good geekish fun!

AC/DC: The Savage Tale of the First Standards War by Tom McNichol
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

"AC/DC: The Savage Tale of the First Standards War" is an interesting glimpse into the battles waged to establish standards, in this case, the standard for electrical power generation and distribution. As an electrical engineer, the subject caught my attention immediately. Unsurprisingly, the battles were not primarily fought with scientific facts or engineering expertise, but rather with misinformation, fearmongering, and overblown egos and greed. As the cover image suggests, the face off between Edison and Westinghouse was fierce and brutal, and in the end, the loser never really conceded defeat. The book refreshed some forgotten history related to Edison and Westinghouse, but more interestingly, provided many insights into their personalities and motivations as manifest in this particular conflict. This is a nice concise history which is fun in a geekish sort of way. Good book.

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vivid storytelling and rich writing

The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Last Picture Show is a story about coming of age, of growing old, and of the end of an era. It is set in a tiny, fading Texas town, with a bit of "The Graduate" and "Deliverance" mixed in. This brilliantly told story showcases that special flavor of disfunction that is probably unique to mid-20th century small rural towns in the US. The characters are rich and realistic, and black and white issues are thoroughly blurred into a shade of gray that represents the dull life of the town (although there is NEVER a dull moment!). McMurtry's writing often reminded me of Steinbeck with the vivid storytelling and rich writing style. A great story, and a great film. Looking forward to reading the sequel by McMurtry - Texasville, also a film.

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stopped for a moment today to remember

 

a heartwarming human tale

Leaving Cheyenne by Larry McMurtry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

That Larry McMurtry can sure tell a story. "Leaving Cheyenne" is a heartwarming human tale of life and love in rural Texas. This is book 2 of "A Texas Trilogy" set in the fictional town of Thalia TX representing McMurtry's roots. I'm heading on to book 3 of the Trilogy, "The Last Picture Show" of movie fame. Excellent storytelling.

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