One day when I was skimming the Front Porch Republic blog, I read that someone had crafted a retelling of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Ji One day when I was skimming the Front Porch Republic blog, I read that someone had crafted a retelling of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim. I knew that I had to read this book, so I got in the very long hold line at the Seattle Public Library, and, eventually, I had this tome in my hands.
I didn't read the blog close enough. James is far more than an Elseworlds version of Huckleberry Finn. In Mr. Everett's book, the Jim we saw in the original was a sham. The enslaved folk, of course, are as fully intelligent and resourceful as the dominant white people. But the black people exploit the white folks' prejudices to maintain the fiction that they are less intelligent, capable, and wise as they really are. Jim has taught himself to read. Jim has surreptitiously made use of Judge Thatcher's library and has wrestled with the ideas he has encountered in those books. Like the original, when Jim gets wind that Miss Watson is planning on selling him, he elects to escape. Huck, attempting an escape of his own, stumbles across Jim's hideout. The two then head downriver. When circumstances separate the two from time to time, Jim has his own adventures.
At first, my mind tried to read James as a version of Huckleberry Finn. It would question and nitpick details. But eventually I realized that I needed to be reading Mr. Everett's tale and not worry how well it kept continuity with Mr. Twain's book. James is the story of a man and a people trying to navigate through oppression and violence. Many tales set in antebellum times try to make the society more palatable. This one exposes the ugliness of racism and oppression. And it made me wonder to what ugliness in our own society am I blind. I think I need to get a copy of this book on my shelf....more
This book interweaves three themes. The first is the story of a pet starling that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had for a bit over three years. The second iThis book interweaves three themes. The first is the story of a pet starling that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had for a bit over three years. The second is information about starlings and their place in the American birding and scientific communities. The third is an account of the author's pet staring that she obtained to help her understand Mozart's relationship with his pet. While I found the whole book interesting, I really didn't get into the Mozart sections. I'm musically unsophisticated, so I didn't connect with or appreciate Ms. Haupt's attempts to delve into Mozart's creative mind. The starling bits, on the other hand, I found fascinating. I always enjoyed science books when I was a kid. Reading the starling portions of the book was a flashback to that, as I got brief lessons in starling biology & development, the behavior of scientists & ecologists toward an invasive species, and the connection between bird song & language. Finally, I also found Ms. Haupt's account of raising a starling interesting. That, for me, was like reading about a foreign culture. I'm not a pet person. But the story of Carmen the starling and her relationship to the household had a kind of beauty that evoked the affection that the family feels for her. Overall, the book is well written. If you have any interest in pets, birds, or Mozart, I would invite you to check this book out....more
To Live is the life story of Fugui, an old farmer who recounts his tale to a young scholar who is doing research in his village. Fugui is born and raiTo Live is the life story of Fugui, an old farmer who recounts his tale to a young scholar who is doing research in his village. Fugui is born and raised in a well to do family in China in the early part of the 20th Century. Things go bad and the family loses its modest fortune. Fugui learns to make a living as a tenant farmer. The story tells how he and his family fare as the events that changed China affect him and his community. I'm familiar familiar enough with traditional Chinese culture and modern Chinese history that everything made sense to me. I could also understand the contentment that Fugui displays at the beginning and end of the book. As an American reader, I wasn't satisfied with it, but don't let that stop you from checking it out....more
A silly little book from a silly little Twitter feed that I've been enjoying. It uses maps to make bad puns and/or poke fun at the way we use maps in A silly little book from a silly little Twitter feed that I've been enjoying. It uses maps to make bad puns and/or poke fun at the way we use maps in our society. I definitely recommend it if you want to have a bit of silly in your life....more
In volume 11, Mma Ramotswe is called upon to find an heir, uncover evidence of a philandering husband, and figure out a way to help a man who was scamIn volume 11, Mma Ramotswe is called upon to find an heir, uncover evidence of a philandering husband, and figure out a way to help a man who was scammed to give away his house. Complicating life is a serious accident suffered by Phuti Radiphuti which threatens his upcoming marriage to Grace Makutsi. Like the other books in this series, it's a fun, light read with likable characters. ...more
In the third collection of Spacetrawler a band of liberated eebs are running amuck, seeking revenge against the galaxy that enslaved them by torching In the third collection of Spacetrawler a band of liberated eebs are running amuck, seeking revenge against the galaxy that enslaved them by torching entire planets with their powerful telekinesis. The six humans who were instrumental in freeing the eebs are faced with the choice of hiding out or trying to stop the genocidal rampage. Of course, with these humans, neither choice will go as planned......more
I regret to report that this book didn't amaze me. Granted, I wasn't expecting amazement. I saw this coffee table book on the clearance rack at Half PI regret to report that this book didn't amaze me. Granted, I wasn't expecting amazement. I saw this coffee table book on the clearance rack at Half Price Books and it piqued my curiosity. I figured I could read it and then pass it on to the guys in the shelter. But I digress.
This tome is a history of magic, illustrated by photos of the collection of The International Museum and library of the Conjuring Arts. I found both the history and the photos to be on the light side. The text didn't draw me into story of either the craft or the individual people highlighted. Nor were the pictures sufficient to make me linger over each page, soaking in the visuals. But, in the end it is good waiting room material. Hopefully some of the guys at the shelter will enjoy it....more
Follow the Devil / Follow the Light is the story of a walk through hell. Joe Muggeridge comes home to his Seattle apartment, only to find a demon waitFollow the Devil / Follow the Light is the story of a walk through hell. Joe Muggeridge comes home to his Seattle apartment, only to find a demon waiting for him. The demon, Morte Magari, pressures/lures Joe into hell to see his deceased sister Nora. What follows is a journey where Joe encounters the sins and illusions of our modern society, both played out in hell and reflected in his own life. What he is slow to notice, however, is how the grace and power of God also pervades the adventure.
I enjoyed the book. It reminded me of some of C.S. Lewis' stuff and, of course, Dante's Inferno. While Follow the Devil / Follow the Light isn't quite as good as those classics, I did appreciated a vision of hell that illustrated our current era and culture. I saw myself in more than one of Joe Muggeridge's failings, but also had that constant reminder of heavenly love and forgiveness....more
George Herbert Walker Bush was the last American president from the "Greatest Generation" and, according to Jon Meacham, the "last gentleman." Mr. MeaGeorge Herbert Walker Bush was the last American president from the "Greatest Generation" and, according to Jon Meacham, the "last gentleman." Mr. Meacham presents a portrait of George Bush as a man born to wealth and privilege, and raised to compete, succeed, but also to serve his community--be that be his immediate neighbors or the entire world.
Mr. Meacham starts by presenting Bush's ancestors, showcasing how they were driven to work hard and win the things they wanted. George faithfully followed his family's values, earning respect and admiration from the people around him. When America entered the Second World War, Bush enlisted and served. Afterwards, he chose not to seek an easy road, working for relatives and relying on family wealth and connections, but rather opted to seek his own fortunes in the oil industry and later in politics. (Granted, the Bush family fortune and connections did make that a lot easier than it would have been for someone coming from a background of poverty.) Even when things didn't go the way as planned--such as the 1980 Republican presidential nomination--Bush adapted and endeavored to succeed in the opportunities that followed.
Mr. Meacham argues that during his presidency, Bush was misrepresented. He recounts his reserved personality and patient actions were contrasted to the more flamboyant presidency of Ronald Reagan, and that Bush was portrayed as being a weaker leader. Mr. Meacham then goes on to show how Bush endeavored to reach his goals and conduct his presidency in the way that he intended, rather than bowing to other pressures. That part rang true, as I remember agreeing with the media narrative during those years that Mr. Bush was rather ineffective, but how I grew to respect him more as I compared him to subsequent presidents. (and subsequent Bushes)
All in all, I found Destiny and Power to be a good and enjoyable account of George Bush and 20th Century American history. Check it out. ...more
The fourth volume of The Chronicles of St. Mary's is rather dark. Like the previous books, the characters travel to various time periods and historicaThe fourth volume of The Chronicles of St. Mary's is rather dark. Like the previous books, the characters travel to various time periods and historical events. These jaunts are still narrated with a liberal dose of humor and snark. Ms. Taylor does her usual good job of spinning the tale. But this time, Max is not leading teams of historians to research the past. Instead she's on the run from the bad guys, which makes for a lot more pain and bloodshed. Philosophically, I can appreciate the reframing of a typical St. Mary's novel. But, alas, it wasn't as fun to read. ...more
This one's a time travel tale from 1956 that somehow I have never managed to read until now. It's set in the future, 1970. Dan Davis is an engineer whThis one's a time travel tale from 1956 that somehow I have never managed to read until now. It's set in the future, 1970. Dan Davis is an engineer who gets done wrong by his fiancée and his business partner. Through a series of events he ends up traveling to the future... via suspended animation. He awakes 30 years later in the future future, 2000 A.D. (This was before C.E. became the accepted nomenclature.) As Dan explores his new reality, he comes up with a plan to get his revenge. All in all it was a good read. What I found most enjoyable was reading Mr. Heinlein's vision of the futures that are now about 20 and 50 years in the past. But the story kept my attention as well. If you don't mind a bit of 1950s worldview, go ahead and check it out....more
This book was a long one. It wasn't exactly a slog, but I was propelled as much by my desire to finish the book as I was by my desire to find out whatThis book was a long one. It wasn't exactly a slog, but I was propelled as much by my desire to finish the book as I was by my desire to find out what happens next. The book focuses mostly on the shenanigans up in the north of Westeros and the shenanigans in the eastern lands of Valyria. Both storylines moved too slow for my tastes and both were left hanging at the end of the book. But despite my whining, I'll probably pick up the next volume of the series to see what happens next. Anyway, now that I'm all caught up with the series, I may have to check out that "acclaimed HBO® series"....more
Words of Power is a guide to de-escalation. It's written to help folks recognize when another person's anger is escalating, understand what's going onWords of Power is a guide to de-escalation. It's written to help folks recognize when another person's anger is escalating, understand what's going on physically and mentally with that person, and then how to try and help them get to a calmer state. This particular volume is geared toward the generic person--Mr. Amdur has a number of other books on this same topic, geared toward folks in particular professions. I found the book to be easy to read and understand, fascinating and helpful. I have received de-escalation training from my employer, so some of the book was a review of things I've already learned. But my training didn't go into the physiological and emotional processes that a person goes through when experiencing anger and aggression. I think that knowledge will be helpful the next time I have to deal with an angry guest. If nothing else, it will help me maintain self-control if I understand what's going on with the other person. ...more
This one is a book on grieving. I didn't buy it because I'm grieving myself, but because the author is a member of my congregation. Don lost his wife This one is a book on grieving. I didn't buy it because I'm grieving myself, but because the author is a member of my congregation. Don lost his wife to cancer a while back. While going through his grief, he wrote. He eventually shared his musings with others who recommended that he turn his manuscript into a book.
In The Sound of God Breathing, Pastor Schatz explores the thoughts and emotions that buffeted him as he mourned his wife. He intersperses his thoughts with Bible passages, exploring what those passages mean while in the midst of grief and how one lives those concepts in the midst of loss. The book is written for someone who is experiencing their own grief. I didn't fit in that category, so I was reading this more as an intellectual exercise. I still found it worth reading. It added insight to the biblical verses quoted, as well as giving me some warning about what I might expect should I (God forbid) lose my own wife or children....more
This book has a great title. It is such a good distillation of the book's message that I was tempted to just type, "Yep!" for my review and leave it aThis book has a great title. It is such a good distillation of the book's message that I was tempted to just type, "Yep!" for my review and leave it at that. You see, there are many things that are blamed for the homelessness crisis in America. Mr. Colburn and Mr. Aldern have taken a look at each of them, crunched the numbers from available studies, and offered their findings. The puzzling thing is that the usual suspects in homelessness--addictions, mental health, rates of poverty--don't seem to cause an equal level of homelessness across the country. One by one, the authors whittle away the causes until they are left with the availability of affordable housing.
The book is definitely worth checking out if you're at all interested in homelessness. The book isn't so academic as to put you to sleep, but it does offer data to back up their opinions. As a worker in an emergency shelter, it gave me a better grasp of the overall system and some of what my guests and I are up against as we're trying to get them housed....more
I actually purchased this as waiting room material, as I had to kill time while out shopping. But it really is a book worth checking out. Mr. Flint spI actually purchased this as waiting room material, as I had to kill time while out shopping. But it really is a book worth checking out. Mr. Flint spins a tale where Sam Houston does not suffer an incapacitating injury during the War of 1812 and is instead around to help bring together a groups of freedmen and Cherokee warriors to fight in the battle of New Orleans in 1814. The relationships built during the course of these events set the foundation for the planting of a Cherokee nation that avoids the Trail of Tears scenario that exists in our history. But for that bit we'll have to get the sequel.
The book didn't grab my interest at first--much like that era in American history. But the story slowly grew on me as the characters and plot developed. As one might expect, the story has a military bent, with a lot of battle scenes. Come to think of it, that's probably why it was a slow starter for me, as the story comes out fighting, so to speak. ...more
In this volume, Mr. Abrams takes the unprecedented step of splitting up Riff and Torg. Riff has been transported to another dimension where he is trapIn this volume, Mr. Abrams takes the unprecedented step of splitting up Riff and Torg. Riff has been transported to another dimension where he is trapped in 4U City, a futuristic metropolis where everyone is happy. Said happiness is mandated by law and achieved by a combination of pharmaceuticals and weeding out of the sad. Riff, of course, begins to make his plans for escape. Meanwhile, back home, Torg gathers with Sasha, Bun-bun, Kiki, Sam, and Zombie Head on a Stick to work for the Minion Master. Together they work to eliminate the competing, super scientific, criminal organizations.
While I wasn't fond of the character split when the strips first came out, I do think it gave a kick in quality to the strip. The humor in the Minion Master strips evoke the spirit of the earlier strips in the series. And the unraveling plot in both storylines is enticing. I'll have to splurge on the next collection the next time I get an influx of cash. ...more
It's been a minute... This installment of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency features two mysteries. The official one is that Mma Ramotswe is hired by It's been a minute... This installment of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency features two mysteries. The official one is that Mma Ramotswe is hired by the owner of the local football club to figure out who in the organization has betrayed him and caused the team to lose more matches. The unofficial one is where Mma Makutsi, assistant detective, tries to figure out how her nemesis, Violet Sephotho, sales associate, is able to sell so many beds. The latter may not seem like a challenging mystery, but it's hard for Mma Makutsi to think straight when the store is owned by her fiance and she's sure Violet is making a play for him. All in all, it's not great literature, but it is an enjoyable read. ...more
I recently binged the 2003 version of Battlestar Galactica. I had seen the miniseries back in the day, but didn't catch the series because I wasn't abI recently binged the 2003 version of Battlestar Galactica. I had seen the miniseries back in the day, but didn't catch the series because I wasn't about to pay for cable TV. (I'm still not, though I do spring for a streaming service from time to time.) Anyway, I was enthralled with it and immediately wanted to get info about the series. Being a child of the 20th century, I went looking for a book and found this one.
Finding Battlestar Galactica is a collection of essays about the two Galactica series. It's interesting, but in the end, I can only rate it as waiting room material. It's biggest flaw is that it was written between the third and fourth seasons of the second series. I'm sure back in the day I would have been excited for the exploration of the show and the speculation for the final season. But reading it after having seen that season drains the excitement from the text. I don't even have any nostalgia to indulge in as I would if I were reading an old Star Trek or Doctor Who fanzines. It's a well-written, well-compiled tome--it just hasn't aged well. ...more
I confess that I'm a cynical man--all to quick to roll my eyes when stories start effusing about things like goodness and love. I'll usually skip any I confess that I'm a cynical man--all to quick to roll my eyes when stories start effusing about things like goodness and love. I'll usually skip any story that might make it to the Hallmark channel. That said, goodness and love are worth effusing about, and a good story can feature them without having to mix in a dark edge to the plot and characters. For example, you have this book.
Bright Valley of Love is the true story of Gunther and the place where he grew up. Gunther was born in Germany in 1914. He was handicapped, due in part to neglect by his birth family. When Gunther was seven, his family brought him to Bethel, a community for the physically and mentally impaired. In a world where disdain and neglect was common for many handicapped people. Bethel offered a loving community dedicated to physical and spiritual care for its members. The book takes us through Gunther's childhood, as he finds a new family at Bethel and thrives despite his handicapped body. The tale then goes on as Hitler gains power in Germany and Gunther and his brothers and sisters are threatened by the Nazi's twisted plan to "purify" Germany.
I'm not sure how this tale pierced my cynical shell--maybe it was all the quoted hymn verses--but I'm sure glad it did. I may have to find a copy for my shelf....more
Loading...
