The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

303 pages (Paperback) Fantasy Fiction

I read this book because I am running a Book Club with 5th graders at my job. We were looking for something that would be interesting to the kids and at the right level for them. With the movie coming out, I thought this was a good choice. I imagine most anyone reading this knows who Tolkien is. To be honest I am not a big fan. Considering my love of the fantasy genre you would expect that to be sacrilege  I have always felt that the Lord of the Rings had better ideas than writing. I enjoy the movies more than I liked the books. This is not as true concerning The Hobbit. This is one of the first fantasy novels I ever read. Sometime when I was in junior high I picked this up, read it and enjoyed it.

The story follows an unlikely group of adventurers. Bilbo, the hobbit, is hired by thirteen dwarves, led by Thorin Oakensheild, to be a burglar of the dragon Smaug's treasure. Gandalf, the wizard, accompanies them. Most of the book focuses on traveling across the land to the Lonely Mountain where the dragon lives. The party  run into trolls, spiders, goblins and elves. All of this is written in a lighthearted and fun way. At one point Bilbo meets Gollum and from him acquires a ring of invisibility. This helps him on many occasions throughout the book. At first the dwarves have little respect for the small Hobbit with hairy feet, but soon come to appreciate his ability to save them in times of trouble.

To be honest it has been a number of years since I have read the Lord of the Rings. In comparing it to The Hobbit I find that it is much more dry and drawn out. The Hobbit seems to have been written from young people and the Lord of the Rings for adults. In The Hobbit, Tolkien avoids going on for pages describing the histories of Middle-Earth and for the most part the story moves from one action scene to another. It was easy to get into the book and I found myself quickly getting through my weekly readings.

3 Emotional/Intellectual - The characters are lovable and easy to care about. There is little in the way of intellectual discourse although events towards the end could be a place for discourse.

3 Style/Readability - In this book Tolkien keeps things simple and it moves along at a good pace.

5 Long Term Impact - Tolkien didn't invent the idea of fantasy fiction, but he certainly started it on its way to popularity. I doubt any fantasy writer of the last 50 years can claim their work wasn't a descendant of Tolkien's.

11 out of 13. I feel this right. The Hobbit is fun, easy and entertaining. Personally, I feel it is the best of Tolkien's work and well worth a read for young people as well as adults.

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Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep? by Philip K. Dick

244 pages (Trade Paperback) Science Fiction

Philip K. Dick has been on my radar for a long time. I was heavy into sci fi when I was in college, but I never read anything by him. I have watched Bladerunner a few times and decided to give Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep a try.

Bladerunner is loosely based on the book, but their are a lot of differences. It is more like they took the world and the main character and then wrote a story separate from the movie. Rick Deckard is bounty hunter in the future. He hunts androids. Every time he "retires" an andy he gets 1000 dollars. In the future most animals are extinct and to have a real one is to have social status. If you can't you get an electric animal. Deckard has an electric sheep. He wants to have a real animal. The world is falling apart after an apocalypse that is explained as a war. People uses machines to set their mood. The populous uses another machine as a means of religion referred to as Mercerism. Eight androids have escaped Mars and after a colleague is shot Deckard is given the job of retiring the remaining andys.

Dick's style of writing was awkward for me. At first I thought that the dialogue was intentionally written this way to reflect the thinking of characters, but it continued through the book and eventually I just accepted it for what it was. He rights very simply, but then occasionally has these out of place sentences used to vividly describe something. All that said I was drawn into the story and read the short book in a few days.

3 Emotional/Intellectual - I didn't care much about any of the characters except J.R. Isadore who had a minor part in the book. Intellectually this is interesting. I imagine at the time in the late 60's this was ahead of its time, but in relation to all that has come since it doesn't stand out as much.

2 Style/Readability - I can't claim to be a fan of his writing.

4 Long Term Impact - The fact that I am reading this 50 years after its release attests to its staying power. I don't know how revolutionary it was for its time, but it has obviously had an impact on the sci-fi genre.

10 out of 13. I was glad that I read the book and would say that I enjoyed it. A friend of mine put it this way, "Maybe Dick is to be celebrated more for his ideas than for his writing." That is how I feel about this. I am not sure if I will rush to read anything else of his, but in a couple years I may try something else.

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Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett

Around 330 pages (Paperback) Fiction

Terry Pratchett has quickly moved up my list of favorite authors.  He tells interesting tales, to be sure, but this isn’t what makes it so great. He takes a story that isn’t new such as a murder mystery and then puts it this quirky world that he has created. Most of the books I have read focus on the city in the center of the world Anhk-Morpork. Discworld, as this world is known, is disk flying through space. It is inhabited by a strange collection of characters that combine fantasy, history, and science fiction all into one humorous place.

Men at Arms is the second book in the city watch series although they are not labeled in such a way. The books are independent of each other and though it might have some spoilers over all they could be read in any order. Captian Vimes is getting married. He is going to give up the life of a Nights Watch guardsmen and live the life of the rich with his new extremely wealthy wife. He only has to get through this week. Murder has occurred. This isn’t the normal murder you see. This isn’t a troll killing a dwarf because; you know…he’s a dwarf. But important people are getting killed, and no one is sure how it is being done.

Corporal Carrot knows that Vimes is busy getting prepared for marriage. With the new laws demanding appropriate ethnic representation on the Watch, Carrot is involved in making sure the new recruits are being trained. Soon more trolls, a werewolf, more dwarves and most unlikely, a woman, become members of the watch, but when you take a troll and a dwarf and make them partners bad things are bound to happen.

We are led through a light hearted murder mystery diving deep in the mysterious guilds of Anhk-Morpork and following a tale as funny as it is enjoyable.

3 Emotional/Intellectual – Even Pratchett’s bad guys are easy to fall in love with and the good guys are people you want to be friends with, except Nobby Nobbs.

5 Style/Readability – Both easy to read and filled with hilarious and entertaining reading Practchett is a fantastic writer.

3 Long Term Impact – Somehow I went for a long time without getting to read Prachett I really don’t understand why he isn’t more famous than he is.

11 out of 13. Anyone taking the time to read this post owes it to themselves to go out and read some of Pratchett’s books.  The city watch books are great I would start with Guards! Guards! and then continue with Men at Arms.

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Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

335 pages (Hardcover) Fiction

Lolita is considered a modern literary classic. It was originally published in 1955 and was considered scandalous from the first. My wife owned the book and having seen the movie by Stanley Kubrick I wanted to read it. The movie was released in the 50's as well, I admit I was surprised on the differences between the two.

Lolita is about a deranged man, Humbert Humbert. This Englishman has an unhealthy lust for young girls. The first part of the book talks about how at a young age he fell in love with a young girl and after one kiss was hopelessly attracted to girls of that tender young age. I have to admit to being uncomfortable with the book throughout the earlier parts as he describes his sexual thoughts in somewhat explicit detail.

The reader soon realizes that Humbert is in jail and is writing this as a confession of sorts after the fact. Humbert soon finds himself a lodger in a house with a woman that he despises. He agreed to this arrangement after meeting Mrs. Haze's daughter, the title character, Lolita. At this point in the book one almost starts to sympathize with Humbert as he truly loves this young girl. Through unlikely events Humbert and Lolita start to travel across the United States. Humbert wants to fulfill his detestable desires, but plans to keep Lolita wholesome by keeping her unaware.

Nabokov is world famous and considered among the greatest of authors. The writing in the book is fantastic and I was pleased with the use of language and flow. Although I found the subject matter to be off putting at first as the book went on this sexual taboo was lessened. This was because it became less about the lustful actions of the characters and more about the story and relationship. It also served as a portrait of America as seen traveling from coast to coast.

The book finishes with a word from Nabokov after the book had been published. He talks about attempting to get it published and the barriers that it met. There seemed to be two sides to the rejections. Some would not publish it because it bordered on pornography. Those willing to publish such writing thought it wasn't explicit enough. The book doesn't detail sexual relations really at all. Things are mostly implied and talked about "off camera" as it were. Though even the suggestion when related between a older man and a young girl is at least, uncomfortable.

3 Emotional/Intellectual - Seeing things from Humbert's point of view gives the reader a sense of acceptance in his actions. I would say in many ways this is what makes this book so successful. Of course, the actions are also off putting.

5 Style/Readability - Take the subject matter of this book and have it written by a poor to mediocre author and it would have never gone anywhere. In the hands of a fantastic author even with the objectionable subject the writing makes it well worthwhile.

4 Long Term Impact- It is already considered one of the greatest books of all time. I can not argue with that.

12 out of 13. No one could read this and say it is poor writing. Only the subject could turn you off. If you are looking for beautiful prose you should read this book.

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Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

(Graphic Novel) Fiction

My wife gave this to me as a gift and I have been reading it off and on for the last couple months. Watchmen was made into a movie a few years ago and I had interest in reading the series. The layout of the book is mostly what you would expect from a comic book, but each chapter has a few pages written out to further tell the story.

The story is set in the mid eighties, but covers an alternate timeline to our own, that changes with the emergence of superheroes in the 1940's. During the 1960's superheroes help in the Vietnam war and win because of it. The series starts with the death of The Comedian. A large part of the series follows another character Rorschach. He is convinced that a number of masked heroes are being hunted down by the killer and with the death of The Comedian determines to find out who it is. Dr. Manhattan is the only character in the series that actually has any superpowers. Through the result of a scientific experiment gone awry he has developed god-like powers. He experiences time all at once, can teleport and can manipulate objects at will. Other characters include Nite Owl, the famous Ozymandias and Silk Spectre.

What sets this apart from other comic books is the characters, with the exception of Dr. Manhattan, are just normal people. They have a sense of strength and will above that of normal people, but can't fly or do extraordinary things. The story weaves around starting in modern times of the 80's. It jumps to the 1940's to see the beginnings of the superhero era. It shows the effect the superheroes have on the 1960's and intermixes it all with the ongoing timeline.

It seems to be a comment on world affairs of the 80's, but intermixes it with the plot and stories of the characters. It was easy to get into and the artwork was well done. It stands up 30 years later as a groundbreaking work of art and storytelling.

3 Emotional/Intellectual - I found both Dr. Manhattan and Rorschach's stories interesting and was drawn into the plot through them.

3 Style/Readability - I have read a few comics in my day, but this was the most well told of all of them. The artwork seems to get better as the series goes on especially the last chapter.

5 Long Term Impact - Watchmen has already had a huge impact on comic books as a whole and I imagine it has influenced many writers as well. With the release of a blockbuster movie as well as the influence it already has in comics it has already proven its long term impact.

11 out of 13. If you haven't ever read a comic series this is a good starting point. It is dirty, realistic and well worth your time.

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Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton

312 pages (Trade Paperback) Realistic Fiction

Cry, The Beloved Country is set in South Africa in the middle of the 1940's. A old native parson, or pastor Stephen Kumalo, lives in the countryside called Ndotsheni. Here the land is dying as no one knows how to care for it and each person goes about trying to raise crops their own way. The lack of rain has made it almost impossible. Since none can live off the land many go to Johannesburg to work. Kumalo's son, sister and brother have all gone to Johannesburg and have not returned. There have been no letters from his family in some time. Upon receiving a letter from another pastor saying that his sister is ill he must go to the city. He is determined to find his family and restore the tribe.

He travels by train to the large city and sees that it is grander and more amazing then anyone could think possible. He finds the church from which the pastor wrote and soon finds his family members have fallen prey to the vices of Johannesburg.

My feelings towards this book changed as I read it. At first I was annoyed with Paton's tendency to repeat his writings. Especially when the characters are talking they seem to say the same things over and over again within a couple pages of each other. As the book went on I got used to and saw it more a way of conveying the simple way these people live and communicate.

The book is very powerful. By following the tale of a man trying to bring his family together we get to see a picture of South Africa right before apartheid became an official way of the land. It was unexpected that the black people in the book looked down upon themselves. They looked at themselves as a lesser people. When talking about a crime it was considered a "worse" thing that it happened to a white person rather then a colored one.

This type of thinking pervades the book and you can see how after the events of the book it wouldn't take much for apartheid to take over. The relationships within the book are strong and eventually it shows how the people could work together if they stopped and saw each other as equals.

5 Emotional/Intellectual - This book is extremely emotional. Occasionally, you read from the point of view of a non-main character and many times it is heartbreaking. Overall, the book is very sad, but there is a tinge of hope as well.

2 Style/Readability - Although it is very simply written I found that sometimes the writing was not enjoyable. It was the most bare bones of writing and there was an abundance of repetition at times this made it difficult to bear

3 Long Term Impact - On the back cover of the book is claims it is "The most famous and important novel in South Africa's history." It is sixty years past its original printing so it obviously has stood the test of time. I just feel like something with better writing would better represent South Africa.

10 out of 13. The book is worth reading and I would encourage any avid read to pick it up. That said enjoy it for its emotional impact not its writing style.

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Stranger than Fiction by Chuck Palahnuik

233 pages (Trade paperback) Non-Fiction Essays

Palahnuik is one of the oddest writers I have ever read. In general his books seem to focus on a person with some mental issues and how they interact with the world. I wouldn't say that his books are depressing, but I wouldn't say they are all that uplifting either. Stranger than Fiction is a collection of true stories. Many are presented as if they are articles you might read in a newspaper. Many of them couldn't be published in a newspaper. The topics range from people that build castles to live in, amateur wrestlers, combine demolition derbies to Marilyn Manson giving himself a tarot reading.

The book has a humorous tone to it. It is a look at the lighter side of people. It demonstrates that ALL of us are a bit strange and maybe that is a good thing. About halfway through the book there is a story about Palahnuik's friends that claim to have super natural powers. One lives with a ghost and one can see the future. He has a party and a couple of psychics start to talk to the dead. At this point the book seems to take a serious tone as Palahnuik reveals some very personal things about his past.

3 Emotional/Intellectual - Looking at the quirky side of people was interesting and more engaging than you might think at first. Palahnuik's ability to reveal more about himself with other's stories shows an unexpected personal side as well.

3 Readability/Style - A few of the stories come off as very generic. Others have the short sentenced, fact filled style that is typical of his writing.

3 Long Term Impact - Palahnuik's already has a strong following. Though this book isn't as well known as  it will be able to ride on the coattails of his other more popular books.

9 out of 13. You might be better off starting with one of his other books like Lullaby, Invisible Monsters or Haunted. If you find you like his writing this book is worthwhile.

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Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson

829 pg (Trade Paperback) Fantasy Fiction

This is the 8^th book in the Malazan series. At this point in the series I am fully mired into the story and have a better understanding of the characters, the world and how they are connected, but I am still lost on some of what is going on.

Toll the Hounds focuses mainly on the city of Darujhistan. In the book we learn more about familiar characters such as Kruppe, Cutter, Ikaral Pust, Picker, Blend, Anomander Rake, Samar Dev, Karsa Orlong and well as others. 

Karsa and Samar Dev head towards Darujhistan with a secretive character known as Traveller. Cutter gets involved with Challice who we last saw in the very first book. Anomander Rake leads in the city of Black Coral. As with all of the books in this series new characters are added and some familiar characters aren't mentioned at all. A side story line follows a young man named Harllo as he works in the mines near the city eventually leading to his escape attempt.We also get to see a lot of what is going on within the sword Dragnipur. Mappo is a shareholder in the Trygalle Trade Guild and we get to see more of what that all entails. The book seems ill-named throughout most of the book because the Hounds of Shadow are barely mentioned in the interactions of Shadowthrone and Cotillion. I'll just let you know that in the end we aren't disappointed.

Erikson is never an easy read. He expects, as a reader, that you work to understand all that is going on. In fact, I would say even the most dedicated of readers couldn't claim to grasp it all on the first read. The general consensus seems to indicate that rereading the books is more rewarding than the first time through. This seems to be more true in Toll the Hounds than in the other books save the first. Following the individuals tales within the book were easy to follow, but it connections to the whole story seem to stem mostly from the first book which I read over two years ago. Where it shines is where all of Erikson's books shine in the small scenes he presents. I enjoy getting a bite of a story that could be a short story all its own.

3 Emotional/Intellectual - The story seems to move forward the most regarding Anomander Rake and the City of Darujhistan the most.

3 Style/Readability - This was a bit harder to get through then previous books in the series, but Erikson is a master storyteller and even though I may not grasp all that is going on I still am enjoying the ride.

3 Long Term Impact - I have said this before. Erikson is a niche within a niche. Fantasy books overall are enjoying popularity beyond what they have ever experienced  Erikson is a difficult read within that genre. I think this will always keep him to the fringe of popularity. That said he deserves more recognition than he is getting.

9 out of 13. I feel like this book was transitional. That it told us a lot to lead us to what happens next. That isn't to say nothing happens, just that it has built up my interest by setting the stage for what will happen next.

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Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

 

394 pg (Paperback) Fiction

Terry Pratchett is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Most of his books are set in the fictional world of Discworld. It is a conglomeration of 18^th century Europe and medieval fantasy books that many of us have grown to love. This is all thrown together with clever writing and a humorous tone to it all. 

Most of the books I have read are centered in the city of Anhk-Morpork. Essentially, this city is the center of the world. Here we meet our hero Moist Von Lipwig. Moist has been “hired” to run the local post office. The post office hasn’t really done work as of late because of a much faster information transfer system known as the Clacks. Moist soon finds himself mired in a fight to see which can better supply the people the post or the clacks. Various stunts and less legal actions work together to make a very entertaining book.

With each book I have read of Pratchett I have grown fonder of his writing. He has a beautiful way of writing that intermixes with humor in a way that is rare. I find myself getting drawn into the books and enjoying them for the lighthearted stories they attempt to be. I think most readers would find his books worthwhile and Going Postal is a good starting place.

3 Intellectual/Emotional – Going Postal’s setting seems thinly veiled as you can see all of its events could be a part of modern life. I came to care for Moist and the other characters and hoped that the post office would come out on top.

5 Readability/Style – Pratchett’s writing is fantastic and although not difficult to read it is immensely pleasurable.

3 Long Term Impact – Many accounts put Going Postal towards the top of Practhett’s best books. I can only see his popularity rising as time passes.

11 out of 13. Looking for a lighthearted book? Wants something that draws you in tells a good tale and makes you laugh? Check this book out. I would also suggest Guards! Guards!, another great book from Pratchett.

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Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

390 pg (Trade Paperback) Fiction

Mockingjay is the 3^rd and final book in the Hunger Games series. There will be spoilers for the earlier books in this post. 

At the end of Catching Fire  Katniss has been taken out of the arena only to find that there resistance against the Capitol is real and strong. District 13 is a large population living mostly underground.  She is soon made into a media spectacle and used as the face of the rebellion. She is involved in covert missions that become little more than photo shoots to show the power of the rebellion. The capitol responds with harsh bombings of the 13^th District, but the underground bunkers protect most of the inhabitants. Peeta has been captured by the capitol and after a heroic mission to save him  it is reveled that he has been brainwashed into thinking Katniss, The Mockingjay, is his enemy. At this point the book becomes a account of a war between the rebels and the Capitol. Eventually leading to an all out attack on the Capitol which, of course, Katniss participates in.

I have to take into consideration that the book was written from young adults. As this series has gone on  I became less interested in it. The Hunger Games is destined to be a classic book for young readers and it is sad that the series doesn’t hold up to the original book. This isn’t to say it isn’t worth reading, it just felt like the first book was fantastic and the second book really slowed things down. Mockingjay brings back the excitement, but not to the extent of the original.

3 Emotional/Intellectual -  I really had a hard time liking Katniss as the books went on. I cared about the plight of the districts and that is what kept me reading.

3 Style/ Readability-  Although some things were unexpected, over all the books become fairly predictable towards the end. The writing is fine, but not outstanding.

4 Long Term Impact – These books won’t make it to Harry Potter popularity, but I think they will be a part of main stream reading for a long time.

10 out of 13 – The Hunger Games book is well worth the read. Because of this you will get sucked into reading the rest of the series. That is fine just don’t expect it to end as well as it began.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

588 pages (Trade Paperback) Fiction

I have read a few books by Neil Gaiman. He is touted as a Young Readers author, but has the occasional adult themed book. Up until now I have had a rather lukewarm feeling towards his books. I like the ideas, but didn’t fall in love with them. I had been told that American Gods is one of his best and I wasn’t disappointed.

The book follows a man named Shadow just released from prison. He is confronted by a strange character named Mr. Wednesday. He offers him a job being his driver. Though he turns it down, a series of unlikely events leads to him being in the employ of Mr. Wednesday. Shadow soon starts to see a side of America that no one has experienced before. As people came from other parts of the world to settle in America they brought along with them the tales and stories that were a part of their culture. The characters in those stories were brought to life by the beliefs of the people. As time has passed the stories get told less and people forget the stories of their ancestors. The characters become just another person roaming through America. Shadow becomes deeply involved in this hidden part of America and tries to find his place in it.

I have always enjoyed Gaiman ability to take a real situation and add enough fantasy to make it fun. His writing is right on and the book moves along at a great pace. The book was very engaging and a worthwhile read for most anyone.

3 Emotional/Intellectual – How would you act if you were a forgotten tale from the Old World come to life? Some try just to survive. Others try to take what they can get.

4 Style/Readability – Of all Gaiman I have read so far this is the best writing and story yet.

4 Long Term Impact – Gaiman has already made a name for himself. This is considered one of his best and will enjoy popularity for some time.

11 out of 13. This book is well worth your time to pick up. If you have tried another of his books and thought it was ok I would suggest grabbing this and being delighted.

A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell

426 pages (Trade Paperback) Historical Fiction

 I was introduced to Russell with her fantastic book, The Sparrow. I was so touched by that book that I felt the need to read some others.

  A Thread of Grace starts in 1943 in France during World War II. A group of Jews have been informed that the Germans are going to take over the section of France they have recently settled in. They are forced to run for their lives over the mountains into Italy. Once they arrive in Italy the lives of the new inhabitants and the Italians become intermixed. The story focuses on the people’s efforts to protect the Jews, but also on how people try to live a “normal” life in the face of war.

 The book is an interesting take on WWII. Other books I have read in the past focus on soldiers or Jews involved in the concentration camps. This book has a more hopeful feeling. I was pleased to learn a different side of the war story.

 4 Emotional/Intellectual – It was easy to get involved in people’s stories. The fact that it is focused on a part of WWII that I knew nothing about added unexpected intellectual merit as well.

 3 Style/ Readability – Russell is an accomplished writer and is comfortable to read. I wasn’t as drawn in as I was with The Sparrow.

 2 Long Term Impact – Russell’s fame is not because of this book and it is unlikely that it will ever will be. The saving grace maybe it’s unique take on the war story.

 9 out of 13. If you are interested in a different look at World War II you should take a look at this. If you are just getting interested in it I would suggest Night by Elie Weisel or The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer. If you think Russell is interesting I would suggest starting with The Sparrow although it is not related to A Thread of Grace in anyway. This book is worth a read after enjoying her other work.

I'm Back!

I’m back after a long hiatus. I haven’t stopped reading, but a large amount of my time has been devoted to finishing my masters degree and having a new baby boy. In order to catch myself up I am going to be doing a number of mini reviews until I catch up to where I am.

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

261 pages -Trade Paperback (Fiction)

My wife suggested I read this book. Faulkner is considered one of the greatest American authors. I had never read anything by Faulkner before and I gave it a try. I really don’t know how to qualify this book. I found it repulsive and engrossing simultaneously like watching a car crash in slow motion.

The book starts with Addie Bundren dying in her bed. Outside her window her oldest son works on making her coffin. Each chapter is told from a new point of view and is titled as such. We are deep in the south and the language was particularly difficult for me to comprehend at first, but as the book went on I found it easier to grasp. The reader finds themselves in the heads of the different members of the family. For awhile it was hard to understand what is going on. The combination of the language and being “inside the head” of the “author” really took getting used to. There also seems to be time shifts from chapter to chapter. Sometimes we jump forward an hour and other times we jump back. Soon after the beginning of the book Addie dies. This is where the car crash really begins. Addie requested that she be buried with her family in another county. As the family attempts to fulfill Addie’s wishes every manner of problem crops up. It continually declines to the point of disturbing the reader.

So far as the story goes a fair comparison can be made to John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. In both books a family from the south is traveling together, both families endure hardships, both are written by authors considered the best in American Literature. Where they differ is The Grapes of Wrath seems to be a testament to the unfailing endurance of the human spirit. As I Lay Dying seems to be a look at the failings of humans and the selfishness that seems to be a part of all of us.

I can’t say I enjoyed the book. I can say that it affected me emotionally. Being inside the heads of the Bundren family forces the reader to care about them, but the trauma they go through is real and disturbed me as I read. I was disgusted, hopeful, dismayed and eventually just angry at the book. This is a rare occurrence and I assume this is why the book is so highly regarded. It had an impact on me and though it wasn’t a good one, I have to give it respect for that alone.

5 Emotional/Intellectual – Only a few books have had such a emotional impact as this. I was upset by the book, but I was unable to stop reading. Even now a week past reading the book I find myself getting upset about it.

3 Style/Readability – Faulkner is known for his “stream of consciousness” writing style. This book is in no way easily read. This was intentional and it was a part of what makes the book great, but that didn’t make it any easier to digest.

4 Long Term Impact – As I Lay Dying is already considered among the best books ever written.

12 out of 13. I am rating a book that I didn’t like a 12. It certainly deserves it. I can’t think of many books that have had such an impact on me, but at the same time I don’t know if I can recommend it to someone else. If you are looking for something that will get to you and are willing to get upset at a book I suggest you give this a read. If you are looking for entertainment you may want to look at another book.

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Guards! Guards! By Terry Pratchett

355 Pages – Paperback (Fantasy Fiction)

The only thing that can be good about me not discovering Terry Pratchett earlier in life is that I can now enjoy his books for the first time. Before this I had read two books by Pratchett, The Colour of Magic, his first book and Good Omens written with Neil Giaman. It has been suggested by other readers that it took a few books to reach his stride. I enjoyed The Colour of Magic I wasn’t super excited about Pratchett as a writer. This has now changed. Guards! Guards! is a fantastic book.

Vimes is the head of the Night Watch; it consists of himself and three other men. The whole of their job is to walk about crying “Tis one o’ clock and all is well”. If things aren’t well on that street then they should move to another where it is. Unfortunately, murders have been happening that seem to be caused by a dragon. Since dragons haven’t been around for a 1000 years it makes a difficult time for Vimes and his fellow guards. Add an orangutan Librarian, a group of misguided cultists, a conniving leader of the city and large woman who cares for small dragons and you have for an adventure that can only lead to hilarity.

In Guards! Guards! Terry Pratchett is at the top of his game. His writing is funny and well done. His ability to take mundane situations and turn them into hilarious conversations rivals some of the best writers. Not only is his work funny, but it very well written. His ability to use metaphor as a tool for description and humor is unique and entertaining.

I am now a Terry Pratchett fan. I am excited to read other books by him and look forward to find myself back on Discworld.

3 Emotional/Intellectual – Although I didn’t find any one character to fall in love with I was drawn into the story.

5 Style/Readability – Prachett’s ability to combine story, humor and good writing gives him standing that few authors have achieved.

4 Long Term Impact – Whether or not Prachett goes down in history as a great writer, he deserves to. This is considered among the best of his books.

12 out of 13. Please, do yourself a favor, go out and get this book. It is well worth your time and I think most anyone with a sense of humor would find this book to be well worth your time.
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Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

286 pages -Trade paperback (Non-Fiction)


A few months ago I read Blink by Gladwell and got sucked right into the book. I used some of the info in the book as evidence to support my Masters Research Project. My wife had suggested reading his other book The Tipping Point. This Christmas I saw Outliers at the bookstore and bought it for her. A teacher in my Masters Cohort suggested that I read this as well. So I took the book from my wife before she had a chance to read it and quickly tore through it in 5 days.

Gladwell focuses on the belief in America that talent, hard work and intelligence will allow you to be successful. The book takes that view and says that it isn’t as important as we might think. Where a person comes from, when they are born and what their cultural past is may have more to do with it than anything else. He looks at how birthdates of hockey players in Canada seem to lend success to those born closest to the Jan 1st cutoff date. He shows how many of the greatest entrepreneurs of the industrial age were all born within a few years of each other. Many of the most influential people in the computer revolution were born in the mid 1950s. Planes crashes were more predictable based on the ethnicity of the flight crew.

Gladwell’s writing is very easy to read. Even though it is filled with dates, facts and numbers he writes in a way that keeps me interested. I actually started reading this at 10 pm and read 70 pages before I knew it. I read every chance I had until I finished just a few days later. I have another well read friend that enjoys Gladwell’s books but did caution me. Apparently, he is known for only telling one side of the story. While reading this book I did notice that the evidence really supports the point he is trying to get across, but there isn’t much information regarding things that does not support his main point.

If I were to compare it to Blink I found it lacking a bit, but it had more to do with subject matter. The main premise of this book is that no person is a success on their own. Hard work, intelligence and talent are important to any success story, but their upbringing, social standing, parenting, culture and luck all play an important role as well. I think that I already held this belief already so it wasn’t as eye-opening as Blink. It does do a great job of supporting things that I already believed.

4 Emotional/Intellectual – Outliers really shows how success is made through a variety of factors, not necessarily what we assume to be needed.

4 Style/Readability – Gladwell has a way of taking seemingly boring things like dates, facts and numbers and makes it engaging and easy to digest.

3 Long Term Impact – Gladwell is making a name for himself with books that challenge traditional thinking. Although Outliers may not get as much attention as his other books his popularity will keep interest in his books for years to come.

11 out of 13. I found this book to be really worthwhile. It may or may not interest you, but I think this and other books by Gladwell may be best summed up by paraphrasing this old adage: Don’t judge a book by its subject.
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Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

391 pages –Trade paperback (Fiction)

Catching Fire is the second book in the Hunger Games series. I am reading the books with a group of high level 5th graders. I think most readers could eat through this in a few days.

In the first book Katniss is put into The Hunger Games. In this dystopian future the overbearing Capitol, run by President Snow, pits children from each of the twelve districts in a fight to the death for the entertainment of the masses. Katniss manages to survive and at then amazingly save Peeta, also from her district.

Catching Fire soon has Katniss and Peeta traveling through the districts to show off the winners to all of the people of Panem. While traveling Katniss sees that everyone is controlled even more so than in her humble far off district. She also comes to realize that there is unrest. Signs show there is resistance against the Capitol that she never suspected. A visit from the president convinces Katniss that she must prove that her love for Peeta is the real thing no matter what her real feelings are. Everything, even who she can love seems to be controlled by the government.

Collins’ writing is as readable as in the first book. I wasn’t as drawn into this story as much as the last book and it felt to me as if there were trying to set up a lot of the story for the 3rd book rather than tell a story of its own.

**SPOILER ALERT** Peeta and Katniss are once again sent into the Hunger Games. I honestly felt like this was wrong. There is a lot of build up about a potential uprising and rumors of the former district 13 still in operation. The government seems to want Peeta and Katniss to prove that they are following the rules set down by them. It seems to me realistically a totalitarian regime that is willing to have young children slaughter each other for entertainment wouldn’t have any trouble killing people that have publically defied the government.

Even with that flaw the book is entertaining. I was limited in my reading because I was waiting for the students but I always wanted to keep reading. I feel that even though this book didn’t stand up to the first book the series as a whole is worth reading and I am excited to finish the last book.

3 Intellectual/Emotional – It is easy to get drawn into the book, but Katniss isn’t a really loveable character. She has a lot of anger in her and can be irrational at times.

3 Style/Readability - Easy enough to read. Since it is intended for young readers I would say it is very successful.

3 Long Term Impact – This series is already pretty huge and soon will have a movie series to go with it. The first book alone will keep people reading this for years to come.

9 out of 13. Although I didn’t like it as much as the first book, I did enjoy it. I think most readers would find this worthwhile.
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Brunelleschi’s Dome by Ross King

194 pages Trade paperback (Historical Non-Fiction)

Last summer I took an Early Renaissance Art History class near Florence, Italy. One of the thousands of works of art there was The Opera del Duomo of Florence. The Santa Maria del Fiore as it is also known has the largest dome ever produced without modern materials. The fantastic feat of engineering would not have happened if it wasn’t for one man, Filippo Brunelleschi.I had read Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling also by King so I figured I would enjoy this book.

On August, 19th 1418 a competition was announced to make a dome in the style of the original plans for the 100 year old cathedral. Brunelleschi and his rival Lorenzo Ghiberti were given the dual role of constructing the dome. The book covers the trials that Brunelleschi went through to make the dome possible. Almost 18 years later the dome would be consecrated. Not only would Brunelleschi help create one of the greatest architectural achievements of all time, he would invent many of the tools needed to make it happen. He designed new lifts, building methods and even a failed shipping boat.

King’s writing makes this an easy read. Since I have actually been to the Duomo and climbed to the top it had personal significance to me. I found it was a bit slow at first, but I was quickly got into the story and read the whole thing in just a few days.

5 Intellectual/Emotional – It gives the reader a look into the time as well as all of the inner workings of creating a cathedral without getting boring.

3 Style/Readability – Ross does a good job of describing the troubles that went into making the dome without being so focused on the details to make it read like a textbook.

3 Long Term Impact. – Ross has established himself as a historical writer and since his subjects tend to be about some of the most famous works of art his popularity will probably stand the test of time.

11 out of 13. Anyone that has an interest in historic architecture, Renaissance history, or Florence would be rewarded by reading this book.

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Reaper’s Gale by Steven Erickson

Fantasy Fiction - 1,200 pages (Paperback)

Reaper’s Gale is the 7th book in the Tale of the Malazan series. With this book we see a lot of the stories start to converge into one. We have seen a lot of the Malazan Empire and their spread across the continents. We spent time in Letheras and have seen its undying leader, Rhulad, rise to power. We saw the humble beginnings of Karsa Orlong as he explored and found out what the world was really like. We met Tehol Beddict and Bugg and their maneuverings in the city of Letheras. We also have been following the mysterious creature Icarium. All of these stories now come together in Letheras.

Rhulad has sent out his ships in an attempt to find all the greatest warriors. So far he has challenged and killed all comers. Both Karsa and Icarium are set up to be his greatest challenge yet. Tehol and Bugg are working to undermine the economy of Letheras. Not every detail is revealed, but they are starting to gather up all of the money are doing what they can to make things unstable. Bugg is also involved in the unearthing of enormous metal objects buried for thousands of years. The Marines of the Malazan Empire have landed and are moving in on Letheras. We spend a lot of time with them as they attempt set up on this new continent. On top of all of this there is an additional story of Redmask and the Awl. Apparently, Redmask was a great war leader of the Awl. He has been gone for a long time, but has now returned to bring the fallen Awl back to a position of glory.

As always Erickson’s writing is top notch. He has great skill and I am still enthralled with his ability to take small parts of a story and make it them stand out independent of the overarching story. This book, more than any of the rest, starts to resolve a lot of loose ends. We are starting to see how the stories interconnect and it gives a feeling of resolve more than any of the previous books. Some of the main characters are still not involved, but at least we can see how things are related even if through a couple of degrees of separation.

I haven’t found any of these books to be quick reads. Reaper’s Gale more than others was not an easy read. I found the interactions of Tehol and Bugg, Icarium, Karsa and Rhulad to be entertaining. The Marine storyline dragged for me. Many new characters were introduced and over all I liked what happens with them, but it took a lot to get involved.

4 Emotional/Intellectual – Karsa and Icarium are two of my favorite characters and extended their story was great. Although I don’t care for Rhulad I think his story is really intriguing. Tehol and Bugg have to be towards the top of everyone’s favorites list.

2 Readability/Style – Erickson’s style is great, but compared to the other books in the series, I found this to be lacking in some areas.

3 Long Term Impact – This score his hard to qualify. Although, he may not have a huge impact in the years to come he deserves to. His work is more unique than most anything I have read.

9 out of 13. This seems about right. Erickson’s niche is really small. Fantasy as a whole has grown a lot in recent years, but even in fantasy Erickson holds a small place. You have to be willing to work more than in a traditional fantasy story to enjoy these books. The series as a whole is fantastic. I just felt this book fell short a bit. I will certainly continue with the series, but I am going to read a few others in between.

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The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

374 pages Trade Paperback (Fiction)

This series was suggested to me by a friend this summer. I teach a reading group of 5th graders and am always looking for interesting books that fit their level of reading. This seemed like the perfect fit. I probably could have read this whole thing in a few days, but was limited to the a few chapters a week. Much to my dismay. I did not want to stop reading.

The book is set in the far future. At some point in the past the United States has been torn apart by civil war and The Capitol now leads the country. 12 districts that live in servitude and squalor produce the things that the capitol consumes.

Katniss lives in district 12 known for its coal production. Each year, to show its dominance over the district, the Capitol has The Hunger Games. Each district is forced to give two teenage children to the games. These kids are then put into an arena that changes each year and then must fight to the death and survive as long as possible. The last one standing earns a life of leisure and bonus supplies for their district. When Katniss’ sister is chosen for the games she steps in to take her place and soon finds her life totally changed. Her father taught her to hunt animals with a bow in the wilderness, but now she has to use those skills to hunt other people.

Collins writes a very intriguing book. Although a couple things bothered me and read as juvenile, over all, the book was really engaging and hard to put down. I might have realized that the book would be a bit much for 5th graders, but overall it has been acceptable. Half of the book is about teenagers hunting each other to kill them, but it isn’t gory and doesn’t focus on the killing.

5 Intellectual/Emotional – The characters are easy to care about and readers quickly become emotionally involved.

3 Style/Readability – Collins writing is intended for young readers. Although nothing is amazing about the writing it was pleasing for an adult as well.

3 Long term Impact – The Hunger Games are already on the bestseller lists and the other books in the series are being read by kids (and adults) across the nation. I don’t think they will get to the levels of Harry Potter, but they are well written and entertaining books that make a lot of comparisons to our own world.

11 out of 13 – Unless you were offended by the subject any reader would find these books worthwhile. If you have children that are interested I would certainly steer them to these books. Anyone with a 5th grade reading level is really in for a treat.

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Naked Pictures of Famous People by Jon Stewart

Humorous Fiction - 163 pages (Hardcover)
I have been a fan of The Daily Show since I had nothing else to do on a night shift around 2000. My wife had this book sitting around and I was hoping to read something funny.

This book is hard to qualify. Each chapter is a total change from one to the other. The first chapter is written like a diary as, apparently, Jon Stewart, hangs out with the Kennedys before he was born and tells of all the bizarre things they do. Another chapter is a series of chat room posts made by Vincent Van Gogh, another (and probably the most funny) is a series of Christmas letters from the mother of the boys in the band Hanson as she slowly loses her grip.

A few of the chapters were really funny, where others were almost unreadable.

2 Intellectual/Emotional: Like I said some it was funny, but if I would have bought this book new I would have been really disappointed.

2 Style/Readability: Some of the chapters were terribly and that took away from the whole book

1 Long Term Impact: Jon Stewart likely won’t be known for his books and this isn’t a bad thing.

5 out of 13. Ouch, Sorry Jon, but this book wasn’t really worth reading. The only thing I can really say is that it was really short to read so you could get to the funny parts fast.

Goodbye Columbus by Philip Roth

Fiction 216 pages (Paperback)

After reading a number of Roth’s books, some hits and some misses, I decided to pick up another and give it a try. Goodbye Columbus is a short novella followed by five short stories. The novella follows the relationship of Neil and Brenda from Neil’s point of view. The five short stories give the reader a look into the lives of different Jews. The book presents itself in a way that seems like an introduction to Jewish people’s lives. I found myself draw into the story of Neil and Brenda, but then it just stopped. I didn’t know it was a series of short stories when I started; only realizing it when I came to the end of the novella.

Honestly, as the book went on I got bored with it. The short stories seemed to be humorous in nature, but I either didn’t appreciate it that much or the stories haven’t stood the test of time as well as you would expect. In fact towards the end I really just started skimming and didn’t give it the attention that it may have deserved.

Roth is a good writer. I have no complaints about style, but maybe it is the subject matter or how it seems like there wasn’t much story. This is how the book seemed to be presented: “Hey, listen to this thing that happened once.” That can be the nature of a short story, but it didn’t sit well with me.

2 Emotional/Intellectual: I just didn’t care about any of the characters and if humor was the intent to draw me in I didn’t feel it. This could be more me than the author.

3 Style/Readability: Nothing really for or against this.

2 Long Term Impact: Roth is already an established writer. Other works of his will keep Goodbye Columbus at least recognizable for some time.

7 out of 13 seems really harsh. It wasn’t really a bad book, I just did not get into it. I would certainly give some of his other books a read before this like Portnoy’s Complaint and The Human Stain. Personally, I am not going to pick another Roth book at random. I would read another of his books because I have enjoyed others, but now only with a recommendation or doing some research first.

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Luka and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie.

In a way this is a sequel to Haroun and the Sea of Stories. I actually wrote a review of it which I will post below. Luke and the Fire of Life really stands on its own though. The story follows Haroun’s little brother many years past the end of the first book.
Luka’s father is dying. Through magical means never truly explained Luka “jumps” into the world that sits right next to ours. The world of dreams. The world of imagination. Where all the things that people make up become real. Luka’s pets Dog the Bear and Bear the dog join him on an adventure to find the Fire of Life. With this they can save Luka’s father. They come upon this knowledge from the suspicious Nobodaddy. He is a doppelganger of Luka’s father and seems to be becoming “more real” as Luka’s father falls further into sickness.
This story is intended for younger readers and has more magic and fantasy than other Rushdie books. I hope to someday read both Haroun and the Sea of Stories and Luke and the Fire of Life to my son, once his attention span is a bit longer.
Luka finds the river of stories and along with some magical fish starts to travel through the land of imagination. He has adventures and meets enemies and allies. Much of the story gives the impression that Luka is in a video game of some sort. Within his vision he has a running total of how many “lives” he has left and whenever he makes a mistake he is reset and allowed to try again.
As the story goes on Luka gets involved with Queens, flying carpet, mazes, gods and unclimbable mountains. Everything is written with great attention to simile and metaphor. Rushdie, as always, takes the English language and shows the reader what it can really do.
2: Emotional/Intellectual: I never felt that attached to Luka or his friends even if I was entertained.
5: Readability/Style – Rushdie is a master writer.
2: Long Term Impact – Even though Rushdie is a fantastic writer he will be known for his other books before this.
9 out of 13 – This is worth your time, but I would suggest checking out Haroun and the Sea of Stories first. I have added my review of it below. Please, take into consideration this was very early in my review writing.
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Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie

Rushdie has written a fairy tale filled with fun and adventure. It is interesting especially when compared to Rushdie's other works, but not all surprising. Typically his works have an element of fantasy. This book takes it to the extreme. Haroun the young man and hero of the book has a story telling father. His father, tragically, has lost the ability to tell stories any more. Haroun wakes one night to find a genie in his father's bathroom taking out the story water supply. After stealing the genie's wrench Haroun is soon taken on a fantastic trip into space and eventually to the source of all tales ever told, the Sea of Stories . There he is drawn into a plot to save the world from a future filled with sadness and no stories.

I found this book very entertaining. I was pleased as an adult, but the book could be read as a bedtime story for a child. (Over many nights of course) The use of words within the book is very unique. From characters that talk like a walking thesaurus to fish that only speak in rhyme; Rushdie makes the English language as fun to read as the story itself.

I admit that I am a huge fan of Rushdie and have always enjoyed his books. I think he is one of the greatest living authors and therefore my opinion of his books are somewhat biased. Nonetheless, if you are looking for a fun, quick, if a little predictable book this makes a great choice. If you have young children I would say this is a must.

On a scale from 1-13 I would give this a ten. I really think this should be a classic story read by children the world over. Because of Rushdie's somewhat tarnished reputation I doubt this will ever reach that level of popularity; much to the world's misfortune.