Brian Greene. A brilliant, understandable attempt to describe current physical theories on the nature of reality. Not easy going, but all the same it’s meant for lay readers, not physicists. Literally thrilling–especially the initial description of relativity. I felt like Greene was giving me a peek into a conceptual framework that felt like I was getting a glimpse of God. I mean it; thrilling.
The Well of Lost Plots
Jasper Fforde. Another Thursday Next novel, and just as much fun as the first two. This one is bundled with special features at the website. (You do need to have read the book to know the password.) And here’s a great passage from page 301:
“Welcome to The Judgment of Solomon ®. It’s arbitration, mainly, a bit of licensing...”
“You’re King Solomon?”
The old man laughed. “Me? You must be joking! There aren’t enough minutes in the day for one Solomon–as soon as he did that ‘divide the baby in two’ thing, everyone and his uncle wanted him to arbitrate–from corporate takeovers to playground disputes. So he did what any right-thinking businessman would do: he franchised. How else to you think he could afford the temple and the chariots and the navy and whatnot? The land he sold to Hiram of Tyre? Give me a break! My real name’s Kenneth.”
I looked a little doubtful.
“I know what you’re thinkng. ‘The Judgment of Kenneth’ does sound a bit daft–that’s why we are licensed to give judgments under his name. All aboveboard, I assure you. You have to purchase the cloak and grow a beard and go on the training course, but it works out very well....”
Altered Carbon
Richard K. Morgan. This is a real page-turner. Two genres I don’t read much, cyperpunk and detective story, by a first-time author, and I couldn’t wait to find out how it turned out. I hope there will be more books featuring the protagonist, Takeshi Kovacs.
The Dim Sum of All Things
Kim Wong Keltner. Chinese American chick-lit. I laughed out loud several times (often, I must admit, at potty humor).
H.M.S. Surprise
Patrick O’Brian. Inching closer to marriage and to naval stability, with torture, espionage, a trip to India, and encouters with Diana Villiers. And a fabulous place name: Swiving Monachorum (it’s where the Reverend Mr Hinksey, whom Mrs Williams hopes will marry Sophie, is the new rector).
The Game of Thrones
George R.R. Martin. First book in a fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire, for which I’ve seen raves on several websites. A good, engrossing book, although not a smooth-flowing narrative. It leaves you in the lurch concerning several characters, but that just makes me want the next one. There’s lots of blood and suffering. Very ambiguous and textured characters, flawed good characters, multi-dimensional evil characters (or are they?); lots of blood and violence; the hint of magic and ancient powers. As I say, looking forward to the next volume.
Post Captain
Patrick O’Brian. Well, I really finished Master and Commander last week. The second volume went considerably faster, as well as reminding me more of Jane Austen. Not just ships in the Mediterranean this time!
Master and Commander
Patrick O’Brian. I liked the movie (a lot, actually), and thought I’d give the novels a try. I found it engaging and entertaining. Serious naval lingo, which I just went uh-huh and kept on going every time I came to it. It does slowly sink in, and there are what, twenty books to catch on?
The Quakers in America
Thomas D. Hamm. Brand-new concise history and survey of the Religious Society of Friends in the United States. It covers the whole spectrum, blemishes and beauty spots alike. I like Tom Hamm’s writing style (and speaking style, too, as it happens), and it is good to have an up-to-date, academically respectable survey to recommend to anyone who wants to know more about Quakers.
How to Cook a Wolf
M.F.K. Fisher. What a wonderful, idiosyncratic writer! In one chapter she remembers making eggs in little ramekins while drinking champagne at three in the morning before going to bed; in another she suggests that one leave the grease from mixing up meatloaf on your hands for a while as a moisturizer. This in a book written during World War II about how to make do in privation.
Mary Frances grew up among Quakers in Whittier, California. Not a Quaker herself, she appears to have unpleasant memories of the Friends.