tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53805835920985650632024-03-15T18:10:26.640-07:00I'll Never Forget the Day I Read a Book!Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.comBlogger208125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-60085829053301807222012-08-07T09:35:00.000-07:002012-08-07T09:35:26.742-07:00On Hiatus<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have no internet connection at home presently, as I have sold my house and am in a short term rental until the new one is finished. In the interim I can't post any reviews. Stay tuned, new posts should start showing up in September.<br />
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Clark</div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-42266816501246227972012-05-31T19:37:00.001-07:002012-06-10T20:38:04.940-07:00Pattern Recognition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
William Gibson<br />
<br />
After reading <a href="http://residentreader.blogspot.com/2012/05/distrust-that-particular-flavor.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+IllNeverForgetTheDayIReadABook+%28I%27ll+Never+Forget+the+Day+I+Read+a+Book%21%29">Distrust That Particular Flavor</a>, I felt a need to catch up a bit on William Gibson's novels. <i>Pattern Recognition</i> is the first in a series of novels set in a weird Gibsonian version of the, post 9/11, present. Gibson's protagonist, Cayce Pollard, makes her living by being psychologically allergic to corporate hyperbole. She is a consultant to advertising agencies, on what is going to be the next cool thing to take advantage of and what is creepy about their advertising campaigns. She is in London at the beginning of the book, passing judgement on the newly designed swoosh logo of a sneaker manufacturer which shall remain nameless.<br />
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Gibson built this novel around a concept which he calls the "Garage Kubrick." Keep in mind that the book was published in 2003, before the advent of YouTube. The "Garage Kubrick" working alone with a personal computer, is able to create a feature film by manipulating bits and pieces of footage, making a movie pixel by pixel, mixing in dialog and music, then releasing the film by uploading it in bits and pieces, to various websites. <br />
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Cayce Pollard, who follows the release of the various bits of "the footage" and discusses them on a dedicated online forum, is hired by the mysterious Dutch advertising executive Hubertus Bigend, to track down the creator of the footage, the "Garage Kubrick." The action and adventure that ensues is due to her pursuit of that goal. I hate to release any spoilers but rest assured there is plenty of action and adventure.<br />
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All of the technology in the book was current, or at least possible, in 2003. Pixar was creating digitally animated films which were quite sophisticated. It was possible, at that time, to imaging one that looked like live action. This year, of course, we saw the release of <i>Tintin</i>, which appears to be about 95% of the way to that goal. <br />
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I am working my way through <i>Spook Country</i>, Gibson's next novel in this series, on my way to attempting <i>Zero History</i>, which came out in 2010. Expect to see more of Gibson on these pages, soon.<br />
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<br /></div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-22641192818289936702012-05-20T14:30:00.000-07:002012-05-20T14:33:19.823-07:00Distrust That Particular Flavor<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
William Gibson<br />
<br />
Writers tend to accumulate a lot of stuff, short pieces that they wrote for this or that publication, or for no particular reason. After a while all that stuff can be swept together an become a book. This book is William Gibson's stuff.<br />
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Gibson is an odd, quirky kind of thinker, so his stuff is pretty interesting. The first piece "African Thumb Piano" is about how he set about learning to write fiction, science fiction, of course. He had a hard time at first with the cool technologies that were supposed to make his stories fit that genre. What do they do and what should he call them? "My wife parodied them all, not unkindly, as 'His long green ears quivering, Fino slipped from the rig.' Today this reminds me that I was having trouble with character names. At one point I seriously considered borrowing them from products in the IKEA catalog. But there was always something akin to 'the rig.' Some unimagined (by me), hence unnamed, element of technology." Later Gibson got very good at imagining and naming things, like "cyberspace," his invented term for an extension of the internet into a live space occupied by the minds of uber-hackers of the near future, who no longer had much interest in their physical bodies. Now we think of cyberspace as the world wide web.<br />
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In this book, Gibson reviews a record or two, visits Singapore (<i>Disneyland with the Death Penalty</i>), explains why he is fascinated with Japan, loves London and Tokyo, disparages the internet as a waste of time, becomes an eBay addict and visits the set of his own movie. It is a hodgepodge of "non fiction" writing by a master writer of fiction.<br />
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He predicts (12 years ago) that computer chips will indeed be implanted in peoples heads, for medical reasons and that they will rapidly become obsolete. I heard a piece on NPR just this weekend about a paraplegic, experimentally, controlling a robot arm through the use of a brain implanted chip. Twelve years from now we may see paraplegics walk again, using lab grown neurons implanted in their bodies to bypass the damaged spinal chord. Who needs a chip? <br />
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Some pieces have already been bypassed by events. Gibson includes a 1999 piece about digital film making: how it could someday be good enough to supplant real film. Hardly anybody makes movies on film anymore, it's too expensive and limited. The pace at which real technology now overtakes the imagination of science fiction writers is kind of scary.<br />
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I'm unsure which flavor I am instructed to distrust in the title of the book. Cappuccino Crunch?<br />
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<br /></div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-78682739527291226552012-05-10T04:04:00.000-07:002012-05-10T04:04:18.994-07:00The Forest Unseen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A Year’s Watch in Nature<br />
<br />
David George Haskell<br />
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<br />
<br />
A standard exercise in undergraduate environmental science classes is to assign each student to go out and throw a hula hoop on the ground and then write a paper on what is to be found inside the circle of that hoop. I’m sure professors hope nobody will go out and do a report on a small part of an asphalt parking lot. Professor Haskell has taken this assignment to it’s logical extreme by visiting the same small patch of ground, on a mountainside, in an old growth forest near where he teaches biology in Tennessee, every week or two for an entire year.<br />
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Each chapter is derived from one such visit, starting in early January and running until December 31st. On every visit he sees something different, something timely and something interesting.<br />
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Haskell goes into extreme detail about the plants, the soil, the tiny springtails, the fungus, spiders and insects found in his square meter of ground. He also looks up to see the trees, the song birds and the deer, coyotes and raccoons that are in the surrounding forest.<br />
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Haskell’s small patch of ground is in and old growth forest, but human intervention is everywhere in his patch. Acidification caused by coal burning power plants, golf balls driving from the top of a nearby cliff by wagering golfers, global climate change. He has one chapter about the eradication of eastern timber wolves and their gradual replacement by coyotes migrating from the west and one on the effect of farming and timbering on the deer population.<br />
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As I am soon going to move in to a small patch of reasonable aged regrown forest I was drawn to this study. I sort of doubt that I will spend my retirement studying my local nematodes, but now, at least, I will know that they are there.</div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-1535278082756143182012-04-22T19:02:00.000-07:002012-04-22T19:02:55.332-07:00The Rope<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Nevada Barr<br />
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<i>The Rope</i> is the eighteenth book in Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series of crime novels. As has become the norm in crime fiction, the reader is invited to become involved in the life of Anna Pigeon through this series of books. The gimmick, if I may use that word, is that Anna Pigeon is a National Parks police officer and each book is set in a different park. Anna Pigeon novels are a guided tour of the National Park system.<br />
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This book is a bit different. It is a flashback to the beginning of Pigeon's career in the Park Service. It gives the reader a lot of background, filling in Anna's history. It's like the birth of the Lone Ranger episode that used to air once a year, which every child waited for with anticipation.<br />
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The setting is Glen Canyon National Park and whiffs of Edward Abbey are in the air. Lake Powell laps at the beautiful, stark sandstone sculptures carved, by the wind and the Colorado River over millions of years. Human waste and toilet paper blossoms dot the small beaches found far up side canyons, where houseboaters stop for a night of two of partying. Silt slowly piles up in the bottom of the lake.<br />
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Anna Pigeon is introduced as a seasonal park employee assisting a more senior seasonal, in cleaning up the mess left by the partying boaters. Of course there is murder and mayhem. Anna is right in the thick of it, not as an investigator, but as a potential victim. Through grit and determination she manages to survive. What she doesn't do is solve the crime, which is left up to the surprising perpetrator's own mistakes. Nevertheless, there are plenty of clues thrown out and misdirection to keep you guessing. There is even a kind of Alfred Hitchcock moment when you want to shake Anna and tell her to run, as she cluelessly walks into a trap that is obvious to the reader but not to her.<br />
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In the end Anna decides that she wants to become a full time Parks employee - in law enforcement. Better to be the cop than the victim. She says that more women should think of themselves as dangerous. I thought everyone knew that women were dangerous.<br />
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<br /></div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-73676806629412170152012-04-14T20:03:00.000-07:002012-04-16T05:58:40.722-07:00Space Chronicles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Facing the Ultimate Frontier<br />
<br />
Neil deGrasse Tyson: edited by Avis Lang<br />
<br />
<i>Space Chronicles</i> is a collection of Tyson's most recent writing cleverly
assembled by Avis Lang into a coherent book with one central theme. Neil deGrasse Tyson wants to go back to the Moon. He wants to go to Mars. He wants to visit asteroids and he wants to do these things with Astronauts, not just unmanned robotic probes. Why? " . . . the sheer joy of exploration and discovery," for one thing, but also survival: survival of the human species in the event of another, eventually inevitable, extinction level asteroid collision with the Earth, and the survival of the United States of America as a technological, political and economic world leader.<br />
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Tyson takes ancient China as an example of decline.<br />
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" . . . in the late 1400s, China turned insular. It stopped looking beyond it's shores. It stopped exploring beyond it's then-current state of knowledge. And the entire enterprise of creativity stopped. That's why you don't people saying "here's a modern Chinese answer to that problem." Instead they're talking about ancient Chinese remedies. There's a cost when you stop innovating and stop investing and stop exploring. That cost is severe. And it worries me deeply, because if you don't explore, you recede into irrelevance as other nations figure out the value of exploration."<br />
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China, incidentally, is back in the game now. China has a manned space program aimed at putting a Chinese man on the Moon. The solar panels your neighbor put on his roof were probably built in China.Pretty soon a modern Chinese solution to any knotty problem may be the best, cheapest way to go.<br />
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Why a manned space program? It's way more expensive to send people into space than machines. The Mars rovers were a spectacular success. The Hubble Space Telescope was an absolute triumph. Tyson's answer is inspiration. The Apollo program inspired many young people, including Tyson himself, to pursue science as a career. This meant studying the hard math and science curricula in school. It meant building a telescope and staying up late nights looking at the stars from a rooftop in the Bronx. It meant having two technologically literate generations of Americans to give us the kind of lifestyle we take for granted now, at the beginning of the twenty first century. Tyson believes that a manned Moon/Mars program will revitalize that inspiration. Oh, and then there's spinoff technologies that nobody has though of yet, which will create the new economy of the twenty first century. <br />
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Or we can just buy stuff from China until the money runs out.<br />
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<br /></div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-37636491211184591942012-03-30T20:17:00.001-07:002012-03-30T20:17:58.265-07:00The Way of the World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A Story of Truth and Hope in an Age of Extremism<br />
Ron Suskind<br />
<br />
I found this 2008 book, by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Ron Suskind, a bit problematical. Written near the end of the Bush/Cheney second term, it blatantly characterizes George W. Bush as a bully, not in some policy sense, but personally, as the kid who picks on smaller kids in the schoolyard and takes their lunch money. This is a postulate, unsupported by any evidence. Perhaps Suskind had already made that case in a previous book but, if so, he made no reference to it.<br />
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Suskind follows several people in the book, in a novelistic sort of way. Are these real people doing and saying real things? Wendy Chamberlin, certainly, is a real diplomat, now at the Middle East Institute. Rolf Mowatt-Larssen actually was a top CIA employee and now works at the Kennedy School of Government. But how about Usman Khosa, from Pakistan or Ibrahim Frontan, a high school exchange student from a small village in Afghanistan? Suskind reports extensive private conversations between these people and friends in Pakistan, Washington D.C., Colorado. Pennsylvania. Did he interview Khosa's sister about what they talked about during a visit to Lahore for a family wedding? Did he talk to the other kids in Frontan's two high schools? I don't know where the reporting leaves off and the fiction begins in <i>The Way of the World</i>. I didn't see much hope in the book, though, even were it one hundred percent truth.<br />
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The lesson driven home is that the Bush administration manipulated public opinion and lied about the cause for war in Iraq. We already knew that. Suskind suggests that the U.S. be humble in our policy regarding the Middle East. That hardly seems possible. Do we apologize and pull all our troops out of Afghanistan as quickly as possible. Oops, sorry, our mistake. Politely ask Israel to give Jerusalem to the Palistinians? Not likely, unless we want the Taliban back in Kabul by fall and massive Israeli lobbying against whatever administration took Suskind's advice. <br />
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Rolf Mowatt-Larssen is in the book looking for a way to energize the search for stray nuclear material throughout the world. His chapters are frightening and not hopeful at all. Wendy Chamberlin, I think, is the model on which Suskind would like to build a new American foreign policy. She worked on Arab/Israeli relations for the State Department, became the UN High Commissioner on Refugees where she attempted to rally assistance for South Sudan and Darfur. Wouldn't it be great if we could just give food and medicine to everyone in need and not worry about Alkaida, North Korea, Iran or a dozen othe sources of potential chaos? </div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-82466261484858119432012-03-09T18:30:00.002-08:002012-03-16T06:45:25.184-07:00Feast Day of Fools<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
James Lee Burke<br />
<br />
The latest in James Lee Burke's Hackberry Holland series finds the nearly eighty year old west Texas sheriff involved with the kidnapping of an engineer who has the entire plan of the Predator drone in his head. From this improbable premise a mountain of improbabilities is built, which the reader may scarcely notice, while the suspense rolls on.<br />
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The idea that one person could sit down with a pencil an a piece of paper and draw out a set of plans which would allow Alkaida to build it's own homemade Predator, which Noeie Barnum is purported to be capable of, is an absurd idea. This provides the motivation for the FBI, a familiar Russian crime boss, the son of a former US Senator and a couple of Mexican coyotes to cause a lot of chaos in Hackberry Holland's county. Everybody is looking for this guy. Most want to sell him, and his talents, to the highest bidder.<br />
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It takes a while to find him, of course, because he is hiding out with the equally improbable Preacher Jack Collins, Holland's nemesis, a scruffy mad serial killer who lives out of dumpsters and goodwill stores, and, by the way, is a very rich man, with no explainable means of support, that can have a new Toyota delivered to him at a truck stop and hire unreliable Mexican criminals to screw up his plans, whatever he needs.<br />
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Three quarters of the way through the book, Burke seems to tire of Noeie Barnum as a device and summarily dismisses him from the story. By this time, another character "La Magdelena," a Cambodian woman who runs a way station for illegal aliens who have just crossed the border, has been kidnapped and taken to Mexico by the Russians, who plan to trade her for Barnum, who is now being held in "protective custody" in Holland's jail. Holland, turns Barnum loose and tells him to hitch hike out of his county, teams up with Jack Collins to invade their heavily guarded compound and rescue her, thus ending the book on a highly ambiguous note. <br />
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Feast Day of Fools is highly flawed and illogical. It is also a great page turner, full of unspeakable violence, if you like that sort of thing.</div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-1373094803939167962012-02-19T05:00:00.000-08:002012-02-19T05:00:52.196-08:00The Man Who Found Time<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<br />
James Hutton and the Discovery of the Earth’s Antiquity<br />
<br />
By John Repcheck<br />
<br />
Perseus Publishing 2003<br />
<br />
James Hutton [1726-1797] the Scottish born & educated medical doctor is regarded, by Mr. Repcheck, as the father of the modern study of geology. This is the story of the formulation, dissemination, and gradual acceptance of Hutton’s geological theory: that the Earth was much older than the “6,000 years since Creation” as The Church steadfastly maintained at the time.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ0tZosx2Gl8D0MHJN5S3kTavdWtpNoLCTB5qtcttRxLhA8e87Z" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ0tZosx2Gl8D0MHJN5S3kTavdWtpNoLCTB5qtcttRxLhA8e87Z" width="188" /></a></div>Using his powers of observation and logic to explain the geological evidence bared by Scotland’s harsh climate, Hutton applied something like scientific method to explain phenomena like the existence of marine fossils far above sea level. He proposed that the earth’s crust was cyclically thrust up- and much later- down by the earth’s inner pressures and heat over remarkably long [Hutton could not say how long] periods of time. As a member of what came to be known as The Scottish Enlightenment, Hutton regularly met in Edinburgh with the likes of Immanuel Kant, David Hume, Adam Smith, Joseph Black, and other thinkers. These men were, at the time, known as philosophers. The term scientist, Repcheck tells us, would not be used until the 1830s; but their thinking further fueled The Enlightenment’s<br />
departure from the religion-based view of the world. Today’s scientists fix the age of the world at 4.6 billion years, a far cry from the 6,000 years held by Biblical scholars of Hutton’s time.<br />
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The Man Who Found Time is a good tale, reasonably well told. The author takes occasional tangents, some of which were interesting and informative. Overall, I found the book slow going; but worth the effort.<br />
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This guest post was written by Johnson Fortenbaugh, a gentleman and a scholar, who is at risk for cranial sunburn. </div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-53428424704514585352012-02-11T19:01:00.000-08:002012-02-11T19:01:28.267-08:00Wayward Saints<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Suzzy Roche<br />
<br />
I first encountered <i>The Roches</i> on vinyl around 1984, when I began hosting a folk music radio show at the surprisingly powerful high school station, WKHS. Warner Brothers sent me their first three albums, <i>The Roches</i>, <i>Nurds</i> and <i>Keep On Doing</i> in a neatly wrapped package. It was one of my first acquisitions from a record company. I was using a pile of old LPs borrowed from storage a friend's barn for most of my music.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1321251159l/13014929.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1321251159l/13014929.jpg" width="157" /></a></div>I played the grooves off of those three albums. Their clever lyrics with their smart humorous tales of life for three young sisters in New York, trying to break into the music business, were priceless. Having left the radio game now for more than a decade, (where does the time go?) I had lost track of Maggie, Terre and Suzzy, the three sisters from New Jersey that I loved so much. So I was surprised to see this book on the new books display at my local library. <br />
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The cover art shows the silhouette of a skinny girl with an acoustic guitar over an orange psychedelic vortex, with a smaller silhouette of a woman in white gloves in front of a row of lime green identical suburban houses in the corner. The first chapter, featuring a punk rock band just formed in England, and filled with f-bombs, almost made me close the book and return it. I was afraid that it was going fantasy nightmare of sex, drugs and rock and roll with intimate scenes on the tour bus.<br />
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After what, to my relief, turned out to be a short bit of exposition, the novel moves on to the later life of Mary Saint, former punk rocker, living in San Francisco and working in a coffee shop, and her mother, living alone in quiet suburban upstate New York.<br />
<br />
The book is a story of forgiveness and redemption and is quite touching, while still gripping. There are lots of colorful characters from the music business, from San Francisco's tenderloin and from the small, imaginary, town of Swallow, New York. I particularly liked Mary's San Fransisco roommate, Thaddeus, who is described as a "chocolate tranny." Thaddeus works at the coffee shop but also dances at a storefront non denominational church of vague theology. Thaddeus is a big hit in Swallow New York. He is one of two possible incarnations of the virgin Mary in the book. All done very tastefully, of course.<br />
<br />
Yes, there is a big concert at the end, in the auditorium of Swallow, New York's high school. This concert is the vehicle by which Mary and her mother are reunited. In the real world a concert of songs like <i>The Back of My Ass </i>and<i> Tom's Dick and Harry</i> would never have been allowed to happen. Instead it would would cost the high school English teacher that thought of this bonehead idea his job. Fortunately this is art. </div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-90743645919530279632012-01-23T10:32:00.000-08:002012-01-23T10:36:06.422-08:00Machine Man<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Max Barry</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A friend mentioned this book and it sounded interesting enough to me to remember to go to Amazon and one click it to my Kindle. I’m not sure of the genre it might be science fiction sort of, but it’s set in what feels like the present, there are no flying cars. I think of it as dark humor, a twisted Michael Crichton novel perhaps. </div><div class="NoSpacing">Barry explores the soulless military industrial complex and the mind of a brilliant engineer/scientist with no life aside from his employment with a large high tech company. Due to an accident in the lab, caused by distraction over his misplaced phone, Charlie the protagonist loses a limb. While in the hospital he falls in love for the first time ever with the physical therapist that’s helping him to learn to use his prosthesis. </div><div class="NoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i43.tower.com/images/mm117378188/machine-man-max-barry-paperback-cover-art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="http://i43.tower.com/images/mm117378188/machine-man-max-barry-paperback-cover-art.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Being brilliant and unsatisfied with his prosthesis, Charlie, unauthorized and ignoring all other duties at work makes himself a better leg. Soon he becomes acutely aware of the deficiencies of his other limb and makes a decision. His second trip to the hospital is not well received by the hospital staff but by this time his employers see the value Charlie may bring to their military products. The cold hand of corporate personhood becomes more involved while Charlie struggles between reinventing himself and seeking affection. Some of the human parts of the corporate body suffer the consequences of their determination to exploit Charlie as does Charlie’s love interest. <br />
<div class="NoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="NoSpacing">But it doesn’t end all that well, Charlie’s girlfriend survives but Charlie finds himself somewhat reduced. </div><div class="NoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="NoSpacing">I was entertained and given cause to speculate on how far away some of things imagined in this novel actually are. </div><div class="NoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="NoSpacing"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/58918_1582523609856_1438683945_31520131_6509196_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="108" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/58918_1582523609856_1438683945_31520131_6509196_n.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><br />
This, the first guest review on I<i>'ll Never Forget The Day I Read A Book</i>, was written by Mark Bjorke. Mark is the older, wiser brother of this blog's publisher.</div><div class="NoSpacing"></div><div class="NoSpacing"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5380583592098565063" name="_GoBack"></a></div></div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-70706564110282175862012-01-16T19:05:00.000-08:002012-01-16T19:05:09.686-08:00Just Kids<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Patti Smith<br />
<br />
Celebrity autobiographies are an iffy proposition. This one grabs your with the first sentence and never lets go. No wonder it won a National Book Award.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.spinner.com/media/2010/11/just-kids-patt-smith-200x330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.spinner.com/media/2010/11/just-kids-patt-smith-200x330.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Patti Smith arrived in New York on a Trailways bus with only a few dollars in her pocket and an old address of some friends she hoped to stay with. Instead she found Robert Mapplethorpe, then an unknown young aspiring artist. Together they worked their way up from homelessness to fame, or at least noteriety, and relative affluence.<br />
<br />
You may recognize Robert Mapplethorpe's name. He was the artist who's work was used as an justification for an attack on the National Endowment for the Arts in 1989, led by then House Speaker and now Presidential candidate, Newt Gingrich. Mapplethorpe never received any NEA money. The controversy over an exhibition of his work that resulted in cuts to the NEA budget erupted about four months after Mapplethorpe's death.<br />
<br />
Mapplethorpe's photographs were a deliberate attempt to make pornography an art form. His awakening to his own homosexuality, as well as the development of his artistic vision are central to this book.The opening chapter, as well as the end of the book deal with Mapplethorpe's death from AIDS. Smith does not attempt to gloss over or sugar coat his, or her own, participation in the sexual revolution that took place in the 1970's, or it's consequences. I'm sort of glad that I was so clueless that I missed the whole thing. You may want to have a serious conversation with your middle school age child before giving her this book to read.<br />
<br />
Patti Smith came to New York believing that she was an artist, or maybe a poet. It was only through a series of accidents that she came to realize that she could be a rock star. Her musical debut occurred when she brought her friend, Lenny Kaye, along to play guitar at one of her poetry readings. She continues to produce drawings and publish poetry along side her musical career.<br />
<br />
Smith and Mapplethorpe lived together in a room at the Chelsey Hotel in New York for a couple of years. At the Chelsey they met such people as Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix and saw Salvadore Dali stroll through the lobby. Many opportunities came to them through their association with the Chelsey.<br />
<br />
<i>Just Kids</i> is not a "how I became a rock star" pot boiler. Smith's attention is very much on Mapplethorpe and the intense, if odd, relationship she had with him. Her premise is that the growth of his art, and hers, came directly out of this relationship. I get the impression that she feels it was worth the price of admission.</div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-7174721758835297492012-01-08T18:37:00.000-08:002012-01-08T18:45:34.650-08:00The Leftovers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Tom Perotta<br />
<br />
My cousin, DeAne, who teaches at St Olaf and writes interesting things <a href="http://deanesamericanconversation.blogspot.com/">here</a>, suggested that I read <i>The Leftovers</i>. I guess I should assure you right away that this is not a book about the contents of someone's refrigerator on the day after Thanksgiving. You must be thinking of a John McPhee book.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://resources3.deepdiscount.com/resources/deepdiscount/images/products/processed/802/9780312358341.zoom.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://resources3.deepdiscount.com/resources/deepdiscount/images/products/processed/802/9780312358341.zoom.1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Something has gone wrong with the Rapture. One day, shortly before the story begins, people all over the world, some small but significant part of the population, simply disappeared. The problem is that it appears that this was a random sampling of humanity. Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Atheists, posibly even a few Unitarians, all were among those that departed. They were not all pillars of the community, some were philandering husbands, others were small children. Nothing makes sense. <br />
<br />
One character in the novel, a former minister, who believe he should have been first in line for the Rapture, publishes a scurrilous newsletter, exposing the sins and the foibles of those who went. He is trying to prove that the departure was not, in fact, the Rapture. <br />
<br />
Several cults have arisen, members of one, The Watchers, follow people around, wearing all white, not speaking, and try to remind their victims, as if they could forget, that they have been left behind. Another paint bulls-eyes on their foreheads and party like there is no tomorrow.<br />
<br />
I am not surprised by Perrotta's inexplicable rapture event. I was taught that we mortals should not expect to understand God's plan. If there were to be a Rapture I would expect it to be inexplicable. This, to me, is just another way to say it would indeed be random. One can not explain the reason for a random event.<br />
<br />
The people in <i>The Leftovers</i> are like the survivors of a disaster. Everyone has lost friends and family members in a single world wide event. One one level is a very naturalistic book about the way we deal with grief. Most of the characters in the book are residents of the fictional town of Mapleton and they carry on with their daily lives despite the unexplained disappearance of many of their fellow townspeople.<br />
<br />
The rise of these various cults is a second theme in the book, again, excluding the root cause of their rise, it is a realistic seeming look at how cults arise. "Holy Wayne" is a man who tries to help people by offering to take their pain, by giving them hugs. He gives only momentary relief to any individual, yet a cult of personality forms around him until, like Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. He finds himself living in a compound in Idaho with armed security patrolling the property and a harem of underage "spiritual wives."Incidentally, I'm sure that Tom Perrotta didn't realize that he gave "Holy Wayne" the same name as the former Congressman from the first district of Maryland, the honorable Wayne Gilchrest.<br />
<br />
I won' give away the ending - it is either a surprise which brings all of the themes together in a sudden and satisfying way (my view) or a cute but cynical cop out. See for yourself. Just don't read the last page first.</div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-83271269502566213022011-12-29T18:33:00.000-08:002011-12-29T18:44:07.812-08:00For the Love of Physics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">From the End of the Rainbow to the Edge of Time - A Journey Through the Wonders of Physics<br />
<br />
Walter Lewin with Warren Goldstein<br />
<br />
Waltr Lewin, professor of physics at M.I.T. does spend a lot of time in this book, which describes his intro to physics lectures, talking about rainbows. He even had his young daughter hold a spraying garden hose up over her head on a cold December day in Cambridge, MA to pose for a rainbow photo. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-01-physics-i-classical-mechanics-fall-1999/8-01f99.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-01-physics-i-classical-mechanics-fall-1999/8-01f99.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Lewin likes to do dramatic demonstrations of the principles of physics for his M.I.T. students, swinging on a pendulum across the lecture hall or holding one, a 15.5 KG ball, up to his nose and letting it go, to show that it won't come any closer than 1/8 of an inch from that nose on it's return trip. He has so far stood still enough not to get hit in the nose with his demonstration. His enthusiasm for the subject is contagious, which is why Lewin's introductory physics class has become so popular.<br />
<br />
Electricity, magnetism, light, Newton's laws of motion, general relativity and Maxwell's equations are all touched upon in this book of science popularization. As is customary, all this is done, even Maxwell, without taxing the reader's math skills.<br />
<br />
Lewin's work at M.I.T. besides teaching, has been in X-ray astronomy. There is an extended section of the book covering this subject, his adventures with giant helium balloons in Australia and the reasons for studying X-rays from outer space. This work is now done with satellites, but when Lewin started either a short rocket launch for a few minutes of observation or a stratospheric balloon ride of a couple of hours were all that could be done. X-rays are absorbed by Earth's atmosphere or we would all be fried.<br />
<br />
M.I.T. has kindly put the whole series of Lewin's lectures, in video, on the web. You can watch to your heart's content at <a href="http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-01-physics-i-classical-mechanics-fall-1999/video-lectures/" target="_blank">MIT Open Courseware</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/9kSUGGIQPJU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></div><br />
By the way, Professor Lewin wants you to know the degree of uncertainty in all of your measurements. If you don't know that, you don't know anything!Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-89090897530661522932011-12-03T13:22:00.000-08:002011-12-03T13:22:43.371-08:00THe Filter Bubble<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">What the Internet Is Hiding From You<br />
<br />
Eli Pariser<br />
<br />
Social scientists have been telling us for a decade or more that we tend to associate with people that are just like ourselves, watching either Fox or MSNBC but not both, even moving to cities where more people share our own political and/or religious views. Eli Pariser proposes that the algorithms written into Google, Facebook and other social networks and search sites have been written to reflect ourselves like a mirror.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS9_wQiQDQZEvlXgLrQSkDcBjKdq1yuhhjaVgg2dlC2DdIp03AU&t=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS9_wQiQDQZEvlXgLrQSkDcBjKdq1yuhhjaVgg2dlC2DdIp03AU&t=1" width="182" /></a></div><br />
<br />
This results in the ghettoization of society. One person's Facebook feed is filled with vegetarian, Buddhist and Occupy Wall Street posts. Another's has Sean Hannity, climate change denial and right to life posts. In the next cubicle the screen is filled with Ron Paul, Iggy Pop and the latest home fusion technology schemes. My Google search on the same keywords will not give me the same results as yours. Google is trying to give each of us what we want, according to the history of our internet use, as stored in "cookies" deep within our own hard drives.<br />
<br />
The companies which run these sites are storing up detaied profiles of each of us, in order to feed us advertising for the things we, individually, are most likely to buy. Their approach is much more sophisticated than the coupons that supermarkets print for us at checkout time, trying to woo us away from the dog food we just bought with an offer of 25 cents off on a can of the competing brand. According to Pariser, they know all about or personal, work, recreational and political lives and stand ready to sell that information to any bidder. Perhaps this is why my Gmail spam folder always has an ad for recipes for Hawaii's favorite tinned meat product.<br />
<br />
Pariser contends that these algorithms serve to accelerate the breakup of civil society. All we see on the internet is the same as we see on our favorite cable channel, hear from our friends and hold strongly in our hearts. We must be right, because everyone we know agrees with us. <br />
<br />
The solution? I know it can be painful, but I suggest that you go ahead and "like" Michael Moore's Facebook page and Rush Limbaugh's. Search for the latest news from Pope Benedict and from Vladimir Putin. Watch those Fox News clips and a few from Al Jazeera. Cognitive dissonance is a good thing.</div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-69371132557116574122011-11-12T19:46:00.000-08:002011-12-03T04:49:43.205-08:00The Whiskey Rebels<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">David Liss<br />
<br />
This is my third review of a David Liss novel, my most recent literary enthusiasm. The title might lead you to think that this historical novel is about the 1794 western Pennsylvania insurrection, put down by George Washington with troops provided by Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In fact the action predates that rebellion by two years, although the whiskey tax, imposed by congress to raise funds for Alexander Hamilton's efforts to pay off the debt incurred during the revolution and finance the Bank of the United States, plays a big part in the story.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tPKij--aboM/TIfE_oY8KsI/AAAAAAAACYA/fzA_2TKInXE/s1600/The+Whiskey+Rebels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tPKij--aboM/TIfE_oY8KsI/AAAAAAAACYA/fzA_2TKInXE/s1600/The+Whiskey+Rebels.jpg" width="162" /></a></div>It was an undue burden on the farmers of the west, which means Pittsburgh in 1792, to pay a tax in cash on the production of whiskey. These farmers could not get their grain to market, due to a lack of roads to the east and the closure of the Mississippi river to American commerce by Spain. They made whiskey instead and bartered that whiskey for the necessities of life. Lack of access to markets also created a shortage of hard money, so whiskey became the currency of the west. Thus the farmers had no money to pay the tax.<br />
<br />
Liss likes to use the financial sector of a society in his historical novels. In this case it is Hamilton's bank, the speculation in banking stocks and the panic of 1792 that he uses to create a plot,written like a crime novel, with lots of twists and mysteries. He writes the book from two points of view. One is a disgraced former spy, now a drunkard living in Philadelphia, who takes on the challenge of finding his ex-fiance's missing husband. The other is a woman who moved to the west with her revolutionary war veteran husband to homestead on land offered in exchange for his bounty warrant, promised by Congress but not delivered.<br />
<br />
The action brings the two together in Philadelphia and New York working together, or perhaps against each other, as William Duer attempts to take over the Bank of the United States and causes a general economic collapse. Historical characters, like Duer and Hamilton and real events, particularly Duer's catastrophic attempt on the bank, are used in subtle ways, to move the plot forward to it's surprising conclusion. He weaves in the whiskey tax, the unmet promises to war veterans and the greed of speculators with their undue influence on the government. <i>The Whiskey Rebels</i> could be read as a metaphor for our current economic situation.<br />
<br />
Liss is able to make banking and stock manipulation exiting, to mix historical fact with fantastic invention seamlessly. Chances are good that more of his novels will appear on this blog soon.<br />
<br />
</div><br><center><br />
<a href="http://onebookperweek.ca/2011/12/02/book-review-blog-carnival-late-november-edition/">This post is in the 84th<br> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3224/3127478788_f9f3fcb67c_m.jpg" alt= "Book Review Blog Carnival"><br />
<br></a> Published at <a href="
http://onebookperweek.ca/">One Book Per Week.</a><br />
</center>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-1782104204621175162011-11-05T17:50:00.000-07:002011-11-12T07:05:14.101-08:00The Guild Guitar Book<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">The company and the instruments 1952-1977<br />
Hans Moust<br />
<br />
<i>The Guild Guitar Book</i> is the definitive guide for collectors of vintage Guild guitars. It contains a short history of the company, founded by Alfred Dronge in 1952. Dronge took the opportunity to hire skilled craftsmen, in New York, who were laid off by the Epiphone company when Epiphone was acquired by Gibson and all of Epiphone's production was moved to the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, MI. Guild quickly became a popular brand, played by musicians like Missisippi John Hurt, Dave Van Ronk, Paul Simon, Muddy Waters and Jerry Garcia.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mypartyplanner.com/common/d_images/products/00/17/F5/image_1570108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="http://www.mypartyplanner.com/common/d_images/products/00/17/F5/image_1570108.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>Guild has gone through several moves and acquisitions itself over the years. The first being a move to bigger facilities in Hoboken, New Jersey. Fortunately for the former Epiphone employees, Hoboken was accessible to them by subway. Not too many years later, production was moved, again to larger facilities, in Westerly Rhode Island. This was more disruptive and new people had to be hired and trained to work in the Westerly factory.<br />
<br />
The Guild Guitar Book does not go past 1977, while Guild was still located in Westerly. I had an exchange of emails with the author, who tells me that he would like to bring out a new edition, which would bring the book up to date. He has hinted that he might put a picture of my own Guild (built in Hoboken in 1964) in this new edition if it ever comes out. <br />
<br />
It is certainly time for a second edition. This book covers only to first 25 years of this 59 year old company. Production has been moved, since the company's purchase in 1995, to Corona California, Takoma Washington and, just last year, New Hartford Connecticut. Most guitars Guild builds, though, are still based on designs developed before 1977. <br />
<br />
Most of the book contains detailed information, with photographs of the different guitar models built by Guild, to be used by collectors to identify and date instruments. It is only good for the older, New York, Hoboken and Westerly built guitars, of course, but those are the ones that collectors concentrate on and Hans is most helpful if you send him an email regarding any Guild from any period.<br />
<br />
Most of the book contains detailed information, with photographs of the different guitar models built by Guild, to be used by collectors to identify and date instruments. It is a rather specialized reference. I was very happy to receive a copy as a gift. Now I need to expand my collection.<br />
<br />
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Published at <a href="http://www.kitsch-slapped.com">Kitsch Slapped.</a><br />
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</div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-28458372775783254182011-10-13T19:50:00.000-07:002011-10-23T15:38:07.421-07:00The Coffee Trader<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">David Liss<br />
<br />
With twists and turns of real or imagined conspiracy to rival a Thomas Pynchon novel and with meticulously researched historical detail, David Liss' second novel, set in Amsterdam in 1659. It involves one Miguel Lienzo, a Portuguese Jew who trades at the new Amsterdam Exchange, the worlds first commodities futures market. Presumably, the young Lienzo is the same person as Benjamin Weaver's uncle Miguel who appears as an elderly man in early 18th century London in Liss' first novel, <a href="http://residentreader.blogspot.com/2011/10/conspiracy-of-paper.html">A Conspiracy of Paper</a>. <br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0375760903&nou=1&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
Readers who come to <i>The Coffee Trader</i> after reading that first novel may view it as a kind of prequil, although one could read them in chronological order (<i>Coffee Trader</i> first) or in the order in which they were written with no harm done. Much more is learned about the Portuguese Jews in exile during that historical era and the full dimensions of the split between Miguel and David Lienzo, hinted at in <i>A Conspiracy of Paper</i> are brought to light.<br />
<br />
It is very hard to write about a book that is so plot driven and so dependent on surprising twists and turns in it's plot without spoiling things for future readers, but I am trying. Without revealing too much then: Miguel Lienzo has gotten himself into debt through some trades on borrowed money, that went bad on him. He is introduced to coffee, a new commodity brought to Europe from the east recently and is convinced he can repair his fortunes by making a masterful trade in coffee, which will soon be for sale on every street corner in a chain of Starbucks shops. (not really) The ramifications of trading in the future price of a commodity and the scheming that goes on behind the scenes by rival traders, a cute Dutch serving girl, and the complications of life for a Jew exiled in a foreign land lead to a lot of unexpected adventures.<br />
<br />
Liss has written five, or is it six, or perhaps even seven novels and, surprise! a slew of comic books for Marvel comics. Most of the novels appear to be historical fiction, including one about the whiskey rebellion. I may become somewhat of a boor while read and review all the David Liss writing I can get my paws on.</div><br />
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</center>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-39147622483067531662011-10-03T20:18:00.000-07:002011-10-23T15:38:58.565-07:00A Conspiracy of Paper<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">David Liss<br />
<br />
I picked up David Liss first novel, published in 2000, because the title appealed to me. It is set in London in the early 18th century and deals with a number of historical themes. The protagonist, Benjamin Weaver is a Portuguese Jew, one of a group that had begun to arrive in England at the end of the previous century. Jews were expelled from England by Edward I in 1290, so these Portuguese were all recent arrivals, coming from the Netherlands, where they were in exile from Portugal and Spain due to the 1492 expulsion there.<br />
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Weaver is a former prizefighter, retired because of an injury in the ring, except there was no ring at that time. Fights were staged in theaters and Weaver had fallen from the stage and broken a leg. He was lucky to have survived the treatment he received and luckier still to be able to walk. Professional sports is in it's infancy and medicine is based on folklore and trial and error.<br />
<br />
Weaver has turned to recovering stolen property to make a living. He is in the process of inventing the role of the private detective. At this time London is inventing the police force and criminal justice. Corruption and bribery are the order of the day and thief takers are paid a reward for the conviction of those who they capture. He becomes involved in a case involving possible counterfeit stock certificates in the South Sea Company.<br />
<br />
The idea of a stock exchange is just beginning to emerge in London at this time and the sale of shares in all kinds of ventures runs rampant. People had long bought shares in trading ventures by ship, then waited for their ship to come in, as the saying goes. In the 1700s shares in new inventions, public works projects, schemes of a very sketchy nature, but which promised to make money, and even lottery tickets were bought and sold in London coffee houses. Everybody who was anybody bought them.<br />
<br />
The South Sea Company, a real company of the period, had been chartered by the English Government and given a monopoly on trade with the Pacific coast of South America. It was intended to be a great company like the East India Company, which traded with India, China and all of East Asia. The only problem is that the Pacific coast of South America was owned and operated by Spain, which was not about to allow some English company to trade there. Nevertheless, stock in the South Sea Company traded vigorously in the coffee houses and it's directors cooked up schemes to sell even more stock by exchanging Bank of England bonds for South Sea stock, thus relieving the government of debt. Eventually, after the time that this novel takes place, the South Sea Bubble burst and the first financial panic in the English speaking world, the first "bubble" got it's name and, apparently, nobody learned a thing.<br />
<br />
The novel is full of ingenious plot twists and characters that seem right out of Dickens, including Jonathan Wilde, another real historical figure, who was the first organized crime boss. It takes the reader into the muddy, filthy streets of London's slums and into the posh clubs and ballrooms of the wealthy.Weaver has to thread his way through multiple layers of lies to find the murderer of his father, the forger of South Seas Company stock. It's a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there.<br />
<br />
In the end both Weaver and the reader are left with ambiguity. We think that Weaver has found his man and justice is administered by persons unknown in a most irregular way. And room is left for a sequel.</div><center><br />
<a href="http://mother-mel.blogspot.com/2011/10/book-review-blog-carnival.html">This post is in the 82nd<br> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3224/3127478788_f9f3fcb67c_m.jpg" alt= "Book Review Blog Carnival"><br />
<br></a> Published at <a href="http://mother-mel.blogspot.com/">Mel's Mouthful on Mothering.</a><br />
</center>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-64029923794337502692011-09-25T19:36:00.000-07:002011-09-25T19:36:20.025-07:00The 80th Book Review Blog Carnival<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">When I started the Book Review Blog Carnival I didn't expect that it would become such a vibrant part of the blogging, and the book reviewing community or last so long. This 80th edition contains 35 book reviews, ranging from illustrated children's books to the latest cutting edge conspiracy theory.<br />
<br />
If you review books on your blog you can participate by submitting a link to one of your reviews through our submission form at blogcarnival.com, <a href="http://blogcarnival.com/bc/submit_5161.html">here</a>. You can even host an edition of the carnival at your won blog. contact me at cbjorke(at)gmail.com if you would like to host.<br />
<br />
Here is our carnival, stop by some of our participating blogs, leave a comment and enjoy!<br />
<br />
Children's Books<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.readalouddad.com/">Read Aloud Dad</a> likes <a href="http://www.readalouddad.com/2011/09/classic-childrens-fairy-tales-best.html">Classic Children's Fairy Tales - Best Illustrated Edition</a>. <br />
<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51JHT3X8ZYL._AA160_.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<br />
Amy Broadmoore reviews <a href="http://delightfulchildrensbooks.com/2011/09/18/autumn/">10 Children?s Books About Fall</a> at <a href="http://delightfulchildrensbooks.com/">Delightful Children's Books</a>.<br />
<br />
Young Adult Fiction<br />
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Trudy Zufelt previews <a href="http://www.boystobooks.com/2011/08/spartacus-and-circus-of-shadows-arc.html">Spartacus and the Circus of Shadows</a> the debut novel of Molly E. Johnson, posted at <a href="http://www.boystobooks.com/"> Boys and Literacy</a>.<br />
<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G44oKoTxZBY/TlxhgQOJqTI/AAAAAAAAAC4/ylsbUl7EgmQ/s200/SpartacusCoverforWeb2.jpg" /> <br />
<br />
Shayna, at <a href="http://apopofcolour.com/">A Pop of Colour</a>, says that <a href="http://apopofcolour.com/2011/09/19/book-club-the-carrie-diaries/">The Carrie Diaries</a> by Candace Bushnell is a prequil to <i>Sex and the City</i>, written for 10 to 20 year olds.(presumably girls) That seems like a pretty broad age range to me.<br />
<br />
Laura Robinson, of <a href="http://lisettebes.blogspot.com/">Tattooed Books: A YA book reviewing, librarian-in-training</a>, rather liked <a href="http://lisettebes.blogspot.com/2011/09/strange-case-of-origami-yoda-by-tom.html">The Strange Case of Origami Yoda</a> by Tom Angleberger.<br />
<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51SYUBUazdL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" width="125" /> <br />
<br />
Katie Sorene , of <a href="http://blog.tripbase.com/blog">Tripbase</a>, suggests <a href="http://blog.tripbase.com/blog/8-books-to-teach-your-kids-about-the-world/">8 Books to Teach Your Kids About the World</a>.<br />
<br />
According to Surabhi at <a href="http://www.womanatics.com/">Womanatics</a>, <a href="http://www.womanatics.com/2011/03/book-review-monk-who-sold-his-ferrari.html">The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari</a> has the power to change your life. Reminds me of my friend Norman, who changed his life on a weekly basis.<br />
<img src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRB5Yomj0D74eNTSpCCkKYK56ub_tiLll-qrGzHBHoVmdvSRQnS" / width="150"><br />
<br />
Jim Murdoch of <a href="http://jim-murdoch.blogspot.com/">The Truth About Lies</a> was only dimly aware of Norse mythology through Marvel comic books until he read <a href="http://jim-murdoch.blogspot.com/2011/09/ragnarok-end-of-gods.html">Ragnarok: the End of the Gods,</a> by AS Byatt.<br />
<br />
Crime Fiction<br />
<br />
KerrieS is reading more Swedish crime novels, including <a href="http://paradise-mysteries.blogspot.com/2011/09/review-hypnotist-lars-kepler.html">THE HYPNOTIST, </a> by Lars Kepler. Read her review at <a href="http://paradise-mysteries.blogspot.com/">MYSTERIES in PARADISE</a><br />
<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51SbCBSOhGL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" width="170"><br />
<br />
KerrieS says that before you read <a href="http://paradise-mysteries.blogspot.com/2011/09/review-end-of-wasp-season-denise-mina.html">THE END OF THE WASP SEASON,</a> by Denise Mina, you should first read the first book in the series, <i> STILL MIDNIGHT</i>.<br />
<br />
KerrieS calls <a href="http://paradise-mysteries.blogspot.com/2011/09/review-violent-exposure-katherine.html">VIOLENT EXPOSURE</a> by Katherine Howell. "world class."<br />
<br />
Gothic Romance Mysteries<br />
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No, <a href="http://www.jhsiess.com/2011/09/14/book-review-and-giveaway-the-lantern/">The Lantern</a> by Deborah Lawrenson isn't a crime novel. It's a gothic romance mystery, posted at <a href="http://www.jhsiess.com/">Colloquium</a>.<br />
<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51%2BFTQ9Ve0L._SL500_SL160_.jpg"><br />
<br />
JHS, at <a href="http://www.jhsiess.com/">Colloquium</a> gives the carnival a whole new category with <a href="http://www.jhsiess.com/2011/09/15/book-review-and-giveaway-call-me-irresistible/">Call Me Irresistible</a> by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. <br />
<br />
Stranger Than Fiction<br />
<br />
Mark A. Vance is the author of an ebook <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/book-reviews-articles/flight-of-the-forgotten-the-forbidden-fruit-of-us-government-censorship-5194934.html">Flight of the Forgotten - The Forbidden Fruit of US Government Censorship</a> which appears to be the story of a WWII air crew murdered by the CIA as told to the author by the dead.<br />
<br />
Novels<br />
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Rachel, at <a href="http://booksinthesun.blogspot.com/">Books In The Sun</a> just loved Charlotte Brontë's <a href="http://booksinthesun.blogspot.com/2011/09/jane-eyre-charlotte-bronte.html">Jane Eyre</a>.<br />
<br />
Not another talking animal book! Yes it is a talking bonobo in <a href="http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=3397">Primacy </a> by J.E. Fishman, reviewed by Zohar, <a href="http://manoflabook.com/wp">Man of la Book</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://icetrail.blogspot.com/2011/08/bombay-duck-fish-novel-pdf-book.html">Bombay Duck Is A Fish</a> says Kalyan at <a href="http://icetrail.blogspot.com/">Heaven's Garden</a>. It's also a book, I think.<br />
<img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/419jRKSJj8L._SS110_.jpg"><br />
<br />
Charlotte Vale points out that Heahcliff is not Sir. Larry in her re-review of <a href="http://estellasbooksmarts.weebly.com/1/archives/08-2011/1.html">Wuthering Heights</a> posted at <a href="http://estellasbooksmarts.weebly.com/book-blog.html">Estella's book smarts- Book Blog</a>. What do I know, I thought Heathcliff was a cat.<br />
<br />
Not one to shy away from classic literature, Charlotte Vale presents her theory that <a href="http://estellasbooksmarts.weebly.com/2/archives/09-2011/1.html">Marcel Proust</a>, through the use of run on sentences, obscure punctuation and proto-stream of consciousness narrative technique, is capable of sending the readier back into a past episode of Star Trek - the one where Spok wears a watch cap to cover his ears and builds a radio with bear skins and stone knives: ah, but Captain Kirk's love interest of the week must die so that the United States will enter World War Two or we all will grow up in a Philip K. Dick novel: a well developed theme to be found at <a href="http://estellasbooksmarts.weebly.com/audiobook-blog.html">Estella's book smarts - Audiobook Blog</a>.<br />
<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51zWn%2BT4RHL._SL500_AA300_.jpg"><br />
<br />
Jim Murdoch at <a href="http://jim-murdoch.blogspot.com/">The Truth About Lies</a> says that <a href="http://jim-murdoch.blogspot.com/2011/09/break.html">The Break</a> by Pietro Grossi is a novel about billiards, paving stones and the inevitability of change.<br />
<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51OB13VweAL._SL500_SL160_.jpg" width="170"><br />
<br />
Louise Marsh from <a href="http://www.thereadingexperiment.com/">The Reading Experiment</a> reviews the Pulitzer Prize winning <a href="http://www.thereadingexperiment.com/2011/08/book-review-visit-from-goon-squad-by.html">A Visit From The Goon Squad</a> by Jennifer Egan.<br />
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Zohar, <a href="http://manoflabook.com/wp">Man of la Book</a> is glad that he finally read <a href="http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=3467">A Tree Grows in Brooklyn</a> by Betty Smith.<br />
<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/415JB0ZXCJL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" width="170"><br />
<br />
JHS, at <a href="http://www.jhsiess.com/">Colloquium</a>, reviews <a href="http://www.jhsiess.com/2011/09/19/book-review-and-giveaway-the-grief-of-others/">The Grief of Others</a>. "The Grief of Others is an exquisitely written fictional account of one family in which each member is struggling with his/her own grief and isolation following a tragedy."<br />
<br />
Memoir<br />
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Melanie Grant reviews <a href="http://mother-mel.blogspot.com/2011/04/review-i-am-hutterite-by-mary-ann.html">I Am Hutterite</a> by -Ann Kirkby, at <a href="http://mother-mel.blogspot.com/">Mel's Mouthful on Mothering</a>.<br />
<br />
Alex Washoe, of <a href="http://booksandbeasts.blogspot.com/">Books and Beasts</a> reviews two dog memoirs, Luis Carlos Montalvan's <i>Until Tuessday</i> and Martin Kihn's <i>Bad Dog (A love story)</i>, in <a href="http://booksandbeasts.blogspot.com/2011/09/brace-of-dog-memoirs.html">A Brace of Dog Memoirs</a>.<br />
<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51mvmKxumvL._SL500_SS90_.jpg"><br />
<br />
Non Fiction<br />
<br />
<a href="http://mainstreammom.com/">Mainstream Mom</a> briefly frightened me with the news that there are only <a href="http://mainstreammom.com/everything-you-need-to-get-started-on-your-holiday-planning/">100 Days to Christmas</a>, until I learned that it is the title of an e-book by Jennifer Tankersley.<br />
<br />
Persha, at <a href="http://www.dumpeddays.com/">Dumped Days</a> is relieved to have finally discovered the e-book <a href="http://www.dumpeddays.com/understanding-men-with-men-made-easy-ebook-are-men-this-easy-to-understand/">Men Made Easy</a>. "Understanding men has been a life long struggle for me. Most men say one thing mean another and do something entirely different." Persha must know a lot of lawyers.<br />
<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/516kAKYbJCL._SL160_SL90_.jpg"><br />
<br />
<a href="http://mainstreammom.com/">Mainstream Mom</a> reviews <a href="http://mainstreammom.com/are-you-a-working-mom-wanting-to-become-a-work-at-home-mom/">Escape from Cubicle Nation</a> by Pamela Slim . I couldn't tell if this is a book based on a blog or just a blog imitating a book, but I'm all for escaping from the cube farm.<br />
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Pop Tart, of <a href="http://www.inherited-values.com/">Inherited Values</a> gives us <a href="http://www.inherited-values.com/2011/09/american-pickers-guide-to-picking/">American Pickers Guide to Picking</a> by Libty Callaway, Mike Wolfe, Frank Fritz and Daniele Colby. Like <i>Pawn Stars</i>, <i>American Pickers</i> is an edgy cable TV version of <i>Antiques Roadshow</i>. Now you can learn how to buy and sell antiques for fun and profit.<br />
<br />
Marianne Mathiasen doesn't often buy art books like <a href="http://www.marianne-mathiasen.com/2011/07/creature-design.html">Animals Real ad Imagined</a> by Terryl Whitlatch, but she bought this one. Read about it at <a href="http://www.marianne-mathiasen.com/">Marianne's Journal of Fantasy Art</a>.<br />
<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51BXIREx3AL._SL500_AA300_.jpg"><br />
<br />
Jenn Palmer writes a dear John letter to Leo Tolstoy in <a href="http://aloveaffairwithwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/literary-break-up.html">Literary Break-up</a> posted at <a href="http://aloveaffairwithwords.blogspot.com/">A Love Affair with Words</a>. I think she was talking about <i>War and Peace</i>.<br />
<br />
Health, Fitness and Self Improvement<br />
<br />
Danette Schott taught me a new word with his review of <a href="http://sos-research-blog.com/03/beating-dyspraxia-with-a-hop-skip-and-a-jump/">Beating Dyspraxia with a Hop, Skip and a Jump</a> posted at <a href="http://sos-research-blog.com/">Help! S-O-S for Parents</a>.<br />
<br />
Jonathan, of at <a href="http://www.worldofdiets.com/">World of Diets</a> says <a href="http://www.worldofdiets.com/you-are-your-own-gym/">You Are Your Own Gym</a> in his review of Mark Lauren's Bodyweight Exercise Bible. <br />
<br />
It sounds like an oxymoron, or maybe it's just that I haven't finished my first cup of coffee this morning. <a href="http://simplelifehabits.com/book-reviews/outlive-your-life-by-max-lucado">Outlive Your Life</a> by Max Lucado is reviewed by Jon Milligan at <a href="http://simplelifehabits.com/">Simple Life Habits</a>.<br />
<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51MXMf8W62L._SL500_AA300_.jpg"><br />
<br />
Audiobooks<br />
<br />
OK, so it's memoir that came out in print first, but Peter at <a href="http://audiobookdownloads.org/">Audio Book Downloads</a> thinks the audio version of<a href="http://audiobookdownloads.org/bossypants-audio-book-tina-fey/">Bossypants</a>, by Tina Fey is way better than the print version.</div><img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51cSZKgHq8L._SL500_AA300_.jpg"><br />
<br />
This concludes our 80th Book Review Blog Carnival. Watch this blog for an announcement of the time and location of the next carnival. Did you subscribe in a reader or become a follower? Do it now, NOW!Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-158415658273096892011-09-10T21:31:00.000-07:002011-10-09T07:07:36.931-07:00Edson<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Bill Morrissey<br />
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<br />
Bill Morrissey was a singer songwriter who had his greatest success in the 1980's. This novel, published in 1996, is a fictional version of what it is like to be on the downside of your show business career. Although not autobiographical, it is derived from Bill's life experience. It qualifies as a literary novel. - there is not a great deal of plot. I did not find that to be a particular lack. The characters are well developed in a way that makes the reader want to know more.<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=2359310321&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
Henry, a man in his mid forties, has been sidelined from the music business because of artistic differences with the major label that bought his contract and demanded unacceptable changes to his just finished third album. Henry is living in the small mill town of Edson New Hampshire, a place where he used to be a regular headliner at the local music venue/bar. Caroline, the twenty one year old waitress in that establishment who lives down the hall from Henry in a ramshackle "hotel" becomes the love interest in the story. At the beginning of the book Caroline is unaware that Henry was ever a musician.<br />
<br />
Pope Johnson is the current king of the Edson New Hampshire music scene. He has made himself into a replica of Henry at the peak of his career, mimicking his playing style, his gestures, even singing Henry's songs. He does not acknowledge Henry's influence publicly. Pope plans to move the New York and try for the brass ring. Caroline is one of the many young women whom Pope is seeing.<br />
<br />
A singer songwriter that has made it big, Tyler Beckett, based on Morrissey's friend, Suzanne Vega, asks Morrissey's alter ego, Henry to come down to New York and co-write some songs for her next album. I doubt that Suzanne Vega ever made this kind of offer to Bill.<br />
<br />
Henry has to choose between dragging his guitar out from under the bed and going off to write songs with Tyler or taking Pope's job pumping gas at a gas station in Edson. Believe it or not, this is a hard choice for him. The novel ends with Henry snowed in in a Connecticut Motel 6, drinking in his room.<br />
<br />
Bill Morrissey died in a motel room this past July. He was alone, on tour and drinking in his room. Heart disease is the listed cause of death. It wasn't snowing.</div><br />
<center><a href="http://www.addictedtomedia.net/2011/10/81st-book-review-blog-carnival.html">This post is in the 81st <br> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3224/3127478788_f9f3fcb67c_m.jpg" alt= "Book Review Blog Carnival"><br />
<br></a> Published at <a href="http://www.addictedtomedia.net/">Addicted to Media</a><br />
</center>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-47784488478639767832011-08-14T10:47:00.000-07:002011-09-11T13:17:43.572-07:00Accordion Crimes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Annie Proulx<br />
<br />
A while ago I saw a movie, <i>The Red Violin</i>, which followed a violin through many owners, beginning with it's maker, who had varnished it with the blood of his just deceased wife. The violin made beautiful, tragic music and all the owners died badly. That film could have been an adaptation of <i>Accordion Crimes</i>, changed by Hollywood to a more sexy musical instrument and given all new characters and dialog, but keeping the core concept.<br />
<br />
Instead of being bloodstained, the accordion that Annie Proulx has written into the center of this series of vignettes has fourteen one thousand dollar bills glued to the inside of it's bellows. Nobody discovers the money until the last page of the book, when one bill turns up in the hands of three children who want to use it to buy soft drinks at a country store.<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0684831546&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
Even minor characters, appearing only for a page or three, tend to die badly in <i>Accordion Crimes</i>, like the truck driver known as Snakes: "Some year or two later, Snakes, using a climbing rope with a single core in a color pattern of purple, neon pink, teal and fluorescent yellow, hung himself in the cab of his truck. A note on the seat read: "I'm not going to wear glasses." "<br />
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The green, two row, button accordion which is the star of <i>Accordion Crimes</i> was built in Sicily in the mid nineteenth century, by a man who then immigrated to New Orleans. He was soon disposed of, setting the tone for the book. The man was killed in a prison riot - citizens of New Orleans break in to the prison and kill a group of Italians being held there, even after they are found not guilty of conspiring to murder the chief of police. The accordion was stolen and the thief soon murdered and dumped into the Mississippi river. This sort of thing goes on, through many generations of unfortunate owners, until the mid 1990s. <br />
<br />
I had to keep reading to find out what happened to the money, pasted in the bellows by one of it's owners, a Tejano musician, a waiter during the day, who was paid in thousand dollar bills to pass documents from an obvious spy to various contacts who would then, cross over into Mexico. <br />
<i>Accordion Crimes</i> is not light summer reading but it is well written and will hold your interest. It may turn you against accordion music again, though.<br />
<br />
<br />
<center><br />
<a href="http://www.jhsiess.com/2011/09/11/book-review-blog-carnival-5/">This post is in the 78th <br />
<img alt="Book Review Blog Carnival" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3224/3127478788_f9f3fcb67c_m.jpg" /><br />
</a> Published at <a href="http://www.jhsiess.com/">Colloquium</a><br />
</center><br />
</div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-89656495539422093662011-07-30T21:14:00.000-07:002011-07-30T21:14:53.672-07:00Book Review Blog Carnival # 74Welcome the the July 31, 2011 edition of the <i>Book Review Blog Carnival</i>. Every other Sunday the carnival appears at a blog, somewhere in blogtopia. I am the founder of this carnival and today, it's host.<br />
<br />
We have 24 entries in this edition. The books reviewed range from children's science fiction/fantasy to a discussion of the "fly by wire" system used in Airbus airplanes. There should be something here for you. Please leave a comment, even if you just say hello, both here and aany of the blogs you visit, that are linked here.<br />
<br />
The next <i>Book Review Blog Carniva</i>l will be hosted by <a href="http://manoflabook.com/wp/">Man of La Book</a> on August 14th. If you write book reviews on your blog and would like to participate, you can submit your reviews using <a href="http://blogcarnival.com/bc/submit_5161.html">this form</a>.<b> </b>Now, on to the book reviews . . .<b><br />
</b><br />
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<b>Fiction</b><br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0061963070&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>JHSEsq at <a href="http://www.jhsiess.com/">Colloquium</a> says <a href="http://www.jhsiess.com/2011/07/14/book-review-and-giveaway-stiltsville/">Stiltsville</a>, the debut novel from Susanna Daniel, "is a deceptively simple, ordinary, yet beautiful story of a marriage spanning more than two decades. It is set in Florida near the community of houses built on stilts in Biscayne Bay which serve as a metaphor for both the delicacy and resilience of human relationships. Put this one on your must read list!"<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0545259088&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Heather,at <a href="http://proudbooknerd.com/">Proud Book Nerd</a>, just adores <a href="http://proudbooknerd.com/2011/07/02/review-forever/">Forever</a>, the third book in the <i>Wolves of Mercy Falls</i> series by Maggie Stiefvater. I take it that this is a romance novel who's central characters are wolves, sort of a Watership Down for carnivores.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0061122416&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Rachel at <a href="http://booksinthesun.blogspot.com/">Books In The Sun</a>, reviews <a href="http://booksinthesun.blogspot.com/2011/07/alchemist-paulo-coelho.html">The Alchemist </a> by Paulo Coelho. ". . . the story of an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who embarks on an adventure from his homeland in Spain to North Africa in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids."<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0812992717&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Zohar, who must have a lot of free time in his hands, reviews <a href="http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=2200">Next to Love</a> by Ellen Feldman, at <a href="http://manoflabook.com/wp">Man of la Book</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.readalouddad.com/"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0061119067&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Read Aloud Dad</a> finally went out nd bought Lemony Snicket's <a href="http://www.readalouddad.com/2011/07/complete-wreck-series-of-unfortunate.html">The Complete Wreck: A Series of Unfortunate Events</a> despite all his misgivings. "Happiness is overrated."<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B003FHNR4Q&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Lauren Shook, at <a href="http://re-allthingsnew.blogspot.com/">RE//all things new</a>. read <a href="http://re-allthingsnew.blogspot.com/2011/06/resurrection-writing.html">Cry, the Belloved Country</a> by South African author Alan Paton. Cry, the beloved country, for the unborn child that is the inheritor of our fear. Let him not love the earth too deeply. Let him not laugh too gladly when the water runs through his fingers, nor stand too silent when the setting sun makes red the veld with fire. Let him not be too moved when the birds of his land are singing, nor give too much of his heart to a mountain or a valley. For fear will rob him of all if he gives too much. <br />
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<b>Crime Fiction</b><br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0307454940&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>KerrieS enjoyed the peek that <a href="http://paradise-mysteries.blogspot.com/2011/07/review-villain-shuichi-yoshida.html">VILLAIN,</a> by Shuichi Yoshida gave her into modern Japanese culture. Her review is at <a href="http://paradise-mysteries.blogspot.com/">MYSTERIES in PARADISE</a>.<br />
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<b>Fantasy and Science Fiction</b><br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0052MOAV6&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>J. McManus may have already given away a copy of <a href="http://www.insidethebooks.com/2011/07/25/mymcbook-reviewgiveaway-of-talee-and-the-fallen-object/">Talee and the Fallen Object</a> offered at <a href="http://www.insidethebooks.com/">Inside The Books</a>. - A Sci Fi Fantasy coloring book.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0312749511&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Jason Ward presents the classic <a href="http://scifiward.com/?p=104">The Space Merchants </a> by Frederik Pohl & Cyril M. Kornbluth, at <a href="http://scifiward.com/">ScifiWard</a> Mad Men with rocket ships.<br />
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<b>Non Fiction</b><br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0031WII7G&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Rebecca, or possibly one of her friends, gives us something to think about with a review of Review of <a href="http://booknerd.info/review-of-the-garden-of-emuna-by-rabbi-shalom-arush">The Garden of Emuna</a> by Rabbi Shalom Arush , posted at <a href="http://booknerd.info/">Book Nerd - High Quality Book Reviews</a>. "Why are some rich and some poor? Why is life so unfair? This book gives you the answers and lets you in on a secret that can change your life!"<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0451234219&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Jo Bryant reviews <a href="http://jobryantnz.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/black-like-me/">Black Like Me</a> at <a href="http://jobryantnz.wordpress.com/">Chronicles of Illusions</a>. This was a revolutionary book when it first came out in 1961. It canstill change you forever.<br />
Mike Bergin, of 10,000 Birds, brings us the oldest book in this month's carnival, Aelian's On The Nature Of Animals, by the ancient Roman author Claudius Aelianus. I wonder if there is a Kindle edition.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0970027303&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Malia Russell, at <a href="http://www.homemaking911.com/">Homemaking 911</a>, recommends <a href="http://www.homemaking911.com/2011/06/14/book-review-the-companion-guide-to-beautiful-girlhood/">The Companion Guide to Beautiful Girlhood</a> for your ten year old, but suggests you read it together. Find out why at Homemaking 911.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1594853460&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> SillySimple highly recommends <a href="http://www.sillysimpleliving.com/2011/03/01/book-review-the-urban-pantry-tips-and-recipes-for-a-thrifty-sustainable-seasonal-kitchen/">Urban Pantry: Tips and Recipes for a Thrifty, Sustainable & Seasonal Kitchen</a> at <a href="http://www.sillysimpleliving.com/">Silly Simple Living</a>. "Focuses on maintaining a frugal, simple, and delicious pantry with top-notch ingredients while living in a small city apartment."<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0312650841&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Zohar, the unfatigued, reviews <a href="http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=2962">Fly Navy</a> by Alvin Townley, a book about naval aviation, at <a href="http://manoflabook.com/wp">Man of la Book</a>.<br />
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Alex Washoe presents <a href="http://birdlandwest.blogspot.com/2011/07/flock-of-new-books-for-birders.html">A Flock of New Books for Birders</a> at <a href="http://birdlandwest.blogspot.com/">Birdland West</a>. <br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0055X5XZO&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Art, <a href="http://thehelpfulengineer.com/">The Helpful Engineer</a>, reports on a fascinating book about The Airbus A320 and the miracle on the Hudson, <a href="http://thehelpfulengineer.com/index.php/2011/06/the-airbus-a320-and-the-miracle-on-the-hudson/">Fly by Wire</a> by William Langewiesche, which gives partial credit for the safe landing of the Airbus A320 on the Hudson River on it's controversial computerized control systems.<br />
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<b>Biography</b><br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0058M98KS&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>I was recently lent a copy of <a href="http://residentreader.blogspot.com/2011/07/molly-ivins.html">Molly Ivins: A Rebel Life</a>. Molly Ivins was the enfant terrible of Texas journalism. My review appears in this very blog.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001O9CGHG&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Zohar, <a href="http://manoflabook.com/wp">Man of la Book</a>, has read <a href="http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=680">First Man</a> by James R. Hansen. It is a biography of Neil Armstrong, the first man on the Moon.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1846881129&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Jim Murdoch stumped me with <a href="http://jim-murdoch.blogspot.com/2011/07/aj-cronin-man-who-created-dr-finlay.html">A.J. Cronin – The Man who Created Dr Finlay</a> by Alan Davies posted at <a href="http://jim-murdoch.blogspot.com/">The Truth About Lies</a>. ".J. Cronin, the creator of Dr Finlay’s Casebook, has been unjustly overlooked by literary biographers. In this, the first full-length life of this eminent writer, Alan Davies recounts the story of Cronin’s Scottish childhood, his subsequent medical career and ultimately his rise to literary prominence, focusing on Cronin’s tempestuous relationship with his publisher, Victor Gollancz, and revealing some startling revelations about the author’s marriage. Davies’s timely and moving book paints a clearer portrait of both Cronin the writer and Cronin the man than the world has hitherto seen." I guess PBS didn't carry the Dr. Finlay series.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B004FEFCXC&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Kristjan Gunnarson, of <a href="http://www.kriskris.com/">Kris Health Blog</a>, reviews <a href="http://www.kriskris.com/the-diet-solution-program-review/">The Diet Solution Program</a> by Isabel De Los Rios. Isabel of the rivers: cool name.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0738213284&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Persha Davis reviews <a href="http://www.dumpeddays.com/getting-past-your-breakupgood-book-to-starting-moving-on-with-life-after-a-breakup/">Getting Past Your Breakup:Good Book To Starting Moving On With Life After A Breakup</a> at <a href="http://www.dumpeddays.com/">Dumped Days</a>. I have a suggestion that might help. Change the name and focus of that blog!<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0578031213&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Utpal Vaishnav, of <a href="http://utpal.net/blog">Utpal Writes</a>, has found a method for <a href="http://utpal.net/blog/have-you-discovered-your-dharma/">Discovering Your Dharma</a> in a book by Shivani Singh. Overcome that nagging discontent that plagues your soul.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1905026269&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Jason Ward , of <a href="http://thewordofward.co.uk/">The Word of Ward</a>, learned a few things from <a href="http://thewordofward.co.uk/?p=1427">Tricks of the Mind</a> by Derren Brown. Jedi mind tricks?<br />
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<b>Poetry</b><br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1461108462&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Jessica Bell's <a href="http://jim-murdoch.blogspot.com/2011/07/twisted-velvet-chains.html">Twisted Velvet Chains</a> is a memoir, written in verse by the daughter of Australian punk rock star Erica Bach, reviewed by Jim Murdoch, of <a href="http://jim-murdoch.blogspot.com/">The Truth About Lies</a>.Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-61414554690362752362011-07-30T17:22:00.000-07:002011-07-30T17:25:26.557-07:00Obama's Wars Bob Woodward<br />
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Bob Woodward has been given greater access to the White House, than any journalist I can think of, in the George W, Bush and now Obama administrations. His four books about George Bush's pursuit of the war showed an arc from admiration for, to disillusionment with, the pursuit of war, particularly in Iraq.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=illnefothdair-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B004MKLRRO&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
This is the first, presumably, in a series which will record the Obama administrations efforts to bring the Afghan war to a conclusion. The problem is that there are no clear goals to this war. According to Woodward, General McChrystal, the commander in Afghanistan at the beginning of Obama's term, and Defense Secretary Gates presented President Obama with a series of requests for more troops and an untenable plan to defeat the Taliban. Defeating the Taliban is described, by Woodward, as an impossibility, because they are a non state, like al-Qaeda itself, loose, amorphous and shifting like sand.<br />
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Obama ordered a review, asking for options, recognizing the problem with stating that the defeat of the Taliban was problematical, yet all of the options given to him by the military were presented as untenable, with the exception of a large "surge" dedicated to defending the population of Afghanistan from Taliban attack. The Pentagon's own analysis, however, showed that more than 80,000 US troops would be needed to make the entire country safe from Taliban attack, yet this many troops could not be gathered for the effort. The request was for 40,000: half of what was needed to do the job. Another unattainable goal, increasing the Afghan military and police to 400,000, was part of this plan. <br />
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Obama asked for options and was given plans for a small deployment of 10,000 to train the Afghan army and the full, but not available 80,000 troops, or a surge of 35,000 instead of 40,000, but with the option to add a few thousand more if needed. Eventually the 35,000 plus plan was what he went for. "Defeating" the Taliban was changed to "degrading" them, making them less capable of causing serious damage in Afghanistan, meanwhile, building a 400,000 strong Afghan military/police to take over as we quietly exit stage left.<br />
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July of 2011 was set as the start date of a U.S. draw down. Right now that withdrawal is beginning. This all looks like Nixon's "peace with honor" plan for Vietnam. I expect the fall of Kabul in the next couple of years. Unfortunately, this is probably the best we can do in the situation.Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380583592098565063.post-88304586300340312872011-07-14T20:01:00.000-07:002011-07-15T02:53:50.492-07:00Molly IvinsA Rebel Life<br />
Bill Minutaglio and W. Michael Smith<br />
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I had a bottle of Shiner Bok this evening in preparation for writing a review of this celebration of the life of l'enfant terrible of Texas journalism. Minutaglio and Smith have written Ivins life from her childhood in a wealthy Houston neighborhood to her death of breast cancer at 62. <br />
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Who was Molly Ivins rebelling against? Her father of course! Jim Ivins was a WWII Coast Guard veteran, a lawyer, an oil company executive and, somewhat of a martinet. His family called him General Jim.<br />
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Growing up in General Jim's home in Houston, Molly was exposed to the same private school/country club lifestyle that George W. Bush was experiencing. The two knew each other "to say hello," but were never close. Molly was expected to find a suitable husband, either at the club or later when she attended her mother's alma mater, Smith College; preferably a Yale man. She would then settle down and have children who would do the same, perpetuating the generations of o'l bidness tycoons. It didn't work out that way.<br />
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Ivins' folksy east Texas persona was not entirely a put on, yet she did study at Smith and Columbia School of Journalism. She studied a year abroad in Paris and spoke French like a native. She also lived in New York and worked for a while, unhappily, at the New York Times. The place she liked to be, though, was Austin and her favorite job was editor of the Texas Observer, a liberal, no holds barred publication, covering the Texas legislature and the Governor's office.<br />
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As a columnist, Ivins was perfectly placed to write, in her own critically sarcastic way, about "Dubya," her old country club buddy, as Governor of Texas and then as President. In a way the man she called "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shrub-Short-Happy-Political-George/dp/0375757147?ie=UTF8&tag=illnefothdair-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Shrub</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=illnefothdair-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0375757147" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />" would make her career for her. Having George Bush to rub her columns up against gave her writing a great deal of traction and some wonderful subject matter.<br />
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<i>Molly Ivins A Rebel Life</i>, does not quote from Ivin's writing very much at all, assuming that readers will be familiar with her columns and her commentaries on NPR. This may not be the case any longer, so I'll throw in a few quotes that I gleaned from the internet. Here's a bit of a piece she wrote in 2006, which has a little relevance today. It concerns the former Speaker of the House, now an imploding candidate for President; Newt Gingrich:<br />
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<div id="paragraph2" name="paragraph2"><i>Of all the viral members of the media who have been suggesting that the Dems cooperate with their political opponents, the one who rendered me almost unconscious with surprise was Newt Gingrich.</i></div><div id="paragraph3" name="paragraph3"><i>Newt Gingrich, the Boy Scout. Newt Gingrich, the man who sat there and watched Congress impeach and try Bill Clinton for lying about having an extramarital affair while he, Newt Gingrich, was lying about having an extramarital affair. (This all took place during his second marriage. The first one ended when he told his wife he was divorcing her while she was in the hospital undergoing cancer treatment.)</i></div><div id="paragraph3" name="paragraph3"><br />
</div><div id="paragraph4" name="paragraph4"><i>This is the level of Republican hypocrisy that reminds us all how far the Dems have to go. I tell you what. Let's all hold hands together and sing, "Oh the Farmers and the Cowboys Should Be Friends!" Just not, please, Newt Gingrich, the man whose contribution to civility was to recommend that all Democrats be referred to with such words as cowards, traitors, commies, godless, liars and other such bipartisan-promoting terms.</i></div><div id="paragraph4" name="paragraph4"><br />
</div><div id="paragraph5" name="paragraph5"><i>Please, anyone but Newt.</i></div><div id="paragraph5" name="paragraph5"><br />
</div><div id="paragraph5" name="paragraph5">I would recommend reading some of Molly Ivins columns before tackling her biography. One of her published collections (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Molly-Ivins-Cant-Say-That/dp/0679741836?ie=UTF8&tag=illnefothdair-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Molly Ivins Can't Say That Can She?,</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=illnefothdair-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0679741836" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><i> </i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/You-Dance-Them-What-Brung/dp/0679754873?ie=UTF8&tag=illnefothdair-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">You Got to Dance With Them What Brung You</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=illnefothdair-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0679754873" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><i>, </i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nothin-But-Good-Times-Ahead/dp/0679754881?ie=UTF8&tag=illnefothdair-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Nothin' But Good Times Ahead</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=illnefothdair-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0679754881" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><i>)</i> would do, or you can get a quick look online at <a href="http://www.alternet.org/columnists/1406/">AlterNet</a>.<i> </i> If you are of a conservative bent, expect to be outraged.<i> </i>Also expect to be entertained and, possibly,<i> </i>educated.<i><br />
</i></div>Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00025464998558937273noreply@blogger.com1