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20061108 Wednesday November 08, 2006

Recent Reads

Another Dostoevsky masterwork informed by man's tremendous struggle between belief and doubt and by the power of redemptive suffering and salvation. [Referring to his own travail from atheism to belief, Dostoevsky reflected: "My hosanna has come forth from the crucible of doubt."] A primary theme - perhaps the central theme - of this deeply religious book is God's relationship to morality ("if there is no God, everything is permitted"). It is gratifying to see Dostoevsky actively take the side of faith in the novel - as exhibited by Alyosha and Father Zosima - against the side of doubt - as exhibited by Ivan. The plot of The Brothers Karamazov - the patricide of Fyodor Karamazov and the resulting trial of one of his sons - is interesting in its own right. The true genius of this novel, however, is embodied in its profound thematic content.

Other Worth a Look:

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  • 1776 - David McCullough (2005) - **** 1/2 (out of 5)

Every once in a while, I feel a compulsion to read a book based on title alone. 1776 was such a book - the fact that it was written by David McCullough was icing on the proverbial cake. This terrific book provides a detailed account of the first full year of the American Revolution - from the British abandonment of Boston, through the disastrous New York campaign, to the pivotal American victories at Trenton and Princeton - and its principal players. 1776 is a first-rate historical account of a critically important and difficult year in the history of the greatest nation on earth.

Other Worth a Look:

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  • The March - E.L. Doctorow (2005) - **** (out of 5)

The March is Doctorow's historic novel about General Sherman's march to the sea during the American Civil War. The novel is structured a bit like a Civil War version of the Canterbury Tales, with an interesting array of characters introduced along the march and allowed to tell their stories. This is a solidly written book about a fascinating - although regrettable and criminal - part of the Civil War and consequently well worth a look. After this book, the first I have read by Doctorow, I am looking forward to eventually reading some of his other works (esp. Ragtime).

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A smooth, enjoyable retelling of the the life and work of Jesus Christ based on the scriptural accounts of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. This "plain language" book, written by a retired Catholic priest, provides an easily accessible account of the Greatest Story Ever Told.

Other Worth a Look:

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  • Hawaii - James Michener (1959) - **** (out of 5)

Hawaii follows the formula Michener has used on so many of his other multi-generational historical epics. Readers are treated to a novel of amazing scope and span. Hawaii begins with the volcanic birth of the island chain and ends with impending statehood (the novel was published in 1959). Not surprisingly, given its breadth, the novel lacks some depth. In my opinion, this weakness (along with others like the weak final section) is offset by its broad reach and by the compelling, ultimately intertwined, stories of the Polynesians, American missionaries, Chinese, and Japanese and their heroic struggles in the formation of Hawaiian society.

Other Worth a Look:

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15 years after the publication of his superb 7 Habits book, Covey has published a new book detailing a new habit intended to help move an adherent "from effectiveness to greatness". The eighth habit, in summary, is to "find your voice and inspire others to find theirs". As in his other works, Covey eschews quick fixes and instead focuses on approaches intended to affect real long-term change. I continue to be impressed by Covey's emphasis on principle-centered leadership, an emphasis no doubt stemming from his devout faith.

Other Worth a Look:

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The premise of this book is terrific - understanding applied computer science by building a basic computer starting from digital logic gates and ending with a basic hardware platform, operating system, OO programming language, and compiler. Rich treatment of issues is not a strong suit of this book - the level of detail is kept intentionally "survey-like". The value of this book is in its pedagogic approach and its inevitable inspiration to further explore topics. This book should be of particular interest to undergraduate computer science students and to more experienced readers with gaps in their understanding of how computers do the wonderful things they do.

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Many fans of Robert Jordan have hailed him as the heir apparent to the J.R.R. Tolkien, with the unfinished Wheel of Time series serving, to date, as his magnum opus. While better than the vast majority of contemporary fantasy I have read, I have so far found the series - with its classic quest format and its set of improbable and reluctant heroes - to be overly formulaic and derivative of works like The Lord of the Rings. The improvement of the second book (The Great Hunt) over the first (Eye of the World) does, however, give me hope that the series will strengthen as it nears the final (and as of yet unwritten) 12th book.

Other Worth a Look:

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The Tipping Point is Gladwell's attempt at improving our understanding of innovative diffusion. He expounds on the notion that small changes ("Little Things") made by a small number of people - Connectors, Mavens, and/or Salesmen - can precipitate a tipping point resulting in sudden significant changes from one state to another ("Big Differences"). I was disappointed in this book, particularly given the tremendous hype surrounding it. I found it to be mildly interesting, but ultimately drawn out, lacking in substantive original insight, and overly reliant on anecdotal evidence and questionable correlation-causation leaps. ( Nov 08 2006, 12:55:15 PM PST ) Permalink

20060818 Friday August 18, 2006

Recent Reads

There have been countless books published in the last 5 years or so chronicling the lives of early great Americans. It is surprising, then, that only recently has a book been published dedicated to Andrew Jackson. Brands' book tells the story of Jackson's life in an engaging way. Jackson's rise to prominence in spite of his humble beginnings and his hardships is a recurring theme. Unfortunately, Brands spends too little time discussing Jackson's political career and his views on slavery.
While not always a terrifically well written book, Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt is nevertheless notable both for the remarkable subject matter - the life of Jesus' extended family during his youth - and also for its testimony to Rice's return to the Catholic Church. The book strays from strict orthodoxy at times, but always seems to do so in a respectful manner. I recommend that readers of this book read the author's afterword to get a sense of the Rice's research for the book and for the profound personal meaning for which the book held for her.
I have become accustomed over the years to Koontz' hack-work on many of his books (I still regard Tick Tock as one of the worst works of contemporary fiction I have ever read).  I was pleasantly surprised, then, when I read Odd Thomas. The plot serves mostly as a backdrop for the development of Odd Thomas and his various friends and acquaintances. Once I got past the awkward humor, I found Odd - with his humility, basic goodness, and sense of responsibility - to be a rather endearing character.

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"Great American" Books Worth A Look:
"Dean Koontz" Book Worth A Look:
( Aug 18 2006, 01:11:34 AM PDT ) Permalink Comments [1]
20050507 Saturday May 07, 2005

Alexander Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton - Ron Chernow (2004)

**** 1/2 (out of 5)

[review TBD]

Also Recommended:


( May 07 2005, 01:53:01 AM PDT ) Permalink Comments [0]
20050427 Wednesday April 27, 2005

The Way of Perfection

The Way of Perfection - St. Teresa of Avila (c.1565)

***** (out of 5)

The Way of Perfection was written by St Teresa of Avila as a guide for the nuns belonging to the Carmelite Order, the order for which she was prioress when the book was written. This book, a blessed classic, discusses the attributes of a prayerful life leading to a more intimate relationship with God. In the first section of the book, St. Teresa provides instruction, based on practical personal experience, in attaining the three essential characteristics for attaining spiritual perfection: fraternal love, detachment from worldly things, and true humility. She discusses the subjects of mental and vocal prayer and contemplation in this section as well. The second section of the book contains St. Teresa's profound and inspirational commentaries on the Pater noster (Our Father), or The Lord's Prayer. In this section, the Saint shows how everything discussed in the previous section of the book becomes manifest in this most perfect of prayers. She discusses each part of the prayer in detail - from the awesome implications of "Our Father" to the importance of earnestly entreating God to "deliver us from evil".

The Way of Perfection was written over 400 years ago for a small group of cloistered nuns. As with other works of tremendous genius, however, St. Teresa's instructions and commentaries are timeless and universal. Making The Way of Perfection even more remarkable is the simple way in which the deeply profound concepts are presented by St. Teresa. Also, her conversational style adds a true sense of intimacy to this sublimely beautiful work.

While Catholics will find this book particularly rewarding, its relevance is by no mean limited to adherents of Catholicism. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in achieving a deeper sense of spirituality through an intimate prayer-filled relationship with God.

Also Recommended:


( Apr 27 2005, 12:46:57 AM PDT ) Permalink Comments [3]
20050425 Monday April 25, 2005

Shadow Divers

Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II - Robert Kurson (2004)

*** 1/2 (out of 5)

[review TBD]
( Apr 25 2005, 12:47:51 AM PDT ) Permalink Comments [1]

20050416 Saturday April 16, 2005

Blade of Tyshalle

Blade of Tyshalle - Matthew Woodring Stover (2002)

** (out of 5)

[review TBD]
( Apr 16 2005, 02:48:09 AM PDT ) Permalink Comments [0]

20050410 Sunday April 10, 2005

Dark Voyage

Dark Voyage: A Novel - Alan Furst (2004)

*** (out of 5)

Dark Voyage is Furst's latest offering set in warn-torn Europe during World War II. In Dark Voyage, Eric DeHaan, captain of the Dutch tramp freighter Noordendam, is enlisted by the Allies to engage, along with his crew, in a series of three covert missions. In the first mission, DeHaan transports British commandos to a nocturnal raid in Tunisia. The second mission consists of transporting supplies to beleagured British Expeditionary Forces in Crete. A dicey trip through Nazi-controlled regions of the Baltic Sea in order to deliver HUFFDUFF equipment is the objective of the third mission, the most dangerous of the three.

Furst is known as a novelist with a gift for nuance and subtlety. This might work in many of his novels, but I found the plot of Dark Voyage to be a bit listless. That being said, the strength of Dark Voyage, however, lies more in the settings and the characters with which DeHaan comes into contact than in the plot. And quite a cast of characters it is: in addition to DeHaan himself - a likable 'everyman' motivated by patriotic duty rather than an overt sense of heroism - Furst introduces the reader to a somewhat motely crew (no pun intended) and a diverse passenger list including an alluring female Russian journalist, a Swiss spy, and a Jewish medical student fleeing the Nazis. Most of these characters 'work'. The notable exception is the Russian journalist and her almost gratuitous sexual relationship with DeHaan.

Dark Voyage is not Furst's best work, but it is a decent work nonetheless.
( Apr 10 2005, 10:21:54 PM PDT ) Permalink Comments [0]

20050409 Saturday April 09, 2005

Keating and Catholic Apologetics

I recently reread a couple of books on Catholic Apologetics by Karl Keating:

I recommend both of these fine books for Catholics interested in improving their ability to explain our core beliefs and non-Catholics interested in learning more about the Catholic Church.
( Apr 09 2005, 08:49:23 PM PDT ) Permalink Comments [0]
20050404 Monday April 04, 2005

The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer (1400)

***** (out of 5)

[review TBD]
( Apr 04 2005, 02:30:09 AM PDT ) Permalink Comments [0]

20050326 Saturday March 26, 2005

Public Enemies

Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34 - Bryan Burroughs (2004)

*** 1/2 (out of 5)

John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, Alvin Karpis, Fred and Dock Barker, Bonnie and Clyde, and Machine Gun Kelly were all operating in 1933. By 1934, all were either dead or incarcerated. Public Enemies tells the stories of these gangsters and their role in "America's Greatest Crime Wave". Also chronicled is the role of the FBI, led by J.Edgar Hoover, in ending this crime wave (not to mention Hoover's PR role in making the FBI and the criminals they pursued famous).

Burroughs does a great job in using a wide array of sources, including a lot of material only recently released by the FBI, to recount history in an engaging way. The narrative technique he uses to tie all of the individual stories together is a bit awkward in places, but is largely effective. The strength of the book is certainly the material related to the gangsters and their exploits. His account of how the FBI evolved from almost comic ineptness to an effective crime fighting organization is interesting but a bit sparse. My primary complaint with the book is its tendency to drag at times due to an overabundance of detail adding little to the narrative.

Historical crime afficionados and casual readers alike should find much in this book to enjoy. Readers that have bought in to the "Hollywood" depictions of Ma Barker's criminal genius, Bonnie and Clyde's daring, and Baby Face Nelson's good-natured humor should prepare to be enlightened.
( Mar 26 2005, 09:11:17 PM PST ) Permalink Comments [0]

20050312 Saturday March 12, 2005

The Inferno of Dante

Inferno - Dante Alighieri (c.1319)

***** (out of 5)

I am a voracious reader who loves to consume new fare. That being said, there are several works that I find myself rereading every year or so. Dante's Divine Comedy is one such work. The Divine Comedy, one of history's greatest works of literature, recounts a fantastic story of the poet's spiritual pilgrimage through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.

Inferno is the first of the three canticles of the Comedy. In this canticle, Dante is led by the poet Virgil through the nine circles of Hell. Dante finds himself "lost" at the start of the Inferno, realizing that "midway through [his] journey through life" he has taken the wrong path : namely, the path of sin. At the request of Beatrice, a past beloved of Dante's, the poet Virgil rescues Dante and leads him on a pilgrimage of salvation - Dante's trip through Hell begins on Good Friday and ends on Easter.

The infernal journey begins in earnest when Dante and Virgil pass through a wide gate bearing the ominous inscription "Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here". From here, Virgil leads Dante down through the nine circles of Hell. Each circle contains sinners being punished, often horrifically, for their sins on Earth. The first circle, Limbo, contains those who died without knowing Christ. The second circle contains the lustful; the third circle contains the gluttonous; the fourth circle contains the avaricious and the prodigal; the fifth circle contains the wrathful; the sixth circle contains the heretics. The seventh circle contains the violent - those violent against others, against themselves, and against God and nature. The eighth circle contains the fraudulent - panderers, flatterers, simoniacs, sorcerers, barrators, hypocrites, thieves, false counselors, schismatics, and falsifiers. Finally, the ninth circle contains the traitors - traitors against kindred, country, hospitality, lords and benefactors. In this final circle, Lucifer eternally devours three of history's most notorious traitors: Judas, Brutus, and Cassius.

The Inferno, indeed all of the Divine Comedy, is a truly magnificent work. On one level, it is an terrifically imaginative tale. On another, it is a work containing a wealth of metaphor, symbology, and historical, political, mythological, and literary references (a good reader's guide is helpful). The most profound and rewarding level, however, is the one on which the work is read as a spiritual guide urging readers to seek the path of righteous. Dante celebrates the perfection of God's divine justice as He establishes punishments for sinners based on the nature and the degree of their sin. The messages of the Inferno are clear:
God wishes all of us to be saved. Man, however, has free will and can choose evil over good. The consequences of such a choice are dire.

Translation Note: The translation I most recently read was Roger Pinsky's. This is one of the better translations I have read (ranking along with Mandelbaum's and Ciardi's). I especially enjoyed Pinsky's efforts to maintain the poem's terza rima structure.

Also Recommended:


( Mar 12 2005, 01:39:39 AM PST ) Permalink Comments [0]
20050218 Friday February 18, 2005

The Rule of Four

The Rule of Four - Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason (2004)

*** (out of 5)

Based on the runaway success of The Da Vinci Code, a number of authors have decided to produce books in a similar vein - thrillers combining historical arcana and conspiracy. The Rule of Four is one such book. In this novel, a pair of Princeton students - Tom Sullivan and Paul Harris - are working on unraveling the steganographic mysteries of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, an enigmatic 15th century Italian text written in Latin, Italian, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Chaldean and Egyptian hieroglyphics. The duo gain possession of a diary that promises to be an important key in this effort. Soon after the find, a fellow researcher is murdered and it dawns upon the two students that more is at stake than a thesis paper.

It is inevitable that readers and critics are comparing the Rule of Four with Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code. I found the Rule of Four to be a more thoughtful book and less guilty of factual errors and misrepresentations (interestingly, Caldwell and Thomason provided a set of authors' notes listing the intentional mistakes, inventions, and creative liberties that they included in the book). Like The Da Vinci Code, however, the book succeeds primarily on the strength of its plot rather than its characters and themes. In my opinion, the characters were flat and their relationships uninteresting.

All in all, The Rule of Four is a credible first attempt by the authors. Not a great book, certainly, but one worth giving a try.

Also Recommended:

Don't Bother:

  • Codex - Lev Grossman (2004)

( Feb 18 2005, 10:31:04 AM PST ) Permalink Comments [1]
20050216 Wednesday February 16, 2005

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim - David Sedaris (2004)

* 1/2 (out of 5)

Naked and Me Talk Pretty One Day established David Sedaris as a highly successful essayist, both works entrenching themselves on the New York Times bestseller list for years. Sedaris is looking to follow up with this success with his latest offering, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. As with the two previous works, Dress Your Family is a set of comic essays about Sedaris and his dysfunctional family.

Many critics have lauded Dress Your Family as Sedaris' best, earning him consideration as a memoirist of substantial merit. After reading the book, I am unable to share in this opinion. The essays are certainly not uplifting or inspiring. This, in and of itself, is not a serious indictment as inspiration is not Sedaris' intent. Unfortunately, the essays, IMHO, are also neither insightful nor humorous on the whole. I found the essays - with the notable exception of 'Baby Genius' - to be pathetic and depressing. I even found a few - e.g. 'Full House' - disgusting.

Sedaris has a definite gift with prose. His narrative style is extremely smooth and natural - 'comfortable' might be an appropriate characterization. This aside, I found Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim to be largely without merit.

NOTE: If you believe that any of Sedaris' previous works are significantly better than Dress Your Family, please let me know.
( Feb 16 2005, 04:14:16 AM PST ) Permalink Comments [1]

20050211 Friday February 11, 2005

An Alchemy of Mind

An Alchemy of Mind : The Marvel and Mystery of the Brain - Diane Ackerman (2004)

** 1/2 (out of 5)

Diance Ackerman has a reputation for bridging art and science by writing about scientific subjects with a poetic spirit. An Alchemy of Mind is her latest offering. The subject of this work is cognitive science and neuroscience. Memory, language, emotions, and the notion of self are all treated with in Alchemy.

Ackerman's work is certainly not a scholarly science text. It can be more accurately characterized as a series of poetic essays containing her somewhat informed thoughts on the subject matter. Put bluntly and concisely, An Alchemy of Mind is long on style and short on science.

Ackerman's prose is often beautiful and occasionally captivating. Her use of imagery and metaphor, while not always effective, is impressive. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this book to folks wishing to become more informed about neuroscience. It is simply too scantily researched (a peek at the biliography supports this accusation), too disjoint, and too factually inaccurate in places.

Recommended Instead:


( Feb 11 2005, 11:19:32 PM PST ) Permalink Comments [0]
20050210 Thursday February 10, 2005

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Fifteenth Anniversary Edition - Robert Fulghum (2003)

**** (out of 5)

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten is a compilation of short essays relating the significance of the most simple aspects of life. Fulghum shows in these essays how simple life lessons apply to children and adult alike. This theme is most clearly, and famously, explored in the title essay. In this essay, Fulghum enumerates a series of aphorisms that are often taught to Kindergarten-age children and suggests that these aphorisms are age-neutral.

Of all the essays in the collection, my favorites were "Donny" and "Mother Theresa". "Donny" is the story of a deaf boy who offered to rake the leaves from Fulghum's yard. Despite having previously decided to leave half of his yard unraked as an experiment, Fulghum realizes the relative unimportance of his experiment when weighed against the importance of showing kindness to a child. He acquiesces to Donny's request and provides to him the desired opportunity. "Mother Theresa" is Fulghum's tribute to Mother Theresa and her philosophy to "[do] small things with great love". Fulghum mentions how Mother Theresa's example should serve as a challenge to the rest of us and should be reflected upon in the context of our own lives.

Fulghum's musings at times demonstrate a marked naivete. In my opinion, however, this more often than not tends to add to the book's appeal rather than detract from it. I found many of Fulghum's essays to be touching and inspiring. While I might not subscribe fully to certain aspects of Fulghum's worldview and religious skepticism, I wholeheartedly embrace his simple optimism and his belief in the goodness that can be found in the world and its people. In an age where cynicism seems to be rampant, we need more books like All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.
( Feb 10 2005, 02:50:58 PM PST ) Permalink Comments [0]