A collection of letters Trachtenberg wrote while President of George Washington University. Some of them are thoughtful and worth reading. All are comA collection of letters Trachtenberg wrote while President of George Washington University. Some of them are thoughtful and worth reading. All are complemented by a cartoon on a closely related topic from the New Yorker. It's a fun quick read, and a nice way to have some memories of GWU....more
A nice hopepunk novelette, with a strong sense that community can make a difference in surviving as environmental crises become overwhelming. It doesnA nice hopepunk novelette, with a strong sense that community can make a difference in surviving as environmental crises become overwhelming. It doesn't have to work out, but it can. It's not hopeless, because humans will work together, and be happier and safer for that.
A Hugo nominee as the Best Novelette of 2023, and well deserving of the nomination....more
Essentially a picture book of entertaining plays on how people die in quaint English village mysteries. The main advice is "don't go there!" Some of tEssentially a picture book of entertaining plays on how people die in quaint English village mysteries. The main advice is "don't go there!" Some of the offerings made me laugh out loud, the two quizzes were definitely fun, and the ending was as good as the best children's picture books.
It was fun, but the existence of this book is more fun than it's content.
Unless you want it to sit on your bookshelf to stimulate conversation, I recommend reading this one in the bookstore. You can complete the book in 30 minutes tops. ...more
This was atmospheric, but I never found the characters compelling or the story surprising. It is a retelling of the Dr. Moreau H.G. Wells story, but wThis was atmospheric, but I never found the characters compelling or the story surprising. It is a retelling of the Dr. Moreau H.G. Wells story, but with a twist in the characters, a different narrative voice, and a strong dose of criticism for colonialism.
I read it because it was a Hugo nominee, and it was acceptable. Just not my cup of tea....more
A very well-researched, well-written, and fundamentally interesting book on how Marvel Studios came to be the dominant entertainment entity of the 21sA very well-researched, well-written, and fundamentally interesting book on how Marvel Studios came to be the dominant entertainment entity of the 21st Century. If you find the Marvel Cinematic Universe interesting, you'll enjoy this book. If you want to understand how the film business has changed, you'll find the book fascinating. And if you think the dominance of the MCU on movies is the most boring thing in the world, you might still enjoy the book.
It is written from the perspectives of writers who have enjoyed much of the Marvel output, but it is far from a fan-piece. It's more of a first draft of the history of this entertainment event. Most of the material is about how the organization and personnel evolved, with analysis of how those changes affected the product. It's well-documented, with notes and footnotes, but is very driven by a large number of interviews with participants over time. (The book also is clear to note when a participant was not available for an interview.)
A great read and a fascinating insight into how current pop culture is made....more
"As my old pappy used to say 'A coward dies a thousand times before his death, a brave man only once -- and a thousand to one is pretty good odds.'"
Th"As my old pappy used to say 'A coward dies a thousand times before his death, a brave man only once -- and a thousand to one is pretty good odds.'"
This book has a lot of insightful interviews and discussions about one of the most influential shows in early television, one that I became a great fond of as I watched it in syndication. I really liked learning about the history of the show, including the way the studio system at Warner Bros. worked in the early days of TV, and the evolution of Jim Garner as an actor in the role that made him famous. I also enjoyed the discussions of why they quickly decided they needed a Maverick brother -- that they were producing 30 shows a year at a schedule of 5-6 days shooting and that required shooting two crews at once.
This character, created in part as a counterpoint to all the heroic westerns of the 1950s, was an adventurer who cared about a profit, who never saw the need to risk himself if there was another option, but who is always on the side of the underdog and justice when needed. He is a very human character, who is inspiring without being unbelievable. After seeing so many of the old episodes, I see that the Mel Gibson / Jodie Foster movie of the 1990s was very true to the character.
This is the kind of book that used to be common in the age before the internet and IMDB. There is a lot of detail on each episode, including a discussion of the cast and crew. It's interesting to see, in this more recent 3rd edition, that there is some cross-referencing with IMDB, but there was more detail on each episode than I needed.
About 1/3 of the book is just what I was looking for: how did this series get made, and why was it so effective that it holds up well even today. I liked the clarification of the best episodes and why they were great (I have gone to the internet to see the ones I didn't know -- "Shady Deal at Sunny Acres" is really a classic story). There was careful historical narrative, bolstered by actual research in the Warner Archives as well as personal interviews.
I would have been happier with a shorter book, and less of the episode guide ... but surprisingly some of the interesting memories and insights could come in discussion of individual episodes, so I'm glad I read it all.
There was some discussion up front and a couple of appendices that covered the relationship between the Maverick series and other Roy Huggins creations like Alias Smith and Jones and eventually The Rockford Files, as well as the many attempts to revise the Maverick series itself on TV and in the movies. All interesting....more
A very nice overview of how Alexandria has come to embrace archaeology as a part of its public responsibilities, how the work has been done over the lA very nice overview of how Alexandria has come to embrace archaeology as a part of its public responsibilities, how the work has been done over the last century, and a few of the more interesting findings.
The book is written clearly, with good illustrations. It is a book that can be read by schoolchildren, but is serious enough to interest adults. It devotes about as much space to the history of archaeology in Alexandria as to the results of investigations there.
Unlike most books written with schoolchildren in mind, it isn't afraid to introduce challenging concepts or interpretations. The book also has a wonderful two-page annotated bibliography so that the it can be a pathway into learning more about archaeology, Alexandria, historical research, or community projects.
The book is in a series by Oxford University Press ("Digging for the Past") that provides an archaeological perspective on the study of a dozen (so far) sites with interesting history and pre-history. I'll likely read more, but this one caught my interest because I've wandered a lot of the spots in Alexandria discussed in the book, have walked the 23-mile Alexandria Heritage Trail, and have heard the author speak about her work....more
The interesting premise is that someone with Miss Marple syndrome, in that murders seem to happen around her an she's good a solving them, runs away fThe interesting premise is that someone with Miss Marple syndrome, in that murders seem to happen around her an she's good a solving them, runs away from earth because she is so sick of dealing with murder. It's fun, an interesting take on the premise, on the unlikelihood of many murder mystery plots, and also comes across as a continuation of Lafferty's unique style of fiction writing.
I particularly liked the exploration of how everyone involved in a murder has way too many hidden connections -- which was very obvious in this book since all the humans were the first ones to set foot on an alien space station. The solution of the murder(s) was satisfying, as was the exploration of why the amateur detective was experiencing a life of murder.
I wish I'd cared a bit more about the characters. Hard for me to know if that is because Lafferty was trying to keep a light Murder She Wrote style for this book, or if she was so interested in the plot that character was secondary, or even that the book was so long she didn't have time to put in character development elements. I note, however, the contrast with Lafferty's Six Wakes, which was equally plot-driven but where I had a sense of who the characters were and how they changed (or wanted to change).
Well worth the reading time, and I expect I'll be seeing this on the Hugo short-list coming out of Chengdu in March....more
A very valuable book for recognizing and understanding the skyscrapers of Manhattan (specifically of Lower Manhattan and Midtown). Each important skysA very valuable book for recognizing and understanding the skyscrapers of Manhattan (specifically of Lower Manhattan and Midtown). Each important skyscraper has at least a page of photos and description, and is marked well on a map.
While I was living in NYC, I was often trying to identify the buildings i could see from my apartment, particularly the tallest buildings. I was surprised at how hard it was to determine which building was which, using on-line guides or books. Then I found this one, which I think was intended as a souvenir book. If so, it was still the best book I found for showing the entire view of each building and its map location. It satisfied my needs perfectly....more
"Look, before I was a Green Lantern, I was a cop -- and before that a soldier. And I've always been a girl from Brooklyn. I can handle myself."
Wow. Je"Look, before I was a Green Lantern, I was a cop -- and before that a soldier. And I've always been a girl from Brooklyn. I can handle myself."
Wow. Jemisin has made a great story, living up to her talents and adding to the Green Lantern legacy at the same time. As in all her stories, I gained insight into the subtle and persistently justified elements of human oppression. The story also reminded me of parts of The City We Became, because it reflected the feeling of a multi-cultural (in this case multiple-species) metropolis. I am blown away
I was thrilled when I learned that N.K. Jemisin was going to write a Green Lantern story. GL done at it's best is always the most science fiction of superhero comics, and has a history of doing what SF does best: use a new setting and situation to give us insights into humanity that would be hard to see if presented in our culture with all the history and baggage we bring to it.
The story is mainly about a new Lantern assigned to a gigantic space habitat (Dyson sphere scale), where emotions have been suppressed for thousands of years because the three races had destroyed their original planets in wars. And now there's been the first murder in 500 years, and a Lantern has been asked to help. The readers learns slowly about the range of motives among the 3 races, the power structure, and both why they asked for a Lantern and why the Guardians sent one. And, like in the Twilight Zone episode, one of the lessons is "People are alike all over." Never heavy-handed, and yet never in doubt about the lessons we should take.
If you've ever thought a superhero story can't be serious writing, well, first I wonder why you never read Watchmen, and second, I suggest you read this story.
Very, very deserving of it's Hugo Nomination. ...more
An interesting sort of guide book, divided by neighborhoods of the city, and focused on things that you might miss or never know about. So much fun I An interesting sort of guide book, divided by neighborhoods of the city, and focused on things that you might miss or never know about. So much fun I purchased the DC version for my return.
It covers a wide variety of unusual aspects of the city. It calls out normal buildings for their unusual history, like the unassuming brownstone that was the home to the Black Chamber, the first US communications intercept agency. It points out remaining elements of New York's past, like abandoned reservoirs and a small section of a remaining factory wall. It pointed me to tiny parks that would be hard to find without directions. And sometimes just history explanations, like why a part of Manhattan is across the Harlem river in Brooklyn.
It shouldn't be your first guidebook if you are exploring NYC, nor is it the best supplemental (I would give that to Wildsam Field Guides: Manhattan. But if you have time to explore the neighborhoods of Manhattan, the Bronx, and Brooklyn over more than a week, this one is worth adding to your reading....more
A set of roughly 2-4 hour walks along parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, with paths that I might never have guessed. A very useful walking guide, well tA set of roughly 2-4 hour walks along parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, with paths that I might never have guessed. A very useful walking guide, well thought-out. Some places I didn't need it's suggestions (Chelsea and the High Line was pretty obvious) and other walks (the Brooklyn Riveria, and the walk across Roosevelt Island) would never have occurred to me. I recommend it to anyone who, like me, thinks that city must be explored on foot, and in doses of several hours at time....more
Of interest to me because I spent a lot of time in Houston County while growing up.
Well-chosen photos to show the evolution of the villages and towns Of interest to me because I spent a lot of time in Houston County while growing up.
Well-chosen photos to show the evolution of the villages and towns in Houston County, the industry and agriculture, the development of the railroad and road connections, and the shops that began to turn Dothan into an Alabama city. Some care has been given to identifying the locations and the persons in the photos (including the African-Americans)....more
A continuation of the Captain Cantrell series within the 163x tales of 20th Century Americans transported back to the Europe of the 1630s and how theiA continuation of the Captain Cantrell series within the 163x tales of 20th Century Americans transported back to the Europe of the 1630s and how their ideas change history.
This is truly an enjoyable addition to the series, one of the best ones to read. It had me turning pages incessantly, not wanting to stop. Once again, the story offers interesting takes on historical figures, action and technically interesting improvisations, and, best of all, an exploration of what impact new ideas might have had if introduced 150 years earlier.
It is a true joy to see how the 'up-timers' are approaching their need for resources from the New World with a commitment to not allowing the slavery and genocide of our history. Flint and his writing team are doing a very good job of showing us that it could have been different, that the horrible treatment of the native Americans was an unavoidable side effect of contact with the Europeans. Of course, having rough steamships to constrain the Spanish is a real help.
Roughly 40 books into this series, and, surprisingly, I keep looking forward to the next one....more
“You seem tense,” Kahurangi said to them. “Of course I’m tense,” Niamh snapped back. “We have a stupid plan.” “You’re just saying this because it’s my“You seem tense,” Kahurangi said to them. “Of course I’m tense,” Niamh snapped back. “We have a stupid plan.” “You’re just saying this because it’s my plan.” “I’m not just saying it because it’s your plan, and also, yes.”
Scalzi described this as a "pop song of a novel" something to entertain and satisfy you, leaving the room with a smile on your face.
It is that. It's hard to believe it hasn't already been made into a movie. It's a fun attempt to rationalize a world where the giant Japanese monsters are real and credible, and how a human group would deal with that. I really liked that the viewpoint character got sucked into it because it was the only job he could find during COVID.
I'm really glad I read it, but it won't be on my top 100 of all times list. It was nominated for the Hugo ... in fact I nominated it, since it was one of the most fun books I read all year ... but if it wins it won't be remembered as one of the great winners. But it is solid popcorn science fiction, written with wit and charm, and well worth a nomination....more
This is a thoughtful overview of the history of CFR, starting with "the Inquiry" which accompanied Woodrow Wilson to negotiate peace at the end of WorThis is a thoughtful overview of the history of CFR, starting with "the Inquiry" which accompanied Woodrow Wilson to negotiate peace at the end of World War I and carrying to through to the pandemic of 2020. It is an easy read for anyone interested in that history, or in seeing how the organization that shows up in so many conspiracy theories sees itself. It doesn't go deep nor challenge the role of such independent, elite, expertise organizations, but it does discuss how an institution that started as a 'rich man's club' could evolve into such a useful organization.
The book was commissioned by CFR as part of its Centennial celebration, and has some of the problems of a book that is sponsored by its subject. It does a fair job of dealing with the organization's challenges in becoming a more diverse and democratic organization as the society changed, and how it has remained relevant in encouraging non-partisan debate about foreign policy. After talking with people who lived through the addition of women and people of color to the Council, I think this shows a true by overly triumphant view of how the Council adjusted.
I read the book because I am spending a year at the Council as visiting Fellow, and wanted a quick overview of what the Council has done over time. The book works well for that, and fills a niche not well handled by the unauthorized books that address the council, whether historically strong or conspiratorial. (BTW, CFR has a whole web site section devoted to conspiracy theories about the organization.)
I think the strongest part of the book is its coverage of how the Council dealt with the controversies and trama of Vietnam, which had split the politics and the cadre of experts. The Council, as a place that focused on civil policy debates, served as one of the places of healing for the fractured national security elite, and, IMHO, that may have been one of its greatest achievements....more
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