Been reading Garrison Keillor's The Book of Guys. There is a passage in that book that made me put it down immediately and go kiss my wife. I'd love to hear how others react(ed) to it. If you haven't read it, find this in a book store and go to page 1. To the left is a paragraph titled "Important". I promise you at the very least, it will make you think.

Just got done with Philip Roth's curent book. Currently reading "The Tyranny of the Status Quo" by Milton & Rose Friedman; as

I just read a book called the Kite Runner. It is about a boy coming of age in Afghan society just before the fall and a member of the elite then coming to California and becoming Americanized. It was a fairly entertaining read.

I am presently reading a non-fiction book called The Orientalist. It is a tale of lost history that is nearly as unbelievable as Gulliver's Travels. It is a study of a "lost" writer whose life is a look at the Near East and the multi-cultures of pre nationalist 20th century.

In short it is a story of a son of a Jewish Baku oil magnate who travels through the revolutionary world at the end of World War II and takes on a persona of a Muslim warrior poet and passes himself of somewhat successfully in Nazi Germany before eventually dying of an illness in Italy. It is the only non-fiction book I have ever read that I have to constantly remind myself that it is not a made up story.

ALHP presents! His English Final....

English Paper Ragtime Paper 6/03/05

E. L. Doctorow’s Ragtime is a powerful book, that magnificently depicts, and personalizes the year 1906. By giving every character (from the anarchist immigrant, to the oppressed black, to the wealthy millionaire) a personal face, the novel seems to resound with the message that, while we as humans may categorize ourselves into different groups, our similarities invariably outnumber our differences. This belief can be more conveniently phrased as: “There is no them, there is only us”. Through this, the book also seems to infer, that the categorization of mankind is indeed its greatest downfall, because it is through the mind set of “That’s their problem, not ours”, that we lose our compassion for the human race as whole. Ragtime was written in an era that marked a turning point in history, the 70s. During that time, the rebellious nature of the younger generation (which was thoroughly stoked by the Vietnam War), was sparking a movement that was trying to change both America, and the world. This in turn, created a war on tradition, and consequently a battle against many forms of accepted oppression. It was in this atmosphere, that E. L. Doctorow released his book, and because of its dramatic depiction of many of the motifs for which the radical movement stood for, it quickly became a best seller.
The novel is a continuum, in that the book itself seems to have no temperament. It doesn’t take sides, and it does not speed up or slow down. Every page is written in the same style as the previous page, and is completely unaffected by the severity of whatever events are taking place, or settings being described. The book seems to weave the entire world into one entity, and by doing so it emphasizes sameness. It shows that the biggest difference between one person and another is situation.
As a matter of addictability, Ragtime is only a moderately good book. Contrary to the claims of some critics, I did not find that it was the sort of book which I could not put down once I picked it up. Nonetheless, the novels style was to a certain degree immersive, and it felt like every theme in the book, was interdependent with every other theme in the book.
Ragtime is neither a purely positive or purely negative story. On the negative side it focuses on the oppression of racism, runaway capitalism, and the sadness of over infatuation. These things are exhibited through the sufferings of a black musician (who eventually becomes a militant after the death of fiancé), a poor immigrant, and a young idealist, and are fought by a radical anarchist, and a black minister. Meanwhile, the positive portions of the book focus on love, hope, and innocence. These things are exhibited through three children, the poor immigrant once he invents film, a courtship, and the children’s parents. Neutral portions of the novel include tales of the eccentricities of Henry Ford, Pierpont Morgan, Harry Houdini, a middle class businessman, and a beautiful celebrity.
There are no clear cut good guys, or bad guys, because all of the characters are equally human, and consequently there is not one person which the reader cannot sympathize with. While many parts of the book give you cause to be angry at acts injustice, the novel gives you no room to blame individuals. Instead, it seems to say that indifference and ignorance are the main causes of the world’s problems.
In a way the book is the opposite of “Catcher in the Rye”, in that it completely explains the emotions and thoughts of every significant character that the story follows. Thus, when analyzing this book, there is little to debate about the psychology of the characters. Indeed it is the transparency in which the characters are written, that makes them so human. Once more we come to the conclusion that we are all more similar to each other then we realize, and it is merely the mystery of how the other persons mind works, that convinces us otherwise. Most of us mask our emotions, and even those of us who don’t, often have difficulty readily explaining them to other people. Thus, people generally present themselves as somewhat inhuman, when they interact with society. However, this convection is not true. We all are subjected to the same base emotions, and what mainly diversifies our personalities, is memory and present condition
As the world is still a host to massive amounts of preventable injustice, and despair, I think this novel has a message to give to every man and woman alive. Therefore, if you are literate human being, I hereby recommend you read this story. From this book, a person can learn not only a fair amount about history, but a fair amount about the human spirit in general

In the current reading pile:

Greece in the Making 1200 - 479 BC, by Robin Osborne. Good summary of what is known about early Greek development. Doesn't directly address how "the glory that was Greece" erupted, but does give a lot of useful background material on it. Particularly significant, I think, was the development of trade early on. Also significant is the realization, only implicit in the book, that Greece was not really a mainland area but, as one of the poets wrote, a bunch of frogs sitting around the pond (the Aegean Sea).

Mother Nature by Sarah Blaffer Hrdy. Excellent compendium about what we know about mothering behavior in primates. Lots of digestion of fieldwork, and many ties to human motherly behavior.

Athenian Economy and Society -- a Banking Perspective Nobody had banks before the Greeks. Nobody had anywhere near the complex financial instruments these people had. Where did they come from?

The Oxford Companion to the English Language The plot sucks, and there's no continuity whatsoever, but if you really want to know about orthoepy, homographs, or epenthesis, this is the place to go.

Collapse by Jared Diamond. Scary recitation of how some societies just went down the drain by destroying their environments. Every step of the way they seemed to realize what they were doing, but just couldn't bring themselves to arrest the downward spiral. Poorly edited, prolix, nowhere near as tight as Guns, Germs and Steel -- but then, we can't expect an author to turn out nothing but Pulitzer Prize winners, can we?

I recently read a book I got from Amazon called Amongst The Marines by Steven Preece. I had to wait nearly 5 weeks to receive my book, but beleive me it was worth the wait. I was a little dismayed that Amazon had not listed a synopsis for the book, but found a copy on the Amazon.ca website which sounded right up my street. It was violent, disgusting, hilariously funny and yet at times I would say quite sad. A good read about what goes on amonsgt the ranks. Anybody else read this?

I just read Warriors of God : Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade a very good read.

It is a historical account of the Third Crusade. Very interesting and the author is a good storyteller. The work is footnoted fairly well and thus the history of the book is accurate.

I just read 'The Welsh Wars of Edward I' by John Morris. It was a very tough read (it took me four weeks to get through it) but it left me with a good understanding of the logistics of early English (pre Crecy) military campaigns.

I'd recommend it to any one who was interested in the period. Morris is a difficult author to read since he was a Victorian historian, but he uses the sound method of looking at the costs of the campaign for his research and as often as not is able to breakdown the composition of the armies used by Edward against the Welsh by virtue of the accounts kept.

I am currently about halfway through the book Scotland: The Story of a Nation, by Magnus Magnusson. I've always wanted to learn more about Scottish history since I traced my genealogy back several centuries, with a majority centered around Scotland.
The book is pretty thick and entirely non-fiction, but I'm finding it easy to read and hard to put down.
Up until now my knowledge of Scottish history has been a smattering of readings and the plot of Braveheart.

I'm in the middle of Queen of the South, by Arturo Perez-Reverte. I love latin fiction and this one doesn't disappoint. It says on the jacket - LaCarre meets Gabriel Garcia-Marquez, which may be a little generous to LaCarre. Hoping to tackle this one in Spanish after I get through the translation.

Speaking of serial killers, got through devil in the white city, which was a fascinating look at both a serial killer, and the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, which really shaped this city.

I'm also browsing Arrogance, by Bernie Goldberg, which will make you mad if you have a thing about 'liberal media bias.'

desire of the everlasting hills, by Thomas Cahill. It's a historical take on Jesus' life as seen through the eyes of people living at the time, giving some context to the gospels. Pretty interesting, I'm picking of a chapter here and there.

The Bluegrass Conspiracy – Sally Denton

A true story set in the heart of horse country, Lexington, KY, the book focuses on “The Company”, an organization that was headed up by offspring of connected, blue blooded gentried Southern families who started with petty crimes and ended up taking their operations to the highest level. It confirms what I always suspected: the Lexington police force was a corrupt bunch involved with the cover up of murders, gun running and drug smuggling. And not only the local police but corrupt state police, CIA and DEA agents as well.

Although at times it reads more like a history book than narrative prose this book intrigued me on several levels.

I knew a lot of the major players. They often frequented the restaurant/bar that I worked at in college and the years following. I was invited into their homes for Derby parties and to their country clubs as a guest to play golf. Although I always suspected their involvement in something much larger than their known businesses, at that time I had no idea they were entangled in an international web of nefarious dealings.

The book covers the connections from Lexington to Caesars Palace in Vegas, to major drug lords in America, their associates in Columbia and some of the most infamous mobsters in the country. One of the main antagonists, a dare devil, brash pilot and survivalist type who went from under cover narcotics cop to reengage outlaw, is believed to have played a major part in the Iran/Contra affair. Flying planes into South America loaded with guns and returning with cocaine provided by the cartels. All the while under complete protection from the highest levels of government.

Some of you may remember the story in the mid 80’s of a Knoxville TN man who awoke one morning to find a stranger splattered in his back yard with an unopened parachute and a duffle bag full of cocaine wrapped around his neck. The flattened stranger was the ex Lexington narcotics officer who many believe was a dispensable pawn in the Iran/Contra affair.

It examines the destruction of the political career of then Kentucky governor and multi-millionaire John Y Brown. Who along with his former Ms. America wife were billed as the all American couple and how he was one of the leading candidate for the Democratic nomination for President in the 1984 election. It discusses his connection to and continued friendship with former president Bill Clinton, it stops just short of the Mena airport story in Arkansas where DEA agents and other top American officials protected gun runners and drug smugglers. But the ties and similarities are obvious.

One thing is perfectly clear: the largest drug smuggler in America during the 70’s and 80’s was the good ole U.S. of A. This book reinforces my belief that in a lot of instances our government is not to be trusted and will stoop to unimaginable depths.

I'm on Thomas Pynchon's 'Gravity's Rainbow'.

It's a great read - although a little dense and hard to follow at times. I've heard that the work is comparable to Ulysses, but I'm finding this far more accessible (although its been a while since I read anything by Joyce, so perhaps I've just become a better reader!)

Anyway, good book - but not a quick read by any means!

I've copied the synopsis off www.amazon.ca for this book:

Amongst the Marines is Steven Preece's first-hand account of life as an elite Royal Marine Commando. He delivers a direct and unflinching depiction of the excessive and often shocking lifestyle of the Marines and explains the impact this had on his own personality and behaviour. Preece fulfilled his childhood ambition by earning the coveted Green Beret from the Commando Training Centre at Lympstone when he was 18. He was unaware at that time of the brutal rite of passage that awaited him and all the other 'pieces of skin' (new recruits) at his first Marine commando unit. Violence in the Marines, as Steven discovered, was not limited to the battlefield but a continual part of a pervasive culture of bullying and aggression. It did not take long for Preece to be accepted into this culture and to adopt it as his own. His personality changed beyond recognition - from friendly and approachable to hard and unforgiving - as he embraced the customs and values of the 45 Commando Unit. On duty he was fit, committed and loyal, while off duty he displayed a mammoth capacity for drinking, fighting and, when the drink had run out, womanising. On home leave, Steven found it increasingly hard to adapt to civilian life. His drinking sessions in local pubs frequently ended in fights with the locals and even in violence against members of his own family. Preece earned a reputation amongst his fellow Marines for pranks and dangerous behaviour, and his eagerness to accept any challenges from other commandos eventually led him to be court-martialled. True to form, however, Preece was finally acquitted by the court. 'Amongst the Marines' is an intimate expose of the culture of the Marines, from foul practical jokes and rough justice to the off-duty orgies of drink, sex and violence. It is a no-hold-barred account of the many shocking incidents Preece witnessed and participated in, from his first day as a new recruit to his exit from the Marines with his reputation intact and his scores settled once and for all.

I can't wait for the sequal, but unfortunately I'll remain in suspense until October when Preece releases "Always a Marine".

I've read a lot of energy policy and environmental books from the late 1970s to the present. Currently, I have just about completed The End of Oil by Paul Roberts. This book is among the best on these subject of any I have encountered and it is by far the best at integrating discussions of peak oil, rising world wide demand, global warming, the inter-play between oil and national security policy, renewable energy possibilities, and the role of increased energy efficiency. The author has traveled widely and has interview oil executives, government experts, peak oil alarmists, oil sheiks, alternative energy advocates, and other energy players. Robert's has his own point of view and is not shy about expressing it but he also presents the view point of others fairly. I highly recommend this book to those concerned even marginally with these critical issues.

As one of the three people in the known universe who have actually completed Gravity's Rainbow, I can say that it is well worth the effort - though I still think his best book is V. I wouldn't really compare it to Ulysses (except insofar as it's one of those books that a lot of people start, but never finish) - the style, themes, and subject are very different. I'm anxious to see your reaction once you finish - it can be a fun ride.

I was just thinking of checking that out from the library (whenever the person who has it overdue returns it...)

I did read Guns, Germs, and Steel and it was excellent.

For those not familiar it is author Jared Diamond combining scientific disciplines to explain the large trends in human history. Why western Europe and it's offspring are currently the center of wealth and power on the planet.

Why the differing levels of industrialization between these, Asian, African, and Native American and Australian societies.

The beginning is rooted in prehistory an is less gripping but once societies we ae familiar with today are referenced it is totally engrossing.

I was reminded because it is about to be the focus of a PBS special.

Guns, Germs & Steel
Starts Monday.

Well, I've just finished it and I thought it was great! I may need to reread it - because I'm reasonably certain that there were quite a lot of jokes that may have passed me by (in fact there were probably more than a few really important plot elements that passed me by too - but never mind!)

I found it similar to Ulysses in that it uses a lot of 'stream of consciousness' narrative and does not make explicit linkages between cause and effect - i.e. events occur in the story that do actually make sense, it is just that the author doesn't always join the dots in an easy way...

But I thought it was fantastic - definitely going to read his other works.....

I'm glad you liked it! Okay, I can kinda see the Joyce comparison - though Ulysses (apart from the "Proteus" and "Penelope" chapters) isn't all that stream-of-consciousnes. But, yeah, there would certainly be structural similarities in terms of the shifting narrative, the opacity of much of the action, and so on. If you liked Gravity's Rainbow, I'd definitely recommend V. Alternate chapters are a relatively linear narrative, interspersed with seemingly unrelated chapters about the woman (or women? or places?), V., referred to fleetingly in the journal of the father of one of the characters. The writing is terrific - and frequntly very funny.

I enjoyed The Crying of Lot 49 quite a lot (it's a fairly quick read, but dense with allusions and, for all its brevity, manages to be fairly labyrinthine), but found Vineland a bit thin and almost sophomoric by comparison to his other work (more Tom Robbins than Thomas Pynchon). Mason & Dixon was okay - and had some hilarious moments - but lacked the edge of his earlier works. All three are much more straightforward narratives (well, Lot 49 is a bit ornate), lacking the chaos and heightened sense of paranoia of Gravity's Rainbow and V.