John le Carre
It has been some time since I have read a book in the first person, so it took a bit of getting used to. For some reason I had a hard time taking this seriously since it read as a diary/journal. Or at least that is how I was reading it. The protagonist is Bruno Salvador, an English citizen whose mother was Congolese. Having been raised for part of his life in Africa, his identity is just as mixed as his genes. Bruno is a contract interpreter for the British government, using his talents to help with decoding the many dialects and local varieties of language from sub-Saharan Africa. When he gets a special assignment to interpret some high level, secret meetings, Bruno jumps at the chance. What he finds is that he is attending negotiations that will affect the future of his native Congo. What he realizes is that the neutrality required by his profession is not necessarily something that his personal ethics allow. Of course this leads to trouble and angst. An interesting look at what is probably the reality of how nation affecting negotiations happen and how corporations and money are the essential driving force. Otherwise, not really a great book.
Wait
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Artifact
Gregory Benford
This is exactly what I was hoping Solar would be. A political thriller with a strong sci-fi base. Benford provided two strong protagonists, archeologist Claire (junior professor out of BU and expert on ancient Greece) and mathematical physicst John (post-doc at MIT). Claire discovers a strange cube at her dig in Greece and brings in John to help with metallurgical analysis. By time they realize that this is a strange artifact in many ways, they get thrown out of the country due to Grecian political instability. But neither can let this go and they continue to pursue the strangeness. What I like is that the science the is used to explain much of the strangeness is itself quite strange (as most quantum mechanics is) and yet Benford provides a very good laymens description so that the story does not get bogged down in science. And yet gives enough to make everything probable and engaging. Basically a lot of fun, and if books are supposed to be entertainment, this one gets high marks.
Read it
This is exactly what I was hoping Solar would be. A political thriller with a strong sci-fi base. Benford provided two strong protagonists, archeologist Claire (junior professor out of BU and expert on ancient Greece) and mathematical physicst John (post-doc at MIT). Claire discovers a strange cube at her dig in Greece and brings in John to help with metallurgical analysis. By time they realize that this is a strange artifact in many ways, they get thrown out of the country due to Grecian political instability. But neither can let this go and they continue to pursue the strangeness. What I like is that the science the is used to explain much of the strangeness is itself quite strange (as most quantum mechanics is) and yet Benford provides a very good laymens description so that the story does not get bogged down in science. And yet gives enough to make everything probable and engaging. Basically a lot of fun, and if books are supposed to be entertainment, this one gets high marks.
Read it
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Animal Farm
George Orwell
Another in the series of books that everyone else read in High School. A group of farm animals on an English farm (the Manor Farm) initiate a coup, kicking out the human owner and running the farm themselves as a collective. Over time, heirarchies develop and memories are adjusted in this new animal society that has been created. Very clever, very biting comentary on the development and existence of the Stalin (Napolean) regime. Insightful (although not pleasant) perspective on how malleable a population of people can be. This is short enough that I think it would be fun to write the same premise, with the revolution being based on the Solidarity movement in Poland, or anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, or the Arab Spring. What insightful commentary would envisioning each of these revolutions as an action of animals setting up their society for themselves for the first time offer us.
Read it
Another in the series of books that everyone else read in High School. A group of farm animals on an English farm (the Manor Farm) initiate a coup, kicking out the human owner and running the farm themselves as a collective. Over time, heirarchies develop and memories are adjusted in this new animal society that has been created. Very clever, very biting comentary on the development and existence of the Stalin (Napolean) regime. Insightful (although not pleasant) perspective on how malleable a population of people can be. This is short enough that I think it would be fun to write the same premise, with the revolution being based on the Solidarity movement in Poland, or anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, or the Arab Spring. What insightful commentary would envisioning each of these revolutions as an action of animals setting up their society for themselves for the first time offer us.
Read it
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Solar
Ian Mcewan
The protagonist (Michael Beard) is a physicist who received a Nobel Prize early in his career and is now coasting on his own coattails. He becomes involved in developing artificial photosynthesis while his true occupation is managing his hedonism. While technically this is science fiction, it isn't really very interesting or novel unless you are interested in watching a character devolve. The fact that Beard is a scientist is really just an excuse for a plot to see the guy blow up. He could have just as well been an artist or a welder. I like my science fiction to stretch my ideas of science. In effect, I like it to be fantastic.
Skip it
The protagonist (Michael Beard) is a physicist who received a Nobel Prize early in his career and is now coasting on his own coattails. He becomes involved in developing artificial photosynthesis while his true occupation is managing his hedonism. While technically this is science fiction, it isn't really very interesting or novel unless you are interested in watching a character devolve. The fact that Beard is a scientist is really just an excuse for a plot to see the guy blow up. He could have just as well been an artist or a welder. I like my science fiction to stretch my ideas of science. In effect, I like it to be fantastic.
Skip it
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian
Sherman Alexie
This novel traces the life of high school freshman Arnold Spirit Jr. He is a member of the Spokane Indian tribe and has decided early in the novel to go to school off the reservation at the local white school. Alexie not only illuminates the traditional difficulties of a teenager in a new environment, but is able to bring to light many of the particular difficulties that an American Indian would face. Addressing topics like alcoholism, suicide, racisim and abuse head on, Alexie presents a picture of overcoming both extreme personal and cultural obstacles. Arnold is clearly an exceptional person and by the end of the novel he is truly a hero. I listened to this as an audio book read by the author and was thinking that it would not be nearly as good if I had read it myself. However, I noticed that the print version includes lots of cartoons "drawn" by Arnold, and was left wondering what I was missing. My guess is that one would be pleased with either the audio or print version, thinking that full enjoyment could not be achieved with the other.
Read it
This novel traces the life of high school freshman Arnold Spirit Jr. He is a member of the Spokane Indian tribe and has decided early in the novel to go to school off the reservation at the local white school. Alexie not only illuminates the traditional difficulties of a teenager in a new environment, but is able to bring to light many of the particular difficulties that an American Indian would face. Addressing topics like alcoholism, suicide, racisim and abuse head on, Alexie presents a picture of overcoming both extreme personal and cultural obstacles. Arnold is clearly an exceptional person and by the end of the novel he is truly a hero. I listened to this as an audio book read by the author and was thinking that it would not be nearly as good if I had read it myself. However, I noticed that the print version includes lots of cartoons "drawn" by Arnold, and was left wondering what I was missing. My guess is that one would be pleased with either the audio or print version, thinking that full enjoyment could not be achieved with the other.
Read it
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Watchman: A Novel
Ian Rankin
British political spy thriller with all the bells and whistles expected in such a thriller. Intrigue and infighting between MI-6, MI-5, Special Branch, and "the cousins". Irish intrigue, tabloid press and the constant wondering about who is good, who is bad and who is helping whom. As with many of these well written and semi-realistic stories, the answers to the good/bad question is not always answered. Spying is just darn complex. Miles Flint is our protagonist who is part of the Watcher task group, which is the internal surveillance system for the British. A couple of screw-ups by the team leads Miles (a dedicated and well trained watchman) to start asking questions which of course brings attention to him. Miles is supposed to watch, to be invisible, not be watched. So a series of decisions, both by Miles and others, leads to the development of Miles from a passive man of observation to a decisive man of action. You will have to read it to see how it all turns out.
Read it
British political spy thriller with all the bells and whistles expected in such a thriller. Intrigue and infighting between MI-6, MI-5, Special Branch, and "the cousins". Irish intrigue, tabloid press and the constant wondering about who is good, who is bad and who is helping whom. As with many of these well written and semi-realistic stories, the answers to the good/bad question is not always answered. Spying is just darn complex. Miles Flint is our protagonist who is part of the Watcher task group, which is the internal surveillance system for the British. A couple of screw-ups by the team leads Miles (a dedicated and well trained watchman) to start asking questions which of course brings attention to him. Miles is supposed to watch, to be invisible, not be watched. So a series of decisions, both by Miles and others, leads to the development of Miles from a passive man of observation to a decisive man of action. You will have to read it to see how it all turns out.
Read it
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Run
Ann Patchett
I grabbed 4 books from the library (Patchett, random spy thriller, random sci-fi drama, non-fiction treatise on technology). When I picked up this book and read the first chapter, I was really confused since I wasn't sure which book I was reading (I forgot to look at the title before starting in and it isn't obvious on my Kindle). But once I eliminated the spy and alien genre's, the book became much more clear in purpose. In typical Patchett style, this is a story of life in a particular strange crossroads of people. And the relationships that develop are a bit convoluted. But that is what makes it interesting. Rich, white Boston politician and his Irish wife have a son and later adopt a couple more sons. This story tells of their life, particularly after the Irish wife dies and leaves the four men to fend for themselves. I like how Patchett portrays the assumptions and stereotypes of each character while also revealing the reality to the reader. So we can read with a bit of superiority, "knowing better" but at the same time, wondering if we would actually "know better" if we were in those shoes.
Read It
I grabbed 4 books from the library (Patchett, random spy thriller, random sci-fi drama, non-fiction treatise on technology). When I picked up this book and read the first chapter, I was really confused since I wasn't sure which book I was reading (I forgot to look at the title before starting in and it isn't obvious on my Kindle). But once I eliminated the spy and alien genre's, the book became much more clear in purpose. In typical Patchett style, this is a story of life in a particular strange crossroads of people. And the relationships that develop are a bit convoluted. But that is what makes it interesting. Rich, white Boston politician and his Irish wife have a son and later adopt a couple more sons. This story tells of their life, particularly after the Irish wife dies and leaves the four men to fend for themselves. I like how Patchett portrays the assumptions and stereotypes of each character while also revealing the reality to the reader. So we can read with a bit of superiority, "knowing better" but at the same time, wondering if we would actually "know better" if we were in those shoes.
Read It
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)