tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51783059965488971712024-03-13T05:15:12.058-04:00Plum Bob Books, civics, music, with a dash of humor. Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger485125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-34291022209667824772024-02-02T12:59:00.002-05:002024-02-02T12:59:53.323-05:00The Story of Woke Won't Rest<p> The story of the recent pulling of the book Woke by Mahogany L. Browne from the shelves of Martin Elementary School in North Attleboro, Massachusetts. Apparently, this was done after a single parent complained about the book in the spring of 2023. It was only reported public just a few weeks ago. </p><p>What also infuriated many was the secrecy. It was pulled with only a recommendation of a still unnamed committee without anything said to the public. It was reportedly in an attempt to keep others from trying to ban other books. It was only after a report in the <a href="https://www.proquest.com/bostonglobe/newspapers/dozens-massachusetts-districts-have-faced/docview/2915646134/sem-2?accountid=46836">Boston Globe by Christopher Huffaker</a> that it was made public. The public uproar was quick and did have results. A short time later the book was returned to the school by Superintendent John Antonucci acknowledging the error. </p><p>There have been calls <a href="https://www.thesunchronicle.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/and-all-it-took-was-one-parent/article_8b648a1d-8dc0-5635-ac63-10887be8c571.html">myself</a> and <a href="https://www.thesunchronicle.com/opinion/oue-view-a-lesson-hopefully-learned/article_32f2c422-c7fe-5083-a12a-19551adfd3a1.html">others</a> about how this happened in the first place. </p><p>The book has also inspired a run on the book at local libraries and stores. I noticed this too when trying to locate a copy. I finally did find one outside the local library network on Cape Cod. It inspired <a href="https://www.thesunchronicle.com/news/local_news/north-attleboro-lawyer-handing-out-free-copies-of-formerly-banned-book-woke/article_034a0fc1-38a0-516f-b7b4-e8ab48ac7953.html">North Attleboro attorney Stephen Clapp to give out free copies of the book</a> after he also had problems locating a book. I applaud his efforts. </p><p>Thanks to all who made the effort and speak out against this politically inspired attempt to ban this book. We must be vigilant against these attempts. It didn't work here but unfortunately in other places, it has worked where librarians and school officials have been harassed and stressed by what is usually a very vocal minority. Attempts to ban should not be left uncontested nor done in secret. As always support your local libraries. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-68944526416162302992024-01-26T17:27:00.006-05:002024-01-26T17:27:48.113-05:00Book Review: Woke: A Young Poets Call to Justice - Mahogany L. Browne/ Elizabeth Acevedo/Olivia Gatwood<p> </p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44280832-woke" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Woke: A Young Poet's Call to Justice" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1568669398l/44280832._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44280832-woke">Woke: A Young Poet's Call to Justice</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/777032.Mahogany_L_Browne">Mahogany L. Browne</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6200021733">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
After a being a target of book banners at a local school library, which thankfully was reversed, I thought I'd check it out. When trying to find it at a local library they it was already checked out and so were all the others in their network. I had to go outside the local network, about 40 miles away, so much for trying to denying others to see it. <br /><br />The book itself has vibrant colors and is beautifully illustrated. The poetry is touching, enlightening and inspiring. Even as an older adult I found the book compelling. It seems in the current political environment some find talking about race, minority, LGTBQ and handicapped are offended or made to feel uncomfortable, sometimes that's the point. The poetry here is meant to be joyful, educational and inspiring. <br /><br />I highly recommend this book for everyone of all ages, even those that are uncomfortable.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-85927095351871070102024-01-18T11:42:00.001-05:002024-01-18T11:42:12.029-05:00Skywriting by Word of Mouth by John Lennon<p> </p>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9537300-skywriting-by-word-of-mouth" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Skywriting by Word of Mouth" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327291247l/9537300._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9537300-skywriting-by-word-of-mouth">Skywriting by Word of Mouth</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19968.John_Lennon">John Lennon</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5986950385">2 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
It's hard to describe this book. It's one that I wanted to like very much because it's John Lennon. It had a strong start with a brief autobiographical story of John and Yoko's beginning in the late 60s. I'd take volumes of that. He could write clearly, concisely, and with his trademark wit. I couldn't say that for most of the book though. It seemed that the words were English but the sentences were scrambled. It was difficult to decipher storylines or plots if there were any. His wordplay was sometimes humorous and perhaps to some had a point. Drawings were simplistic and crude. I'm sure some would find a point to the stories but I couldn't for the most of the time. I had to push my way through this. John was a legendary songwriter but I don't feel book writing was anywhere close to it. The only other part that seemed to clear was the afterward by Yoko Ono which was touching and done out of love. I'd only recommend this to diehard Beatles and John Lennon fans.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-22523697678843503002023-12-26T21:17:00.003-05:002024-01-18T11:46:44.107-05:00Book - Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story by Bono <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61065813-surrender" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1652192228l/61065813._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61065813-surrender">Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/56627.Bono">Bono</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5286760437">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />Growing up as a teenager in the late '70s and early '80s it was hard to not hear U2 on the radio. They hit their peak of popularity in the mid to later part of the decade. I did manage to see them live one time while they toured for their Joshua Tree album. In the subsequent decades since they’ve still enjoyed success and have been one of the longest-running rock bands that have stayed intact with original members, although I believe drummer Larry Mullen Jr has taken a break from live performances due to health reasons. <br /><br />The following are notes I made while reading.<br /><br /><br /><b>Page 127-128</b><br /><br />U2 was on tour in Buffalo, New York when John Lennon was shot. Describes John Lennon as the group's musical conscience. He also felt like they had lost their navigation system. Describes him as a lighthouse in a stormy sea. They’d written a song called “The Dream is Over” inspired by a John Lennon lyric(unpublished as far as I know). He describes it as the Beatles dream is over but their(U2) dream was just at the beginning. <br /><br /><b>Page 321</b><br /><br />Bono talks about being a band in the late 70’s that seems to be formed in the image of the Beatles or The Rolling Stones. He said they(U2) wanted to be in the image of The Beatles who seemed to change their sound from one album to another. They were not locked in their roles either as far as vocals, instruments, or just one sound, at least that was the goal.<br /><br />The Rolling Stones by contrast over the years do have a particular sound that works for them and they do it particularly well. It’s not a dig at them, it's just what works for them and they are extremely successful. Many artists or bands find a sound or genre that works for them. A few that come to mind are ZZ Top, AC/DC, and the Eagles. One could pick almost any album in their discography and it’ll probably have their sound. It’s not that they won’t try different things occasionally but their sound will be their home base. <br /><br /><b>Page 327</b><br /><br />“We haven’t got the big songs. Just interesting ones.” Bono laments while working on U2’s “Pop” album. It seems that he was pushing the group into a different sound but they were having creative pains. It seems he realized they didn’t have the “big” songs but ones that were just “interesting”. At the time he was also worried about the group’s relevance around that time (The Pop album was released in 1997). <br /><br />This part is what many challenges long-term recording artists face which is staying fresh and the and to be relevant. U2 enjoyed enormous success in the 1980s but the popular music landscape changed in the 1990’s with the growth of grunge and hip-hop music. Many popular artists from the 80’s were struggling in this era. <br /><br /><b>Page 472</b><br /><br />Again Bono recalls another Beatles experience with Sir Paul McCartney. Paul was giving him a personal tour through Liverpool(who wouldn’t love that chance). Paul tells the story of when he and John Lennon were teens. It was a time they didn’t have much money. John had bought some Cadbury chocolate which was relatively expensive for poor teenagers. John split his candy bar 50/50, this told Paul a lot about John as most boys would probably just give a small square. Bono muses that one of the most successful songwriting collaborations was born from a fair split of a chocolate bar. <br /><br />I did enjoy the book. In my recent reading of memoirs of other rock musicians, I started noticing patterns. One is lead vocalists cite their lyrics a lot also they almost speak in a spiritual sense about their craft. I’ve read some guitarist’s memoirs and they tend to speak about the love of their instrument to the point of obsession. Their spirituality or voice is transmitted through their instrument of choice. <br /><br />I did enjoy this book. Bono is different from other rock star books in that there were no stories of excess partying or drug abuse though they weren’t adverse to having a few pints on occasion, they are Irish after all. Bassist Adam Clayton did do rehab apparently at one point but wasn’t a major interruption to the group. I sometimes hear a lot of criticism of Bono’s preaching. I think ev. en he acknowledges it at times. He’s passionate about his causes. He just believes in speaking out, I can’t blame him for that. If you’re a fan of Bono and U2 I’d certainly recommend this. <br />
<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-15961042070419789322023-12-10T00:35:00.002-05:002024-01-18T11:37:53.461-05:00Review: The Martian Chronicles
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/986796.The_Martian_Chronicles" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Martian Chronicles" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1586119002l/986796._SY160_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/986796.The_Martian_Chronicles">The Martian Chronicles</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1630.Ray_Bradbury">Ray Bradbury</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/201655771">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Ray's writing is captivating in its simplicity. The chronicles tell of Earth explorers of the early exploration and eventual colonization of Mars. The early landings on the red planet are unsuccessful and are met by resistance from Martians. The Earthlings are persistent and eventually stay and colonize the planet fairly quickly. Most of the Martians perish apparently because of Chicken Pox.<br /> <br />Bradbury doesn't spend a lot of time explaining the technology behind space travel. It seems everyone in a relatively short time has rockets for space travel. Cities on Mars seem to prop up overnight. Also, they are capable of making life-like human robots. That perhaps is a part of the magic of Ray's writing, he focuses on the story and doesn't get hung up on technical details.<br /><br />All the while this colonization is happening tensions are rising on Earth which are no doubt a mirror of the Cold War tensions and the threat of WW3 in the real world at the time of writing of these stories. <br /><br />My early encounter with this story was the TV mini-series in the late 70's. For those that weren't there, pop culture seemed be to enjoying a resurgence of science fiction stories in movies and on TV no doubt spurred on by the success of Star Wars. These were different from Star Wars as they were closer to home and happened shortly in the future and not long ago or in a galaxy far far away. The stories also hit closer to home and not fantastical battles with heroes and villains. <br /><br />The book is a compilation of separate stories each with its own story. Even though these take place on another planet these stories still have a very human element. I think part of what works for me with Bradbury is that he tells his story efficiently without feeling something is being left out. Ray cuts to essential parts of the story without going overboard with extemporaneous or long-winded details that can lose a reader. His stories are no less worthy because of it in my eyes.<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
<br /><br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-62726516579690764412023-06-16T10:45:00.003-04:002023-06-16T10:45:27.090-04:00Cormac McCarthy 1933-2023<p><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"> </span></p><p><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA9n4dLJJl8LoJGyubUzIPFdk-MKmZuaNTMGP4VVw0DFAUvFp13MD6u8ceN4RIu0nXF2wlE_4AYOwb3oQGxe_B2s1a3NSbXBJUHbR_UyCwIrl4CxMGZsGjIMGfw-Wo7xppCFOLHJW4_OVAkgXb5BCc8DsV5Lb-53Kxr-pipH-m-Tw9HZtT7GFzW2zyWQ/s3199/IMG_0780.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3199" data-original-width="2705" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA9n4dLJJl8LoJGyubUzIPFdk-MKmZuaNTMGP4VVw0DFAUvFp13MD6u8ceN4RIu0nXF2wlE_4AYOwb3oQGxe_B2s1a3NSbXBJUHbR_UyCwIrl4CxMGZsGjIMGfw-Wo7xppCFOLHJW4_OVAkgXb5BCc8DsV5Lb-53Kxr-pipH-m-Tw9HZtT7GFzW2zyWQ/s320/IMG_0780.HEIC" width="271" /></a></div><p></p><p><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"> </span></p><p><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto">His
book “The Road”is remarkable and unforgettable. Still the one and only
book I read per Oprah’s book club recommendation. A post apocalyptic
father-son story sounded intriguing to me at the time. I’m still a slow
reader but I utterly devoured this book in roughly a 24 hour period. I
literally could not put it down. His writing was as stark, barren and to
the point as the world he described in the book. In retrospect it seems
this, along with a return to college, helped <span><a tabindex="-1"></a></span>remind me how much I enjoyed reading and how powerful it can be. For this I am thankful to Cormac McCarthy.</span></p><p><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"> </span></p><p><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"> </span></p><blockquote><p><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><i><b> "All
his reverence and all his fondness and all the leanings of his life
were for ardenthearted and they would always be so and never be
otherwise. "</b></i></span></p><p><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><b>Cormac McCarthy</b> (All The Pretty Horses)</span></p></blockquote><p><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"> </span><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTf6y86yW0M_tu2FQmyOgr1c9koOgzKvKnlFCzN2QqNLUV9IrKynOezw6fMTKQ8PjO2ygyLWQr9Ka_dPWfUp7RpFXAIn-mdtddVhpHh9AYjdC8tkO9bJNQtLdaNJ8Er_ilgzD-ToUvEN1e1psqP_FYGW6UNOVhUw4n0yyupvBIg3X63t6y0tj56PKczg/s4032/IMG_0777.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTf6y86yW0M_tu2FQmyOgr1c9koOgzKvKnlFCzN2QqNLUV9IrKynOezw6fMTKQ8PjO2ygyLWQr9Ka_dPWfUp7RpFXAIn-mdtddVhpHh9AYjdC8tkO9bJNQtLdaNJ8Er_ilgzD-ToUvEN1e1psqP_FYGW6UNOVhUw4n0yyupvBIg3X63t6y0tj56PKczg/s320/IMG_0777.HEIC" width="240" /></a></span> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-11812683338782318352023-06-15T11:17:00.003-04:002024-01-18T11:57:59.724-05:00Book: The Library Book by Susan Orleans<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42453769-the-library-book" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Library Book" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1567951049l/42453769._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42453769-the-library-book">The Library Book</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/45374.Susan_Orlean">Susan Orlean</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5551263721">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
If you love books and libraries you'll love this one. You may not walk into library and quite look at it the same way again. The book centers around around the Los Angeles City Library which had a huge fire in the mid 1980's. Not only does it tell that story the author also intertwines the recovery efforts but also the history of the library in the city that exploded in popularity around it. We also learn the inner workings of the modern day library and the people who keep it going from the librarians to those behind the scenes who struggling to keep up with growth and new technologies. <br /><br />I've always been attached to. It's been a place I could get lost in but never be worried about being alone. The books authors were each reaching out to wishing to share themselves through the word and pictures. Never being judgemental or pushy. Freshman year of high school I volunteered my study period to be an aide. Re-shelving books, checking people out and sometimes just checking out the books out of curiosity. It was that part of me that connected with this book. After reading this made me wish I pursued that as a profession perhaps. I feel like I missed an opportunity in my youth not seeing something that was right in front of me for whatever reason. I moved to a new school the next year that didn't have the same opportunity, though I still liked visiting the library. <br /><br />If you're a reader, book lover or get lost in a library easily I highly recommend this book. It's now one of my favorites.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-16420615714929276962023-06-09T20:05:00.002-04:002023-06-09T20:05:27.888-04:00Book Bans Are Fascist<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/ymKFl7rJY48" width="480"></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-88176348425644175062023-05-17T11:09:00.000-04:002023-05-17T11:09:09.589-04:00<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55776405-john-lennon-1980" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="John Lennon 1980: The Last Days in the Life" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1610639590l/55776405._SX98_.jpg" /></a><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55776405-john-lennon-1980">John Lennon 1980: The Last Days in the Life</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4755.Kenneth_Womack">Kenneth Womack</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5438869630">5 of 5 stars</a></p><p><i><b>Audible Audio-book : 10 hours 32 minutes</b></i></p><i><b>Narrator: Paul Woodson</b></i><p><br />
Sometimes it takes the steam out of a book or story when you already know how it ends. With this book, I would say Ken Womack did an excellent job of making what was the last year of Lennon's life interesting and a compelling story. It could be broken down into different parts. Early on we see John starting to feel the creative juices that have been quiet for some time awaken. Partly inspired by his old partner Paul McCartney's new song "Coming Up" (Paul's career was also changing gears too.) coupled with a sailing trip. The latter half of the book is primarily John & Yoko making what would be his final album Double Fantasy(and posthumously released Milk and Honey). This is where John comes alive and is the strongest, making music again. He becomes very focused and is a musician on a mission to make his long-awaited comeback album. It's the first time I've read of an in depth look into making his final album. I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of John Lennon and The Beatles and want learn more of his final days.
<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
</p><p> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-42791057103515355582023-02-16T13:32:00.003-05:002023-02-18T15:20:11.706-05:00Review: Old Records Never Die: One Man's Quest for His Vinyl and His Past
<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5299038248">View all my reviews</a>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42387497-old-records-never-die" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Old Records Never Die: One Man's Quest for His Vinyl and His Past" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1539889980l/42387497._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42387497-old-records-never-die">Old Records Never Die: One Man's Quest for His Vinyl and His Past</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/255611.Eric_Spitznagel">Eric Spitznagel</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5299038248">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I found out about this book through a vinyl Facebook group and the premise sounded interesting. A vinyl enthusiast attempts to recover and rebuild the record collection he sold decades ago to pay his bills. Now hitting middle age with a new child, an understanding but worried wife, a job offer that will mean consistent income and a major move, and then to top it off a heartbreaking phone call from his mother informing him his father died. Enter one mid-life crisis. <br /><br />In his journey through his mid-life crisis, his quest is to recover the 2000+ vinyl collection he sold away to pay the bills in the late 90s. Not just any copy will do. His quest is for his exact copies. The same covers with his ex-girlfriend's phone numbers written on them and scratches in just the right spot, and all.<br /><br />It's a quest that takes him to a muddy reunion concert, a closed record shop turned kids karate studio, vinyl conventions, stealing a record from a college radio station, and smoking bad weed in an old record shop owner's basement. All the while reminiscing about past loves and most of all the music he loved along the way. He's missing his life as it was and worried about a new job and family that's pushing him to be more responsible.<br /><br />I could identify with some of the mid-life crisis anxiety having gone through(and still on tail end of) it myself. His music tastes were mixed(Sorry Eric. when I hear an album titled "Let it Be" I think of The Beatles and not The Replacements.) but that's understandable cause everyone's music preference is different. <br /><br />I did like his focus on the music and how it intertwines with life. It's as if the albums were snapshots of his life. I"d describe it as life having its own soundtrack and each of ours is unique. Also that even the imperfections like ex-girlfriend's phone number on an album, mud/blood splattered cover from a punk rock concert, or scratches & pops on the vinyl. This was a bit refreshing as I see in vinyl enthusiasts groups on Facebook who obsesses over slight scratches, grading quality, and spend a couple of thousand dollars on record cleaning gadgets. It's one thing to take care of something but when the cleaning obsession takes over I think you're losing the point of the records which is the experience of playing them. This I believe Eric gets. Life is full of imperfections.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-20524540070193142952023-01-19T01:27:00.003-05:002023-01-20T13:44:36.531-05:00The Real Danger Of ChatGPT<div style="text-align: center;">"Writing is how we understand <i>uniquely</i>. Not to write is to live according to the language of others."</div><div style="text-align: center;">- Evan Puschak(Nerdwriter1)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/AAwbvGywdOc" width="480"></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-61667084448251893932022-12-23T12:42:00.001-05:002022-12-23T12:42:12.367-05:00The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells<p> </p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8909.The_War_of_the_Worlds" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The War of the Worlds" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320391644l/8909._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8909.The_War_of_the_Worlds">The War of the Worlds</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/880695.H_G_Wells">H.G. Wells</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5129237362">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
One of the first science fiction movies I remember seeing was the original 1953 version of this story as a kid in the 70s. That was also my introduction to this story. Although I was fascinated by the story I was a bit hesitant on reading the book as it was written in the late 1800s and how readable this would this be. I was pleasantly surprised though when I started reading this one. <br /><br />For a story written in the 1890s, it reads amazingly well. Also, I tended to forget this was long before modern technology. No cars, television, or radio as we know it and in this light, it still has aged very well. <br /><br />The story is narrated by an unnamed Englishman who is apparently of scientific background and is at an astronomical observatory when explosions, which seem to signal the eventual invasion, are observed on Mars. This eventually coincides with objects falling around England. These objects are just carriers for the martian invaders and their war machines which they erect shortly after they arrive. The Martians are hampered by the Earth's stronger gravity and stay inside their machines. Their war machines have long spindly legs that tower above the tallest buildings and have long mechanical tentacles that shoot deadly heat rays(imagine hearing this term in the 1890s, it's long before Star Trek and Star Wars) and they emit black smoke (foreshadowing the gas attacks in WWI just a 20 years later) which are lethal upon inhaling. The military of the day puts up a valiant effort, and even knocks out a machine or two with artillery, but is woefully outmatched. <br /><br />At this point, there is panic and fleeing before the mighty martian machines. The narrator along with a curate( no name given) and while foraging for food is buried in the rubble of another Martian cylinder that has crashed where they are trapped for about two weeks with an already dwindling food and water supply. The curate eventually loses his mind and is found by Martians and taken away. The Narrator narrowly escapes into a devastated London with death and a strange red weed growing everywhere. He reunites with an artilleryman he had met earlier in the conflict. The artilleryman has thought a lot about how humans can survive under the Martians in a type of resistance that does seem quite elaborate. It is eventually noticed the Martian machines aren't moving and have gone quiet. It is then realized the Martians are dead(or dying). It is said they are dying from Earthly pathogens from which they have no immunity from. In the aftermath of the invasion, he recovers enough to eventually make it back home where he reunites with his wife. <br /><br />I really enjoyed this book more than I anticipated. It had an easy-to-read flow and is relatively short in length. I found it easy to get engrossed in the story and not realize that he was describing a world in 1890s England before most of the modern conveniences we take for granted. I wonder what the 1897 reader thought trying to imagine what a "heat ray" was. Science fiction indeed.
<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-60627571650929152592022-12-17T11:10:00.002-05:002022-12-17T11:10:24.543-05:00Rocks by Joe Perry<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58900492-rocks" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Rocks: My Life In and Out of Aerosmith" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1669622912l/58900492._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58900492-rocks">Rocks: My Life In and Out of Aerosmith</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8193763.Joe_Perry">Joe Perry</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5130391581">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
An exciting look at one of the bad boys from Boston. I've listened to Aerosmith through the years but never dove that deeply into their history. As a native New Englander, the Aerosmith story is part of our rock and roll lore. Joe's memoir travels throughout the region even before the group hit worldwide star status. Even as I type this I'm just a few towns away from Joe's boyhood home of Hopedale. <br /><br />Joe comes off as a dark brooding introvert whose main outlet is his electric guitar. He spends much of the early parts of the book pestering his parents for one. Then come the years since in small bands in Boston and the surrounding area. Eventually, the members of Aerosmith finally find each other and they ride the road to success. Along that road, they pick up drug habits, divorces, band breaking-up, falling off stages, addictions, therapists, success, non-stop touring, micromanaging manager, and all the while bitching about lead singer Steve Tyler. For as much as he whines about Steve, and he's no angel, they still stick together. They are the Boston version of Mick & Keith. Guess what Joe, if Steve hasn't changed by now he's not going to. No wonder they're all in therapy. <br /><br />It's an entertaining book if you want to know more of Aerosmith's history there is no shortage of drama to go along with it.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-59438523229077504392022-11-30T11:21:00.002-05:002022-11-30T11:21:27.267-05:00A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13426334-a-prayer-for-owen-meany" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="A Prayer for Owen Meany" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1344925532l/13426334._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13426334-a-prayer-for-owen-meany">A Prayer for Owen Meany</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3075.John_Irving">John Irving</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3372111801">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I've read John Irving's "World According to Garp" and enjoyed the book(and movie) very much (probably due for a reread of it) so I thought I'd give Owen Meany a chance. Its reviews or commentary on the book is overwhelmingly positive so that clinched it. The only thing that concerned me was by reading some comments and even review blurbs on the book itself one might expect a calling from God himself or have some sort of epiphany or conversion. For better or worse it did not happen in my experience although the book is enjoyable and heartwarming. The ending though seemed a bit anticlimactic because I expected it all along. Although it may seem a bit heavy-handed in its religious tone at times it is more what I call old-school religion versus in-your-face evangelical style Christianity. I'm on the cynical side about that stuff but won't knock someone else's belief.<br /><br />It's a charming story set in a charming New Hampshire town and a batch of eccentric personalities(this seems to a thing with Irving as "World According to Garp" has a similar setting and quirky characters). It also has a heavy-handed outlook about the Vietnam War and Reagan era politics that might be off-putting to some. It is also on the long side that may seem tedious at first but it does find its pace the further along it goes. Its length and tediousness made it tempting to put the book away but yet it was still interesting enough to keep me coming back for more.<br /><br />It was a decent book but I think I expected too much. Perhaps I had read too many others having their own epiphany type of experiences or falling in love with Owen. This was not my experience. Owen was intelligent, thoughtful, and outspoken despite his broken voice. The religious theme might be heavy for some but the story was more about having faith than being preachy. The book is an enjoyable escape for a while into the world according to Owen Meany.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-4724949307310606762022-11-29T11:05:00.000-05:002022-11-29T11:05:00.030-05:00Keeping The Faith by Jimmy Carter<p><br /><br /></p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1483128.Keeping_Faith" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328427388l/1483128._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1483128.Keeping_Faith">Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6113.Jimmy_Carter">Jimmy Carter</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4920630623">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Jimmy Carter was the first President I have recollection of as a kid. My major recollections weren't detailed but I do remember the famous smile and big hair. I also remember the inflation, gas lines, Camp David peace talks, Ted Kennedy challenging him, Iran hostage situation and of course defeat to Reagan. All of is addressed in his memoirs in varying degrees. I've read books on Nixon, Ford, Reagan and even one about Kennedy/Carter but this is first from or about Carter alone. <br /><br />The memoir generally runs chronologically taking guidance from the Presidents personal diary. It was interesting to hear about his perspective of events I remember as a kid. He's highly detailed but is still very thoughtful. Though book though was heavily into the details of his administration goings on but seemed like First Lady Rosalynn and daughter Amy were barely mention. In contrast the week at Camp David with Anwar Sadat(Egypt)of and Menachem Begin(Israel) trying to iron out peace accords feels like half the book. I'm sure some would find it interesting but it did seem it went on forever. <br /><br />The last part of the book covers of the Iran hostage situation and his reelection bid. A little surprising is how underplayed his rivalry with Senator Ted Kennedy was. By most other accounts I've come across it was quite bitter. Perhaps even more so than against Reagan. I feel his reelection against Reagan was also underplayed. Not sure if it was just too bitter to talk about when he wrote this which was relatively soon after his Presidency. <br /><br />I kind of felt like Jimmy Carter was great at being a heavily involved in the Presidency's day to day stuff but it did seem to lack a lot of warmth or humor. In other words, dry. He seemed to skip or skim over unpleasant stuff like Kennedy, malaise speech, Reagan etc... I like President Carter but I don't know if this does him justice. It's still worth reading if you're into Presidential history. <br /><br />
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-54137813213538854162021-04-04T12:16:00.001-04:002021-04-04T12:16:12.544-04:00The Boston Massacre - Bonnie L. Lukes<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2877176-famous-trials---the-boston-massacre" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Famous Trials - The Boston Massacre (Famous Trials)" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1267338924l/2877176._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2877176-famous-trials---the-boston-massacre">Famous Trials - The Boston Massacre</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/240841.Bonnie_L_Lukes">Bonnie L. Lukes</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/626139887">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This is a relatively short summary of the Boston Massacre that occurred in 1770. After tensions in Boston had escalated about recent taxes imposed on colonial America it came to head when after a mob that was harassing a group of British soldiers shot and killed 5 people. They were put on trial and only 2 were convicted of "manslaughter". One of the defense lawyers for the soldiers was the future 2nd President of the United States, John Adams. <br /><br />I'm sure there are more in-depth books and writings on this event but this gives you a pretty good overall summary of what happened. It also pays a lot of attention to the trials that followed. It's a good book that's easy to understand and will give you a decent summary of the event.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-24566477926879510402021-04-01T12:01:00.004-04:002021-04-01T12:01:56.691-04:00A Bridge Too Far by Cornelius Ryan<p> </p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30177475-a-bridge-too-far" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="A Bridge Too Far" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1463084414l/30177475._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30177475-a-bridge-too-far">A Bridge Too Far</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/48305.Cornelius_Ryan">Cornelius Ryan</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3873537548">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Like many my first encounter with this story was the star studded movie of the 70's. Say what you will about movie adaptations from books but this was one of the cases that it inspired me to find out more of the event and seek out this incredible book. I've read the book at least once before but this time around I did it by audio-book(via Audible) and I wasn't disappointed. I've also read his other well known books The Last Battle and The Longest Day so I am familiar with Ryan's work. <br /><br />I imagine it's easier to write about victory's verses defeats in war time. No one wants to dwell on defeats or mistakes they made. Perhaps that's what drew Cornelius to this story. In battling cancer in his own life maybe he was looking back in his own life too. I only recently learned he died shortly after finishing this book. <br /><br /><br />The story itself seemed to be one of missed opportunity, underestimating the opponent, ignoring intelligence out of arrogance and not wanting to rock the boat. Indeed Allied forces had the Germans on the run in early September. Unfortunately even with the Herculean effort that was made to use airborne troops to attack on such short notice it still gave the Germans enough time to regroup and put up a stiffer defense than was expected. It is disappointing and infuriating that Dutch underground intelligence seemed to be casually dismissed. It seemed to be a combination of the not wanting to go against Montgomery and blinded by the heady proposition that this will be the break thru battle that leads to end of the war by Christmas. Who wants to spoil that? <br /><br />What also can't be forgotten is the human cost of this battle. I think this time around I noticed more of the brutality and shear numbers of casualties in war. Those who made it through were not only heroic but survivors. No amount of training and determination will prevent your glider being hit by flak or your plywood/canvas boat being raked by machine gun fire crossing a wide river. The phrase war is hell is an understatement. It is why it is important these stories be told to not only remember those made it thru but also not to forget those who didn't. <br /><br />I certainly recommend this book to those interested in this period of military and world history. I would also recommend Cornelius Ryan's other books "The Longest Day"(D-Day) and "The Last Battle"(the fall of Berlin).
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-18362898378873096292020-10-16T16:10:00.002-04:002020-10-16T16:10:31.460-04:00The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton<p> </p>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50690953-the-room-where-it-happened" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1580142945l/50690953._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50690953-the-room-where-it-happened">The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/419131.John_R_Bolton">John R. Bolton</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3407036846">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
There was a great controversy about even buying or reading this book. Being a bit of amateur civics and politics follower it was hard to resist the hype. Ever see a movie trailer show all the good parts of the film and then when you see the whole film you realize those were all the best parts? It was like that. Should have Bolton testified during the impeachment of Trump? Yes. Would it have changed the outcome? No. So why not read it anyway? It gives us a glimpse into the dumpster fire that is this administration's symbol. <br /><br />The few things I picked up on in this book. <br /><br />One: John Bolton likes to take notes, notes and more notes. I’m sure he has in his original notes when he used the White House bathroom. <br /><br />Second: Bolton is so arrogant it borders on comedy. In the beginning of the book he was a bit more human. Occasionally he’d throw in a one-liner as if to see if you’re paying attention. The meat of the book is tedious in long segments unfortunately. <br /><br />Thirdly: The book is a foreign policy geeks heaven. There are long sections of foreign policy details that will make an average person's eyes gloss over and probably nod off in boredom. I really had to plow through this myself. <br /><br />Fourth: To paraphrase a former Secretary of State the President is a f’n moron. Trump truly didn’t get the concept of why we had troops stationed in places like South Korea and Germany. Seemed oblivious to history and only took a “what have you done for me lately” type of attitude. It was purely transnational. He'd harp on many NATO country's financial or military participation share as if he were squabbling about a golf club member's fees. Unless of course their leaders would flatter and suck up to him. Loyalty and appearances on Fox News seemed to be the only job requirements. Not to mention all the wasted effort in trying to give North Korea’s Kim Jong Un an autographed, by Trump, copy of a ``Rocket Man” CD. Seriously?<br /><br />The book itself starts off interesting but kind of slogs through a lot foreign policy details that I think would bore an average reader. The infamous Ukraine phone call (the one that led to impeachment) is towards the end doesn’t really reveal more than we already know. Unless you're really a civics and current political events geek I’d probably skip this one. <br />
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-20129127558468602382020-10-07T13:37:00.005-04:002020-10-07T13:42:29.018-04:00Goodbye Eddie<div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJLuUfwHz0x21umaxdSPDGPUnuiFPgFIGUG1NogPo29pLHlYcBQJQ34wAYPFJp9wNQLMEXF0ITLfgX_zerCKdtFDTId80RrcX9AMK6KtVZ0_tkunTjYAvqpgp1tj4lSy-5tqWwUbnFTFc/s1788/1093924_10200804713013025_1173095312_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1225" data-original-width="1788" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJLuUfwHz0x21umaxdSPDGPUnuiFPgFIGUG1NogPo29pLHlYcBQJQ34wAYPFJp9wNQLMEXF0ITLfgX_zerCKdtFDTId80RrcX9AMK6KtVZ0_tkunTjYAvqpgp1tj4lSy-5tqWwUbnFTFc/s320/1093924_10200804713013025_1173095312_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In my youth. <br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">I couldn't believe the news of Eddie Van Halen's passing from cancer yesterday. A guitar hero's hero. He was the guitar God of a generation.He had a nonstop smile and lightning quick fingers on an electric guitar. No matter where or what he was doing he seemed to be having the time of his life in that moment. His music had an amazing way of lifting your spirits. In essence the group was a party band that made it big, especially in the early days with David Lee Roth at the microphone. The music was uplifting, energetic and sometimes naughty but never got too dark.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">I loved them and had their famous logo scribbled on school book covers, notebooks or anything with a flat surface while a teenager. They seemed to match the intensity, attitude and energy of adolescence. Coincidentally lead singer David Lee Roth left and the band took on a more mature sound just as I hit adulthood too. Eddie was still Eddie though. </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm forever grateful for his music that brought joy to millions of fans. The music itself lives on. Thank you for music and my heart goes out to his family at this time. </div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SwYN7mTi6HM" width="459"></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-7210757164050677232020-09-05T12:38:00.000-04:002020-09-05T12:38:06.112-04:00Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1845.Into_the_Wild" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Into the Wild" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403173986l/1845._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1845.Into_the_Wild">Into the Wild</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1235.Jon_Krakauer">Jon Krakauer</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3487421683">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This is a book I've seen on countless "must-read" or "favorites" book lists. I've had this on my shelf for quite a while and when I recently saw in the news that the now famous bus where the protagonist Chris McCandless died in the Alaskan wilderness in the early 90's was removed due to being a dangerous location where others have made treks to see because of the book’s fame. I finally decided it was time to pull it off the shelf. I was glad I did.<br /> <br />It is the story of the retracing and trying to understand Alex McCandless and his journey across America after shunning his family and then civilization he lived upon land living upon edges of the society he scoffed at. I couldn't help draw a similarity to Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" which was about a journey across America on the edge of society that also caught people’s imagination.<br /> <br />After finishing college Alex pretty much left everything behind. Donated his $25K his parents gave him and packed up his beat-up Datsun and hit the road. He had often done this in the past but this time he had next to nothing pulling him back, not even family. He spent the next two years floating between society and loner. He eventually abandoned the car after it was flooded by a flash flood and hitchhiked, walked, and even used a canoe for a bit. He would connect with certain people along the way often making a big connection with them in even a short amount of time. They were often left curious and puzzled about how this intelligent, well-read, and hard-working young man was traveling like this.<br /><br />He eventually ends up in Alaska for the adventure he’d been working up to. He set out and “into the wild” as were his last words he sent to an acquaintance. Tragically four months later he would be found starved to death in an abandoned bus which had been his base. The story is a retracing of his steps, as much as possible, and a deeper goal of trying to figure out his motivation and why he did this. <br /><br />His journey seemed to have elements of past literary classics like “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac’s journey across the western states of America and also Robert Pirsig’s “The Zen and Art of Motorcycle Maintenace” for the same reason(I believe Alex McCandless was found with this book). Another that came to mind was Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger as the book has strong elements of a coming of age story and disenchantment with society in general. <br /><br />There is also a strong element of a father-son conflict, even though Alex left everyone behind his relationship with his Dad seemed to be the lynchpin of some underlying resentment of past family matters. Alex’s closest relationship seemed to be with his sister(much like Holden Caulfield in Cather in the Rye mentioned previously) but even she was left in the dark as to his whereabouts. <br />Alex was not without his faults either. He seemed to have a stronger desire to do things on his own, or at least figure things out on his own. He did well in school and had a strong motivation to figure stuff out but as soon as someone offered help or tried to help him excel further he would shun or just ignore them. This trait would come back to haunt him later. <br /><br />The book is well written and will stay with you long after you finish it. I can see a bit clearer why this was such a talked-about book. I’ll be hanging on to this one and will probably reread it in the future. Did Chris McCandless ever find what he was looking for? We may never know for sure. <br />
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-8855873365617722942020-08-22T13:50:00.004-04:002020-08-22T13:50:58.771-04:00Promise Me, Dad by Joe Biden<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35633343-promise-me-dad" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1504625848l/35633343._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35633343-promise-me-dad">Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/614246.Joe_Biden">Joe Biden</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3343457108">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
A year in the life of Joe Biden. It cover's not only his personal life but is interwoven with his job as Vice President. He still manages to do his job meanwhile his son, Beau Biden, battles cancer that doesn't have a good prognosis, to begin with. Unfortunately, the world doesn't stop for that stuff. He deals with the crisis in Ukraine and the middle east. Back home there is a church shooting and police are gunned down in New York City. <br /><br />Unfortunately, Beau Biden loses his battle with cancer and he is heartbroken. This coincides with the 2016(pretty much starts in 2015) campaign season ramping up. As much as he knows people are understanding of his personal loss pressure mounts for him to decide to run for President which his prospects looked excellent to be the next President. As we all know he eventually decided not to. The book goes more into why he didn't. <br /><br />The book gives us a picture of what Joe is like and is heartwarming without being overwhelmingly sugar-coated like a Hallmark movie. It also shows in his job he can be tough when needed. In contrast, he can show empathy and decency when called for. With a deluge of books about the current President, this may give you a glimpse of what could be.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-70311405393740664452020-08-21T01:08:00.001-04:002020-08-21T01:08:30.400-04:00WATCH: Joe Biden’s full speech at the 2020 Democratic National Convention<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l6s6qpzqMxE" width="480"></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-75958772665856477412020-08-18T12:15:00.002-04:002020-08-18T12:16:37.358-04:001776 by David McCullough<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17874646-1776" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="1776" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1367351855l/17874646._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17874646-1776">1776</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6281688.David_McCullough">David McCullough</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3471113309">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I listened to this on Audible but I had read it before. A large part of it was that I love listening to David McCullough talk about history, I could listen to him for hours(which I did in this case). I'll just do a quick summary of the book here. <br /><br />In short this is the first year and half of George Washington's taking command of the American forces in mid 1775 in Boston in which British forces are surrounded by the American forces. and ends in early January 1777 after Washington exceeds expectations and defeats Hessian's at Trenton, New Jersey and the British at Princeton, New Jersey. These were relatively small engagements but served as morale boost for the American's in general and solidified Washington's leadership(and perhaps his mythical status in American history). It also forced the British(and mercenary Hessian's) to take the Continental Army seriously.<br /><br />We also meet a variety of people of the revolutionary period. We meet his two most trusted General's Henry Knox and Nathaniel Greene whom would serve Washington for the duration of the war. It was Knox's idea and follow thru to get the the artillery pieces at Fort Ticonderoga and trek them all the way to Boston which helped brake the siege. We also meet future Presidents John Adams and James Monroe(who served in Washington's Army). We also meet another founding father who was a young Artillery Captain, Alexander Hamilton(who's popularity has exploded in recent years). <br /><br />The book only gives a passing glance to political goings on elsewhere outside of Washington's military actions. For anything leading up to the Declaration of Independence in July 1776(which unsurprising is probably what people first think of when you say 1776) you'd have to go elsewhere like David McCullough's epic biography of John Adams. This is pretty much a military history of George Washington during this time period. <br /><br />David McCullough's storytelling is masterful and I highly recommend the audio version. I've read other military books and they can be dry and overly serious without much context, this is none of that. His descriptions are colorful and we get to know more about the people involved which point out the good and the bad of each side in this case(yes Washington had his faults). For those wishing to read about the American Revolution I'd certainly put this on the essential reading list.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-44377008181616477842020-08-16T16:12:00.001-04:002020-08-16T16:12:59.323-04:00Enduring Vietnam by James Edwards Wright<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29939206-enduring-vietnam" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Enduring Vietnam: An American Generation and Its War" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1485955140l/29939206._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29939206-enduring-vietnam">Enduring Vietnam: An American Generation and Its War</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1479232.James_Edward_Wright">James Edward Wright</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2896433662">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I was born in the midst of the American War in Vietnam and it was over by the time I became aware of it. I had uncles that were there, one seriously wounded. The war itself wasn't if at all, discussed very much. In my reading the past year or so I've taken an interest in exploring this tumultuous event in our country's history. I've read many viewpoints from military and political narratives. I've also read personal accounts of the boots on the ground from the patrols to the large scale battles that went on. This one though seemed to blend those together to give an overall picture of the war not only overseas but how it was experienced on the home front without being politically charged one way or the other. <br /><br />One particularly moving moment was how the government was unprepared to notify families of soldiers who were wounded or killed, especially early in the war. The movie "We Were Soldiers" shows this too where taxi drivers dispatched with telegrams to give to family's telegrams of their loss. As you can imagine that didn't go over well. It was later changed that a member of the military and usually a local clergy member wound do it. Even then it was a harrowing experience not only for family members but those tasked with notifying usually didn't last long doing it as it was an emotionally draining experience. I have an 18-year-old son and couldn't imagine hearing that kind of news myself.<br /><br />The book came closer to my personal quest in finding something about the Vietnam War to sort of paint a before and after picture about how it affected attitudes and society in general. It seems it started with high ideals with a sense of duty and obligation. What seemed to happen during the course of the conflict was those ideals seemed to drain away when the war, which didn't have clearly defined goals, dragged on and on and on. It wasn't a more traditional war of territorial goals but became a war of attrition and patience in which the opposition had more of. <br /><br />It is an excellent book about this era and can be a good starting point to go deeper into a given area as it covers a lot of subjects and viewpoints that could be booked on their own. Anyone looking for a deeper understanding of this historic period should put this on their reading list.
<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2715917-robert">View all my reviews</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5178305996548897171.post-23784407509673127182020-08-11T01:21:00.001-04:002020-08-11T01:21:55.094-04:00The Company of the Mad: The Stand Podcast <div style="text-align: center;">I binged this podcast the other night which talks about The Stand by Stephen King. It's fascinating and interesting to listen to if you're a fan of King and the book. This is just the first episode. Enjoy!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nEWWoJKY8PI" width="480"></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0