Funny if way too foul-mouthed; I'm no prude, but when the F- and S-bombs are landing every other sentence, they soon lose their ability to either shocFunny if way too foul-mouthed; I'm no prude, but when the F- and S-bombs are landing every other sentence, they soon lose their ability to either shock or amuse.
Still, full of surprisingly useful advise; and so while it made for a fun listen, it would probably be even more valuable as a future reference as "that time approaches." ...more
Didn't really like Station Eleven - think I finished it, but reluctantly at best; and couldn't get into the HBO series either - but this one sounded sDidn't really like Station Eleven - think I finished it, but reluctantly at best; and couldn't get into the HBO series either - but this one sounded somewhat more interesting, and I needed a reasonable length audiobook, so…
And well, didn't really love this either. Structurally, it seemed like a Cloud Atlas ripoff; and plot-wise, it took me well over half the book to assemble even the faintest clue about what was going on. But then, it did kinda started coming together; and when the hardcover became available at the library I switched to that, and it frankly became easier to follow. I had totally missed the (view spoiler)["recurring name" (hide spoiler)] device when listening in the car, but seeing it in print made it more of an "a-ha!" thing. And then, everything did indeed come together in a remarkable, final 25-page stretch, and so much to my surprise, am giving this four stars. But that said, think I'm done with Ms. Mandel for the foreseeable.
NOTE: This was a decidedly "soft science" book, with Mandel checking the "moon colonies," "time travel" and a few other boxes as if they were just givens in the next couple of centuries. That said, I do find the whole concept of the "simulation hypothesis" (which has been out there far longer than just this book) fascinating, and alternately scary and reassuring (depending on the day's news). The idea that we may be living in a "Matrix"-like simulation seemed WAY out there just a few years ago; but with speed-of-light advances in AI, VR, holography and other related fields, it's not as far-out an idea as previously imagined that within the next century or so, "artificial reality" could get that good...anyway, food for thought....more
"Donald Trump will be president again, whether he is on the ballot or not."
Make no mistake about it: we are so much worse off than we thought. Possibl"Donald Trump will be president again, whether he is on the ballot or not."
Make no mistake about it: we are so much worse off than we thought. Possibly. Probably. Because as Miles Taylor - the original "Anonymous" who wrote the scathing 2018 NYT editorial "I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration," which was later expanded into the 2019 bestseller A Warning - describes with frightening certainty in his latest book, whether or not Donald Trump ever wins another election (hopefully unlikely) or ends up in prison (disappointingly unlikely), his movement and followers are not going away anytime soon; and indeed, the NEXT "Trump" will probably be even MORE dangerous, as he or she is likely be more savvy, less of a buffoon and have a higher IQ…UNLESS we make some major changes to our electoral systems, or (most unlikely of all) as a country finally and collectively grow a backbone and a conscience.
More memoir than his previous book,* Blowback details the deeply conservative Republican's struggles as he joins, attempts to rein in, and finally abandons and turns against the Trump White House, while also further documenting the excesses and insanity of our former Madman-in-Chief - and it is one dark and sordid tale. Taylor tries his best to identity any potential bright side (there aren't many), listing steps that can be taken to turn our government into one that is truly representative of the majority of the American people - things like "nonpartisan redistricting" and "ranked choice voting;" both of which would be excellent and long-overdue improvements, but are in reality (or at least the current political environment) about as likely to happen as Congress overhauling the electoral college or giving Washington DC a seat in the Senate or making Puerto Rico a state.
I have long admired Taylor (and a very few others, such as Adam Kinzinger) for his courage in taking the difficult and dangerous path in opposing the increasingly Fascist MAGA movement, and continue to appreciate (one cannot say "enjoy" in regard to anything related to Trump World) him as a commentator on CNN.
This is a dismal book; but as much as I am just sick of reading about the current state of American politics, I would have to say it is an essential one - and should be read by as many Americans as possible between now and November.
So - a generally pleasant read, but with a few caveats. I started with the book ($1.11 used; I'll never understand McKay's pricing structure), which mSo - a generally pleasant read, but with a few caveats. I started with the book ($1.11 used; I'll never understand McKay's pricing structure), which makes for a decent nightstand read - i.e., best enjoyed a chapter or so at a time. But a number of reviews said the audiobook was much better, so switched to that for my commute - and then it was like spending time with an indisputably fun couple, but one who JUST WOULDN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT THEMSELVES AND DIDN'T KNOW WHEN TO LEAVE.
I like Offerman (mainly from "Parks and Rec" and a few smaller roles), but didn't know Mulally at all (other than from her stint as Offerman's gonzo spouse in "Parks"), as I have never watched "W&G." So overall found his bits funnier than hers - and yes, he really does talk like Ron Swanson ("they are both very competent cooks, providing us with agreeable provender with an astonishingly regular consistency"). But a little Megan goes a long way, so even the audiobook is best listened to in chunks (for a professional singer and actress, her voice is surprisingly nasal and whiny)...maybe alternated with something a little meatier.
Basically a solid 3+ read/listen, but can't quite round up to 4, despite them both being serious readers, dog people, and jigsaw junkies - all most positive traits. (NOTE: Have put this on my "oral history" list; not because it really is one but because that's just what both authors kept calling - although maybe that was just another of their endless sex jokes.)...more
"WE STAND NOW where two roads diverge. But unlike the roads in Robert Frost’s familiar poem, they are not equally fair. The road we have long been tra"WE STAND NOW where two roads diverge. But unlike the roads in Robert Frost’s familiar poem, they are not equally fair. The road we have long been traveling is deceptively easy, a smooth superhighway on which we progress with great speed, but at its end lies disaster. The other fork of the road—the one ‘less traveled by’—offers our last, our only chance to reach a destination that assures the preservation of our earth."
Rachel Carson wrote those words over 60 years ago, but they remain truer - and more frightening - today than ever. At the time, she focused her attention solely on the excessive use of pesticides, herbicides and other chemical "-cides" in the control of insects vis-a-vis agriculture, forestry and public health; which seems almost quaint today in comparison to the far greater list of threats currently facing the planet - animal-spread pandemics, climate change (did you see where Venezuela just became the first country to lose all of its glaciers?), forever chemicals, microplastics, biodiversity loss/mass extinctions, ad f'ing infinitum.
But what I found most surprising (and ultimately discouraging) here is that people were actually shocked by her book when it came out, and the government - multiple governments! - actually listened. In large part due to Carson's writings and the nascent environmental movement they helped launch, between 1963 (shortly after publication) and 1974, a combination of both Democrat and Republican administrations managed to pass the Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, as well as create the Environmental Protection Agency. But can we look forward to anything like that happening today, with our fractious partisan politics and a presidential candidate who is determined to roll back environmental protections completely if reelected? Because the root problems identified by Carson in the 1950s are the same ones we are dealing with today - greedy corporations (staffed by "scientists" and lobbyists who put profits and job security ahead of legitimate problem-solving); an ignorant (if not outright science-denying) populace; and a head-in-the-sand belief that "everything will be okay."
I only read this book as Carson had gotten an extended shout-out in The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World for her work as an oceanographer, which I hadn't known about - mainly because I hadn't really known anything about this amazing woman other than that she had written this particular book, which I then figured it was probably high time I read. But I came to it with limited expectations, expecting a touchy-feely "Walden"-esque vibe - I certainly didn’t expect to be either shocked or angered by some 70-year-old problems that I figured had apparently been largely resolved in the meantime.
But man, was I wrong.
THAT SAID, HOWEVER: Carson was - and surprisingly, still is - not without her detractors. When I searched for this book at our library, it also surfaced something called Silent Spring at 50: The False Crises of Rachel Carson, written and published by the right-wing CATO Institute. Which (because I generally like to hear both sides of any position) I also borrowed; but also which (because I quickly realized that life's too short) I frankly am not going to actually read beyond its jacket blurbs, which disputed most of Carson's findings, basically noting that DDT was/is an apparent Godsend; bird populations in fact thrived at the time; and cancer is, like, no big deal. So since I'm not reading it, I won't properly review it, other than to go ahead and call a resounding "bullshit" on the whole thing.
Had to go back and reread Only Killers and Thieves before diving into this; and I'm glad I did, as it would have made NO sense otherwise. And also becHad to go back and reread Only Killers and Thieves before diving into this; and I'm glad I did, as it would have made NO sense otherwise. And also because second time around, that book was just as good - if dark and bleak - as I remembered; an unsettling study of racial injustice and banal immorality in Australia's "Wild North" equivalent of our Old West.
But this sequel…while not bad, was just so unnecessary. The first book included a nine-years-later epilogue that left the McBride brothers' fates nicely unresolved; the second then went back and both filled in the intervening years (in a style that was more "Dallas" soap opera than "Open Range" shoot-'em-up); then jumped ahead of the first book's epilogue to bring everything to a neat - if, again, unnecessary - conclusion.
Howarth remains an extremely solid writer; and so now that he's got this out of his system I hope he moves on to something totally new and different, like his fellow shaven-headed countryman, Max Barry.
2.5 stars rounded up to three, based on the first book, general generosity, and because you can never overuse a Hawken rifle in Western fiction....more
Got to almost 70% of the audiobook, but I'm sorry - I just could NOT finish this thing. Despite a fascinating-sounding concept (that I hoped would getGot to almost 70% of the audiobook, but I'm sorry - I just could NOT finish this thing. Despite a fascinating-sounding concept (that I hoped would get better when they finally got out of the Solar System and into deep space), this was from start to...well, close-to-finish just WAY too much math and physics, with WAY too little "ooh!" and "ah!"
A blatant Andromeda Strain ripoff with way WAY WAY too much irrelevant personal history about charmless cHa - this was really not a very good book :)
A blatant Andromeda Strain ripoff with way WAY WAY too much irrelevant personal history about charmless characters with names like Hero and Teacake; WAY too many dumb coincidences (the whole Mike/Naomi "reunion"); and just a whole lotta crazy irresponsible government shit, such as taking the sole remaining sample of the most dangerous biological agent ever discovered, burying it in the middle of Kansas, and then just…forgetting about it because, you know, people move on…* Plus, the whole thing kicked off with a cringey (and seemingly endless) in-flight flirtation - on the way to dealing with said horrific biological thingy, mind you - between a slutty scientist who only sleeps with married men, and the hunky/awkward/married bioweapons expert who just barely avoids joining the Mile High Club…and this contributed to the overall story how?
The plot once again hinges on the Cordyceps fungus, which seems to be the rationale du jour for a number of recent zombie tales, (best represented by the excellent Girl Gifts) - although Koepp takes even that pseudo-science WAY beyond the possible and into straight-up "bringing the dead back to life" territory.
So then, why three stars? Well, generosity mainly - but I usually also give an extra star for any book featuring a "senior citizen" protagonist - in this case, the "brought-out-from-retirement" bioweapons disposal Rambo who made the original discovery some thirty years earlier (after barely not being seduced by the slutty scientist). And okay - I hate to admit it, but this was actually a decent low-bar audiobook for the car, since I could zone out for entire pages at a time without really missing anything. So ultimately good, mindless (if still guilty) fun - but as I noted in my previous review (Theodore White's The Mountain Road), I really need to stop reading books just because they looked interesting at the library, and focus on those books already on either my physical or virtual bookshelves that I KNOW will be 4-5 star reads.
* And then sending just one guy - ONE 68-YEAR-OLD GUY - to deal with the whole situation. So, y'know, at least I HOPE our government doesn't do crazy irresponsible shit like that....more
BLUF: "Communist China" sucks. See "Tibet," see "Xinjiang," see "Hong Kong," see "South China Sea," and - more and more every day - see "Taiwan." Why BLUF: "Communist China" sucks. See "Tibet," see "Xinjiang," see "Hong Kong," see "South China Sea," and - more and more every day - see "Taiwan." Why would any area willingly give up their self-government to be ruled by these assholes? The Chinese people themselves? Just wonderful. But the Beijing government (from basically Mao to the present)? Yeah, fuck those guys.
Green's book - expanded from an original article in Men's Journal - thoroughly documents the events leading up to, during and after what is known as the "Nangpa La Shooting Incident*." Maybe even a bit too thoroughly; the book gets off to a fairly slow start as Green covers the histories of Tibet, Everest and mountaineering in general (and yet somehow at great length). But then once the main characters are introduced and their fateful paths begin to intersect, the story is as riveting as it is depressing.
If you're unfamiliar with this event, the slightly breathless GR summary - "Chinese police are instructed to take any measures necessary to protect the border of Tibet. When a group of climbers witness the murder of a young Tibetan nun who is fleeing to India, two men have to turn a blind eye and preserve their climbing careers or alert the world to the grand scale of human injustice played out daily in Tibet” - should be enough to tell you whether this book is for you. But for me…well, I can't say I actually enjoyed it, but I'm certainly glad I read it.
Probably the most depressing fact (among far too many) presented here is that nearly half of all Tibetan refugees/escapees who end up in either Nepal or India eventually return to Tibet, largely because of the limited opportunities to work or otherwise improve their lots in the less-than-welcoming countries south of the Himalaya, as opposed to those that still exist in their homeland, no matter how repressively it is controlled.**
Anyway - important book, for those who follow such things. Or who care about China's increasingly-expansionist and threatening policies or, y'know, just freedom in general. __________________________________ * You can just Google this phrase if you don't want to read the whole book, but it IS something you should know about, at least to some level of detail.
** Which on a certainly smaller scale is kind of like me considering my options if Donald Trump somehow becomes president again - could I actually continue to live in this country, where I still have family, an income and a career? Or would I feel I had to move somewhere else that was more in line with my views of democracy and just general morality - but where I might be unable to find meaningful work? 'Tis a decision I hope I never have to face....more
One of my New Year's Resolution is to read one of my own books for every library loaner, because I have just WAY TOO MANY books that I've spent money One of my New Year's Resolution is to read one of my own books for every library loaner, because I have just WAY TOO MANY books that I've spent money on but are currently gathering dust. So when I was able to buy the last three books of "The Expanse" for half price (thanks, relocating Barnes & Noble!), I thought this would be a good place to start.
Not sure why, but I thought this final trilogy was set farther in the future and so had a different cast than the earlier books. But blessedly, I was wrong - yes, it's thirty years later, but it's still the Roci and her crew, Drummer, a really old now Avasarala, and Winston Duarte as the bad guy (although I'd totally forgotten who he was, so had to catch up at the Expanse's wiki page (https://expanse.fandom.com - and then make sure I stopped before I got to any spoilers).
The book itself gets off to a weird start. The first 100 pages include an intro chapter that reads like something from God Emperor of Dune (indeed, with its evil empire and Stormtrooper-like armored Marines, much of this book has a more Star Wars/Dune feel than the previous six); and then there's just way too much James Holden mid-life angst, (much like Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead, the way-too-earnest Holden has always been my least favorite character in the series).
But then…the actual plot kicks in and it's an absolute barn burner. Be warned - while it wraps up some of the details by the end, the book still ends in a cliffhanger of sorts, so understand that at some point you're gonna have to read the remaining two. So 500 pages down, and only another 1,000 to go! (This was another combo read-and-listen, which should almost be its own bookshelf by now - especially for nonfiction, as I enjoy listening to those in the car, but then also like having the physical book for the maps and photos.) ...more
Equal parts John Wick, Parker and the unnamed "Driver" in James Sallis' Drive, this is a solid, suspenseful page-turner - largely because you just canEqual parts John Wick, Parker and the unnamed "Driver" in James Sallis' Drive, this is a solid, suspenseful page-turner - largely because you just can't imagine how things could get even worse for our noir-ish hero here...and yet they consistently do.
Cosby joins a growing list of award-winning "real Virginia" authors*, including - but by no means limited to - Kathryn Erskine (YA), Martin Clark (legal thrillers) and James A. McLaughlin (BEARS!!). Will definitely read more - but in no hurry; a lot of this "rural crime" goes a fairly long way. __________________________________
* As opposed to "Northern Virginia" authors, who generally focus on Washington, politics or CIA-based stories. ...more
I was looking on Hoopla for an audiobook set in Southeast Asia anywhere, and found Howie's short "Cameron Highlands," which I very much enjoyed, (bothI was looking on Hoopla for an audiobook set in Southeast Asia anywhere, and found Howie's short "Cameron Highlands," which I very much enjoyed, (both for its content - as I have fond memories of driving up to the Highlands to escape KL's sweltering summer heat - as well as Howie's ultra-soothing narration). So when I realized this was excerpted from her longer "Malaysia" book, (which in turn is part of her longer "Camino de la Luna" series documenting her global travels and studies), I thought I'd listen to that one as well, as it not only includes the Highlands piece, but also visits to several of my other favorite Malaysian destinations, both on the the peninsula and in Borneo.
Unfortunately, while this longer book includes some interesting insights and excursions, it turned out to be less of a true travelogue and more an overly-detailed litany of her uber-high end hotel/spa stays, travel arrangements and various illnesses, (which to be fair, is probably what she intended it to be, as the bulk of her writing is more about healing and various forms of self-actualization rather than travel per se). But the end result was that for every rain forest trek or trip to an orangutan rehabilitation center, I had to listen to a half dozen stories about her Uber drivers, massage guy, vegan lunch, or latest tummy bug. As a result, if she had been talking about anyplace else, I'd probably have given up early on, as I just wasn't her target audience. Still, it did provide a nice - if sporadic - trip down memory lane, and so I stuck with it; although I'd probably be happier if I'd just quit after the 4-star "Cameron Highlands."...more
Another excellent yet ultimately depressing book that once again points out how, at least when it comes to doing the bare minimum necessary to protectAnother excellent yet ultimately depressing book that once again points out how, at least when it comes to doing the bare minimum necessary to protect our planet, humans truly suck. (SO BE WARNED: this is going to be another "angry curmudgeon Phil" review.)
But I'm jumping ahead. The first three-quarters of the book are just chapter after chapter of fascinating, "never-knew-any-of-this-before" information on the bizarre marine life and ecosystems that make up the ocean's twilight, midnight, abyssal and hadal zones, (basically everything from 200 meters to the bottom of the Marianas Trench). From the various jellies to gossamer worms to yeti crabs to iron-shelled scaly-foot snails to the endless fall of "marine snow;" from fish with "ultrablack" skin that reflects less than 1% of light to a staggering array of bioluminescent creatures across multiple genera; from Everest-sized seamounts to deep sea vents to vast abyssal plains - "the deep" is as varied and bizarre as it is immense.
And yet it is also surprisingly fragile, and therein lies the rub. Because the last quarter of the book deals with all the ways that mankind in all its consumptive greed can - and has already begun to - $!#@ it all up. From trawl fishing that destroys irreplaceable thousand-year-old corals and wipes out slow-to-reproduce deep water species (such as 200-year-old slimeheads, rebranded for marketing purposes as "orange roughy"); to plans to mine - i.e., strip clean - the ocean floor searching for still-theoretical quantities of metals and minerals;* to ever-deeper drilling to exploit our dwindling gas and oil reserves; to increasing (and increasingly toxic) ocean pollutants found at every depth, from the surface to the bottom…science and the environment are being both literally and figuratively trampled by the "needs" of industry, politics and economics.
Why should we care? Well, first of all, simply BECAUSE.. But assuming that's not enough in itself, consider the very real possibilities of establishing truly sustainable fisheries and seafood farms in the surface/sunlit zones that could feed the world on a renewable basis, or the potential of new medicines based on deep sea bioactives to combat bacteria that are increasingly resistant to land-based antibiotics, or any of the many other ways Scales describes wherein we can exploit the ocean without simultaneously destroying it.
Alas. Published in 2019, the book concludes by noting that "the 2020s is the decade when all of this must happen - otherwise humanity will surrender itself to the worst possible version of the climate crisis." Well, here we are fully a third through the decade, and mankind still hasn't done shit. I'm almost starting to think that the only "bright side" is that humanity might wipe itself out - or at least knock itself back to the pre-industrial level - before we have a chance to take the whole planet down with us. Because otherwise…it's not looking good folks.
(I listened to the excellent audiobook version, but I'd recommend either also getting the physical book as well for the photos - or at least have Google handy to see what all the weird creatures here actually look like!) _________________________________
* SYNCHRONICITY AT WORK YET AGAIN: Having just read 4-5 books on the Congo, the DRC makes an unexpected appearance here as well, in a section on mining the ocean floor. Apparently, the deep sea holds large amounts of cobalt, a necessary ingredient in electric vehicle batteries (at least as currently designed), which at present largely comes from Chinese-owned mines in the Congo, (and involves all the usual human rights abuses you would expect are inherent in the phrase "Chinese-owned mines in the Congo"). Kind of the last book I'd expect the Congo to be a part of, but…well, there ya go. Apparently, there's a whole book on Congo's brutal cobalt mines, Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives - but will put that aside for another time; I'm already depressed enough... :(...more
Last in the series (for now at least - although assuming/hoping there will be more), but sad to say that compared to the rest of the books, this one eLast in the series (for now at least - although assuming/hoping there will be more), but sad to say that compared to the rest of the books, this one earned my only 3-star rating as it was probably my least favorite. Just too much politics (and too little actual spying); too much Shirley and not enough Jackson Lamb and Catherine Standish...Meanwhile, while Herron has never been shy about killing off major characters, his latest replacements don't seem to quite measure up to his original team.
Only great thing about this one is that unlike listening to his books over time during my too-short daily commute, I had this one for a long trip from Northern Virginia to Upstate New York, so was able to get through it in one fell swoop.*
Anyway, still the best spy series out there - just hope it gets back on track - and soon!
* (Or as my kids used to say, "one swell poop") ...more
As can be seen from the mix of reviews, this book apparently isn’t for everyone. But for that specific group of serious geographic nerdballs – of whicAs can be seen from the mix of reviews, this book apparently isn’t for everyone. But for that specific group of serious geographic nerdballs – of which I am most definitely a member – this is a darn near perfect read, (despite it’s oft-mentioned slow start).
I really doubted that anyone could write an entire book on “maps are fun!” without getting repetitive if not downright boring, but Jennings does a yeoman’s job covering a far wider range of topics than I would have thought possible. I also realize that by describing them (as I try below), they DO all sound ridiculously boring – but trust me, they are not; Jennings (along with his liberal doses of humor) actually makes the whole thing fascinating and in fact fun…if, again, only for us nerdballs.
The first chapter, ECCENTRICITY (and yeah, all the chapters have map/geo-related names that only peripherally tie in to what’s being discussed, but A for effort), pretty much deals with the overall joy of maps – lines! shapes! colors! obscure foreign names printed in 3 pt. type! what's not to love? - before moving on to BEARING, which explains why some people are good at map reading and others not, and argues that “spatial thinking” should be right up there with literacy (reading) and numeracy (math) as the third most critical mental ability.
BENCHMARKS covers the Library of Congress’ unmatched map collection (6 million and counting), along with a general history of mapmaking and the establishment of borders in general, whether invisible lines crossing the desert or stone walls in a farmer’s field.
FAULT describes the sad (i.e, nearly non-existent) state of geographic knowledge in America today, and convincingly describes how geographic understanding plays such a key role in all of the “big three” crises currently facing the U.S. (and elsewhere) – Islamic terrorism, the rise of China, and climate change.
From there, things generally lighten up: LEGEND goes into the whole history of invented lands and maps, from Middle Earth to Westeros to Neverland, (with an amusing digression into how hard it is to create “random” coastlines, and how authors therefore often resorted to tracing liquid spills, strange woodgrain patterns, etc).
MEANDER explores the uniquely 20th Century phenomenon of systematic travelers who try to visit every country, or attain the highest point in every state, or eat at every McDonalds, as made possible with the invention of train and then plane travel (let's try to move it along, Phil)…RECKONING spends time with a group of lovably nerdy (and variably Aspergian) kids as they participate in the “National Geographic GeoBee,” (sadly discontinued in 2021)…ELEVATION covers the exotic and surprisingly cutthroat world of map collecting, (along with its related side industries of forgery and theft)...TRANSIT goes into the history of the American “road trip” and those once-omnipresent gas station maps that from 1913-1986 represented “the biggest promotional giveaway of the 20th Century,” (and I well remember the “map drawer” in our tiny living room's 1950-style drum table, where my Dad kept his assortment of SUNOCO maps that covered every exotic location along the U.S. East Coast, from Massachusetts all the way to Maryland!).
The last few chapters cover the development of Google Maps and GPS, along with a delightful section on the “sport” of geocaching and its affiliated oddballs, (although I’m no one to talk). And then...that's pretty much it :)
Anyway…whole thing was just a joy – for me, at least – and I can think of a good dozen GR friends who would probably enjoy it just as much (although I won’t shame them by naming them here - will just say they're probably the same people who enjoyed the wondeful Whatever Happened to Tanganyika?: The Place Names that History Left Behind). And despite other reviewers griping about Jennings’ bad puns and dad humor, I found him an amiable if somewhat dorky companion here, to the point where I might even start watching Jeopardy again.
THAT SAID…I do have to call him out for mispronouncing two place names in his otherwise-fine audio narration – the planet Uranus (pronounced the way Bart Simpson probably would), and the Vietnamese city of Hue (which should be “hway,” not “hew”). Not a big deal – but then I had zero confidence in him when he later came to the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh....more
Took notes and everything so that I could write a nice long review here, but ultimately decided on a quick(ish) summary instead.
THE REALLY SHORT VERSITook notes and everything so that I could write a nice long review here, but ultimately decided on a quick(ish) summary instead.
THE REALLY SHORT VERSION: Depending (sadly) on your political leanings, pretty much everyone has already formed an opinion on Marie Yovanovitch - either the best of what this country has to offer, or a subversive, America-hating anti-Christ. Because, yup, that's where we are now as a country.*
But as for the book itself; the first two thirds are an interesting but fairly straightforward telling of the life of a Foreign Service officer, (although I must add that I ended up skimming over her sections on serving as ambassador to Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, since - let's be honest - that's not why anyone is reading this book). However, the story really picks up again as soon as she arrives in Ukraine (her second tour there) as ambassador in 2016 - and as they say, the rest is history.
Obviously, in Yovanovitch's own telling, she comes off as the victim here, while Trump, Giuliani and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (among others) come off as the main villains - although Pompeo in particular coming off as a spineless sycophant who repeatedly refused to back up his officers, instead putting personal loyalty to Trump - as opposed to the actual office of the President - ahead of his "the buck stops here" duties as head of the State Dept.**
As to Ukraine itself; unfortunately Yovanovitch's story ends shortly after Trump's (first) impeachment trial, and so doesn't really cover the recent war with Russia - on which I would very much like to hear her views. That said, it was interesting if deeply depressing to remember that Ukraine has in fact been fighting a comparatively low-level war with Russia ever since its 2014 annexation of Crimea; and it was particularly heartbreaking to read that back in 2016-18 "every few days a Ukrainian soldier died defending his or her country" - as while that is certainly tragic in itself, it's nothing compared to the over 100-200 that were being killed in combat daily during the height of the fighting in 2022. ___________________________________
* Of course, to anyone who's read any of my reviews even remotely touching on political topics, my views here are pretty clear. On top of which I should point out that I had a brief, late-life career as a State Dept. officer - came in under Obama, resigned/retired under Trump - and so political affiliation aside, I naturally come down heavily on the side of the dedicated and professional Foreign Service careerists over any short-term political (and by definition highly-partisan) appointee.
** As with any he said/she said disagreement (literally in this case), I thought it only fair to check out Pompeo's own version of events, and so read the relevant section of his own memoir, Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love. However, to my surprise he comes off as almost as much of an asshole in his own telling as he does in Yovanovitch's, uncritically backing up Trump, bashing the "corrupt Biden family," and calling Yovanovitch - who, it's worth noting, also served just fine under Ronald Reagan and both Bush presidents - "part of the deep state Resistance" and "the quintessential example of a leftist, progressive, activitst Foreign Service officer who behaved in ways that would have made our Founders cry."
I can't remember the last time I read a sports biography, if ever. But for some reason, boxing stories are never just about boxing - whether it's RockI can't remember the last time I read a sports biography, if ever. But for some reason, boxing stories are never just about boxing - whether it's Rocky or Raging Bull or Cinderella Man or just the real life story of Muhammad Ali, boxing is somehow always a metaphor for something greater and usually tragic, which is what makes boxing stories so much more interesting than, say, football stories.
The Good Son is no exception. Mancini led a complex life full of both ups and downs. The mere fact that Boom Boom survived and continues to live relatively happily-ever-after when so many of his contemporaries are either dead or worse, (and it was interesting to learn that his sometime opponent Hector "Macho" Comacho died just last month after being shot in the face), is really about the happiest ending you could expect, when compared to the truly sad stories that seem to dog almost all professional boxers.
This is a really well-written book about a fascinating individual who dedicated his life to a really horrendous sport. If there is one simple takeaway, for me it would be: don't ever let your sons put on the gloves.
Merged review:
I can't remember the last time I read a sports biography, if ever. But for some reason, boxing stories are never just about boxing - whether it's Rocky or Raging Bull or Cinderella Man or just the real life story of Muhammad Ali, boxing is somehow always a metaphor for something greater and usually tragic, which is what makes boxing stories so much more interesting than, say, football stories.
The Good Son is no exception. Mancini led a complex life full of both ups and downs. The mere fact that Boom Boom survived and continues to live relatively happily-ever-after when so many of his contemporaries are either dead or worse, (and it was interesting to learn that his sometime opponent Hector "Macho" Comacho died just last month after being shot in the face), is really about the happiest ending you could expect, when compared to the truly sad stories that seem to dog almost all professional boxers.
This is a really well-written book about a fascinating individual who dedicated his life to a really horrendous sport. If there is one simple takeaway, for me it would be: don't ever let your sons put on the gloves....more
Oh, dear - such a strong 5-star beginning…but then it just veered further and further away from what I was expecting - basically, a mysterious disappeOh, dear - such a strong 5-star beginning…but then it just veered further and further away from what I was expecting - basically, a mysterious disappearance being investigated by a cephalopod detective - into yet another a tedious tale of millennial angst.
I loved the character of Marcellus - there just wasn't enough of him. And I enjoyed Tova too, although while it's frequently noted that she is 70 years old, she is consistently described as someone at least a decade older - growing up on Chuck Berry and Little Richard; afraid to drive on the highway; lacking both a cellphone and email…I mean, my mom was younger than that on her 90th birthday! And then Cameron…well, the less said about him, the better - other than that Van Pelt missed him by at least a decade too; since for a 30-year-old, he consistently came across as a moody and whiney teenager.
As a debut novel, I'm cutting Van Pelt some slack and rounding up to 3 stars. But just like it's always a gamble when a male author writes a female character; a young author writing a senior protagonist really needs to do their homework - or at least spend some quality time with their parents/grandparents.
Meanwhile, I really hope "cephalopod detective" becomes its own genre. Maybe...Sherloctopus Holmes?...more
I thought that after enjoying the dumb/fun movie “The Meg” and frankly looking forward to the dumb/fun sequel, this book (on which the first film was I thought that after enjoying the dumb/fun movie “The Meg” and frankly looking forward to the dumb/fun sequel, this book (on which the first film was apparently based) might be dumb fun too. Well, it certainly was pretty dumb - but definitely not fun.
Strongest impression: I cannot recall anywhere a more consistently unappealing cast of scuzzball characters - and in particular, more horrifically rendered women…does he not know any?
Horrible characters aside (who you quickly come to hope ALL get eaten), the shark bits - once they started - were pretty entertaining…for a while. But even those soon became repetitive; a giant indestructible shark can only chomp so many people, sink so many boats, and even blow up so many helicopters before one becomes inured to the whole thing. And finally, to top things off narrator Sean Runnette had a fairly strong case “S-retraction,” where his S’s inconsistently sounded like SH’s; and so the whole story sounded like it was being read to me by Austin Powers’ Dutch nemesis, “Goldmember.”
Alten seems to have done his research in a B-level Crichton/Benchley sort of way, to the point where he has apparently written at least six more books in the “Meg” series - so good for him. But for me, this one was more than enough.
I’m still going to see the second movie, though.
(RANDOM NOTES: My favorite GR comment from a friend’s review was that this book should be taken as a drinking game, where you take a shot every time the author writes “whale blubber” - wish I’d read that earlier!)...more
Loading...
