to the title. Winchester, author of the sublime, The Professor and the Madman, unearthed the story of William Smith, an 19th century geologist, who’s work on sedimentary stratification helped to initiate a non-theistic world view of the creation of the world. |
A Crack in the Edge of the World by Simon Winchester, 417 pages Steve Gadd Friday, June 19, 2009 The story of San Francisco's destruction during the 1906 earthquake and fire, along with a helpful overview of plate tectonics. |
The Man who Loved China by Simon Winchester, 352 pages Steve Gadd Thursday, August 13, 2009 [audio] |
Louisa: A Novel by Simone Zelitch, 377 pages Micaela Larkin Monday, April 10, 2006 Decent read. Hungarian Jewish survivor accompanied by her German daughter in law move to Palestine in 1949. Flows back and forth across space and time... |
Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis, 319 pages Tony Pisarenkov Monday, January 26, 2004 This now classic paean to self-destructive straight-lacedness is a good book that did not age well, although the last handful of chapters ends up being engaging and satisfying in its own strange way. |
Bad Bridesmaid: Bachelorette Brawls and Tantrum Tales by Siri Agrell, 171 pages Micaela Larkin Sunday, March 25, 2007 Signs that you are a bad bridesmaid: You don't know the difference between taffeta and tulle, but you think they're both ugly. |
Deep Ancestry - Inside the Genographic Project by Spencer Wells, 247 pages Steven Krise Thursday, April 17, 2008 The human race began 60,000 years ago with a single family in an African valley. Today we have carried our genes to the very ends of the Earth--and the DNA in each of us encodes a fascinating encapsulated history of our species and its travels over the ages. Dedicated to uncovering the secrets of deep ancestry, the Genographic Project is an ambitious scientific venture of unparalleled scope and profound implication. |
Brew like a Monk by Stan Hieronymus, 272 pages Steven Krise Saturday, February 24, 2007 Discussion of Trappist, Abbey, and Strong Belgian ales and how to brew them. |
How To Speak Dog by Stanley Coren, 274 pages Steven Krise Thursday, December 04, 2003 The guy takes liberties with the definition of 'language', but this is a good informative good, on the whole. |
Resident Aliens by Stanley Hauerwas, 172 pages James Donahue Wednesday, December 18, 2002 Hauerwas always delivers a prophetic punch that convicts and inspires me. Here he argues that the church needs to move from a conception of itself as trustee of American culture' to 'colonial counterculture.' He demands much of the church, but having experienced such a church in Columbus, I can say that this type of church truly works and impacts people for Christ. A hearty read, even if, as usual, Hauerwas cannot keep from making some offensive statements along the way. |
The First Idea: How Symbols, Language, and Intelligence Evolved From Our Primate Ancestors to Modern Humans by Stanley I Greenspan, M.D. & Stuart G Shanker, D Ph, 504 pages Steven Krise Tuesday, December 09, 2008 The authors put forth a rather far reaching theory stating that higher cognitive functions (such as symbolic and abstract thought, language, theory of mind, and human cultural universals) are the products of a nurturing emotional developmental process called functional/emotional development. The substrate supporting this process has been evolving for several millions of years in social primates and ancient hominids to its apex in modern humans today. Since this process is basically a technology transmitted culturally, it is able to evolve more rapidly than strictly biological processes. "In other words, the fundamental dynamic operating in human history is neither biological nor material: It is the cultural transmission of caregiving practices that support the development of higher reflective capacities in individuals and in groups. Precisely because this is a cultural phenomenon, it is not predetermined and is highly vulnerable to regression." The latter half of the book is spent applying this theory to disorders such as autism, to group dynamics, sociology, economics, and history. |
Paris in the Fifties by Stanley Karnow, 337 pages Steve Gadd Tuesday, September 07, 1999 An enjoyable collection of essays by a Time journalist. |
Kofi Annan (2007) by Stanley Meisler, 319 pages James Donahue Sunday, July 01, 2007 Meisler's biography of the U.N. sec-gen is partly a defense of Annan against his American neo-con critics and the general, uninformed public view of the UN over the past few years. But book is best when it rests on Meisler's personal anecdotes as a reporter at the UN over the past decade. |
Word Freak by Stefan Fatsis, 372 pages Tony Pisarenkov Wednesday, January 28, 2009 A fascinating look into a world most of us are not even aware exists -- professional Scrabble. Could have benefited from slightly more aggressive editing, but on balance, fantastic. And you've got to admire the author's dedication -- he actually became a full-time Scrabble player for several years. |
The World of Yesterday (1941) by Stefan Zweig, 440 pages James Donahue Monday, October 01, 2007 Zweig was one of the most praised writers and critics of his time with eyes always turned towards the next great writer and a nose primed for the center of the art scenes of the 1910s and 1920s. Zweig was Viennese, but the Nazi government forced him to be a Jew - and a refugee at that. He wrote this memoir in the States and Brazil during the Holocaust. Yet this book is not really a memoir. Zweig is barely in it at all (much less his wife!). It is a loving remembrance about the friends he loved and the Austria he loved even more. After completing the book and sending it to the publishers, he and his wife took their own life in the forests of Brazil. |
Prophecy of Darkness by Stella Howard, 215 pages Jeff Gadd Saturday, March 09, 2002 |
The Charterhouse of Parma by Stendhal, 488 pages James Donahue Tuesday, June 24, 2003 Stendhal writes a novel in which the hero is passive to the intriguings and politics of a counter-revolutionary age; never has a hero done so little and been less responsible for his fate. Stendhal writes a novel that bitterly satrizies the Holy Alliance with all of the fervor of his liberalist heart. Stendhal writes a novel which sets the standard for 'realism' in the novel. Stendhal writes a ponderous, plodding novel. |
Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis, 250 pages Jonathan Misirian Wednesday, March 29, 2006 Few comics deal with death as humorously as does Pearls… Bitter, existentialist ranting combined with minimalist comic strip art. |
Yarn Harlot by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, 219 pages Jennifer Dear Thursday, June 29, 2006 Hilarious. |
A Taste for Beer by Stephen Beaumont, 181 pages Steven Krise Tuesday, August 04, 2009 Written in 1995, just as the "craft beer" movement was gaining steam in North America, this book is an ode to beer and its pairing with other enjoyable experiences (including, eating food with beer, cooking food with beer (yes, a whole chapter of recipes), wine, whiskey, cigars, baseball franchises, movies, musical styles). |
Black Dog by Stephen Booth, 466 pages Mike Gadd Friday, January 24, 2003 I've gotten to where I really enjoy a good British puzzler. This one's as good as any other. More than the usual amount of 'English-speak'. Sample sentence: Helen slotted tins of peas and new potatoes into the kitchen cupboards, glancing sideways out of the window, where she could see Gwen pottering in the garden, carefully deadheading roses with a pair of secateurs. I just found a good British to English translator online that I'll have to put to good use next time. |
Dancing with the Virgins by Stephen Booth, 379 pages Mike Gadd Friday, April 18, 2003 Another solid effort from the writer of 'Black Dog'. Plenty of characters to keep you guessing, but plausible enough to be satisfying. |
Blood On the Tongue by Stephen Booth, 424 pages Mike Gadd Sunday, June 26, 2005 A nice foray back across the pond. This is the third in a series that has been enjoyable to read. Some nice new British phrases in this one, too. |
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (1999) by Stephen Chbosky, 224 pages Brad Snyder Wednesday, August 06, 2008 An awkward but incredibly intelligent kid learns social graces from the colorful characters with whom he surrounds himself. Apparently written for a younger audience, I still enjoyed the story, written in the form of several letters written over the course of a year to an anonymous person. |
I Am America (And So Can You!) (2007) by Stephen Colbert, 240 pages Brad Snyder Sunday, August 30, 2009 So funny. |
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, 358 pages Erik Bauer Thursday, March 14, 2002 This book needs to be read again; I think I grasped some of the ideas, but I'm not sure. One habit should be "comprehension of complicated processes." |
The Theory of Everything by Stephen Hawking, 136 pages Steven Krise Sunday, April 19, 2009 "The idea that space and time may form a closed surface without boundary also has profound implications for the role of God in the affairs of the universe. With the success of scientific theories in describing events, most people have come to believe that God allows the universe to evolve according to a set laws. He does not seem to intervene in the universe to break these laws. However, the laws do not tell us what the universe should have looked like when it started. It would still be up to God to wind up the clockwork and choose how to start it off. So long as the universe had a beginning that was a singularity, one could suppose that it was created by an outside agency. But if the universe is really completely self-contained, having no boundary or edge, it would be neither created nor destroyed. It would simply be. What place, then, for a creator?" |
Hot Springs by Stephen Hunter, 532 pages Mike Gadd Thursday, January 16, 2003 If you read the Washington Post on Fridays you may be familiar with Mr. Hunter's work. He's one of their better movie critics. Who knew he was a really good "tough guy" story writer? The story takes place in the 1940's in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Gambling is illegal but casinos are starting to spring up along with all the related debauchery. Earl Swagger, ex-marine, national hero, is called upon to put the kibosh on all the fun. He carries his own demons that threaten to bring him down. Made for a good read. |
Pale Horse Coming by Stephen Hunter, 540 pages Mike Gadd Sunday, May 16, 2004 Excellent sequel to 'Hot Springs'. |
Havana by Stephen Hunter, 470 pages Mike Gadd Saturday, May 21, 2005 Our hero, Earl Swagger is torn from his quiet family life once again because of his duty to his country. This time he must go to Cuba to help protect the American interests as Fidel Castro starts making a name for himself. All in all, it wasn't a real good story. It lacked the really bad guy the first two books had. Maybe Earl can go home now and get some rest. |
How the Canyon Became Grand by Stephen J. Pyne, 162 pages Tony Pisarenkov Saturday, September 06, 2003 An excellent survey of the exploration of the Grand Canyon and, more importantly, of the impact it had on American intellectual, cultural and political life. Packs an impressive amount of historical and social insight and some surprising connections between seemingly unrelated ideas into its relatively short length. |
The Panda's Thumb by Stephen Jay Gould, 343 pages Steven Krise Sunday, July 15, 2007 More reflections in natural history. |
Salem's Lot by Stephen King, 427 pages Jeff Gadd Monday, April 05, 1999 |
Skeleton Crew by Stephen King, 557 pages Jeff Gadd Sunday, November 07, 1999 |
The GREEN MILE by Stephen King, 533 pages Jeff Gadd Thursday, June 21, 2001 |
Hearts In Atlantis by Stephen King, 630 pages Steven Krise Wednesday, January 30, 2002 Um, not too good. The baseball glove?!? |
Pet Sematary by Stephen King, 371 pages Jeff Gadd Thursday, March 07, 2002 I am not going near any cemetary's for awhile. |
The Shining by Stephen King, 444 pages Jeff Gadd Tuesday, June 25, 2002 A boy about 5 who can read peoples mind's and his family goes to take care of the Hotel Overlook which has a evil history. |
Misery by Stephen King, 335 pages Jeff Gadd Wednesday, June 26, 2002 Creepy story about a insane No 1 fan of a book writer. |
Cujo by Stephen King, 301 pages Jeff Gadd Tuesday, July 16, 2002 A scary book about a boys dog who gets infected with rabies. |
Night Shift by Stephen King, 326 pages Jeff Gadd Thursday, November 28, 2002 Some scary short story's from Stephen King. |
The Bachman Books by Stephen King, 923 pages Jeff Gadd Friday, December 20, 2002 4 stories from Stephen King in his early years in high school and college. All pretty good. Rage, The Long Walk,Roadwork,and The Running Man. Not as creepy as his later books. |
The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, Book 1) (1982) by Stephen King, 213 pages Brad Snyder Monday, July 06, 2009 I had only read about three chapters of any of King's works prior to this. But a cryptic post on Facebook suddenly gained clarity two days later as the cover of this book stared at me from its shelf at the public library. It's a strange tale, one that mixes settings, times, and folklore, but one that is strangely interesting. The gunslinger, a knight from some futuristic kingdom, in his quest for the man in black. But for what? It looks like I must read the next book to find out. |
The Patriot by Stephen Molstad, 294 pages Jeff Gadd Wednesday, September 13, 2000 |
American Jesus: How the Son of God Became a National Icon by Stephen Prothero, 337 pages James Donahue Wednesday, January 07, 2004 Prothero outlines how Jesus slipped the bonds of theology to become everybody's best friend in America. The book is divided into two parts: the first one is Protestantism going from solus fide to solus Jesus; the second, on how outsiders have utilized Jesus to their own purposes. Focus is paid to Jesus Freaks, CCM, megachurches, liberalism, Thomas Jefferson, pop culture, Reformed Jews, and DL Moody, among other. Very informative but written with a great sense of humor. |
Religious Literacy: What every American needs to know and doesn’t. (2007) by Stephen Prothero, 294 pages Jonathan Misirian Monday, July 23, 2007 The author of 2003’s award winning American Jesus, comes back with a book assailing American’s lack religious knowledge. I found Prothero’s argument, for mandatory religious education, compelling, especially b/c it didn’t come from the far right camp of Christianity. The book is divided roughly in half beginning with his argument for greater religious education, and concludes with an alphabetical list of religious terms and their descriptions. |
Act of Creation: The Founding of the United Nations by Stephen Schlesinger, 287 pages James Donahue Thursday, May 19, 2005 Despite the jacket's promise of a story about 'superpowers' and 'secret agents,' Schlesinger's book is still a pretty convential story about the diplomatic negotiations of the 1945 San Francisco Conference that produced the final version of the U.N. Charter. A good read by a current UN insider, but falls too often into a narrow focus on the American delegation. |
Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) (2006) by Stephenie Meyer, 544 pages Brad Snyder Saturday, July 26, 2008 Another recommendation from my daughter. While it is obviously intended for an adolescent and female audience, I found the story entertaining. Basic premise: Girl meets boy. Boy is a vampire. While obviously making dating complicated, since the boy wants to suck the girl’s blood, girl and vampire fall in love anyway, cool with their differences. Vampire and girl meet another coven of vampires who really want to suck the girl's blood. Adventure follows. |
New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2) (2006) by Stephenie Meyer, 608 pages Brad Snyder Thursday, August 07, 2008 Bella's dreamy vampire leaves, although madly in love with her, in order to protect her from bad vampires that want to kill her. So, she falls for a werewolf, the sworn enemy of vampires. Relationships are so complicated, why can't we all just be friends? |
Eclipse (The Twilight Saga, Book 3) (2007) by Stephenie Meyer, 640 pages Brad Snyder Tuesday, August 12, 2008 Bella, wracked with a decision between vampire-boy and a life of being his vampire queen or brushing the matted fur of her werewolf must suddenly be protected by werewolves and vampires cooperating to save her whiny, self-centered self. |
Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4) (2008) by Stephenie Meyer, 768 pages Brad Snyder Monday, August 18, 2008 I was prepared to slam this book. I expected to hate it based on the previous two. I must now admit that it wasn't all that bad. It takes Meyer a long time to set up her story and to get to the action, and then the action is finished pretty quickly. This book followed that pattern, but surprised me a bit at the end with how much I enjoyed it. If you are going to read this, read the whole series. Also keep in mind that my thirteen year-old daughter and her friends LOVE it, so it might not be for many of the manly men on this forum. I have been pleased to share it with my daughter...to share in her world in this way, an opportunity we will share again when the movie is released in December. |
MEG by Steve Alten, 337 pages Jeff Gadd Wednesday, December 02, 1998 |
The Trench by Steve Alten, 425 pages Jeff Gadd Sunday, July 30, 2000 |
The Trench by Steve Alten, 425 pages Jeff Gadd Tuesday, July 15, 2003 A story about Dark Angel, a Megalodon, a man named Jonas captures, gets loose in the ocean, and he has to capture it again a second time. Even though he allmost dies from the first time. |
Y - The Descent of Men by Steve Jones, 252 pages Steven Krise Tuesday, April 29, 2008 |
Walk On: The Spiritual Journey Of U2 by Steve Stockman, 250 pages Brad Snyder Monday, January 02, 2006 Something Jonathan said to me years ago resonates with me: the music of U2 is a spiritual thing. Stockman has made an honest effort at bringing the spirituality of the group to light, but I wonder if this is a necessary undertaking for those of us that have already bought into this aspect of the band. While I enjoyed a good part of the book, at times Stockman comes across as little more than an apologist with a desire for everyone to recognize this side of the band and this tainted the book a bit for me. |
Photographing Fairies by Steve Szilagyi, 321 pages A Bennett Tuesday, February 25, 2003 Despite the title, this is not a fantasy novel. In death/spiritualism-obsessed Victorian London, a failed American painter (and now portrait photographer), Charles Castle’s life starts coming apart, just at about the time a strange country constable brings him photographic ‘evidence’ that fairies exist. A few visits with Arthur Conan Doyle later, and Castle is convinced that the photographs just *might* be real. Grasping at what he sees as his last possible moment to save himself from artistic and financial ruin, he hops a train to the country desperate to prove the phenomenon with his own photographs. Along the way he is robbed, beaten, seduced, enlightened, and never manages to photograph a single fairy. The book is “written,” or, as he later confesses, ‘thought’ on the last night of his life, hours before he is to hang from the gallows for a murder that he did not, in fact, commit. Did he find what he was looking for? The proof he sought? Possibly. Is he simply a madman trying to convince readers he was an innocent pawn caught in supernatural happenings far beyond his—or any mere mortal’s--control? Possibly. Based on a version of actual events. Necessary vocabulary: diaspora, concomitant, homunculi. Also, along the way, Castle shares helpful ‘tips’ for the up-and-coming Victorian-era photographer. No, seriously. I’m not making that up. |
The Man Called Cash : The Life, Love, and Faith of an American Legend by Steve Turner, 320 pages Brad Snyder Saturday, December 10, 2005 Turner was supposed to have written this with Cash himself. This is a nice companion to Cash's own autobiography, based largely on interviews with people that knew the man throughout his life: childhood friends, Air Force buddies, fellow musicians, producers, and family members. His faith is a consistent theme, but not the entire focus of the book. Recommended for any music fan. |
Hungry for Heaven: Rock 'n' Roll & the Search for Redemption by Steve Turner, 240 pages Brad Snyder Tuesday, December 27, 2005 Turner wrote the biography of Johnny Cash that I reviewed a few weeks ago. In that book, he related the fact that Cash had read and commented favorably on this book, so I wanted to read it myself. It is a very good analysis of the role that spirituality plays in rock 'n' roll. Not just Christianity, but Islam, New Age, Rastfarianism, Eastern Mysticism, etc. Much like the book on Cash, Turner interviewed several of the people he talks about in the book: Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, Sting, Al Green, Ozzy Osbourne, etc. Besides these sources, he cites several magazine articles, books, and album jackets, all of which are listed in the fine bibliography. The problem is that he doesn't give proper citations in the text, so it's difficult to match which conversation matches to what source. And while he weaves an interesting thread through the history of popular music, he doesn't have any kind of concluding chapter to tie it all together. This would have made the book much more compelling. |
Adrift by Steven Callahan, 234 pages Steve Gadd Wednesday, January 24, 1996 |
Adrift by Steven Callahan, 344 pages Steve Gadd Friday, June 27, 1997 |
Adrift by Steven Callahan, 344 pages Steve Gadd Monday, April 10, 2000 The ever rereadable first person account of 76 days spent floating across the Pacific in a rubber life raft. |
Adrift by Steven Callahan, 344 pages Steve Gadd Wednesday, September 22, 2004 I read this book every few years and get a new appreciation for such things as fresh water, food, and a warm bed. This survivor's resourcefulness and determination are always impressive, and his precise drawings are a nice touch. |
Adrift by Steven Callahan, 344 pages Steve Gadd Wednesday, April 18, 2007 Day 14: I sit a thousand miles away from any companionship, money, or luxury, yet I have a feeling of wealth. Fifteen pounds of raw fish dangle from clotheslines that I've rigged in one half of the raft. I call it the butcher shop. The solar sill is beginning to glisten with condensation, coins tossed to this beggar by the aristocratic sun. It is not much, but the implications of my meager cache are great. Slowly I am evolving a home out of this rubber, string, and steel. |
Freakonomics by Steven D Levitt and Stephen J Dubner, 242 pages Steven Krise Sunday, October 08, 2006 "What the link between [the legalization in 1973 of] abortion and [the sudden drop during the 1990s in] crime does say is this: when the government gives a woman the oppurtunity to make her own decision about abortion, she generally does a good job of figuring out if she is in a position to raise the baby well. If she decides she can't she often chooses the abortion." |
Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner , 242 pages Steve Gadd Saturday, August 05, 2006 A themeless collection of essays seeking to explore the statistics behind the drop in crime in the '90s, the effects of parental behavior and a child's name on future success, and the comparative risk of having a swimming pool or a gun. The most interesting section was the report from a student who spent years with Chicago crack dealers, finding their business model similar to that of McDonalds. |
The Panda's Thumb by Steven J Gould, 343 pages Steven Krise Wednesday, May 15, 2002 From the most often misquoted paleontologist comes this collection of essays loosely connected by the theme that it is nature's imperfections that clinch the case for evolution. Highlights: page 41's discussion of the proliferation of geometric perfection in the absence of intelligent guidance and chapter 10's revelation of Teilhard de Chardin's role in the Piltdown hoax. And, of course, there's puncuated equilibrium. They're all puncuated equilibrium, you see. |
Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner, 220 pages Tony Pisarenkov Wednesday, May 31, 2006 If you can get past the authors continuously congratulating themselves on their greatness, it's actually interesting stuff |
The Singing Neanderthals: The Origins Of Music, Language, Mind, And Body by Steven Mithen, 374 pages Steven Krise Tuesday, May 27, 2008 "With equal parts scientific rigor and charm, [Mithen] marshals current evidence about social organization, tool and weapon technologies, hunting and scavenging strategies, habits and brain capacity of all our hominid ancestors from australopithecines to Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis, and Neanderthals to Homo sapiens--and comes up with a scenario for a shared musical and linguistic heritage. Along the way he weaves a tapestry of cognitive and expressive worlds--alive with vocalized sound, communal mimicry, sexual display, and rhythmic movement--of various species. The result is a fascinating work--and a succinct riposte to those, like Steven Pinker, who have dismissed music as a functionless evolutionary byproduct." |
The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker, 430 pages Steve Gadd Tuesday, May 13, 1997 |
Words and Rules by Steven Pinker, 287 pages Steve Gadd Monday, November 27, 2000 This study in linguistics, focusing on regular and irregular verbs, is a bit more tedious than The Language Instinct, but still has some rewarding insights. |
The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker, 430 pages Steve Gadd Sunday, May 10, 2009 Pinker makes the case for an innate ability to use language, pointing out that human languages have more similarities than differences, and a child's skill at learning to speak demonstrates that there is more than simple imitation at work. |
The Afghan Campaign: A Novel (2006) by Steven Pressfield, 368 pages Brad Snyder Sunday, March 15, 2009 Matthias is a soldier of Alexander's army. He and his brothers in arms are stationed in Afghanistan, facing a resourceful and brutal enemy. Clunky storytelling and weak plot lines. |
Dead Folks Blues by Steven Womack, 259 pages Mike Gadd Thursday, February 10, 2005 |
Last Night at the Lobster (2007) by Stewart O’Nan, 146 pages Jonathan Misirian Tuesday, April 08, 2008 Hailed as a modern story of our postmodern life, O’Nan’s gift lies in his simplicity and in his efforts to paint an accurate portrait of our way of life. A glorified short story, O’Nan follows the manager of a Red Lobster during the last shift before the store is closed. |
Starting Out in Poker by Stewart Reuben, 160 pages Steven Krise Saturday, October 17, 2009 A fairly standard poker text, except for the unique "Try It Yourself" section at the end of each chapter, which is a short graded quiz with rated answers in the back of the book. |
Fine Frights Stories that Scared Me. by Story's Selected by Ramsey Campbell, 306 pages Jeff Gadd Sunday, July 14, 2002 Short Scary storys selected by him as his favorites. |
Irrationality by Stuart Sutherland, 238 pages Steve Gadd Monday, July 16, 2007 This book tries to inventory a variety of ways in which people make bad decisions, such as sitting through a bad movie because the tickets were expensive (the sunk costs error), favoring evidence that confirms one's beliefs and discounting contrary evidence, and fundamental misunderstanding of statistics. Sutherland himself seems to be less than rigorous in his presentation at times, ignoring the rational behavior in a study, or citing the "availability error" as the reason for just about everything. |
Off the Books: The Underground Economy of the Urban Poor (2006) by Sudhir Alladi Venkatesh, 426 pages Jonathan Misirian Wednesday, July 04, 2007 Professor Venkatesh lived on the near south side of Chicago for a few years, documenting the underground economy. An in-depth look at shopkeepers, pastors, gang leaders and regular people who work underneath the system, in order to make ends meet. |
Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper, 243 pages Julie Gephart Sunday, March 31, 2002 First in a fantasy series that had better get better. Ordinary people who encounter ancient evil forces should really be deeply affected in some way. I'm just saying. |
Duchess: A Novel of Sarah Churchill by Susan Galloway Scott, 379 pages Micaela Larkin Sunday, November 26, 2006 Excellent historical fiction... it makes you want to read more about the subject! |
The Book of Jerry Falwell: Fundamentalist Language and Politics by Susan Harding, 312 pages James Donahue Wednesday, November 06, 2002 |
I'm the King of the Castle by Susan Hill, 223 pages Steven Krise Saturday, January 22, 2005 Another novel from a British author about a pathetic character I'm supposed to feel sorry for because of his inability to act. |
Red, White, and Blue (Audio) by Susan Isaacs, 0 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, March 07, 2002 He's a cowboy disguised as an undercover F.B.I agent. She's a reporter on a big story. Together they stop the bad guys. Not complete dren. Read by the former Lex Luthor, John Shea. |
Loving in Flow: How the Happiest Couples Get and Stay That Way by Susan K. Perry, 329 pages Tony Pisarenkov Wednesday, August 04, 2004 Mostly very insightful and informative, although some issues are covered in much greater detail than others. Recommended not only to couples who are reevaluating their relationship, but also to those who feel that things are going well for them. Unfortunately, the topic that was of particular interest to this reader gets short thrift, but that does not detract from the book's general usefulness. |
Feminism, Film, Fascism by Susan Linville, 170 pages James Donahue Thursday, August 08, 2002 Linville explores the way in which feminist and deconstructive films have challenged common notions of the Holocaust in postwar Germany. Specifically: how they challenge the notion that Nazism is definitively over when partriachal and reactionary structures still remain intact and operative after 1945. |
Girl In Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland, 257 pages James Donahue Wednesday, April 10, 2002 Good historical fiction. It really gives one a feel for early modern Holland, particularly with such lush descriptions of the landscape. The plot traces the history of a Vermeer painting of a girl in blue from now back to it conception through its succession of owners, paying particular attention to what each owner cherished about the painting. |
Dark Passions by Susan Wright, 432 pages Julie Gephart Friday, July 04, 2003 So, which do you suppose is more embarrassing – the soap opera title, or the fact that it’s actually a Star Trek novel? |
Donde te lleve el corazón by Susanna Tamaro, 139 pages Steve Gadd Saturday, September 15, 2001 A series of sentimental letters from a widow to her estranged granddaughter. |
Charlotte von Kirschbaum and Karl Barth by Suzanne Selinger, 206 pages James Donahue Monday, April 08, 2002 An interesting study of the famous theologian and his secretary/soulmate. Paints a vivid picture of an unusual and often scandelous relationship. Best when it points out how their love influenced Barth's theology, particularly on the topics of women pastors, the I-Thou calling, and the imago Dei. |
Unveiling by Suzanne Wolfe, 188 pages James Donahue Wednesday, January 19, 2005 Wolfe writes of a recently-divorced woman in Rome working at unveiling a 16th-c triptych. While doing so she finds herself among the rituals and lived Catholicism of her environs even as she herself remains immune to religious belief. Well-written, but the short and stubby chapters never allowed me to truly immerse myself. |
Rage for Fame: The Ascent of Clare Boothe Luce by Sylvia Jukes Morris, 478 pages Micaela Larkin Tuesday, May 08, 2007 |