A Clockwork Orange

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I would not have predicted giving 5 stars to this gruesome tale, but i think it is truly a classic. The broad and deep questions that are posed over the arc of this outrageous story are significant and still relevant today. And it is really amazing that the reader is thrown head first into the Nadsat slang language of about 250 words that are defined only and entirely by context, yet the after a few chapters of reading, the meaning is understood and clear. A Clockwork Orange is a book that can't be reviewed, it must be experienced. This is a great novel, a classic.

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fascinating, deeply researched, and extremely well written work of historical science

Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" has been on my to-read list for quite a while so i decided to read it this year. My daughter has read it and highly recommended it to me several years back. The fact that it won a Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction is not at all surprising after completing this fascinating, deeply researched, and extremely well written work of historical science. Using scientific method, Jared Diamond digs back over 13,000 years of human history and pre-history to sort out the specific and basic causes for the evolution and development (and in some cases destruction) of human societies over those 13,000 years. There is not room to summarize this book here, except to say this work is brilliant, immensely credible, and presented in such a clear and organized manner that it is accessible to a broad range of readers. This book is a significant accomplishment and contribution to the understanding of human history and even of our own future as a species. This book IS a must read. I'll probably re-read it in the future, and in the mean time, am searching for a copy of his previous highly acclaimed work "The Third Chimpanzee" to read. Wow, what an excellent work!

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great little reference book

Food Rules: An Eater's Manual by Michael Pollan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great little reference book that has whet my appetite to eat smarter and also to read "The Omnivore's Dilemma".

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once again burned

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Here I am, once again burned by reading a book included on "must-read" lists! I am a reader, not an author or a writer. I do not know or understand the various goals and objectives of writers and authors, particularly those of critical acclaim such as Mr. Faulkner. Being a reader who is not a literary scholar or critic, when i read a book, particularly a novel, i am seeking a compelling and well told story. In my opinion, Mr. Faulkner delivers neither in "The Sound and the Fury". The narrative method he uses is confusing and difficult to follow, much less understand. With the help of some comments found on various internet reviews, i was able to struggle my way through this tale. Upon finishing the book, i look back seeing a story that could have been both compelling and deeply interesting if it had only been made accessible to the reader. Instead this is a book studied by literary scholars, searching for the meaning hidden inside like some cruel riddle or trick played on the reader. I am not impressed with this book, and if Faulkner's other books are written in a similar way, i have no interest reading any more. :(

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Goodreads not too hip on their recommendations

fast moving and interesting

Archangel by William Gibson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this tale from one of my favorite authors, William Gibson! It is an interesting take on sci-fi, time travel, and alternative history. Plus it is in a new format for him, a graphic novel! The tale is fast moving and interesting, but i found myself not wanting it to end so soon, and left wanting more! That being said, i am looking for more from Mr. Gibson in the near future, as well as discovering some of his earlier works that i have missed. A Great story.

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