Excellent storytelling

The Graveyard Book, Volume 1 by P. Craig Russell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Neil Gaiman is such a creative writer. This graphic novel adaptation of his "The Graveyard Book" is really well done, and has me wanting to read Volume 2 as well as Neil Gaiman's novel on which it is based. Excellent storytelling!!

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moving and inspirational memoir

The Water is Wide by Pat Conroy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

We recently saw the movie entitled "Conrack" starring Jon Voight which is based on this book. The Water is Wide is a moving and inspirational memoir of Pat Conroy, a young and idealistic teacher, and his mission to rescue a classroom of children who were all but forgotten by the school system in South Carolina in the contentious environment of the late 1960's school desegregation. The setting is Daufuskie Island (called Yamacraw Island in the book), off the coast of Beaufort SC. The children were direct descendants of slaves, and had never been off the island, living frozen in the past. Mr. Conroy encounters resistance immediately and throughout the tale's approximate timeline of one year. As he fights to break through and reach the children, their families, the island community, and even the segregationist status quo county school administration, he encounters hurdles of all kinds, social, religious, cultural, historical, personal, etc. This is a great story, a true story, and i recommend it to all who care about education, equity, and humanity. Sadly, the struggles of this isolated island school, were not unique, especially in the US South, but are still going on today, 50 years later.

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political and magical intrigue in the D-town!

The Fever King by Victoria Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What did they say in Victor, Victoria? BRAVA! Well done! The Fever King is an engaging tale of political and magical intrigue set in our very own hometown of Durham, about a century hence. Starting from my initial elation at finding out that one of the main characters in the story lived in the very bookshop in which i purchased my copy (The Regulator Bookshop on Ninth St!), this book builds and builds to a somewhat unexpected but thoroughly exciting conclusion! It is not really a conclusion, but rather a segue into the next installment of this exciting tale. Not only did the plot and action build as the story progressed, but i also enjoyed seeing Noam grow from a moody impulsive young person into the beginnings of a maturity that will serve him well as this series unfolds (how long until Book 2, Victoria?). I really enjoyed this tale and am looking forward to its journey continuing! Hope to see you and get you to sign my copy at The Regulator in Durham!!! :) :) :)

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an amazing tale

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, what an amazing tale. The Blind Assassin is a story within a story within a story. It is a tale of the love and hate, joy and pain, of family, politics, big business, greed and envy, of regrets, and of cherished moments. Ms. Atwood writes with such realism, depth, and feeling that this tale could really have happened, even with all its twists and turns to the very end. But as with any excellent book, it DID happen, it was beautifully created for the reader to experience his or her self. I understand now why this novel won the Booker Prize and is on the Time Magazine 100 best list of the 20th century. An excellent book.

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excellent cyberpunk adventure

Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

OK, now i'm ready to watch the Netflix series based on this book! Altered Carbon is a fast moving murder mystery / action cyberpunk adventure set in a complex and imaginative future in which technology has made immortality a reality - if you have enough money and power to afford it. (sounds a lot like present day healthcare in the U.S.). The future portrayed is both believable and well thought out, and in the style of William Gibson, one of my favs, the reader hits the ground running. Richard Morgan's writing style is engaging, fast moving, and fully immersed in the cyberpunk world he has created. Not only am i looking forward to the Netflix series, but i am looking forward to reading more from this excellent author. I see on Goodreads that there are two more adventures in the Takeshi Kovacs series of books: Broken Angels (Takeshi Kovacs, #2) and Woken Furies (Takeshi Kovacs, #3) .

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thoughtful, informed, passionate and grounded

Small Wonder by Barbara Kingsolver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A thoughtful, informed, passionate and grounded collection of essays by Ms. Kingsolver, created in the aftermath of and as a response to events of Sept 11, working through the impact and causes of the attack, as well as reflecting on what has real, lasting value in our lives as humans on planet Earth. This is a collection well worth the time to read and reflect upon.

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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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definitely Gumption!

Gumption: Relighting the Torch of Freedom with America's Gutsiest Troublemakers by Nick Offerman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ok, i'm now officially a fan of Mr. Nick Offerman. "Paddle Your Own Canoe" got my attention, but "Gumption" sealed the deal. Gumption is a thoughtful, intelligent, funny, inspirational, and very grounded collection of interviews and essays about 21 of Mr. Offerman's heros, both historic and contemporary. Among these persons, i found a few of my own heroes, but also adopted some of his, meeting them for the first time through these essays. Nick (may i call you by your first name?) has a grounded, well informed, intelligent, and compassionate view on life, politics, work, and our world in general. It makes my heart and mind warm and happy to read his thoughtfully reasoned comments on these his heroes, and on their affect on him and our world, and how he builds upon their work and art. I'm looking forward to reading more from Mr. Offerman, as well as reading some of these newfound heroes found in this book. Gumption is a great uplifting and heartwarming read, especially in the context of the insanity we see in the news and on the internet daily. Two thumbs up!!!

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So it goes

Tobacco Road by Erskine Caldwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow. This short but powerful story reads like a cross between a Steinbeck novel of social commentary and a Coen brothers black comedy/tragedy film. In it, we get a raw and disturbing view into a family and small farming culture that has been all but destroyed by those holding the money and the power; the banking industry, evangelical religion, corporate farming, and the industrial revolution, have literally left these desperately poor people in the dust. All that is left is a destitution so deep and irreversible that it has reduced the family and surrounding community to a barely human condition, dealing with hunger, lust, superstition, and fear. Yet to their last breath, they are able to hang on to their dream of farming and their love of the land. This story is even more disturbing and sad in that we can still see this pattern of money, religion, and power controlling and crushing the poor in spirit playing out in today's society and culture. One would have hoped that this country could have made more progress toward justice and equality in the last 100 years. So it goes.

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an enduring classic - timeless

Neuromancer by William Gibson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I treated myself to a re-read of this classic work by one of my favorite authors. Not being hampered by the learning curve of reading it for the first time, i was able to dive in head first into the deep end, in keeping with Mr. Gibson's writing style. His tales don't gently bring the reader up to speed. Rather, the reader is pulled at full speed into the depth and velocity of the story. One quickly learns not to start reading a Gibson novel without securely fastening the seat belt and putting the seat back and tray in the upright and locked position. Neuromancer is an enduring classic and will doubtless prove to be timeless. From the classic first sentence, to the last. Excellent.

previous review - 2012-06-13 :

I regret not having taken the time to read this brilliant tale before now. Gibson tells an excellent story with skill, creativity and intellect. Reading it so late in the game revealed to me just how much influence it has had since 1984 when it was first published. Neuromancer deserves the classic status that it has been awarded. I'm looking forward to reading it again and highly recommend it.

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wonderfully engaging and deeply immersing

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another wonderfully engaging and deeply immersing story from Neil Gaiman of reality colliding with myth, youth with agelessness, good with evil, fear with bravery. This tale is beautifully told with rich attention to detail, bringing it to life as it is read. I loved it.

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electronic music and other strange and stealthy inventions

Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage by Albert Glinsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is not just a fascinating and detailed biography of one of the earliest pioneers in electronic music and other strange and stealthy inventions. It is also a tale of life as a Soviet national in the US during the Great Depression and then his resulting gruesome life in Soviet Russia as a scientist and engineer convicted of being an enemy of the state during Stalin's reign of terror. I had either forgotten from history class, or never learned the grim details, but Stalin's Russia was certainly one of the darkest and most evil times and places of the 20th century. Theremin's clever intellect and rugged resolve somehow carries him out the other side of the collapse of the Soviet empire. His story is well told and documented, and is a must read for electronic music fans as well as students of history and technology during the cold war.

Theremin playing his revolutionary instrument (YouTube)



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excellent tale of cold war intrigue

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WOW! This is an excellent tale of cold war intrigue, action packed and full of twists and turns in plot. At the same time, it explores some of the deep philosophical and human paradoxes of contrasting ideologies clashing and simultaneously being much the same. This is a really great story, and i'm anxious to read more from this author.

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photos:
http://time.com/3879870/berlin-wall-photos-early-days-cold-war-symbol/

once again regressing

Don't Know Much about History: Everything You Need to Know about American History But Never Learned by Kenneth C. Davis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Highly recommended! This book is like a Cliff Notes on American history, informed by contemporary scholarship, and written in a creative way that showcases how interesting and relevant our history is to us today. It was refreshing to read the well documented tales of our past in the context of the tales we are writing even now in our severely dysfunctional government, top to bottom. While there is hope in knowing we have been bad (and worse) on a regular basis over the history of our nation, it is also depressing that we are once again regressing into the worst we have been. Sad but true. Wake up Americans!

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candid and informative memoir

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Not only is "Hillbilly Elegy" by @JDVance1 an inspiring, thought provoking, and challenging memoir, but it offers valuable data and insight into the culture around which i grew up in my immediate and extended family, and neighbors and schoolmates in the Missouri Ozarks. It helps me understand some of my family culture and dynamics, as well as inform my life history as i look back on it. Some very solid solutions are offered, though how to apply them may be problematic given that message of this book probably will not reach the majority of the culture described. In addition, i'm left wanting more answers as to what is the root cause of the Hillbilly culture described. I have seen it first hand and experienced it, but am left wondering how it came to be in the beginning. I'll be searching for additional reading to try to answer my questions. Thank you Mr. Vance for this candid and informative memoir.

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a parable of our society

Lord of the Flies by William Golding
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lord of the Flies is much more than a tale of kids, stranded on an island, working to survive and maintain hope. It is a parable of our society in general, working to survive and maintain hope. All the major players are represented - politics, warfare, fear, science, technology, religion, community. I don't believe i've ever seen the movie version of this story, but at the same time, the story line was so familiar. This is a story that bears close and thoughtful reading to find the messages contained in it.

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