James A. Levine
This novel follows the story of Bingo Mwolo, the greatest runner in all of Kibera, Nairobi, and probably the world. For Bingo, by greatest runner, he means that he is the best deliverer of drugs and cash for the drug lords of the Kibera slum in Nairobi. Bingo is small (referred to by his friends as meejit) for his age, which gives him the advantage of rarely being stopped by police, and able to slip in and out where others can't. His friend Slow George is a constant companion and helps ground him in reality. As the greatest runner, Bingo has his own commandments that, in his opinion, exceed the value of the commandments in the bible. His include things such as "rest when you can", "finish every run", "never steal a run", etc. By following his commandments, Bingo survives and thrives to the limit of his imagination. But then he gets involved in activities that take him beyond his imagination. Trusted and then protected by the big bosses, adopted, tricked, arrested, beat, and admired. Bingo's Run is an adventure story in the slums, and Levine illuminates Kenyan culture to great effect by using local mythology and dialect to further his story. It is a quick read, and a fun adventure.
Read
Monday, March 28, 2016
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Confessions
Kanae Minato
Translated from its original Japanese, this novel is delivered as a series of 1st person accounts surrounding a local tragedy. We open with a middle school homeroom teacher talking to her students on the last day before summer break, giving her "end of year speech". This monologue sets the story (she is leaving the school and it has everything to do with the fact that her 5 year old daughter recently died) and it sets the stage for a mystery thriller. Since we are hearing the perspective of the teacher, there are clearly point of view issues that the reader can intuit. Gaps in her knowledge, conjectures that we wonder if they are correct, etc. Minato expertly fills in those gaps, slowly unpeeling the layers of this story, not by retelling the same event from several perspectives, but by allowing the story to progress in time (or even to flash back) from other perspectives. It all seems natural and is well connected. I love the story telling mechanism simply because it is so well done. And the story itself is fascinating, as watching a slow motion train wreck is fascinating. All this while exploring the depth of the characters neurosis (what do you expect from middle school kids) and asking deep questions about morality, love, and life purpose. Well done.
Read
Translated from its original Japanese, this novel is delivered as a series of 1st person accounts surrounding a local tragedy. We open with a middle school homeroom teacher talking to her students on the last day before summer break, giving her "end of year speech". This monologue sets the story (she is leaving the school and it has everything to do with the fact that her 5 year old daughter recently died) and it sets the stage for a mystery thriller. Since we are hearing the perspective of the teacher, there are clearly point of view issues that the reader can intuit. Gaps in her knowledge, conjectures that we wonder if they are correct, etc. Minato expertly fills in those gaps, slowly unpeeling the layers of this story, not by retelling the same event from several perspectives, but by allowing the story to progress in time (or even to flash back) from other perspectives. It all seems natural and is well connected. I love the story telling mechanism simply because it is so well done. And the story itself is fascinating, as watching a slow motion train wreck is fascinating. All this while exploring the depth of the characters neurosis (what do you expect from middle school kids) and asking deep questions about morality, love, and life purpose. Well done.
Read
Monday, March 21, 2016
Someplace to be Flying
Charles de Lint
This is a story that crosses between fantasy and reality in a seamless fashion. Both the characters and the reader share the same ambiguity of place and purpose, but de Lint does such a fantastic job with this that we are never confused or frustrated. The setting is a modern day city, but the story is one of the interplay of "Americans" and "Animal People". The Animal People are the first people, pulled out of the dark and into the world. Raven, the Crow Girls and Jack were all there. And now they are encountering another iteration of an age old conflict. Several humans and part humans are pulled into the story, but the "fantasy" nature of this story is not typical. Instead of reading like and elves and dwarves story, it reads more like a story told by a Native American shaman. It reminds me a lot of The Word and the Void series by Terry Brooks. And it reads more like a Harry Bosch detective mystery than it does typical fantasy. Really like this.
Read
This is a story that crosses between fantasy and reality in a seamless fashion. Both the characters and the reader share the same ambiguity of place and purpose, but de Lint does such a fantastic job with this that we are never confused or frustrated. The setting is a modern day city, but the story is one of the interplay of "Americans" and "Animal People". The Animal People are the first people, pulled out of the dark and into the world. Raven, the Crow Girls and Jack were all there. And now they are encountering another iteration of an age old conflict. Several humans and part humans are pulled into the story, but the "fantasy" nature of this story is not typical. Instead of reading like and elves and dwarves story, it reads more like a story told by a Native American shaman. It reminds me a lot of The Word and the Void series by Terry Brooks. And it reads more like a Harry Bosch detective mystery than it does typical fantasy. Really like this.
Read
The Affair
A Jack Reacher Novel
Lee Child
This entire novel is a flashback to Reacher's final case in his life as an MP. A murder takes place in a sleepy Mississippi town adjacent to Fort Kelham. An investigator is sent to the military base, and Reacher is sent to the town to run a joint investigation. This is the beginning of his exploration of what life would be like as a civilian, what he appreciates about life, and what annoys him. Some of this is clearly written as a necessary setup for the man that Reacher has developed into over the course of many novels, but overall provides subtle character support for the "future" Reacher.
Read
Lee Child
This entire novel is a flashback to Reacher's final case in his life as an MP. A murder takes place in a sleepy Mississippi town adjacent to Fort Kelham. An investigator is sent to the military base, and Reacher is sent to the town to run a joint investigation. This is the beginning of his exploration of what life would be like as a civilian, what he appreciates about life, and what annoys him. Some of this is clearly written as a necessary setup for the man that Reacher has developed into over the course of many novels, but overall provides subtle character support for the "future" Reacher.
Read
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Frankenstein's Cat
Cuddling Up to Biotech's Brave New Beasts
Emily Anthes
Anthes is a science journalist who has put together an overview of the current state of the art science in biotech. And by current, I mean 2013, which in biotech is probably not current anymore. Regardless, as an amateur in the field, she necessarily presents the material in a completely accessible manner, giving the scientific background for genetic modification, cloning, species extinction reversal, bio-tagging and bio-tracking, and cyber-neural interfaces. This is all very exciting science and potentially very useful and/or very scary. Recognizing this, Anthes does discuss the complex ethical issues associated with these new technologies, presenting arguments and issues that are raised by proponents and opponents equally. Only occasionally does she offer her own perspective, leaving the reader to digest the complexity. I particularly appreciated the broad approach to biotech. In the current public discourse around GMO food labeling, there is a lot of misinformation and propaganda being produced by both activists and the food industry. On the specific topic of GMO food, Anthes is able to clearly outline what it is, what it is not and why people care. And then proceeds to place this small issue back into the larger context of biotech. As an introductory survey to biotech, covering so many areas of science and ethics, I would recommend it as an excellent starting point for inquiry into the field.
Read
Emily Anthes
Anthes is a science journalist who has put together an overview of the current state of the art science in biotech. And by current, I mean 2013, which in biotech is probably not current anymore. Regardless, as an amateur in the field, she necessarily presents the material in a completely accessible manner, giving the scientific background for genetic modification, cloning, species extinction reversal, bio-tagging and bio-tracking, and cyber-neural interfaces. This is all very exciting science and potentially very useful and/or very scary. Recognizing this, Anthes does discuss the complex ethical issues associated with these new technologies, presenting arguments and issues that are raised by proponents and opponents equally. Only occasionally does she offer her own perspective, leaving the reader to digest the complexity. I particularly appreciated the broad approach to biotech. In the current public discourse around GMO food labeling, there is a lot of misinformation and propaganda being produced by both activists and the food industry. On the specific topic of GMO food, Anthes is able to clearly outline what it is, what it is not and why people care. And then proceeds to place this small issue back into the larger context of biotech. As an introductory survey to biotech, covering so many areas of science and ethics, I would recommend it as an excellent starting point for inquiry into the field.
Read
A Wanted Man
A Jack Reacher Novel
Lee Child
Still on his way to Virginia to see Susan Turner, Reacher is hitchhiking through Nebraska. He is picked up by a couple guys and a girl, but something is strange. Turns out the two guys carjacked the woman after a brutal murder. And of course it is more complicated than that. The murder that took place is on the radar of the anti-terrorist task force at the FBI, and Reacher is a suspect since he was in the car. So he does his thing and helps in the only way he knows how.
Read
Lee Child
Still on his way to Virginia to see Susan Turner, Reacher is hitchhiking through Nebraska. He is picked up by a couple guys and a girl, but something is strange. Turns out the two guys carjacked the woman after a brutal murder. And of course it is more complicated than that. The murder that took place is on the radar of the anti-terrorist task force at the FBI, and Reacher is a suspect since he was in the car. So he does his thing and helps in the only way he knows how.
Read
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)