RSS Feed
Book Reviews – Second Quarter
Time really flies! Three months ago I made a decently comprehensive list of the books I’d read this year, along with recommendations and comments. A respectable 12 books were mentioned then, but I ended with a suspicion that the following three months wouldn’t be as prolific. And what a fine fortune teller I am: this time I only have six and a half books to mention. (I’ll let you guess which one is the half one.)
This list includes audio books; it’s technically not reading, but since I spend so much time getting to and from work I need to do something in the meanwhile, and why not spend it following a story or learning something new? I really recommend that you try some audio books yourself – travels get much more bearable.
Only You Can Save Mankind – Terry Pratchett
Description: Johnny Maxwell is a normal kid whom no one seems to notice; he’s not exceptional or noteworthy in any way. Still he gets chosen by a computer game’s alien invaders to try to save their race. Witty writing and believable characters make this an enjoyable tale, and the anti-war message doesn’t come through as too heavy handed. The story is good; the concepts are good; the writing is pretty good; but this really feels like a children’s book to a much greater extent than Pratchett’s later young reader series (Wee Free Men, and so on). I think I would’ve gotten irritated at the slightly dumbed down conversations even as a kid.
Rating: 3 flogistone canisters out of 5.
Recommended for: Young people in search of witty and innovative fantasy. (No, despite the sci-fi setting I wouldn’t class this sci-fi. It definitely fits more into the fantasy genre; or fantastic fiction, rather.)
Particle Physics for Non-Physicists – The Teaching Company
Description: Have you ever wondered what a sub-quark really is? Or how many elementary particles we know of? Or have you ever been interested in the personal background of physicists? Or curious about what a particle accelerator is intended to do, more specifically? Or felt the urge to know enough about particle physics to scoffle indignantly at Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons? If so, listen to this audio book: you won’t regret it. There’s not much more to say about it; this series of lectures is just great for curious non-physicists.
Rating: 4.5 weevils out of 5.
Recommended for: Everyone with an interest in particle physics. It’s not particularly hard to follow, but some elementary physics knowledge might be necessary.
Robinson Crusoe – Daniel Defoe
Description: I know the story well enough, but this was still an enlightening read. Crusoe’s background story is lesser known than his exploits after the shipwreck, but it’s infinitely important in order to notice the character development that occurs. Crusoe isn’t just a stereotypical Brit who dominates nature and other men, and makes the island his domain: he’s a flawed human filled with doubt and angst, and it’s pure bliss to note how he develops (in some ways at least). The novel is an old one, and at times quite dull to get through, but it’s still surprisingly solidly written. Although, to be honest, the foreword about Defoe himself is probably even more interesting than the book.
Rating: 3.5 geologists out of 5.
Recommended for: The literary geek interested in expanding his repertoire. I wouldn’t really recommend it as a casual adventure novel – the style is a bit too aged for that.
The Sea and Little Fishes – Terry Pratchett
Description: I know that I’m a Pratchett fanboy, but he does produce excellent material. This is a very good read if you like the witches in the Discworld series: Esme’s character especially is presented wonderfully in this little piece. Note little: this is not a book or novel, but make sure you read it anyway.
Rating: 4 ankhs out of 5.
Recommended for: Just about everyone, as long as you’ve read some of the Discworld novels.
Contemporary Economic Issues – The Teaching Company
Description: Timothy Taylor is back with more information about Economics. This time he brings up contemporary issues like unemployment, the work force, liquid capital, the stock market and other crucial concepts. I like Taylor; he’s a good lecturer, and the material he presents is easy to follow and not too convoluted. Thumbs up, yet again!
Rating: 4 raving Wikipedia editors out of 5.
Recommended for: Pretentious geeks with an urge to learn some current Economics.
Fragile Things – Neil Gaiman
Description: Go go Gaiman! Wai wai! If he was as prolific (wow, I’ve used that word twice in this blog entry) as Pratchett it’d show that I’m as much a Gaiman fanboy as a Pratchett fanboy. I just love the style he writes in: it’s dark and weird and poetic and pretentious and emotional and witty. This is a collection of short stories, and – as always with anthologies like this – there are a few hits and misses. Some are right out bland, while some are absolutely exceptional. If I were to pick out my favourite stories from Smoke and Mirrors and this one and combine them into a single book, it’d get a 6 out of 5. But since I can’t do that, make sure you read both.
Rating: 4 out of 5 on the Richter scale.
Recommended for: I honestly can’t think of anyone whom I couldn’t recommend this to.
How to Listen to and Understand Great Music – The Teaching Company
Description: Time to end on a high note. Pun most definitely intended. This is a magnificent series of lectures covering early Greek and Roman music, Medieval music, Renaissance music, Catholic and secular music, the Baroque and Classical era, up to and including contemporary works. Not stuff like Green Day and Johnny Cash, of course: these lectures mostly concern Western orchestra music. (Speaking of which, the lecturer had a great anecdote about one of his pupils who, after the course was ended, mentioned that he found the course great…but there was no Western music mentioned at all – just this orchestra stuff.) Anyway, this is a great crash course in general music knowledge: you’ll learn what harmophonic music is; how a fugue is constructed; how polyphonic renaissance music sounds; what sonata allegro form is; and much much more.
Rating: 4.5 sneaky weasles out of 5.
Recommended for: Either budding musicians or people who want to know more about music. (The lecturer even makes fun of the pretentiousness of listening to the course: “Now you’ll know what an Opus means, so you can sniff indignantly at his barbaric lack of knowledge, and say that you prefer Opus 67, Symphony nr 5, movement 2!”)
There you have it! I didn’t have time to read much these three months, but I blame that on my Sheeplings release. Speaking of which: buy Sheeplings today or I’ll send the black sheep to nibble your toes at night!