Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott

I’m rather surprised that I hadn’t read this book earlier in my life. It seems like the type of book I would have easily latched onto in high school or early in college.

From some source, likely Wikipedia, I had in mind that Flatland is a commentary on Victorian society, with its rather strict relationship standards, class structure, educational opportunities and introduction methodologies. It is an interesting parallel and one that is relevant even today, though some of more formal structures are more accessible to the various classes—in Flatland, once an isosceles, always an isosceles. Moving up the social hierarchy is only possible through your offspring. There is some opportunity for regularization of one’s sides, but it not possible to move up a class within your own life span. At least in American society, you can always remake yourself, even if the likelihood of succeeding is minimal, the hope is still there. And hope goes a long way to have something to strive for within one’s own life, not just living for the betterment of one’s children.

The other interesting comparison is between the different worlds: line, point and space. This might serve as a secondary commentary on the impact of a lack of contentment with one’s own place. Our hero, the square, is quite a happy person in Flatland, until he realizes the possibility of other dimensions to explore and experience. And his thoughts to this effect are clearly considered in having a destabilizing effect on Flatland. From a societal aspect, this makes sense, as discontentment with how things are causes revolution, if not stopped quickly and hierarchies have an interest in maintaining their power and therefor quashing any disconcerting thoughts.

This conclusion can also be drawn when the worlds of Lineland and Pointland are investigated—first from the standpoint of what is discussed in the story itself—when one is not aware of any other ways to live, other dimensions of life, one will fit their experience into the world they know, which the point and the King of Lineland do instantly. Additionally, much like our square, there is discontentment that can be bread within one’s self in even admitting that other possibilities exist—happiness does not lie in that direction. So, the reader is left with the conclusion from the investigations of these worlds, that it is really not worth the effort, if you want to be respected and happy, to push out of one’s born into station of life, whether that be a shape or a world of fewer dimensions.

Of course, the characterization of women as having one less dimension than men seems to be classically Victorian—unable to learn, driven only by emotion, the frailer sex, etc. Additionally, the view of the other worlds as quaint, wrong and foolish, reminds me of classical colonization mentality. The view of all “lesser” beings as requiring “enlightenment” (except for women, of course)—to be brought into “higher” worlds so they can view the travesty of their own— fits into the colonization viewpoint as well.

In the end, this book is a commentary, working to lay bare the hidden assumptions the contemporary readers deal with as part of everyday life. In many ways this is similar to Gulliver’s Travels, where a given behavior is characterized to be representative of the entire society or world view. Other than the rather tired view of women (a modern version would have one or two women that have overcome their station), the book has aged well and was an enjoyable read.

8/10

Foundation by Issac Asimov

(Well...its been a while...)

In looking for new sci-fi to read, I found a list of "best sci-fi". After removing all the fantasy that was in the list (ug) and everything I have read, Foundation was one of the few things left that I could get on my Kindle from the library. So, I really came to it through process of elimination.

I read, a number of years ago, Asimov's I, Robot collection, which I enjoyed. I found Foundation to be similarly well written and a universe that is (1) believable and (2) seems internally consistent. Asimov uses a structure that I've seen used most recently in Kim Stanley Robinson's 2312, where the background information is told in the format of an encyclopedia, saving us from pages and pages of exposition by describing quite concisely a particular concept that is going to be further developed with the story itself. Here is was used primarily for giving historical information. Robinson used it more to describe cultural properties of his world. It is a clever method, though it can be overused. Asimov seems to balance it well, bringing it in to give us the longer-term context of a historical act we witnessed in the story itself.

In many ways, it is easy to see that this sci-fi was a product of its time. A particularly obvious one is how nuclear power is seen to be the ultimate solution for all systems. There are no batteries, instead there are tiny nuclear generators. Coal and oil planets are seen as backwards. Only nuclear power is considered civilized. This makes sense given the publishing date of l951. Nuclear power was seen as the future. This was the time of Operation:Plowshare and the promise of nuclear power seemed fantastic, with the idea of clean, unlimited power in popular scientific discussion. There is some of the sense of the destructive aspect of nuclear weapons, but it is certainly the promise of nuclear power is the focus.

I am struck a bit by how the ideas of big data sets are used for future predictions. The central tenet of this pyscohistory appeared to be related to the knowledge of the prediction by those that are within the prediction. In short, the residents of Terminus were not allowed to know the future Seldon was calculating out, for if they did, they would be more likely to not make the choices he was predicting. I am reminded of today's large data sets, like those of Nate Silver, that are being used for, compared to Seldon's timescale short term predictions. I can, though, based on what we are doing today in the "real" world extend the thought to a time where large scale predictions can be made on the behavior of organizations and groups. It seems entirely within our modeling power in the reasonably near future.

Asimov is certainly, much like Bradbury, a short story writer, putting his particular stories into a given universe. I certainly can't fault it, but it is not the same as reading Robison's Mars Trilogy, where there is substantial character development throughout the stories and the world building, or history shaping is told as the characters develop. Here, the characters tend to disappear just once you know enough to start getting interested in them. Other than that, I really enjoyed reading this as a way to view another idea of the future.

When I have a chance, I will likely read the next book in the series.

7.5/10

The Naked Civil Servent and How to Become a Virgin by Quinten Crisp

Quinten Crisp is an extroidinary character. And The Naked Civil Servent was a great introduction to him. To live openly gay during any time prior to the 1970s is amazing. To do so in the UK--where it was illegal until the 90s--starting in the 1930s is astounding.

A few images from this book still stick with me, even nine months after reading it. The first is when he recieved his draft notice for WWII, and showed up to the draft station ready to serve his country. And, in one of many lucky breaks, despite being recognized as a homosecual, he wasn't arrested, was given a deferral and told never to come back.

Another was his matra regarding cleaning his apartment: after four years the dust doesn't get any worse. Speaking of his apartment, Crisp lived in the same place for something like 40 years, paying rent every month, not cleaning and often sitting around naked or in his dressing gown from when he awoke until he went to bed.

His adventures are interesting at the least.

His second book How to Become a Virgin is more uneven. It tells stories that are less compelling, focusing on the effects that his first book had on his life. While still interesting, it holds no where near the captivation as his first. We do get his impressions of the US, but the stories are not of a man looking back on the most interesting moments of his life, but more of a condesed diary of his life after The Naked Civil Servant was published. There were no stories that still stand out ot me after so much time.

The Naked Civil Servant  9/10
How to Become a Virgin         4/10

Anathem by Neal Stephenson

I am very far behind on posting with this coming some nine months after I originally finished this book. It ends up, in some respects, counteracting the entire point of writing books up in the first place. I suppose, though, better late than never.

Like, I'm sure, many others who often feel out of place or uncomfortable in every day life, the idea of a separate portion of society deadicated to intellectual pursuits is extremely attractive. Like life-long college, with equally committed people around you. For that element of this book, reading this served as pure escapism. And, once the story moved outside of the math, I was actually wanting to read an entire book just about the daily life inside of it. If Stephenson wrote just a long, detailed description of the math, I'd read the whole thing.

One of the projects that I really like from inside the math was the modeling of a battle with plants, using different plants to represent various portions of the armies and their interactions. Maybe later in my life, when I want to stay put, I'll do that in my back yard.

Once the story moved outside the math, a few things struck me: (1) Stephenson does an okay job writing female characters, but he always has one awesome female who is really hardcore and cool, but isn't the main character or even central to the action (the only exception being in <i>Snow Crash</i> where the plot is carried quite evenly between Hiro and Y.T.). Here, the hardcore female characters (Erasmas's sister) does get an important role, but it isn't central and is much lie America Shaftoe from <i>Cryptonomican</i>.

(2)I loved the idea of a distibuted launching methodology for space destined materials. I suppose the ISS was similarly constructed, but here the distributed materials were simulteously launched and the payloads (and human carrying ships) were much smaller. Maybe not practical in this day with our launching technology, but a fscinating idea nonetheless.

It was a good book. Very emersive and well paced.

8/10

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I read this book on my mother's recommendation. I knew that it was making the rounds in pop culture; a movie based on the book came out recently.

To my surprise, I really enjoyed this book. It tells the story of a community of women in Jackson, Mississippi in the early to mid 1960s. The focus is on the interaction between the white women and the black maids and nannies who made their households run. One white woman, who wants to be a writer, decides to try and interview 'the help' to see how the relationships looked from their perspective. The book is told from the point of view of a number of different characters, and it's really interesting to see how the stories intertwine.

I laughed out loud a few times while reading this book, one quote that totally cracked me up (and made me think about teaching): "'What you learn today?' I ask even though she ain't in real school, just the pretend kind. Other day, when I ask her, she say, 'Pilgrims. They came over and nothing would grow so they ate the Indians.'
Now I know them Pilgrims didn't eat no Indians. But that ain't the point. Point is, we got to watch what get up in these kids' heads."

The story is frustrating in many ways, and you can predict a lot of what happens, but it is well told, and definitely makes you think.

8/10

Thorn in My Side (Kindle Single) by Karin Slaughter

This is a really short book, or perhaps a long novella (I can't say I know the difference) that is narrated by a conjoined twin. The twins are in their late 30s or early 40s, and really don't like each other. The narrator is the smarter twin, he goes to church, he gardens. The narrator's twin is more deviant, picking up sketchy chicks at dance clubs and treating them poorly. The story picks up when one of the women that is picked up in a dance club is killed by the brother(s), and they're dealing with the fall-out.

It's a really bizarre and disturbing story. If it were any longer I don't think I would have read the whole thing; I didn't enjoy it at all.

2/10

My Exile Lifestyle by Colin Wright

This book is about Colin Wright's unplugging from traditional society. He whittled his stuff down to a double-digit number of items, and then packed up and went traveling. He moves to a different part of the world every four months, and the new location is picked by people on his website.

The writing in this book was not especially good, it seemed like a mix of content written for the book and journal entries, and was often (very) redundant. The idea of minimalism and untethering is an interesting one, but I think there must be people who are better at talking about it than this guy. Also, there seems to be a big emphasis in this book on all of the girls he's dated, which really didn't interest me very much.

I liked the idea, but really didn't like the execution of this book.

3/10

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse: Book 1)

This is the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series, the series that the HBO show True Blood is based on. I read it for the first time ages ago, well before the show came out, and then again earlier this summer. Wanting a comfort book, I picked it up again this week. No, it's not that great of a book, but gosh it's entertaining enough for me.

Sookie, the main character, is a waitress in Bon Temps, Louisiana, a small town. Vampires 'came out' recently after the invention of synthetic blood, and are now working to integrate into society. Sookie has her own quirks - she's a telepath who has trouble blocking out others' thoughts. One day the first vampire she's met, Bill, comes into the bar she works at. She saves him from some 'drainers' (people who sell vampire blood, the new drug of choice), and is thrilled to discover that she can't hear his thoughts. Sookie and Bill begin dating, and small-town vampire and other supernatural drama ensues.

Of course the mystery is solved by the end, and you're interested enough in the characters to read the next book to see what they'll manage to turn up next. If you like not-too-challenging mysteries, like a good beach read, and don't mind vampires, this is a very entertaining book (and series).

8/10

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

I guess the first thing you'd want to know about this book is that is chronicles a conversation between a guy (a writer) and a gorilla. The guy meets the gorilla after answering a newspaper ad: "TEACHER seeks pupil. Must have an earnest desire to save the world. Apply in person."

The book offers an alternative history (or creation story) for humanity, and how we got to where we are today. It explains why we are ruining the world, and what needs to change in order to prevent us from completely destroying it.

Really, this was one of the strangest books I've read, but I think I really enjoyed it. I'm not sure I completely understand the 'next steps' that I was supposed to glean from the book, but the ideas have definitely been percolating in the back of my mind. Reading the book definitely gives you an interesting alternative to human history (and certain Bible stories).

I recommend it, if you can get past the silent human-baboon conversation idea.

7/10

Naked Heat by "Richard Castle"

This is the second book in the Nikki Heat series, which is an offshoot of the TV show "Castle". Basically, if you like the TV show, you'll like reading these books. This particular book could have used a little bit more editing (at least in the Kindle edition), but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Some of the twists were predictable (for me, which is saying something), but, again, if you like the show, you'll like the books just as much.

I'm excited for the third book to come out later this year - it lets me imagine the TV series shows without actually watching TV. And it's always fun to imagine Nathan Fillion!

7/10

A Feast for Crows: A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 4 by George R. R. Martin

Oy. It was no joke that this book is just bonkers hard to get through. There's a note from the author at the end of the book, explaining that he had written a book twice as long, and "To tell the story that I wanted to tell, I was going to have to cut the book in two. ... The more I thought about that, however, the more I felt that the readers would be better served by a gook that told all the story for half the characters, rather than half the story for all the characters."

The story was interesting, but much too long, and followed all of the minor characters. Seven hundred pages of reading about the minor characters was a major slog to get through. I hope reading this to get to the fifth book was worth it!

3/10

Heat Wave by Richard Castle (sorta)

So, after the TV show Castle became such a hit (Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, a mystery writer), a book was released by Richard Castle, Heat Wave. It is the book that Castle is supposed to be writing during the first season of the show, based on his time spent 'researching' detective work in the NYPD.

If you like the show, the book is a hoot. It reads almost as another episode of the show, but with more detail and more racy (since it's Castle's writing, and not his 'real life'). It's a great summer murder mystery read.

I (briefly) tried to figure out who really wrote this book, but the Amazon page is true to the game and lists Richard Castle as the author, complete with a bio that fits with the show. Interesting to see TV spawning books!

Two more books have come out since this one - I'll be reading the second one soon!

(7/10)

A Storm of Swords: A song of Ice and Fire: Book 3 by George R. R. Martin

I just finished the third book in the Game of Thrones series, reading inspired by the new HBO show. After watching the pilot episode, I decided to read the first book before watching the rest of season 1 (each season follows one of the books) to help me understand what was happening and keep track of the characters. After finishing the first book (7/10) and watching the first season, I continued on to the second (6/10) and now the third books. What Tao told me about this series before I began to read it is that the author tends to kill of characters just as you start to like them, and I'd say it's a fair assessment. There are lots of different plots to follow - each chapter is told from the point of view of a different character (thankfully you know which character it is, it doesn't make you figure it out as you read). I almost wish I were reading hard copies of the books rather than on the Kindle so that I could look at the maps more easily from time to time, but it's not a big deal.

Basic premise: Seven Kingdoms are united under one ruler, and this is about the fight to be in control. There are various families contending for the throne, lots of interesting subplots, and some really interesting and cool characters. I'm really enjoying the series so far (though I've been warned that the fourth book focuses on minor characters), and am happy to be reading a series where the end is in sight (the author needs to finish the series so that the TV series can also be completed). The fifth book was just released this month.

I strongly recommend watching the series after (or as) you read the first book, especially if you have difficulty keeping characters straight. I found that after watching the series I was much more successful at knowing who was who while reading the second book because I had mental images of most of the main characters and that made it easier for me to keep track. Also the series is just plain fun (if racy - it IS HBO). One other thing I love about this series - I have *no idea* who's going to win in the end, totally opposite of most fantasy books/series. There's always an unexpected twist.

To sum up - enjoyable series so far, I definitely recommend it if it's your kind of story (fantasy). Book 3: 7/10

Reluctant Disciplinarian by Gary Rubinstein

This is really a book aimed at beginning or early teachers, about how to be more successful at classroom management. The author was a Teach for America fellow, and apparently has an awful first year, complete with kids punching him and trash cans set on fire. Once he got his act together, he wrote this book in hopes of helping other new teachers avoid some of his mistakes.

I can't say I agree with all of his advice - the whole 'no smiling until Christmas' thing always felt wrong to me - but it was an interesting (and quick) read that helped me to think about how I manage my own classes, and how I might tweak some of my methods. I also like that the author acknowledges (some of) the (many) failings of teacher education, especially when it comes to teaching new teachers how to control a classroom.

I'd recommend reading this book to relatively new teachers, or any teacher having trouble controlling classes.

6/10

All Is Forgotten, Nothing Is Lost, by Lan Samantha Chang

Rodin gave me this book about a week ago, and I set out to read it today (it is short, only 208 pages).

The story is about a man in his late 20's who is attending graduate school to work on becoming a poet at the beginning of the book. It begins in his second year there (of a two year program), as he sits in the seminar class of a professor who is known around the school for her brilliant poetry and tough criticism of students' work. The main character, Roman, eventually falls into a relationship with the professor, which ends when he leaves the school. The echoes of that relationship are felt throughout the rest of the book as we follow him into adulthood and (some measure of) maturity.

The book seems to be about the perils of working only toward an unlikely profession with no backup plan, the pain of realizing that who you are/were to someone is not necessarily who you think you are/were to them, and regret upon looking back and seeing moments that you missed. Many of the main characters are incredibly lonely people, some without realizing it.

It was strange to me to read a book with such a small cast of characters - many of the ones I've been reading lately I need to keep notes to keep track. Even though the story spanned perhaps 40 years, it felt small and intimate. My main complaint is that the writing didn't make me particularly care about the characters, I was interested to read what happened next, but not pulled to. The lessons of the book resonated with me, but I don't seem to be able to articulate how or why. It's a quick read, and I imagine it will keep me thinking for a number of days.

6/10

Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: My Year of Magical Reading by Nina Sankovitch

I really liked the idea behind this book, but think that it went on for much much longer than it needed to. The author's eldest sister died from cancer at 46, and after four years the author found that she was still grieving. Having shared a love of books with her sister (and the rest of her family), she sets out to read one book per day for an entire year - the year that she is 46 - and write a review of each of those books.

Each chapter mentions some of the books that she read, loosely tied together chronologically and by some theme. Quotes are sprinkled throughout the book. Unfortunately, you can tell that while the author is an avid reader, she's not a great writer. Lots of ideas are mentioned repeatedly, and the structure of the book feels forced sometimes.

I'd suggest skipping reading the book, and instead going to the website where the author wrote all of her reviews to see her booklist: www.ReadAllDay.org

Great idea, but I wish the writing were better. At least now I have a source of books to pick from.

4/10

<i>The Years of Rice and Salt</i> by Kim Stanley Robinson

I was about 2/3rds of the way through this book when I thought to myself: 'Man, this really reminds me of the scene in the Mars trilogy where they were working on the constitution.' Then I thought about it again. And, of course it does. It is the same author!

One thing that Robinson does well, very well, is show the scope and sweep of time. In the Mars trilogy, he did it (spoiler?) by making people live functionally forever. Here he was a little more clever, by working through reincarnations. This also gave him the opportunity to work with a larger cast of characters, who, though they had to fit in a broad category, could have very different personalities, backgrounds, etc. from one reincarnation to the next, with only the first letter of their name staying the same.

The journeys that Robinson makes through the bardo---the land where you go between incarnations---reminded me a bit of the 'behind the scenes' piece from American Gods (possibly one of the few parts of that book I really liked), though the bardo is a necessary stop between lives and often includes much pain and Gaiman's 'behind the scenes' is more a short-cut from one place and time to another. Sort of a worm-hole of alternate dimensions.

Another interesting aspect of the bardo---and the real world, for that matter---was the concept of a group of souls that are connected in some respect and end up together in the bardo and often have interececting and intertwined stories in the real world as well. I was reminded of the concept of a karass from Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, which is a group of people brought together to do God's will. In both cases, no one in the group knows they were meant to be together in real life, but are somehow all striving for the same thing.

Though there are many interesting aspects of the story, the point of seeing the large sweep of history is to extend what would have happened if all the white people died due to the Black Death and, as a result, Christiantiy did not have a large stake in the world. And the answer that Robinson proposes is fascinating, with New World natives actually surviving and creating a modern society in the middle of our North America.

Overall, a fantastic read. Thick, but so very worth it.

9/10

<i>Ubik</i> by Philip K. Dick

I am having a very hard time writing about his book. It has been quite some time since I finished it and I am still not quite sue what to say about it other than I really liked it. Also, it is difficult to say too much about the story without giving things away, but there were two concepts that where particularly interesting.

The first is the ideas of psychic powers being in demand by companies to the point that those with opposing powers are employed by competing companies. The application of one person to look ahead (precog) against another who can change the future as a fundamental instrument in a capitalist battle between corporations is so naturally American.

The second is the concept of half-life, where if you can get some one on ice quick enough you can talk to them for a total of a couple days worth of time, with many people spreading that time out over years. It reminded me of a Max Headroom plot where people were supposedly placed into a similar state, but it turned out not to be true. AS Dick covers in the story, such a half-life state would add a whole level of complication to death and administering wills. In addition one might constantly have moral panics about whether it is worth waking some one up for an issue, thus using up the time left.

One last idea I really enjoyed was the coin-op everything (doorknob, toaster, coffee maker, fridge, etc.) in the low rent apartments. There is something frightening about the fact that you couldn't leave your apartment unless you had a nickel---left to die if you have no pocket change.

Overall, a great read that was hard to write about, and that I like better than Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

7/10

<i>Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?</i> by Philip K. Dick

I've seen Blade Runner once and had absolutely no idea what was going on. Now, I think I could watch it and be able to follow the plot. Though the androids were interesting, I thought the most compelling element was the electric animals and the level of regard that was given by humans to real animals due to the world's almost complete lack of them. It is an interesting thought experiment: Could humans become so compassionate toward animals on the whole that killing a spider would be a psychologically painful experience?Could we really feel complete and total empathy for all living things?

I'm not quite sure what to make of Mercer. In the end it sounds like a meme that keeps the human race going. One that always tells them to keep fighting, as one man's pain is something that all men feel.

This was also my first Dick book. I enjoyed it, though it is a bit pulpy and heavy handed in places. I'll be returning to him for sure for the next book I read and maybe for more in the future.

<i>Cryptonomican</i> by Neal Stephenson

My second Stephenson novel in six months. I am convinced that I like him. Though I really like this book, I had a hard time getting going with this write-up.

The first thing that may be tripping me up some is that this is the first fiction book set in a very defined time period (at least partially) that I've read in over a year (The Unbearable Lightness of Being being the last) and I may be a bit out of practice in thinking about such books. Additionally, what I have read of Stephenson so far (Diamond Age and Snow Crash), is clearly set in the future.

With all that said, there were some ideas, characters and directions in this book I really liked. I found it very easy to connect to the WWII stories---particularly those of Lawrence Waterhouse and Bobby Shaftoe. I had a much harder time connecting myself with Randy Waterhouse's part of the story, despite (or maybe because of) its present day setting. While I really *liked* the ideas Randy encountered---like the EMP to kill the computers, or the complicated methodology for distributing his Grandmother's possessions among the family---it possibly felt too much like dot-com stories we've heard over and over for the last ten or so years. In comparison the WWII portions felt fresh---maybe since so little time is generally spent on WWII crypto, U-boats and anything that happened in the Pacific other than the Batan Death March and the nukes hitting Japan in school.

I particularly liked, or found compelling, Bobby Shatoe's character and looked forward to getting back to his storyline. His rather human traits---morphine addiction, etc---somewhat balanced out his super-human abilities as a Marine. His most prized quality, in himself and found in others, as he told his son, was adaptability. He showed it himself through his varied positions throughout the war and at times when he wasn't directly involved in the fighting, such as in Sweden and when looking for his son. When plans went awry, he came up with a new plan and quickly enacted it. There was also a particularly great quote regarding the role of enlisted vs. officers, which echoed this:

The extreme formality with which he addresses these officers carries an important subtext: your problem, sir, is deciding what you want me to do, and my problem, sir is doing it. My gung-ho posture says that once you give the order I'm not going to bother you with any of the details---and your half of the bargain is you had better stay on your side of the line, sir and not bother me with any of the chickenshit politics you have to deal with for a living.

insomuch as his goal is to achieve his objective in any way possible.

Two other characters I enjoyed from Shaftoe's time and place were Enoch Root, who just continually seemed out of place (purposely so) and Lawrence Pritchard Waterhouse. Waterhouse was a lynch-pin of the story, but I found part to be most compelling up to when he was at Blechtley Park, then setting up Qwghlm. After that, his story fades too much to stay interesting.

A final plot point I want to mention is Goto's mine. The idea of it having different designs and goals known to different levels involved in the project was quite interesting. I may have to go back and read some of those sections again to get a full understanding of the structure. The diagrams Stephenson includes help, but a reread is definitely in order.

Overall, an excellent read, though some weak points existed in the modern portion of the story.

7/10