I finished reading Battle of Wits last night. Not a book I would recommend, because it is tough going in places unless you have a strong background in cryptology or maybe mathematics. Next I plan on reading Hell to Pay by George Pelecanos.
01/21/05
I'm over halfway through Hell to Pay by George Pelecanos. Its good. I like the fact that it is set in DC, and not the DC that most people think of. DC is more than just the capital of the United States. While there is a transient population that moves based on who is in power, there are also people whose families have lived here for generations. It also isn't quite as white a city as you might get the impression it is from watching TV. Anyway, I'm enjoying the book.
02/08/05
I'm currently reading Boyos by Richard Marinick. Its a novel about thugs (mostly Irish-American ones) in South Boston. Its a fun read. There are a lot of characters and sometimes it can get a little confusing trying to remember who's who. The chapters are pretty short, sometimes as short as a page or two; none are longer than seven or eight pages.
02/22/05
We went to the Strand. Its a used book store, one of NYC's biggest. They boast having over 18 miles of books. We browsed for over 3 hours. I was a little disappointed with the selection of fiction. They seem to specialize in history and art books. I did pick up a couple of classic SF novels that I hadn't read before: The Forever War by Joe Haldeman and The Door Into Summer by Robert Heinlein. I've started the one by Haldeman and so far I really like it.
03/07/05
I'm just about done with The Forever War. Good book. It would probably appeal most to those who are interested in it for its critique of war or for the SFness of it. I've enjoyed it on both levels.
03/09/05
I finished reading The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. Good book. I enjoyed it, but its probably not for everyone. Not sure what to read next. Maybe that Heinlein book I bought in NYC.
03/13/05
I've also started in on Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke. I guess that means that I have set aside The Collected Essays of Ralph Ellison, for now. I don't know if I will read all of this book on Anime, but I want to at least give it a test drive. Its only 200 pages. It is more analysis that that revue. Analysis of the anime culture and the culture that creates it as well as of the various movies and tv shoes produced in this format.
03/16/05
The book I am reading about anime is good, but I'm not wild about all the anime that it covers. I didn't think much of the chapter on Akira and Ranma 1/2 or the chapter on pornographic anime. I skipped the chapter on mecha by mistake. The only chapter that has really resonated with me so far has been the one on Ghost in the Shell. Part of the problem is the approach the author seems to take. For the most part I think she over-analyzes the movies. I'm also not interested in some of the sorts of movies she has chosen to write about. I dunno if I will finish the book now.
03/23/05
I'm still reading The Collected Essays of Ralph Ellison. Its good stuff. It makes you think. Taken as a whole it is not the sort of perspective that you will get from getting your news and commentary from the mainstream media. I'll probably take a break from it after a few more essays and read something else before returning to this volume. Not only is there a lot to read but it is very dense stuff to read. He really packs a lot into each sentence he writes.
03/28/05
I've started reading Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress. Its a sci fi novel about a group of genetically modified humans who don't need to sleep. It seems to be a commentary on capitalism and the United States as much as it is a sci fi story, and I am enjoying it so far.
04/04/05
I'm over halfway through Beggars in Spain. I'm enjoying it but not as much as I enjoyed the first 50 or so pages. The author pushes the plot forward too much and there isn't enough character development. There is also a little too much telling and not enough showing. Also I'm having a hard time feeling much sympathy for the main character. Still its not bad if you like sci fi. *shrug*
04/04/05
I'm over halfway through Beggars in Spain. I'm enjoying it but not as much as I enjoyed the first 50 or so pages. The author pushes the plot forward too much and there isn't enough character development. There is also a little too much telling and not enough showing. Also I'm having a hard time feeling much sympathy for the main character. Still its not bad if you like sci fi. *shrug*
04/06/05
I'm still reading Beggars in Spain. My opinion of the book hasn't improved. It just doesn't give my brain enough to chew on. It is too straight forward. Maybe I'm not working the material hard enough, but that's how I feel.
05/13/05
Innocent Blood by Christopher Dickey - An intense novel about a former Army Ranger who converts to Islam and starts working for a terrorist organization. It isn't a facile read or a simple story. He has his reasons for converting. His experiences in the first Gulf War and his lack of grounding seem to have a lot to do with the path he chooses to take. He doesn't see the world in black and white terms. He wants to effect change, not just wreck havoc. Possibly the most interesting fact about the book is that it was written five years before 9/11. I strongly recommend it. Its not a long read, but it is thought provoking, and doesn't speak from the sort of perspective that you ever hear from in the mainstream media in the United States.
King Rat by China Mieville - A convoluted story as only China Mieville knows how to write. Love the mix of horror, fantasy, and city life. The main character is Saul, who wakes up one morning to find his father dead and himself the prime suspect. After spending some time being interrogated by the police he is locked away in a cell. A rat-like man, King Rat, helps him to break out and teaches him his true heritage.
That's about as far as I have gotten. I only started the book a few days ago. So far I love it. I'm reading this one based on the strength of how much I enjoyed Perdido Street Station. KR starts off a little slower than PSS, but it is picking up steam. I loved the horrific and wonderous images in PSS and can't wait to read more of them in KR.
05/17/05
King Rat - Saul is accused of murdering his father. He is broken out of jail by his uncle, King Rat, who Saul didn't even know of. King Rat isn't human but some sort of rat-like humanoid. Meanwhile a mysterious flute-playing stranger, named Pete, has cozied up to Natasha, one of Saul's friends. Who is he? Who is King Rat, really? Well, apparently Pete and King Rat have met before, but they aren't friends and it has been hundreds of years since their last meeting in a town known as Hamelin.
Its taken me a little longer than I had hoped, but I am finally starting to enjoy and understand this book. For a while there I wasn't sure what direction it was going in. It isn't as much like Perdido Street Station as I had hoped it would be. It is set in London in the late 1990's and there aren't quite as many exotic creatures.
05/27/05
I finished King Rat by China Mieville on the ride to work. Great ending. Its a much simpler book than Perdido Street Station, no where near as elaborate. Still its very clever, love the way he writes.
05/31/05
I started reading Anime Explosion! by Patrick Drazen. Its written in a very user friendly style, but doesn't seem to be quite as rigorously thought through as Anime: from Akira to Princess Mononoke by Susan Napier. It does seem to be more of an overview of the anime world that the Napier's book, but the more I learn about anime the more I begin to think that I'd prefer to read books that are more focused and less scattershot. Still, I think I'm going to take a crack at reading the whole book, I just don't think I'll buy a copy.
06/02/05
I think the author of Anime Explosion is a bit homophobic. He seems to think that unless it is explicitly stated that a couple characters of the same gender are having sex then they are not gay. I applaud him for recognizing that not every guy who acts effeminate is gay, but to me at least sexual orientation isn't so much about what you do in bed as much as it is about whom you are attracted to. *sigh*
06/14/05
I finished reading Superman on the Couch. Good book. Very entertaining and thought provoking. It gave me a few new perspectives on comic books. One of those books that probably bears reading again.
06/18/05
I finished reading Superman on the Couch earlier this week, or was it last week? I can't remember. Anyway, it really gave me some interesting insights into comic books and American culture. I hate using the term: American culture. It makes me shiver to think of the things that can pass for culture and values. Anyway, the author (Danny Fingeroth) makes some very interesting observations about the nature of heroes and villains. If you are at all interested in the subject I recommend giving it a try. Its not very long (under 200 pages) and very accessible.
10/12/05
I've been reading Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud. Great book. Very intellectual but also very accesible. It is a graphic non-fiction book. In it he breaks down what makes comic books special, how they differ from books, pictures, movies, etc. He looks at examples from the whole range of the medium, from Jack Kirby to Herge to Osamu Tezuka. There are some really fascinating insights. I'm so glad that I finally got around to reading it.
10/24/05
I'm winding down on Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud. Excellent book. Very informative. Highly recommended. I noticed that I haven't read from the Collected Essays of Ralph Ellison lately. I think I'm gonna blame that on the CPA exam. I need to get back to it. It was a Christmas present from my youngest brother last year. Its great reading, but its also very long. I've got to read it in chunks. Too much of a good thing and all that.
11/07/05
I started reading The Scar by China Mieville. So far I like it. The book, so far, takes place at sea or under the sea. The main character Bellis Coldwine, is fleeing New Crobuzon. She is heading for the colonies, but winds up in Armada; a pirate city that is made up on hundreds of ships that have been tied together. I haven't gotten too far into the story, but once again I am impressed by the author's imagination. This is the third book of China Mieville's that I have read.
11/17/05
I'm still reading The Scar by China Mieville. Its different from Perdido Street Station. I'm still getting used to the whole idea of Armada, a floating city that is made up of hundreds of ships tied together. The plot is also a bit lacking in direction, but the imagery and the characters make up for the missing plot.
Innocent Blood by Christopher Dickey - An intense novel about a former Army Ranger who converts to Islam and starts working for a terrorist organization. It isn't a facile read or a simple story. He has his reasons for converting. His experiences in the first Gulf War and his lack of grounding seem to have a lot to do with the path he chooses to take. He doesn't see the world in black and white terms. He wants to effect change, not just wreck havoc. Possibly the most interesting fact about the book is that it was written five years before 9/11. I strongly recommend it. Its not a long read, but it is thought provoking, and doesn't speak from the sort of perspective that you ever hear from in the mainstream media in the United States.
King Rat by China Mieville - A convoluted story as only China Mieville knows how to write. Love the mix of horror, fantasy, and city life. The main character is Saul, who wakes up one morning to find his father dead and himself the prime suspect. After spending some time being interrogated by the police he is locked away in a cell. A rat-like man, King Rat, helps him to break out and teaches him his true heritage.
That's about as far as I have gotten. I only started the book a few days ago. So far I love it. I'm reading this one based on the strength of how much I enjoyed Perdido Street Station. KR starts off a little slower than PSS, but it is picking up steam. I loved the horrific and wonderous images in PSS and can't wait to read more of them in KR.
05/17/05
King Rat - Saul is accused of murdering his father. He is broken out of jail by his uncle, King Rat, who Saul didn't even know of. King Rat isn't human but some sort of rat-like humanoid. Meanwhile a mysterious flute-playing stranger, named Pete, has cozied up to Natasha, one of Saul's friends. Who is he? Who is King Rat, really? Well, apparently Pete and King Rat have met before, but they aren't friends and it has been hundreds of years since their last meeting in a town known as Hamelin.
Its taken me a little longer than I had hoped, but I am finally starting to enjoy and understand this book. For a while there I wasn't sure what direction it was going in. It isn't as much like Perdido Street Station as I had hoped it would be. It is set in London in the late 1990's and there aren't quite as many exotic creatures.
05/27/05
I finished King Rat by China Mieville on the ride to work. Great ending. Its a much simpler book than Perdido Street Station, no where near as elaborate. Still its very clever, love the way he writes.
05/31/05
I started reading Anime Explosion! by Patrick Drazen. Its written in a very user friendly style, but doesn't seem to be quite as rigorously thought through as Anime: from Akira to Princess Mononoke by Susan Napier. It does seem to be more of an overview of the anime world that the Napier's book, but the more I learn about anime the more I begin to think that I'd prefer to read books that are more focused and less scattershot. Still, I think I'm going to take a crack at reading the whole book, I just don't think I'll buy a copy.
06/02/05
I think the author of Anime Explosion is a bit homophobic. He seems to think that unless it is explicitly stated that a couple characters of the same gender are having sex then they are not gay. I applaud him for recognizing that not every guy who acts effeminate is gay, but to me at least sexual orientation isn't so much about what you do in bed as much as it is about whom you are attracted to. *sigh*
06/14/05
I finished reading Superman on the Couch. Good book. Very entertaining and thought provoking. It gave me a few new perspectives on comic books. One of those books that probably bears reading again.
06/18/05
I finished reading Superman on the Couch earlier this week, or was it last week? I can't remember. Anyway, it really gave me some interesting insights into comic books and American culture. I hate using the term: American culture. It makes me shiver to think of the things that can pass for culture and values. Anyway, the author (Danny Fingeroth) makes some very interesting observations about the nature of heroes and villains. If you are at all interested in the subject I recommend giving it a try. Its not very long (under 200 pages) and very accessible.
10/12/05
I've been reading Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud. Great book. Very intellectual but also very accesible. It is a graphic non-fiction book. In it he breaks down what makes comic books special, how they differ from books, pictures, movies, etc. He looks at examples from the whole range of the medium, from Jack Kirby to Herge to Osamu Tezuka. There are some really fascinating insights. I'm so glad that I finally got around to reading it.
10/24/05
I'm winding down on Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud. Excellent book. Very informative. Highly recommended. I noticed that I haven't read from the Collected Essays of Ralph Ellison lately. I think I'm gonna blame that on the CPA exam. I need to get back to it. It was a Christmas present from my youngest brother last year. Its great reading, but its also very long. I've got to read it in chunks. Too much of a good thing and all that.
11/07/05
I started reading The Scar by China Mieville. So far I like it. The book, so far, takes place at sea or under the sea. The main character Bellis Coldwine, is fleeing New Crobuzon. She is heading for the colonies, but winds up in Armada; a pirate city that is made up on hundreds of ships that have been tied together. I haven't gotten too far into the story, but once again I am impressed by the author's imagination. This is the third book of China Mieville's that I have read.
11/17/05
I'm still reading The Scar by China Mieville. Its different from Perdido Street Station. I'm still getting used to the whole idea of Armada, a floating city that is made up of hundreds of ships tied together. The plot is also a bit lacking in direction, but the imagery and the characters make up for the missing plot.
12/12/05
I keep wanting to compare The Scar to Perdido Street Station. I look for analogues but I can't seem to find any. I get I'm still trying to get a handle on the story. The details are sometimes hard to follow but it is a fun read.
12/13/05
The Scar - I was thinking about it on the way home and one of the things I love about this book are some of the names: Bellis Coldwine, Tanner Sack, Uther Doul, Tintinnabulum, Silas Fennec. The characters behind the names are just as good as the names themselves.
I keep wanting to compare The Scar to Perdido Street Station. I look for analogues but I can't seem to find any. I get I'm still trying to get a handle on the story. The details are sometimes hard to follow but it is a fun read.
12/13/05
The Scar - I was thinking about it on the way home and one of the things I love about this book are some of the names: Bellis Coldwine, Tanner Sack, Uther Doul, Tintinnabulum, Silas Fennec. The characters behind the names are just as good as the names themselves.