Book: The Eyre Affair

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Intelligent, witty, funny as hell, with a touch of more serious themes (eg, the influence of a corporation on a nation), I liked this book a great deal. It straddled the line between mystery, literature, humor, and science fiction. Readers will probably want some basic literary knowledge; otherwise, jokes about the door-to-door Baconians trying to convince unsuspecting homeowners that Shakespeare was not the true author of Shakespeare's works will likely fly over their heads. Those little tidbits are what I enjoyed the most about the book. Fforde creates a world in which literature and the arts are given the attention that sports and other bread and circuses (Honey Boo Boo, anyone) merit in today's world, down to the hooligans causing riots over abstract art.



View all my reviews

Rasputin's Bastard's by David Nickle

Rasputin's Bastards by David Nickle

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Damn. Just damn.

Nickle has a lot going on in this book, with layers upon layers of reality and not reality, such that you should probably not do what I did and go a long period between chapters, if you want to grasp everything happening here. As it is, this novel is the sort that lends itself to re-reading because the second and subsequent readings will provide much more depth (and recollection of which character is which and the relationships among them) than the first go-round. But the result is worth the effort: Nickle weaves a fine story here that dips into everything from Cold War-era spying to the nature of reality itself. Or at least that's what I got from it -- I have a feeling that different readers will have different takeaways. Some will focus on matters of mind control, others the mystery and suspense, still others will meditate on the dangers of true believers, whether they believe in a deity, power, or simply the lining of their own pockets (or, heaven forbid, all three). And therein lies the brilliance of the book -- its complexity while nonetheless telling a fascinating tale that will capture readers attention and imagination.

In interest of total disclosure, I obtained a free e-book from the publisher via a friend who works with them.


View all my reviews

Feynman, by Jim Ottaviani

Feynman by Jim Ottaviani

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The combination here of evocative artwork, carefully selected vignettes from Feynman's life, and well-written text brings a spark to the story of this amazing man that would have been impossible in a text-only biography. And, to its credit, this book made physics almost understandable to me (I never took physics in high school, to my everlasting regret, because I did not want to have to do a science fair project.)



View all my reviews

Hope springs eternal

There may be a real chance that the Spouse will actually graduate in December. He tells me that he's gotten a high enough grade on his independent project that it will raise his GPA in addition to taking away the fail for noncompletion. Of course, I've heard similar stories before. But he's actually talking about bar prep, so it seems entirely possible.

Meanwhile, the temps dropped here overnight and brought a feel of fall. Unfortunately, it will be back up in the mid-80s by Wednesday. Bah.

Book: The Dog Who Knew Too Much

The Dog Who Knew Too Much by Spencer Quinn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Another complicated and convoluted mystery involving Bernie and Chet as well as a cast of characters ranging from rural drug dealers to junior high bullies. Gave this one 3 stars because I had to skip a portion of it -- I can't stand dog trauma, even that which is short in duration and satisfactorily resolved. Maybe the new book will involve a plotline in which dear Chet isn't in frequent peril and separated from his human.



View all my reviews

Book: Fallout, by Jim Ottaviani et al

Fallout: J. Robert Oppenheimer, Leo Szilard, and the Political Science of the Atomic Bomb by Jim Ottaviani

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Detailed look at some of what transpired during and after the making of the atomic bomb, as told through the perspectives of some of the key players. Ottaviani uses original documents as source material for much of the book, including the story of Oppenheimer's troubles with Communist witch hunts. Someone who isn't familiar with the Manhattan Project or the work (scientific as well as political) that preceded and followed it may be a bit lost though.



View all my reviews