Writing about the writing in Patrck O’Brian’s splendid novel The Post Captain requires an act of humility. As an example of the potential glories of written English, this book is a nonpareil.
Suketu Mehta's MAXIMUM CITY
The author, a Western educated writer who returns with his young family after 21 years away from Bombay, starts the book with a history of Bombay and some of its more unusual social and cultural aspects, such as its legacy of tenants’ rights that has stultified development and maintenance of the city’s vast population of rental units.
Patrick O'Brian's MASTER AND COMMANDER
What comes across in the pages of this novel is real, palpable, and authentic sounding. Reading about the friendship of Jack Aubrey and physician Maturin, with side references to music, science, medicine, Ireland, the Catalan language, courts martial, outdoor dinner parties disrupted by drunken sailors, and old Barcelona, is as vivid as history can get.
Kerri Sakomoto’s “ONE HUNDRED MILLION HEARTS”
This novel tells the story of a young Canadian woman who, following the death of her Japanese father, returns to Japan to discover the secrets of their heritage. She finds her father had trained as a Kamikaze pilot during World War II but, to his shame, did not die a glorious death. After the war he returned to Canada where he raised his crippled daughter, never revealing his past.
Arturo Pérez-Reverte's “THE FENCING MASTER”
It is 1866 in Madrid. The old regime is toppling as unrest hits the hot summer streets. Aging Don Jaime Astarloa goes about his business, teaching the children of upwardly mobile parents the ancient art of Fencing.
His students do not appreciate the rigor and nuance that Don Jaime insists upon. They treat him as the honor-bound anachronism that he admits to being. He is more interested in living up to an ascetic — and acerbic — personal code that demands honor, truth, and devotion to principle.
There's something very appealing about the experiences of sailors in the 18th and 19th centuries, especially when you realize how important navies were to the imperial goals of European governments at the time.
George Orwell's HOMAGE TO CATALONIA
Reading this book is essential to understanding Orwell since his experiences in the Spanish Civil War had such a profound effect on him. He saw with his own eyes how politicians in remote locations can cause death and destruction in the name of political ideals, ideals which Orwell points out are sometimes little more than an unapologetic quest for power in the name of high ideals.
If you read other reviews and the blurbs published with the book you must expect something truly exceptional. Is it?
I don’t know enough about literature to answer that question. All I can do is recount my own, probably uninformed, reaction.
Richard Current's “THE LINCOLN NOBODY KNOWS”
Not only are the topics interesting and historically relevant, but the process used by the author allows us to clearly understand opposing views and interpretations. When one is faced on a daily basis by media that spin political messages and truth, seeing a serious evidence based analysis of still-important historical issues is refreshing.
Peter F. Hamilton's PANDORA'S STAR
I love big sprawling space operas. PANDORA’S STAR is a big sprawling space opera, all 800 pages or so of it.
Erik Larson's “THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY”
Another time and place: the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. Midwestern entrepreneurs are intent on besting the recently completed Paris World Fair. Their goal: show that the U.S. takes second place to no one. Just as important: Chicago pride dictates that New York will be bested as well, despite Chicago’s 19th Century reputation as a rough, artless metropolis smelling of the Stockyards.
Jill Jonnes' EMPIRES OF LIGHT
This is a popular history about three “giants” of electrification — Edison, Westinghouse, and Tesla. Along the way we learn a lot about the commercialization of electricity in late 19th century America and the role that large corporations played in the spread of this technology. We also see how important patents — and patent protection — were in enabling a few powerful individuals to control the spread of the new technology.
Neal Bascomb's HIGHER
I’m about half way through. Right now, the initial construction of the Chrysler Building is being described, as well as all the intrigues — business and architectural — surrounding the race to build “the highest building.”
UPDATE:: I give up. On to another book.
This book is hilarious. Franken makes mincemeat of his "enemies" on the political right, but through it all what emerges is someone with a serious belief in American patriotism and truth.
Richard Rhodes' DARK SUN: THE MAKING OF THE HYDROGEN BOMB
Yikes, this is a scary book. I had either never known or had forgotten about the awfulness of the times when huge proportions of our GNP were devoted to developing strategic weapons and the means to deliver them.
Walter A. McDougall's THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH: A POLITICAL HISTORY OF THE SPACE AGE
This 1985 book by Walter A. McDougall is a real eye opener, especially if all you know about the early space program is the famous excerpt from John F. Kennedy’s speech