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THE READING LIST Reading is one of my favorite pastimes and old habits die hard. Having spent a lot of years reviewing books I just can't seem to read one without a pencil in my hand (sorry e-books are not for me) so I can mark up the text as I go along and make notes on the blank pages in the back. |
Fiction, Fourteenth Century
October 2011
The Divine Comedy
By Dante Alighieri
Couldn't resist this edition of The Divine Comedy when I came across it at Barnes & Noble last year—yes, big box book store do some good things
sometimes—this is a re-do of the original Henry Wadsworth Longfellow translation with the super Gustave Doré illustrations under the Barnes
& Noble imprint. It was a great choice in having a learned poet like Longfellow do the translation of Dante's poetic masterpiece as he does a
marvelous job of giving his translation a strong poetic feel. Only experience that could have been better would to have been able to read it in the
original Italian and marvel at the original poetic text with the proper rhyme and meter.
Haven't thought of re-reading this masterpiece since leaving college a long, long time ago but it was well worth it. References are often made to
Dante's work but actually going over the words is a treat. It's one thing to be obliged to read and study something but to do it one one's own at a
comfortable pace is the true way to appreciate it.
Somewhere in this modern society of ours we seem to have forgotten that the purpose of going to school is to obtain an education and not just a
job. The task is to broaden the mind and to open it; to make it creative; to encourage innovative thought; to learn to analyze and to question
everything around us.
Non-Fiction, Twentieth Century
September 2011
The Best and the Brightest
by David Halberstam
Picked this up at a library book sale when I saw it even though it was written in 1972. I remember reading portions of the book almost forty years
ago and wondered how it would all sound in the twenty-first century, especially with our current plan for exiting Iraq. For those not familiar with
The Best and the Brightest, it is an historical chronicle and analysis of the United States' foreign policy leading up to and through the Vietnam
War.
Halberstam, an author of more than twenty books (many with war as its topic), who died in an automobile accident in 2007, was a Pulitzer Prize
winning journalist who covered the Vietnam War as a foreign correspondent beginning in 1962 and was considered one of the most respected
analysts of the reasons for United States involvement in the conflict.
In The Best and the Brightest he chronicles the basis for the cold war era foreign policy that led to the U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia by
sifting through the leavings of five previous presidential administrations to demonstrate how the finest minds in the country came to be led down
a path that now seems so obviously marked with warning signs. It surely reconfirms the historian's lament of "…those who do not learn from
history are doomed to repeat it." or words to that effect.
The arguments used to justify entering Iraq, Afghanistan and the current saber rattling over Iran are eerily identical to arguments presented in
the late 1950's with regard to Southeast Asia. And yes, it would appear the same poor decisions have been made.
The Best and the Brightest is a fascinating re-read and highly recommended for anyone who would like to learn how good intentions by the best
and brightest minds advising the country's leaders from the 1930's through the Vietnam War could so easily be led astray and it is especially
chilling to see it being repeated.
Some quotes I found interesting.
Westerners always learn the hard way. Respect for the enemy always came when it was too late.
No-one likes government interference in daily life - even Adam and Eve thought God a bit intrusive and heavy handed.
They believed in the capacity of rational men to control irrational commitments.
…the best way for civilians to harness generals was to stay out of war.
Loyalty trumps reason and intelligence.
Vietnam was an example of business methods applied to war.
Government, on both sides of the aisle, has lost the business man, as they no longer see it as a place for them and their sons and daughters to give
back to the country.
Each dead American became one more rational for more dead Americans.
Problems always develop when one tries to sense which way the wind is blowing so as not to be caught going against it.
The art of arguing with your mother-in-law: "You win the first point and move on to the next only to find out you are back at the first."
Some other thoughts:
Never underestimate the power of religious conviction. In a world dominated by "Relativism" it is a bastian of "Absolutism."
There is a difference between being brilliant and being wise.
Should elected officials defer to military leaders on matters of military policy? And if they do is that a violation of the spirit of the constitution
which clearly calls for civilian control of the military?
Fiction, Twentieth Century
June 2011
Fiddler's Green
by Ernest Gann
Reading novels of favorite authors of a half century ago is a true delight. There's something about the writing and the ability to tell a story that is
difficult to find today and Fiddler's Green by Ernest Gann is no exception.
Admittedly, this novel is a bit different from what I'm used to from him, as it deals with commercial fishing. Gann is more remembered for
stories dealing with flying such as Island in the Sky, Fate is the Hunter, The Aviator, In the Company of Eagles and Twilight for the Gods. But,
as with all his stories he brings his life experience to the table as Gann spent time as a commercial fisherman on the West coast—something I
didn't know—which is where the story emanates from.
While the novel was published in 1950 by William Sloan Associates, New York, you will recognize a good deal of it as the subject matter and
stormy ocean scenes are very similar to those appearing in The Perfect Storm. However, I gravitate to the Gann story as I find it richer in
relationships, especially between the father and son, and also the generational divide that begins to disappear when the characters are away from
the corrupting influences of technology and are obliged to depend only upon their basic structures of honesty and integrity.
If you can find a copy at your next library book store or quality used book store, pick it up—especially if you're of a seafaring disposition.
Fiction, Twentieth Century
May 2011
Please Pass the Guilt
by Rex Stout
If only Rex Stout had been writing in the 21st century when the food channel could fully appreciate him. Nero Wolf is the perfect character for a
world obsessed with consuming food, although surely not the food we now consume. Today’s detectives consume fast food by the truckload and
rarely communicate in words of more than two syllables; they’re slim, fit and ready to run a four minute mile with a Big Mac in one hand and a
bowl of chili in the other. Wolf is over three hundred pounds, rarely ever leaves his brownstone in Manhattan, dislikes and distrusts women,
never speaks in less than five syllables and is most often found in his kitchen arguing with his chef over the number of juniper berries to include
in the marinade. What, never read a Nero Wolf mystery by Rex Stout? Well, your literary education is very much unnourished. Find a Nero
Wolf mystery to devour; I’ve never come across a poorly written or inadequately concocted plot and they are all filled with positively delicious
characters. Please Pass the Guilt is a great example. You won’t be disappointed.
Fiction, Twentieth Century
May 2011
Vendetta for the Saint
by Leslie Charteris
Why is it that the great mystery writers of the 20th century seem to have such a leg up on their contemporary cousins? The fast cars, flamboyant
lifestyle, the ease of movement from one culture to another on a worldwide scale, they’re readily available on today’s best seller lists but there’s
something missing isn’t there? Could it be the quality of the writing? Could it be that they focus on the story line and main character rather
than getting lost in extraneous sex and violence descriptions? Simon Templar is surely not a saint when it comes to his interpersonal life and
Charteris makes no attempt to hide it from the reader but he doesn't’t let it get in the way of the story and he doesn't’t write of it exploitatively.
Vendetta for the Saint is a great read and if you're unfamiliar with Charteris and his Simon Templar character I would suggest seeking him out
in your favorite book store.
Fiction, Contemporary
May 2011
Fall of Giants
by Ken Follett
A fascinating look at the world around the World War I. A very well done piece of writing that tries to capture the look and feel of the era. Could
not help making comparisons to the Loss of Eden trilogy by John Masters and especially Heart of War and By the Green of the Spring. Decided to go
back and re-read both volumes and Masters still comes out ahead but for different reasons. Follett is excellent as a story teller and he holds your
interest throughout. Masters, on the other hand-while also a great storyteller-has such a gripping descriptive capability that after reading a
chapter about a trench warfare incident you feel as though you should stand up and brush the dirt and mud off your clothing.
Fiction, Twentieth Century
July 2011
The Jungle
by Upton Sinclair
There's a reason why this novel continues to be relevant today especially with a segment of society believing government regulation is
unnecessary. Yes, Sinclair was a socialist but he took to task both corporations and unions for their uncontrolled exploitation of American
workers where profit and power were more important than life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. A great and important re-read whether you
like Sinclair's personal politics or not.
Non-Fiction, Contemporary
July 2011
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher
(A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective)
by Kate Summerscale
A great story for lovers of mystery stories as well as writers of them. Tells the real story of the Kent family murders of 1860 and the beginnings of
the detective department of the U.K.'s Metropolitan Police. A great lesson in 1860 police work-where it worked and where it didn't.
October 2011
The Divine Comedy
By Dante Alighieri
Couldn't resist this edition of The Divine Comedy when I came across it at Barnes & Noble last year—yes, big box book store do some good things
sometimes—this is a re-do of the original Henry Wadsworth Longfellow translation with the super Gustave Doré illustrations under the Barnes
& Noble imprint. It was a great choice in having a learned poet like Longfellow do the translation of Dante's poetic masterpiece as he does a
marvelous job of giving his translation a strong poetic feel. Only experience that could have been better would to have been able to read it in the
original Italian and marvel at the original poetic text with the proper rhyme and meter.
Haven't thought of re-reading this masterpiece since leaving college a long, long time ago but it was well worth it. References are often made to
Dante's work but actually going over the words is a treat. It's one thing to be obliged to read and study something but to do it one one's own at a
comfortable pace is the true way to appreciate it.
Somewhere in this modern society of ours we seem to have forgotten that the purpose of going to school is to obtain an education and not just a
job. The task is to broaden the mind and to open it; to make it creative; to encourage innovative thought; to learn to analyze and to question
everything around us.
Non-Fiction, Twentieth Century
September 2011
The Best and the Brightest
by David Halberstam
Picked this up at a library book sale when I saw it even though it was written in 1972. I remember reading portions of the book almost forty years
ago and wondered how it would all sound in the twenty-first century, especially with our current plan for exiting Iraq. For those not familiar with
The Best and the Brightest, it is an historical chronicle and analysis of the United States' foreign policy leading up to and through the Vietnam
War.
Halberstam, an author of more than twenty books (many with war as its topic), who died in an automobile accident in 2007, was a Pulitzer Prize
winning journalist who covered the Vietnam War as a foreign correspondent beginning in 1962 and was considered one of the most respected
analysts of the reasons for United States involvement in the conflict.
In The Best and the Brightest he chronicles the basis for the cold war era foreign policy that led to the U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia by
sifting through the leavings of five previous presidential administrations to demonstrate how the finest minds in the country came to be led down
a path that now seems so obviously marked with warning signs. It surely reconfirms the historian's lament of "…those who do not learn from
history are doomed to repeat it." or words to that effect.
The arguments used to justify entering Iraq, Afghanistan and the current saber rattling over Iran are eerily identical to arguments presented in
the late 1950's with regard to Southeast Asia. And yes, it would appear the same poor decisions have been made.
The Best and the Brightest is a fascinating re-read and highly recommended for anyone who would like to learn how good intentions by the best
and brightest minds advising the country's leaders from the 1930's through the Vietnam War could so easily be led astray and it is especially
chilling to see it being repeated.
Some quotes I found interesting.
Westerners always learn the hard way. Respect for the enemy always came when it was too late.
No-one likes government interference in daily life - even Adam and Eve thought God a bit intrusive and heavy handed.
They believed in the capacity of rational men to control irrational commitments.
…the best way for civilians to harness generals was to stay out of war.
Loyalty trumps reason and intelligence.
Vietnam was an example of business methods applied to war.
Government, on both sides of the aisle, has lost the business man, as they no longer see it as a place for them and their sons and daughters to give
back to the country.
Each dead American became one more rational for more dead Americans.
Problems always develop when one tries to sense which way the wind is blowing so as not to be caught going against it.
The art of arguing with your mother-in-law: "You win the first point and move on to the next only to find out you are back at the first."
Some other thoughts:
Never underestimate the power of religious conviction. In a world dominated by "Relativism" it is a bastian of "Absolutism."
There is a difference between being brilliant and being wise.
Should elected officials defer to military leaders on matters of military policy? And if they do is that a violation of the spirit of the constitution
which clearly calls for civilian control of the military?
Fiction, Twentieth Century
June 2011
Fiddler's Green
by Ernest Gann
Reading novels of favorite authors of a half century ago is a true delight. There's something about the writing and the ability to tell a story that is
difficult to find today and Fiddler's Green by Ernest Gann is no exception.
Admittedly, this novel is a bit different from what I'm used to from him, as it deals with commercial fishing. Gann is more remembered for
stories dealing with flying such as Island in the Sky, Fate is the Hunter, The Aviator, In the Company of Eagles and Twilight for the Gods. But,
as with all his stories he brings his life experience to the table as Gann spent time as a commercial fisherman on the West coast—something I
didn't know—which is where the story emanates from.
While the novel was published in 1950 by William Sloan Associates, New York, you will recognize a good deal of it as the subject matter and
stormy ocean scenes are very similar to those appearing in The Perfect Storm. However, I gravitate to the Gann story as I find it richer in
relationships, especially between the father and son, and also the generational divide that begins to disappear when the characters are away from
the corrupting influences of technology and are obliged to depend only upon their basic structures of honesty and integrity.
If you can find a copy at your next library book store or quality used book store, pick it up—especially if you're of a seafaring disposition.
Fiction, Twentieth Century
May 2011
Please Pass the Guilt
by Rex Stout
If only Rex Stout had been writing in the 21st century when the food channel could fully appreciate him. Nero Wolf is the perfect character for a
world obsessed with consuming food, although surely not the food we now consume. Today’s detectives consume fast food by the truckload and
rarely communicate in words of more than two syllables; they’re slim, fit and ready to run a four minute mile with a Big Mac in one hand and a
bowl of chili in the other. Wolf is over three hundred pounds, rarely ever leaves his brownstone in Manhattan, dislikes and distrusts women,
never speaks in less than five syllables and is most often found in his kitchen arguing with his chef over the number of juniper berries to include
in the marinade. What, never read a Nero Wolf mystery by Rex Stout? Well, your literary education is very much unnourished. Find a Nero
Wolf mystery to devour; I’ve never come across a poorly written or inadequately concocted plot and they are all filled with positively delicious
characters. Please Pass the Guilt is a great example. You won’t be disappointed.
Fiction, Twentieth Century
May 2011
Vendetta for the Saint
by Leslie Charteris
Why is it that the great mystery writers of the 20th century seem to have such a leg up on their contemporary cousins? The fast cars, flamboyant
lifestyle, the ease of movement from one culture to another on a worldwide scale, they’re readily available on today’s best seller lists but there’s
something missing isn’t there? Could it be the quality of the writing? Could it be that they focus on the story line and main character rather
than getting lost in extraneous sex and violence descriptions? Simon Templar is surely not a saint when it comes to his interpersonal life and
Charteris makes no attempt to hide it from the reader but he doesn't’t let it get in the way of the story and he doesn't’t write of it exploitatively.
Vendetta for the Saint is a great read and if you're unfamiliar with Charteris and his Simon Templar character I would suggest seeking him out
in your favorite book store.
Fiction, Contemporary
May 2011
Fall of Giants
by Ken Follett
A fascinating look at the world around the World War I. A very well done piece of writing that tries to capture the look and feel of the era. Could
not help making comparisons to the Loss of Eden trilogy by John Masters and especially Heart of War and By the Green of the Spring. Decided to go
back and re-read both volumes and Masters still comes out ahead but for different reasons. Follett is excellent as a story teller and he holds your
interest throughout. Masters, on the other hand-while also a great storyteller-has such a gripping descriptive capability that after reading a
chapter about a trench warfare incident you feel as though you should stand up and brush the dirt and mud off your clothing.
Fiction, Twentieth Century
July 2011
The Jungle
by Upton Sinclair
There's a reason why this novel continues to be relevant today especially with a segment of society believing government regulation is
unnecessary. Yes, Sinclair was a socialist but he took to task both corporations and unions for their uncontrolled exploitation of American
workers where profit and power were more important than life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. A great and important re-read whether you
like Sinclair's personal politics or not.
Non-Fiction, Contemporary
July 2011
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher
(A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective)
by Kate Summerscale
A great story for lovers of mystery stories as well as writers of them. Tells the real story of the Kent family murders of 1860 and the beginnings of
the detective department of the U.K.'s Metropolitan Police. A great lesson in 1860 police work-where it worked and where it didn't.
| New Additions to the Reading List are below and the rest can be found in the reading list page. |
