I don't think that I've laughed out loud at a book that wasn't a straight up comedy memoir in a long time. Randall Munroe is the cartoonist behind xkcd. In this book, he takes on some pretty awesome questions that are utterly ridiculous (but still fun to think about) and sorts out the science. The … [Read more]
Recent Reviews
Chateaubriand by Moonlight
Moonrise by Ben Bova (1996) – Reading a Ben Bova book is like having a really satisfying meal. He is notable for his epic science fiction (Moonrise is over 550 pages), and this one doesn’t disappoint. Ben is skillful at providing a very good science fiction main course while giving the reader a lot … [Read more]
Two Heads Are Better!
Songssmith by Andre Norton and A.C. Crispin (1992) - I’m always wary of books by Andre Norton and someone else. Some of those written close to the end of her life have no Andre Norton in them at all. Several I couldn’t finish reading because I couldn’t find any of her magic in them. I know of what I … [Read more]
When you’re born in a burning house, you think the whole world is on fire.
James Stark is continuing to keep me company while I sort, pack, and move boxes. The contrast between my mundane, everyday tasks and the operatic celestial machinations of Stark's life keep me moving. This is the third book in the series, so there will be some necessary spoilers. I'll put the … [Read more]
A little slice of Savannah.
I'd been looking forward to reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil for quite some time. Ever since I read Capote's In Cold Blood, I've been really interested in well-written true crime books, particularly ones written in the form of a non-fiction novel, a form that Capote pioneered. What I … [Read more]
You wave your crooked wand
Now that was fun. Seriously, deliriously fun. Stark, Just Stark, is back from hell, still a little bit on fire when he lands on a trash heap in LA. Coming back from hell is a bitch, but he's nothing if not resourceful. As he makes his way through the city, acclimating himself to being topside, he … [Read more]