as only Cormac McCarthy can do

All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A nicely written story of searching, love, determination, and moving on, wonderfully told as only Cormac McCarthy can do. Looking to see the Matt Damon / Penélope Cruz movie now. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0149624/

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Happy Birthday Linus!

OMG love these!

https://goo.gl/GnKphM

more frightening and sobering than ever

Animal Farm by George Orwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As we approach the changing of the guard in the US, and the new and very disturbing Trump administration, i thought i'd take some of my reading time to revisit some classic dystopian tales from my early years. I have not read Animal Farm since i was in high school, over 40 years ago. Reading it today is more chilling than ever. Looking back on my life, and the events of the past 40+ years, it is quite easy to see that we in the US have not escaped the fate that the prophecy of Animal Farm portrays. Rather, we are settling comfortably into it, as dull witted to it as the "lower animals" were in this brilliant story. And as we move into 2017, it is clear that the pigs at the top are much more equal than the rest of us. A classic, prophetic, brilliant tale, more frightening and sobering than ever before. Now to get my hands on a copy of Nineteen Eighty-Four, another on my high school reading list.

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another must-read

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, i really enjoyed this book! The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger is on many "must-read" lists, so i picked it up at the last Library book sale. This is the fast moving, non-stop account of about four days events told by prep school student Holden Caulfield. There are many twists and turns, ups and downs, as Holden shares every thought, experience, and detail of these few days. It is amazing how deeply the reader is drawn into the person of Holden, so as to experience the events almost as if him. The tale is fast paced, outrageous at times, emotionally wrenching at times. As odd a character as Holden is, one can't help but feel what he feels, and pull for him to make it through these challenging tough few days. I loved the story, wanted to read it in one sitting. I see why it is on must-read lists, it is a must-read. :)

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The rise of dark populism

I have read Maharidge's book "Journey to Nowhere", the one that inspired Bruce. Really important facts, thoughts and ideas.

"TRT World spoke to Maharidge, who lives in New York City and has studied and written about poverty in the US for more than 40 years. His work inspired American rocker Bruce Springsteen, himself a native son of a New Jersey working class town, to write The Ghost of Tom Joad and other songs about poverty and social injustice."

article:

I just donated to Wikimedia

I just donated to Wikimedia Foundation for the first time.

https://donate.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:FundraiserLandingPage&country=US&uselang=en

had to read Vol 2

The Matrix Comics, Vol. 2 by Lana Wachowski
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had to read Vol 2 - some good stories in here too. I like the Neil Gaiman story in Vol 1 the best.

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Awesome storytelling

The Matrix Comics Vol 1 by Geof Darrow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is volume 1 (of 2) of a really cool collection of graphic and essay stories set in world of The Matrix. These are short side stores that could have been in the movies. These were originally published on the Internet at the site TheMatrix.com, but were then moved to whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com only to be removed (why?!?). They can now be viewed at:
http://web.archive.org/web/20040616090810/http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/ .
They are all quite good, but by far the best is an essay story entitled Goliath by Neil Gaiman, which is in my view was the best. Awesome storytelling, you can read it here:
http://web.archive.org/web/20040616032506/http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/rl_cmp/rl_neil_g.html

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Good riddance!

Well, it was clogged for a while, but this turd finally went down the drain. Good riddance!

Ghost in the Shell

Ghost in the Shell by Masamune Shirow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

With the upcoming (2017) release of the live action film version of this story, i decided to read this manga beforehand. Ghost in the Shell is an interesting tale, somewhat hard to follow, and a little dated. But it does explore some interesting concepts of existence and reality, individuality and society. Some cool stuff to think about, for sure. Next, i'm going to watch the 1995 animated version of the story to see how closely the two story lines align. Good stuff.

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ghost wisdom

Santa Baby....

"Born to Run" read by Bruce himself!!! Santa Baby, make this a Bruuuuuuce Xmas!!!
https://smile.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1508224226

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle : A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is a combination narrative of a year in a locavore family's food life, and a rich collection of facts about our food and where it can and does come from. I am anxious to put many of the ideas and principles into action in our family food life. I especially enjoyed the facts and quotes included, some of which i jotted down:

"If every US citizen ate just one meal a week composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country's oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week."

"Humans have eaten some 80,000 plant species in our history. After recent precipitous changes, three quarters of all human food now comes from just eight species with the field quickly narrowing down to genetically modified corn soy and canola."

"the Colorado River - owing to our thirsts - is a river that no longer reaches the ocean, but peters out in a sand flat near the Mexican border."

and i now have another reason to seek out and read some Wendell Berry:

"I dislike the thought that some animal has been made miserable in order to feed me. If I am going to eat meat, I want it to be from an animal that has lived a pleasant, uncrowded life outdoors, on bountiful pasture, with good water nearby and trees for shade. And I am getting almost as fussy about food plants."
- Wendell Berry, 'What Are People For?'


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Vinyl Dinosaurs

Artauro Productions - I loved seeing your film "Vinyl Dinosaurs" today at Carrboro festival. Being of the generation who started out with vinyl, i loved the story of a young person discovering music the way i did. Additionally, your film conjured up all the sensations of playing an album (i have not done so since the late 80's). I could feel myself holding the record in my hands, positioning the tone arm, and watching it gently fall into the groove, hearing the distinct sound as it did. In college, i can remember cueing up my favorite album, putting on my Koss headphones, turning off all the lights in the room, and losing myself in the music. These little details that i had forgotten all came back to me today with your film. Nicely done, thank you! Wonderful memories. Thank you!

a beautifully written tale

No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am now officially a fan of Cormac McCarthy! For being such a gruesome story, this is a beautifully written tale. The Oscar winning Coen Brothers film based upon this book certainly more than does the story justice, but I especially enjoyed the philosophical pondering in Bell's thoughts that are interspersed throughout the story. Having read the Pulitzer prize winning "The Road" and now "No Country for Old Men", I'm looking forward to more from Mr. McCarthy in the coming year, particularly "Blood Meridian" and The Border Trilogy. Great great writing.

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a little let down

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I did not connect with this story as much as i have with other stories that i have loved from Ms. Kingsolver. I believe i understand the story and the messages contained, and i can empathize with the protagonist, drawing upon my formative years spent in the Ozarks of Missouri before i went to college. There are many powerful themes in the story, and looking back on it, i see the challenges put forth, and the hopes that are raised. I was just not drawn in to the degree i have been in most of the other of the authors wonderful stories. I'm not put off, just a little let down. Looking forward to reading more.

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a mediocre experience

Let Me Be Frank with You by Richard Ford
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not having read the other three Frank Bascombe novels, i did not start this book with the history of experiences they provide. This novel, actually a collection of short novellas, is set on the Jersey shore in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy, in the context of multi-million dollar houses and the people who can afford them. The story dealt with some universal human issues - destruction resulting from a natural disaster, chronic and terminal illness, the depth or lack thereof in friendships and relationships. On one hand, these are are life experiences we all face to some degree, and as a reader, i could relate. In other ways, however, the context of the characters and story were too distant from the norm for me to connect at more than a casual level. I do feel that i was at a disadvantage, not having read the other novels. Standalone, however, the reading of this collection of novellas was a mediocre experience.

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Dr. Ehrman blog

my response to Dr. Ehrman regarding his excellent blog (all subscription fees to go charity!)

http://ehrmanblog.org/how-were-doing-on-the-blog/

Dr. Ehrman,

I love reading your blog, and enjoy the varied subject content (of course within the given scope ?? ). I have enjoyed and been enriched by your books, and i have great respect for your research and the honesty with which you pursue it. I appreciate your starting point because i was raised in the same fundamentalist culture as a kid in the 60s and 70s. Thank goodness, education (genuine, not brainwashing) gave way to academic and intellectual enlightenment and a credible view of life and history. Intellectual honesty and humility is so rare in our polarized political and religious culture, and your research and writing bring hope amidst the noisy argument that our society has become. Thank you. And of course i love that the blog supports charity in my home of Durham, and even though i don’t have time to read every post, i’ll continue to subscribe as long as it is available. And last but not least, thanks to my daughter who subscribed me to the blog for the first year !!

Kevin

All the King's Men

All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! This is one of the best books I've ever read. All the King's Men is a book about politics in the early 20th century, but it is also about so much more. It is about relationships, self worth, choices and consequences, means and ends, love and hate, destiny and chaos. I loved Robert Penn Warren's writing style. He uses rich detailed creative descriptions, which require a lot of words, but at the same time invite and compel the reader to devour each and every one of them. This story is a saga which approaches the scale, complexity, and depth of Steinbeck's East of Eden. I loved this book. It really is one of the best I've read. 5 stars.

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chilling tale

The Road by Cormac McCarthy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a chilling, creatively told tale of survival in a post-apocalyptic US. It is captivating in its intensity and its tenderness. Of course, images from post-apocalyptic movies i've seen came to mind, specifically "The Book of Eli" with Denzel Washington. A great book, albeit troubling.

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Wow!

I can't help but wonder if most of Trump's supporters can even read, much less comprehend this fine summary.

https://goo.gl/g3FtX3

oops

The Red Pony by John Steinbeck
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

One of the three stars i gave this book is in honor of John Steinbeck, who remains one of my favorite authors. The other two are for the book itself. This is the least enjoyable book (by a decent margin) of all Steinbeck's works that I've read. It felt disjointed (as if published in installments with plot gaps in between), and I could not discern the point of the story. My wife gave me some hints partially through and I still missed the point. Given that Steinbeck was a master and a powerful writer, I'm inclined to believe that my (lack of) impression of this story is my lacking and not his. That being said, this is my least favorite, and I would not recommend this as a sample of the wonderful Steinbeck canon that I've read. Everyone has an "oops" i guess. :)

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leaving us with HOPE

Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Barbara Kingsolver is a great storyteller! I love the characters, the places and situations, and the substantive insight and wisdom that is conveyed through her novels. The characters in this story deal with life situations and feelings we all deal with. So much insight into our own lives and those of the people we know is illuminated through this story. We all have dealt with: family secrets, issues growing up, escape from and return to our hometown, life purpose and calling, love in all its forms whether real, imagined, or superficial, political, economic, and social powers overwhelmingly large, yet still conquerable. This is a wonderful story with 3D characters to care about and love, with many twists and turns, and in the end, leaving us with HOPE.

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superbly written tale of disfunction and excess

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Robert Redford version of "The Great Gatsby" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071577/) came up on my Netflix menu and i started to watch it. But before the opening credits were through, i stopped it and went upstairs to grab this book off the shelf and (finally) read it after all these years. I knew it was fairly short and i read it in a day. This is a superbly written tale of disfunction and excess of the rich and famous living on Long Island during the 1920's. Todays reality TV and scandals have nothing on the people there 100 years ago. It was during prohibition, but booze and money were flowing like old man river. F. Scott Fitzgerald tells this story wonderfully, and i loved every page. For such a short story, the characters and places are painted with a rich economy of words that immediately put the reader in contact with and in the middle of this story. I loved it and highly recommend this version of the text which is "authorized" and contains many notes and explanations (at the beginning and end, NOT in the text itself). Now back to watch the Redford film version. :)

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Still one of my favorite books

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read it again, slowly. Still one of my favorite books. Love it.

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the infinite area of gray rationalization in between

The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The only reason i shouldn't give this book 5 stars is because i already gave 5 stars to The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck's crowning masterpiece. Oh heck, I'm giving it 5 stars anyway, I loved this book. The Winter of Our Discontent is a wonderfully told story with deep meaning and authentic characters, places, and situations. Steinbeck was a master storyteller. Ethan Allen Hawley's story captures what so many people have experienced at some point in their life. The conflict of right and wrong and the infinite area of gray rationalization in between is brilliantly laid out in this story. This was Steinbeck's final novel, published in 1961. As i look over the Steinbeck canon, i am saddened that I have nearly reached its end. But with the end will also come a beginning of re-reading my favorites, of which this is surely one. Hope to catch the TV version also.

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weird

Many Waters by Madeleine L'Engle
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This young adult story is a combination of the Jewish flood myth and the theory of relativity, with some ethics, politics, sexuality, social science, and ecology mixed in. Some interesting thoughts, as well as some pretty weird ones. Not sure what the author was smoking. The merging of the story of Noah with modern physics felt forced. Oh, and i forgot to mention the angels and fallen angels that are behind much of the weird goings on, when they are not masquerading as animals. Strange.

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our diverse and lovable city

27 Views of Durham: The Bull City in Prose and Poetry intro by Steve Schewel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A very nice collection of prose and verse about our city, Durham NC. This little book contains a variety of articles which have whet my appetite for a deeper dive into the history of Durham. There were even details of some happenings over the past 30 years that we had missed while living here. And the book ended with a song by Rebecca Newton entitled "One Square Mile", which you can listen to here - All in all, this book is a must read for residents of our diverse and lovable city.

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a beautiful collection

BLUE HIGHWAYS Revisited by Edgar I. Ailor III
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The authors of this book present a beautiful collection of photographs along the original path of William Least Heat-Moons' journey in "Blue Highways" (30 years later). Quotes and page numbers from "Blue Highways" are included to tie the photos to the original book, in many cases including original black and white photos for comparison. In addition to visiting the places, the authors track down many of the people interviewed in the original book. It is both interesting and inspiring to see the paths these lives have taken as time has changed their circumstances, their work, and the places they call home. This book is a great tribute to Blue Highways, and a perfect follow-on volume. I'm still looking forward to the remaining books in Mr. Heat-Moons' travel "trilogy".

map: http://www.bluehighwaysrevisited.net/The-Route.html

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farsickness

Blue Highways: A Journey into America by William Least Heat-Moon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. The author, William Least Heat-Moon leaves Columbia MO in 1978 to embark on a trip literally around the entire continental US (map here)  in a 1975 Ford Econoline van (the van he named Ghost Dancing) .  I arrived in Columbia as a freshman engineering student the following year, 1979. His plan was to follow the secondary roads rather than the main highways (blue on the map, interstates were red), hence the title "Blue Highways". This account of his journey is filled with history, real people and places, and a depth and authenticity in the telling of these peoples stories that allows the reader to experience the interaction that the author is sharing with us. The places visited, and people encountered and interviewed on this journey are fascinating and offer a rich cross section of the US. Historical depth is provided, sometimes by the author, but most often by the people interviewed. This account bears a similarity to another travelogue I recently read by John Steinbeck entitled "Travels with Charley". Both of these books are excellent, and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

I couldn't help but feel like embarking on a journey of this kind myself. Maybe that feeling is what is referred to as "wanderlust"? The Wiki article suggests that a better term may be "farsickness". Whatever it is called, I felt it, and also am reminded of a trip my wife and I took 2 years ago. After a family reunion in Colorado, we kept the rental van, and spent 2 more weeks driving around Colorado and New Mexico, just seeing what we could see. It was but a small taste of what this wonderful book shares, but a taste nevertheless. I'm jumping into the companion volume "Blue Highways Revisited" which is a pictorial journey over the same route some 30 years later. In addition I'm in search of the remaining 2 books of the so-called travel trilogy by William Least Heat-Moon
1. Blue Highways
2. PrairyErth
3. River-Horse

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Follow your bliss

The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the companion book (although not identical) to the 6-hour 1988 PBS miniseries of the same title. It is a fascinating journey as Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell chat about "The Power of Myth". Not only does this volume provide explanation of what myth is, and how it fits into our society and species, but it gives a multitude of illustrations from prehistory up through recorded history to the modern age in which we live. This book was great follow-on to the Karen Armstrong book i just previously read "A Short History of Myth". I particularly enjoyed the discussion of the relationship of myth to religions over the ages, and to the religions with which we are familiar in this century, and also the contrast of myth with religion, and the effects religion has on myth. Myth draws on many aspects of our lives, and in turn feeds many aspects of our lives. This is a great discussion, and i'm looking forward to watching the PBS series on DVDs which i checked out at our local library. I love Joseph Campbell's personal worldview, and how inclusive and really true it is, to himself, and to those around him, and to his world. He offers the same to all of us, if we each just, as he instructs us "Follow your bliss".

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How true, how true.

A Short History of Myth by Karen Armstrong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a great summary of the history of mythology. I enjoyed the overview, and am looking for some more detailed books to follow with. I especially liked the last chapter "The Great Western Transformation" which discusses the place of myth in our modern society and religious teachings. A favorite quote, related to the modern era in which we live: "It has been writers and artists, rather than religious leaders, who have stepped into the vacuum and attempted to reacquaint us with the mythological wisdom of the past." How true, how true. I really enjoyed this short but information filled volume.

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Another great installment in The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead, Compendium 2 by Robert Kirkman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great installment in The Walking Dead "parallel universe" that is the book series.

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another Steinbeck masterpiece

The Pearl by John Steinbeck
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

John Steinbeck's The Pearl is an absolutely beautifully written retelling of the biblical parable "the pearl of great price". Differing from the gospel account, Steinbeck's version is firmly rooted in the human condition, and the realities of our world and our species. The writing is fully Steinbeck and flows beautifully yet simply, with his brilliant economy of words. Once again, i walk away from a Steinbeck tale with a sense of awe and wonder, yet also a deep feeling of connection to my humanity and to our community that is the human species. This is a must-read, and I can't wait to savor it again.

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MORE Lisbeth please!

The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am a big fan of Stieg Larsson's Millennium series. I am a bigger fan of the heroine of the series, Lisbeth Salander. She makes these stories special. I am glad that the Millennium series has been continued by David Lagercrantz after the untimely death of Mr. Larsson. This continuation of the series from a new author measures up quite well. At the center of the story is a little boy with autism. His story is combined with computer (in)security, encryption and decryption, corrupt corporations and national security agencies, and some really rotten Russian gangsters! What a great story! My only complaint is: not enough Lisbeth! I want more. She is a fascinating and compelling personality. She is strong, incredibly smart, and completely dedicated to righting injustice and corruption using her most unorthodox means. She is a master hacker and coolest heroine i've read about for some time. I am looking forward to the next installment in this series - with MORE Lisbeth please :)

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many layers of narrative

The Princess Bride by William Goldman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is one fun book to read. I enjoyed Mr. Goldman's writing style, irreverent witty, fun. I loved getting the inside story of a great film "The Princess Bride". But I also loved the back stories of the characters, from every level of the story. I don't think I've ever read a story written with so many layers of narrative. The central plot of the book is obviously a tale of fiction, of make believe that we are all familiar with from the film. But the enclosing layers of the storyline which the central story is wrapped within bounce about between fact, fiction, and the gray region somewhere in between to such a degree that the reader (at least this reader) is never quite sure where the facts leave off and the fiction begins! What a fun way to write, and to read, a story. Bravo. :)

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a great story

A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L'Engle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my favorite so far of the Madeleine L'Engle's Time Quintet. I love the story arc and the fascinating concepts and message of the story. I was somewhat confused by all the jumping between generations in time, and didn't come away with a solid grasp of all the generational relationships between the characters, but I loved the story enough to be willing to re-read it to get a better handle on all the interrelationships. It has a strong message that what we do in our time makes a difference to future generations - something too often forgotten as we chart our course through our lives. This is a great story :)

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The Moon Is Down

The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The U.S. government commissioned this work from Steinbeck as part of his contribution to the Allied war effort during WW-II. The resulting story paints a compelling picture of the human aspects of occupation in a real and palpable way. Reading this story, one becomes acquainted with both the victor and the conquered. In so doing, the reader finds that the captors are as human as the captives, and as they become part of a merged society together, we see that "It is always the herd men who win battles and the free men who win wars." This story was translated into at least 8 languages during WW-II and copied and distributed throughout the underground resistance to the Nazi occupation of the nations in Europe. The message and inspiration of this story played a significant role in the lives of the occupied peoples of Europe. This is a moving and memorable story, and i'm looking forward to reading it again, to experience it again in a deeper way.

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South Carolina results

I'm just seeing the South Carolina results. I believe in democracy, and i assume it's at work in SC, so i'm left again asking the questions - "Is this really what America wants? Is this what we have become? Is this who we want to be in this world?" I'm trying to keep these questions in the rhetorical status because i'm afraid of what the literal answers probably are.

"The Walking Dead" in a parallel universe

The Walking Dead, Compendium 1 by Robert Kirkman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

very good, more gruesome than the TV series (believe it or not) and with many differences - like "The Walking Dead" in a parallel universe :)

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We love you, Black Lillies

Article about one of our favorite bands The Black Lillies - we hope they feel the love from all their fans, and wish them strength and faith as they come back stronger than ever. We love you, Black Lillies. smile emoticon

http://nodepression.com/article/trouble-texas-black-lillies

Help out here: https://rally.org/theblacklillies

moving, powerful, deep, and profound

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, i just finished this story. This IS one of the best stories I've ever read. Wow., so moving, powerful, deep, and profound. I loved it, it is a "must read". If you haven't already, find this book and read it now. it is as relevant today, 25 years later, as when it was written. Read it! :) I can't wait to read some other works by Mr. Irving.

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excellent and fascinating

2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey in anticipation of seeing Stanley Kubrick's film version next weekend at The Carolina Theatre RetroEpics series ! This book is every bit as excellent and fascinating as the film that it accompanied. I am so looking forward to seeing it on the big screen! This is a fantastic tale.

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