If you haven't read it, you should. I never re-read this book, although I get it out & look at it occasionally. It's too heart breaking.
Charlie, the tIf you haven't read it, you should. I never re-read this book, although I get it out & look at it occasionally. It's too heart breaking.
Charlie, the title of the movie made from this book & the name of the hero, is retarded. Science gives him intelligence, along with Algernon, a lab rat. The story is told through Charlie's diary & feels very personal. Very well done.
*** Spoiler Alert *****
Charlie gains intelligence, love & yet no mastery of his fate. He becomes a genius & then watches Algernon's decline, knowing it was going to happen to him, but he continues to write in his diary. We follow his rise & then his fall - it's amazingly poignant. ...more
A GR friend's review reminded me of this, but I haven't read it in about 50 years. I read it several times since it was one of my escape books. That'sA GR friend's review reminded me of this, but I haven't read it in about 50 years. I read it several times since it was one of my escape books. That's what it's about, a kid escaping the city to live in the wilderness. Sam's courage, tenacity, & inventiveness was inspiring, but I lost my copy when I moved back to MD from CO back in 1972 or 3. My cousins & I loved it, so we used to try out some of the stuff Sam did. Most didn't work out well since it took too long, but it was fun, interesting, & educational. There are a lot of heart-warming scenes. I've always remembered the librarian most fondly & the end is great, if a bit over the top. I still remember it well & fondly.
It's probably best for kids from about 7-10 or 12. It's fairly short, so can be read aloud to younger kids, though. Highly recommended....more
Really good, as usual. There was a lot of good information about topics I never would have thought about otherwise & I've dealt with animals all my liReally good, as usual. There was a lot of good information about topics I never would have thought about otherwise & I've dealt with animals all my life. Of course, I haven't lived in India with their monkey or leopards, but I hadn't even considered tracking pests forensically. I know invasive species can be a problem, but the issues New Zealand faces are really difficult. There were a lot of other fun, interesting, & exciting issues all told with her typical good humor.
The holes in our scientific knowledge of animals is incredible & so is science's blindness to some of the best sources. I'm constantly amazed when a study finds out things about animals that I thought everyone knew such as their differences in intelligence & personality, but I grew up with them. They're just different people to me. (In another book I'm reading, Jane Goodall says her first teacher was her dog, Rusty.)
Toward the end, she got pretty lopsided toward animal welfare. I'm all for traps that kill quickly & I'm not a fan of poison or glue traps, but there were some numbers about the number of dogs killed by poison put out for coyotes without balancing numbers such as the number of baits, the number of coyotes estimated to be killed, or if it helped. (I'm pretty sure it didn't.)
She really painted a poor half picture when dealing with genetically changing animals & releasing them into the wild to bring down or eradicate populations of animals that are causing problems. Her mention of mosquitoes was really incomplete & misleading, but I really objected to: “I think the concern is that the technology and the ability of people to experiment with it is moving way too fast, and the only way you’re going to slow it down is to shut it down completely,” is attributed to Jane Goodall through another scientist & Roach seems to agree. Regulate, sure. Shut down completely because you lump many methods under one umbrella of ignorance - absolutely not. It can't be done, anyway.
Overall, I liked the book. It was perfect reading while waiting for doctors since the chapters were fairly short & engaging. I definitely recommend reading it as I do all of her books. ...more
Written originally as an ebook, after several years of steady sales, many requests, & dropping paperback printing costs, I've now published it as an 8Written originally as an ebook, after several years of steady sales, many requests, & dropping paperback printing costs, I've now published it as an 8-1/2" x 11" paperback. This should be easier to make notes in & use in the shop....more
While this is a continuation of the trilogy before it, it's set 16 years afterward & stars the youngsters. If I have to name everyone, then you haven'While this is a continuation of the trilogy before it, it's set 16 years afterward & stars the youngsters. If I have to name everyone, then you haven't read the other trilogy & should do that first. This book is a step up from them, though. They were pretty long & drawn out. This one starts the same way, but keeps getting better & faster paced. The end was great.
Here's the chronological &, in this case, published order of the 4 books: 8 - The Mongrel Mage - Year 675 - Beltur is raised as a White wizard, but learns what he really is in Alparata, Spidlar as the Prefect of Gallos is dissatisfied with the status quo. 9 - Outcasts of Order - Year 677 - Beltur discovers he's a frighteningly powerful Order mage & everyone fears or wants to use him. 10 - The Mage-Fire War From Modesitt's website: I’ve finished the sequel to Outcasts of Order, which will be the third and final book about Beltur [yes, I know it’s the first time I’ve ever written three books about a character in the Saga of Recluce]. It’s entitled The Mage-Fire War, and it’s scheduled for publication and release in July of next year.... 9July2018 book released Aug2019
11 - Fairhaven Rising Year 704(? Takes place 16 years after The Mage-Fire War Taelya, Beltur’s adopted niece, is now a white mage undercaptain in the Road Guards of Fairhaven.
The introduction is interesting & fun; all about how this started as a handy guy doing a few things & then bringing in the family as things escalated.The introduction is interesting & fun; all about how this started as a handy guy doing a few things & then bringing in the family as things escalated. Loved the bit about how the whole family worked on the catalogs & how much it taught the kids. Great story. He has a lot of them along with simple cartoon drawings all trying for a bit of wisdom & humor. After a while, they are trying.
The tips are similar in some ways to Handy Farm and Home Devices and How to Make Them, although that is a compilation from Australian magazines & this is more of a 1970s compilation of handy tips & tricks for a US homeowner. (Might work in other countries, but units are SAE & materials may vary.) Some of the materials are no longer readily available nor are the tips needed thanks to modern technology.
Of course, since this was printed in 1981, it's dated, but still has some good stuff. It will get you to thinking, if you're not used to repairing or making do. I am, but I enjoyed it & picked up a few things here & there. It's a good bathroom read....more
My birthday present from my wife. It's a huge tome & really nice, so I hate to schlep it about in my lunch box. I'm going to alternate reading it at hMy birthday present from my wife. It's a huge tome & really nice, so I hate to schlep it about in my lunch box. I'm going to alternate reading it at home with the audio edition. It's 30 hours, free from Librivox & of varied quality. It's nice to back this up with real book & even an ebook available from Archive.org here.
It's a really long book & often dwells on trivia. Much of it is interesting; attitudes, customs, & everyday life from this area in 1851. This is before the Suez Canal was dug, but there is mention of it & a bit about the arguments for & against. Burton is not shy about mentioning where the British Empire is wrong. His trials to get a visa as a native were quite frustrating.
In chapter 6, "The Mosque", he starts getting too detailed for me. His observations on the architecture were interesting, but he goes into the education & studies of the religion & language derivation far too much for me. I'm not knocking him for it. By some accounts, he spoke 29 languages & he's passing as a native in order to get into Mecca, a city closed to outsiders. He has to know all this & he's right to share it. It's just TMI for me, so I'm skimming some.
He has an uncanny knack for understatement. ... mounted on wretched donkeys with pack-saddles, ignorant of stirrups, and without tails, whilst we ourselves suffered generally from boils, which, as usual upon a journey, make their appearance in localities the most inconvenient. If you've ever suffered a "rising in a tender spot" & yet been forced to ride, you'll get this. If not, look up the perineum issues bicyclists have today & then imagine these issues with the poor hygiene & lack of germ theory.
Burton seems a lot better than most of his time & station. He's certainly not politically correct by the standards of his own age or ours, but some reviews of this book ding him for his prejudices. IMO, he's earned his right to them. He's well educated by his curiosity & has gained his knowledge through first hand experience & that does lead to general observations of various peoples. He is quick to point out exceptions & where he was wrong.
One of the overriding themes seems to be just how useless the men are that he's hanging around with. They don't do much save for smoke, drink coffee, & talk. They spend far too much time on trivial, worthless religious stuff, too. It's really ridiculous how their whole society revolves around a fantasy.
It's LONG. I increasingly skimmed & skipped after the first third or so. Too much repetitive detail....more
From the 1950s, this is all about turning everyday junk into neat crafts. It was especially good for about 10 years old up to mid teens. 'Was' becauseFrom the 1950s, this is all about turning everyday junk into neat crafts. It was especially good for about 10 years old up to mid teens. 'Was' because a lot of the stuff used isn't available any more. How often can a kid get his hands on a lady's felt hat any more? They're the exception, not the rule. Cutting bottles by wrapping them with kerosene soaked yarn & setting them on fire to crack is a pretty iffy method, but he gives another for floating in boiling paraffin that looks like it might work better, especially if you ran an ice cube around the outside at the same time.
There's some neat looking candle holders made from cutting tin cans up, bending them, & coating with fingernail polish. None of the projects are great, but there are a few neat ideas. Most of my enjoyment came from the way it would make most parents faint at thought of doing half these things today. There's some neat old methods & stuff, too. Mostly, this is just nostalgic....more
I just couldn't get into this. I usually love Leonard's books, but nothing about this made me want to come back for more. I just couldn't get into this. I usually love Leonard's books, but nothing about this made me want to come back for more. ...more
An incredibly dense book, it is meant as a reminder & reference for those who already understand geometric constructions. The book recommends doing thAn incredibly dense book, it is meant as a reminder & reference for those who already understand geometric constructions. The book recommends doing the actual constructions. I agree. The more I do, the more comfortable I am with the various rules & pieces. I use them fairly often in my woodworking*, but I had to read the small print quite closely at times. (Pun intended.)
It's not always easy for me to find exactly what I want as the book is broken up by shapes & I often want specific angle constructions so I have to figure out which shape that would be under. Still, it's really useful & becomes more so as I go through the book & get more familiar with it. I never knew I could calculate harmonics this way!
I was quite disappointed by the inaccuracies of constructing a pentagons based on a circle. The drawing for making one inside is incorrect, having 2 points off the circle that should be on it. It's not accurate, so it's far easier just to draw a base line, use a protractor to make one line at 72° & pace it off with calipers from there, the way I've always done it.
*Woodworking today is often based on measurement with a ruler & protractor, but that wasn't the case before the middle of the 19th century. For most of our history, construction was done By Hand & Eye ( reviewed here) using constructions & proportions. Since I usually use nonstandard sized wood (rough wood direct from the tree, not commercially sold) I find the old methods work better for me. They also fit in with Roy Underhill's wonderfully instructive books.
Highly recommended, although older folks like myself should have a magnifying glass handy....more
Each short story is followed by a few paragraphs telling more about where the story came from & such. Very much influenced by his time in Vietnam, butEach short story is followed by a few paragraphs telling more about where the story came from & such. Very much influenced by his time in Vietnam, but a lot of other stuff & some surprising skills mixed in. The stories are all 3 stars or better & the afterwords were fantastic.
1 • Introduction: What You Don't Know Can't Hurt You • essay: Haldeman makes a case for NOT writing what you know, since he says he can't with SF. He says writing what you know applies to the mundane. Short & interesting.
7 • Feedback • (1993) • novelette: This was Haldeman's pick for the title & he kept it as the first story. What if a person could mesh enough with someone to use their skills? He has an artist who rents his talent out this way. Interesting, but too much painting technique. 3 stars
40 • Passages • [Confederación] • (1990) • novelette: I'm mixed about this & there's a lot to think about. I'd have liked it better if some information had been kept back a little longer. Still, the ending had a good punch & twist. 3.5 stars
66 • Job Security • (1992) • short story: Short & to the point. 4 stars
69 • The Hemingway Hoax • (1990) • novella: This was also published as the novel The Hemingway Hoax the same year. I don't get it, but it's an interesting story. It's a fun way to learn a bit more about Hemingway. 3 stars
179 • Images • (1991) • short story: interesting idea that kept me hooked the whole way. 4 stars
197 • Beachhead • (1991) • short story: Very nice twist! 4 stars
204 • The Monster • (1986) • short story: Interesting idea, but it never really sucked me in. Too busy. 2.5 stars
217 • If I Had the Wings of an Angel • (1991) • short story: Not much of a story unless you're a fan of RAH's The Menace from Earth & Haldeman's Worlds trilogy. I liked both, recognized what was going on, & enjoyed it. 3 stars
223 • The Cure • (1994) • short story: Well, that was odd. I think it was a nice twist, but I'm still wondering just what happened. 3 stars, maybe 4.
239 • Graves • (1992) • short story: horror story set in Vietnam.
250 • None So Blind • (1994) • short story: Wow! Excellent idea, but there was something a bit off about the delivery. Too much emphasis on the early life which made the end feel rushed. It sure makes a person think, though. 5 stars
263 • The Homecoming • (1990) • poem (variant of Homecoming) 268 • Fire, Ice • (1994) • poem 275 • Time Lapse • (1989) • poem 279 • DX • (1987) • poem: Poems aren't really my thing. They weren't bad, though....more
More of the same as the previous 2 books. It takes place generations after the events of Ironbrand & features 2 descendants of Ambescand's family. IntMore of the same as the previous 2 books. It takes place generations after the events of Ironbrand & features 2 descendants of Ambescand's family. Interesting with quite a few references to the previous stories, it's not as engaging, though. The ending was disappointing, too. (view spoiler)[ There's a fight scene of swords, Iron Angel versus Korrang's sword, that's reminiscent of Elric's fight with Stormbringer. Not as good & the cloak pin not working didn't make much sense. Iron Angle is put back into the stone & we find out that a man will have the option to draw it again some day. If he does, it will unleash the evil again. An obvious reference to King Arthur & the Sword in the Stone, but it doesn't make much sense in that context. (hide spoiler)]
So I found this a bit disappointing, but still pretty good. I'm going to start the final book The Time of the Annihilator now. It's another quick easy read & I do want to read all the books in order this time....more
I can't believe I didn't have this on my shelves. It's an old favorite of mine & my kids liked it, too. It's a bunch of short stories with young boys I can't believe I didn't have this on my shelves. It's an old favorite of mine & my kids liked it, too. It's a bunch of short stories with young boys (10-14? certainly no older) getting into 'good' trouble. They cross a few lines occasionally, but they're good-hearted & full of zest. For instance, in one story they make up their own balloon & participate in a race. Through their industrious use of junk, a good knowledge of the science behind the balloon, & the help of Zeke, a friendly junkman, they win the race against the rich kids & the adults. That's pretty typical.
The stories are somewhat dated. Kids are allowed to roam without much (any?) parental supervision pretty much like when I was a kid. Mine remarked on this 30 years ago, when they were 5-10 years old, so I imagine kids today with think it's fictional, unfortunately....more
This is a humorous tale of old school fantasy where the magic is very magical, the world is in a state of barbarism, & the princesses are beautiful evThis is a humorous tale of old school fantasy where the magic is very magical, the world is in a state of barbarism, & the princesses are beautiful even when they've been turned into toads. Kedrigern is a crusty, middle-aged codger who really hates traveling & isn't shocked by anything except the whims of people, especially women. He really prefers to live quietly & study, so Princess breathes some chaos into his nicely ordered life & it's a fun trip.
Morressy is definitely an underrated author. His stuff isn't of the highest caliber, but he definitely writes entertaining tales. I read one of his SF books, Under A Calculating Star, not long ago & really liked that. It was even better. He also has a few fantasy books of which Graymantle is one book of a duology. There's also another book that I seem to recall is a prequel, The Time of the Annihilator to them. I want to get around to rereading them, too. ...more
It's nice to wrap up this trilogy within the Recluce Saga. Beltur's story is an interesting one, but I can't help feeling a shorter book would have woIt's nice to wrap up this trilogy within the Recluce Saga. Beltur's story is an interesting one, but I can't help feeling a shorter book would have worked better. His self-recrimination & out-sized sense of responsibility got really old. There was also a fair amount of redundancy that hampered an otherwise excellent story.
Best of all, we learn a very important piece of history that really changes things up. (view spoiler)[We find out these black mages are founding Fairhaven in about 678 with the idea that it is a haven for all mages, black or white. By 900, when Creslin escapes Westwind, Fairhaven is primarily white & after his blood because he is a black. (hide spoiler)] I wonder if we'll see a couple more books somewhere around 750 where things change. It should be interesting & sad - probably instructive, too. There's obvious comparisons here.
Definitely recommended if you've kept up with the series so far, but it's more of a 3.5 than a 4 star.
Modesitt suggests reading this series in published order, but rereads should be done in chronological order, IMO. He even helped me put them all, including the short stories, in order. You'll find them in my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......more
A fascinating history with some good pics in the HB edition. It really gave me a feel for the times & filled in a lot of trivia about the Wild West (tA fascinating history with some good pics in the HB edition. It really gave me a feel for the times & filled in a lot of trivia about the Wild West (the Show, rodeos, & general west) Teddy Roosevelt, & especially Hawaii's history. Very readable & in depth enough without bogging down. Highly recommended....more
Not what I expected. There wasn't much 'alien', at least not in the SF sense, at all. Some sex, but nothing graphic which was OK. Still, I finally gavNot what I expected. There wasn't much 'alien', at least not in the SF sense, at all. Some sex, but nothing graphic which was OK. Still, I finally gave up on this. Silverberg's story was OK, but I didn't even care for the one by Matheson & I usually love his stories. Datlow's taste & mine must be too different. I couldn't have picked worse stories if I tried & I just dreaded picking it up only to be disappointed yet again....more
A really great read. It was entertaining, quickly read, yet full of ideas that I'll be thinking about for ages. I couldn't ask for more. Here's an exaA really great read. It was entertaining, quickly read, yet full of ideas that I'll be thinking about for ages. I couldn't ask for more. Here's an example:
...You don’t understand how the world works. There are people, and there are things. Things serve people. That’s why we built things. And it’s only when things start believing that they’re people that we have a problem. And you, whatever you’re calling yourself, you’re a thing.
I let him rant. I sit here and straddle the boundary between people and things, and by my continued existence show the world how meaningless that border is, a no-man’s-land a mile wide. I am the future, I tell myself...
Great Characters: Yes! Who can resist a thoughtful, half ton dog? Rex is a good dog & most of the story follows him. He was made for war along with many others. Dogs are obedient, but deadly. However, he's the only dog in his squad. Honey is a bear, Bees is... no, I won't describe them further. Half the fun is finding out, especially their thought processes. Besides, there are others.
Action: Oh, yeah! Got a dirty job? Make or buy a bioroid to do it. They'll do anything & that might be the best part. They will obey any order, but they're so much more which leads us to...
Conflict: So many! What is 'human', 'slave', or 'tool'? What are they good for? Where does the responsibility lie?
Structure: The story is told in multiple points of view, many by the main characters. It's really well done in short, digestible doses. Digest them, too. The main story is obvious & good, but there's a lot to think about.
This is set in the near future. People & politics haven't changed much, but we don't really see much of the world, just the parts around our characters. We, through science, are heading in this direction & many dangers are shown, but so are the many advantages. They bring home a lot of questions our societies are going to need to ask very soon.
I've read several books on the history of SF & this one wasn't one of the best. It was kind of quirky, looking into corners I hadn't seen before, but I've read several books on the history of SF & this one wasn't one of the best. It was kind of quirky, looking into corners I hadn't seen before, but missing quite a few I would have included. I didn't find it terribly engaging, so spent over a year glancing at it occasionally. If you find a copy cheap, it's worth looking through....more
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