This memoir is presented in an emotionally engaging, yet thought provoking way. Telling the story of one upper-middle-class Vietnamese family in the eThis memoir is presented in an emotionally engaging, yet thought provoking way. Telling the story of one upper-middle-class Vietnamese family in the early days of America's involvement in the Vietnam War, this comic gives us a child's eye view of the conflict.
I've done a fair amount of reading on this subject, and 'Such a Lovely Little War' offered me a new and valuable perspective. I'm glad I read it....more
'A History of Scotland' is surprisingly comprehensive for a 430-page paperback. It begins with prehistory, telling the reader about the very geology o'A History of Scotland' is surprisingly comprehensive for a 430-page paperback. It begins with prehistory, telling the reader about the very geology of the land itself. From there, it goes on to devote pages to every major (and several minor) person and event of Scotland's historical interest.
Unfortunately, it can be a bit of a slog. The reader thinks, "Ah, another sociopath intent on a crown or a business empire. How many will this one kill?" And then the reader turns the page, finds the tale of a new generation, and thinks it again. If you like The Sopranos, but wish the blood were real, 'A History of Scotland' is the book for you....more
If you're a Star Trek nerd like me, 'The Fifty-Year Mission' is required reading. It's also kind of a bummer.
I mean, it's a bummer to learn that your If you're a Star Trek nerd like me, 'The Fifty-Year Mission' is required reading. It's also kind of a bummer.
I mean, it's a bummer to learn that your imaginary space family was created, on both sides of the camera, by a bunch of screwed-up egotists with their own interests, affiliations, friendships, and animosities. Y'know, like real people. I didn't need to know who gave whom what kind of an infection, and how. I didn't need to know who ripped whom off, and how badly.
And yet.
And yet, the messy reality of popular culture's second-most enduring science fiction property really is fascinating. This book covers it all, from Gene Roddenberry's first inspiration for Star Trek, through the ups and down of the franchise and the careers of those involved in it. If you ever wanted to know how Star Trek bankrupted Desilu Studios, you've come to the right place. If you ever wanted to know why Star Trek VI's score sounds so different from Star Trek II's, again, this is the book for you. if you ever wanted to know, well, just about anything about the Star Trek franchise from 'The Menagarie' through 'The Undiscovered Country,' you'll probably find it in 'The Fifty-Year Mission.'
So, yeah, this book reports on many unpleasant truths. But that's life, right? If you're the kind of person whose heart beats a little faster whenever you hear "Da da daaaaaa, da da da da daaaaaaaa,' you won't want to skip 'The Fifty-Year Mission.' Warts and all, there's still nothing like Star Trek....more
‘A Mighty Fortress’ seeks to be a concise history of the German people. The problem is that, at 300-odd pages, it’s too concise.
The books blasts throu‘A Mighty Fortress’ seeks to be a concise history of the German people. The problem is that, at 300-odd pages, it’s too concise.
The books blasts through names, dates, and personalities so rapidly that the general reader can barely keep up, much less absorb the story being told. Additionally, it assumes a familiarity with European geography that certainly lies beyond the grasp of this reasonably well-traveled American reader.
There’s another problem: a good general history will serve as a multi course meal. In addition to “who did what to whom, and when,” a good history will regale the reader with tales of heroism, romance, intrigue, hubris, and the like. Y’know, the stuff of actual human stories.
‘A Mighty Fortress,’ on the other hand, reads like an undergraduate’s textbook; or one of a stack of books a student may check out when writing a research paper on, say, Frankish-Saxon relations through the centuries.
It reads like the kind of book one reads when trying to read oneself to sleep. Good night....more
Oh, man. This book is rough. It tells you everything you need to know in the preface, then reads like a magazine article that the author inflated intoOh, man. This book is rough. It tells you everything you need to know in the preface, then reads like a magazine article that the author inflated into a book.
The book's thesis is that Newport billionairess Doris Duke intentionally ran over one of her employees, then bought off everyone in a position to bring her to justice. Also, she wasn't a nice person.
There you go. That's it. The rest of the book is a memoir of the writer's life, an exposé of various unsavory aspects of Newport RI's past, and various meandering side trips into wealth envy.
It's hard to believe that this book was written by a professional writer. I'm giving it two stars anyway because I did learn some interesting facts about Newport history and various island landmarks. Unless you live on Aquidneck Island or really care about rich people, you're going to want to give this one a pass....more
'The Anarchy' is required reading for the interested Westerner looking for a gloss on the fall of the Moghul Empire and the rise of the British East I'The Anarchy' is required reading for the interested Westerner looking for a gloss on the fall of the Moghul Empire and the rise of the British East India Company.
In the book, historian William Dalrymple argues that Britain didn't so much colonize India as did a British megacorporation, the aforementioned East India Company. Beginning with the founding of the company, then moving on to its first footholds on the Subcontinent, the narrative kicks into gear with the reign of Mughal Emperor Alamgir Aurangzeb. A Muslim fanatic, this Emperor shattered the Muslim-Hindu accommodation that undergirded a Mughal empire which had delivered peace and prosperity for generations. During this collapse and subsequent anarchy, leaders of the British East India Company saw first an opportunity to expand their access and markets, then to monopolize, then to rule.
This is riveting stuff, well researched and written. Dalrymple populates his history with colorful characters and fascinating stories, bringing his subject to life while educating his reader. As someone with limited knowledge of Indian history, I'm unqualified to speak to the veracity of Dalrymple's narrative. As a general reader, however, I found the book fascinating.
Indian friends who have read this book: what do you think of it? Is Dalrymple on the money? I'm interested to read your perspective....more
If you're a fan of science fiction, you must read this book.
Is its comix format a little forced? Yes. Does it grant surprisingly short shrift to the sIf you're a fan of science fiction, you must read this book.
Is its comix format a little forced? Yes. Does it grant surprisingly short shrift to the science fiction of video games? Absolutely. Is it the most comprehensive and readable history of the genre I've encountered to date? You betcha.
Beginning with Mary Shelley, the inventor of science fiction, 'The History of Science Fiction' walks us through the development of the genre, the careers of influential authors, and the genre's relevance to contemporary culture. It leverages its format to put names to faces, both of writers and characters. Best of all, it brings to readers' attention many titles with which they may be unfamiliar. Granted, that last may be more a curse than a blessing: my "to read" list is now up to 149 titles."
I have quibbles with this book, however: one stylistic and one conceptual. Stylistically, several chapters are presented as conversations among various influential writers or editors. These conversations can feel forced, making the speakers feel like the mouthpieces they so obviously are. Conceptually, I think the authors are too limited in their concept of science fiction. While the book speaks to visual media, it doesn't do so in nearly the depth film and television deserve. Further, it almost entirely ignores the history of science fiction in gaming. After all, serious science fiction video games have been around for over thirty years. How does one not consider 'StarCraft' or 'System Shock' or, heck, 'Halo' and 'Mass Effect'? Print may be the backbone of science fiction, but we're talking about an evolving genre, ever in conversation with itself across media.
That said, it feels unfair to criticize a book for what it doesn't try to do. 'The History of Science Fiction' sets out to give the reader a survey of the genre, touching upon its major contributors and pivotal works. In this, it succeeds admirably. Not only do I recommend this book to those with an interest in the genre, I expect to loan my copy to many of my friends....more
'Great Society,' a conservative history of the U.S. from the Kennedy to the Nixon administrations, is in turns interesting, misguided, and effective.
I'Great Society,' a conservative history of the U.S. from the Kennedy to the Nixon administrations, is in turns interesting, misguided, and effective.
It's interesting because so much of the popular history of this period is written from a liberal perspective. It's refreshing to get a different point of view, and that difference serves as a thought-provoking challenge to the consensus.
It's misguided because author Amity Shlaes fundamentally misunderstands the work of Adam Smith and his vision for a nation's economic and social prosperity. When one builds one's worldview on a given philosopher's ideas, one should read that philosopher.
It's effective, though more as polemic than history. Shlaes's thesis is that liberals, and liberal ideas, hurt those they are trying to help. By cherry-picking those initiatives which failed, she makes her case quite persuasively. However, she undermines the force of her argument by taking long detours into, for example, the adventures of Tom Hayden in Viet Nam. One suspects she's more interested in digging up dirt on The Libs than the argument she's actually trying to make.
Nevertheless, this is an interesting and entertaining book that provides great insight into the worldview of a significant segment of the American populace. If you're interested in this sort of thing, it's worth reading....more
'Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World' is the second volume of a trilogy about t'Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World' is the second volume of a trilogy about the Renaissance-era history of the Mediterranean. This volume tells the story of the 16th-Century battle for dominance of the Mediterranean. In the east, we had the Ottoman Empire. In the West, Spain. Both sides were brutal, merciless, and utterly committed to the righteousness of their respective causes and their conviction that God was on their side.
This is the kind of history that can be tough to read because there isn't anyone to root for. Both sides considered slavery, mass murder, and rapine normal. Both sides were cynical and bloodthirsty. Both sides fought treacherously sometimes, honorably others.
That said, I knew virtually nothing about the history of this particular time and place. Since I didn't know the outcomes of the seiges and battles described, nor the fates of many of the players in these dramas, the book held a tension for me that many other histories lack. Additionally, this book provided excellent context for the Protestant Reformation, 30 Years' War, Conquest of Latin America, and even the works of William Shakespeare ('Othello' and 'The Merchant of Venice,' particularly).
While reading this, I was reminded of a visit to the Topkapki Palace I enjoyed in 2008. At the time, I recall feeling frustrated because I knew there was so much history all around me, but I was weak on both the Eastern Roman and Ottoman Empires. I'm finally ready to go back!...more
I like the idea of 'Prisoners of Geography' more than the actual book. A geopolitical refresher with an emphasis on how geography has shaped our worldI like the idea of 'Prisoners of Geography' more than the actual book. A geopolitical refresher with an emphasis on how geography has shaped our world sounds great.
In practice, 'Prisoners of Geography' is already obsolete, even though it was written in 2015. Further, its explication of the geopolitical landscape may fascinate newcomers to the subject matter while leaving experts wanting much, much more.
In short, 'Prisoners of Geography' was too simplistic and too outdated to be of interest to me. A precocious high schooler, however, would surely benefit from reading an updated edition....more
Right up front, know that 'The Challenger Launch Decision' is an academic book that takes a sociologist's look at the cultural factors leading to the Right up front, know that 'The Challenger Launch Decision' is an academic book that takes a sociologist's look at the cultural factors leading to the flawed decision to launch the Space Shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986. In other words, this is a heavy lift.
That said, I tore through it in just a few days. And I'm not even a sociologist or engineer.
This is a book that's heavy on engineering, sure. But its real insights are into how extraordinarily intelligent, exquisitely well-trained, conscientious, and responsible people can get something so important as the decision to launch the Challenger that day so catastrophically wrong. To that end, author Diane Vaughan explores the culture not just of NASA, but of its contractors. She explicates how the precursors to the disaster became normalized, and how the culture of spaceflight left no room for engineers' gut feeling that it was wrong to launch the spacecraft in the cold temperatures of that morning (In effect, engineers couldn't walk into a room and say, "I have a bad feeling about this." To make virtually any assertion, they needed reams of data to back themselves up.).
Additionally, the author attacks the popular narrative of "bottom-line oriented managers overruling truth-telling engineers" as the explanation for the disaster. She illustrates how experimental space flight still was, and how there was no consensus among engineers regarding the best way to deal with the shuttles' now-infamous O-ring problem.
If you're involved in high technology in any way, this book is a must-read. If you're involved in running large government or private-sector institutions, this is also a must-read. It's dauntingly huge, sure. But if you're like me, you'll blow right through it....more
Written by intellectual titan Will Durant near the end of his 96-year life, these 22 short chapters pull t'Fallen Leaves' is an excellent little book.
Written by intellectual titan Will Durant near the end of his 96-year life, these 22 short chapters pull together the man's thoughts on everything from politics to sex to religion to sports. In the forward, Durant modestly asserts that he has nothing new to teach the reader, as he is merely the product of roughly 10,000 years of Western Civilization: he offers, at best, simply to put his spin on things. That said, Durant's spin is worth reading. Reading 'Fallen Leaves' is like sitting at the knee of your wise great-grandfather.
That said, and Durant is the first to admit it, your wise great-grandfather is a product of his time. Many of his opinions may strike the reader as strange, outdated, or regressive. That's fine, though. The reader needn't agree with everything the writer says to profit from the experience of reading him. Will Durant spent his long and productive life researching, thinking, and writing about the ebb and flow of civilizations. You can profit from spending 5 hours listening to his thoughts....more
'The Ascent of Money' is a perfectly capable gloss on the history of finance. Beginning with Mesopotamian payrolls and ending with modern credit defau'The Ascent of Money' is a perfectly capable gloss on the history of finance. Beginning with Mesopotamian payrolls and ending with modern credit default swaps, Ferguson takes the reader on a reasonably comprehensive journey.
I found it dreadfully dull.
I don't think this is Fergusons's fault, however: I'm simply not interested in finance. I chose this book for general education, hoping the author could bring the subject to life for me. I felt like he did his best, yet my mind wandered and I found myself thinking about which volume I'd choose next instead of focusing wholly on the book at hand.
So, hey, if finance is your bag, you might love 'The Ascent of Money.' This book simply didn't happen to work for me....more
This is the best book about Neanderthals that I have ever read.
Ok. You got me. It's the only book about Neanderthals that I have ever read.
Still, thisThis is the best book about Neanderthals that I have ever read.
Ok. You got me. It's the only book about Neanderthals that I have ever read.
Still, this is an excellent book. Writing with clarity and heart, Dr. Sykes evokes the world of the Neanderthals while educating the reader about both the latest (as of 2020) science and the history of the field itself. Further, she does an outstanding job of orienting the reader not just geographically, but chronologically. This is the kind of book that inspires me, upon finishing it, to hand it to my wife with my most effusive recommendation.
Fun Facts I Learned While Reading 'Kindred:'
*Neanderthals had larger eyes and larger occipital lobes than homo sapiens. They literally saw the world differently than we do.
*There's a lot more to stone tools than the Olduvai Hand Axe, and there are more ways to work stone than pounding with another stone. Neanderthals were sophisticated toolmakers, serrating edges, creating awls, and carrying choice cobbles around as a sort of portable tool chest.
*Neanderthals were sophisticated bone, antler, and leatherworkers, inventing techniques that homo sapien hunter-gatherers use today. One dig site even turned up a tool made with adhesive created by combining birch sap with honeycomb.
*Neanderthals roamed the Earth for so long that they had time to discover new technologies, forget them, and discover them again. And again.
*Neanderthals had a sense of aesthetics. Archaeologists have discovered shells with threading holes and the remains of pigment still on them. These may have been some sort of jewelry.
*Neanderthals weren't wiped out within a couple of generations of the advent of Homo Sapiens. In fact, the two branches of humanity coexisted (and occasionally interbred) on the Eurasian continent for somewhere in the neighborhood of ten thousand years.
*Pretty much every Homo Sapien's genome is between 0.5 - 4% Neanderthal. Neanderthal DNA increases the risk of keratosis, so I can probably thank my Neanderthal ancestor(s) for my semiannual visits to the dermatologist's office.
*Archaeology and paleoanthropology have made amazing strides since Indiana Jones. Using laser scanning and computer analysis, scientists can find thousands of tiny artifacts in caves long believed lost to time. There's a revolution happening out there right now!
I totally nerded out while reading this book. Writing this review, I'm nerding out again. Brava to Dr. Sykes for a masterpiece of popular science. This is one of those books I'll recommend for some time to come....more
This history of the Siege of Stalingrad will tell you everything you need to know about the fight on the Eastern Front in general and Stalingrad in paThis history of the Siege of Stalingrad will tell you everything you need to know about the fight on the Eastern Front in general and Stalingrad in particular. Written for a popular audience, it provides enough detail to be of interest, yet not so much that one feels lost in an academic tome.
That said, I felt that this book could have done with even more maps. Further, I'd have appreciated a different way to help the reader differentiate between the two nations' military units. Too many times, the book would refer to, say the 20th Infantry and I'd wonder to whose 20th Infantry it was referring. Perhaps Roman numerals for one and Arabic for the other, or a different font, might have helped.
Regardless, this is a very good history of this chapter in warfare. However, as a reading experience, its excellence is balanced by the horrific nature of the very conflict it describes. Both the Soviets and the Nazis were utterly horrific totalitarian states, ruling through fear while evincing a sickening disdain for human life. It was hard, spending 430 pages immersed in Man's inhumanity to Man.
Still, 'Stalingrad' is a must-read for general history buffs looking to fill a gap in their knowledge. I didn't enjoy reading it, but I'm glad I did....more
‘Napoleon’s Buttons’ bills itself as a history book about how certain molecules, such as the tin molecules in the buttons of the Grande Armee’s unifor‘Napoleon’s Buttons’ bills itself as a history book about how certain molecules, such as the tin molecules in the buttons of the Grande Armee’s uniforms, have had outsized impact on world history.
That’s an honest description, if incomplete. It may be more accurate to say that this is a history book for chemists, as opposed to chemistry book for historians. ‘Napoleon’s Buttons’ gets in the weeds of the chemical makeups of various molecules that have influenced history, perhaps too much so for the general reader. The chemist, or at least the general reader with a better memory of college chemistry than I, will probably love this book. It speaks the chemist’s language, and it arms the chemist with lots of great tales with which to wow those attractive history professors at the next faculty mixer.
Is this book for you? Let’s see: do you like chemistry and history, maybe chemistry a little more than history? If so, yes. If not, well, it’ll still arm you with plenty of entertaining stories for that next faculty mixer. Those History Department cuties will eat ‘em right up....more