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Sphere
Michael Crichton
Read 10/21/07
An excellent Crichton book. A bit like Andormedia Strain in there is a group of people in an artificial environment to solve a problem. I generally enjoy Crichton but sometimes there is too much conflict in the story, this book had some but it was in tune with the story and not overwhelming. It is interesting as you read more from an author that certain patterns emerge.
Anyway.. without giving away this story it is a great sci-fi story.. a group of scientist are assembled to investigate something for the Navy.. no one is sure what is going on.. very mysterious.. then people start dying.. in the end there are only a few left.. will they make it? Is one of them behind the others deaths? What of the mysterious forces at work.. we will ever understand them.
This book wraps things up nicely.. leaving some to the readers imagination, but just enough information to put all the pieces together :)
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Main Street (44)
Main Street
Sinclair Lewis
On February 1, 2006 I finished Tom Brokaw's A Long Way From Home which is about his growing up in the 1950's. In it he made frequent references to Main Street by Sinclair Lewis. Shortly after finishing his book I found Main Street at a library book sale. The book was written in 1920, and I have a 19th edition hard cover published in April 1921.
The book follows Carol (Carrie) from the time after college as she starts a quest to find enjoyment and fulfillment from her life. She marries a country Doctor from Gopher Prairie MN and moves there with him (from Minneapolis). She has a hard time adjusting to small town life and gossipy people. She struggles to find friends she can relate to and often finds the people she confides in are not what they seem, or they somehow leave her life. I can't do justice to the book in a small blog entry but there is the on-going struggle for her to become happy with her life.. which if you look at the larger issues is just as valid today as it was 87 years ago. I think this is also an interesting look at small town life back before WWI.
The book isn't quick reading there is a lot of philosophizing as well as following her through the things she does.
It IS a wonderful book and well worth a read today. Lewis became the first American writer to win the Nobel Prize in Lit, and Main Street was his third novel and his first big success.
I also have Elmer Gantry another one of his novels, in the same binding as Main Street which was in a summer home my parents bought (furnished) years ago.. some day I will get to that as well. It appears that the copyrights on most (if not all) of Sinclair Lewis' works have expired and not been renewed. You can download zip files of many of his books from Universities and other places.. A google search will help you out.
Sinclair Lewis
On February 1, 2006 I finished Tom Brokaw's A Long Way From Home which is about his growing up in the 1950's. In it he made frequent references to Main Street by Sinclair Lewis. Shortly after finishing his book I found Main Street at a library book sale. The book was written in 1920, and I have a 19th edition hard cover published in April 1921.
The book follows Carol (Carrie) from the time after college as she starts a quest to find enjoyment and fulfillment from her life. She marries a country Doctor from Gopher Prairie MN and moves there with him (from Minneapolis). She has a hard time adjusting to small town life and gossipy people. She struggles to find friends she can relate to and often finds the people she confides in are not what they seem, or they somehow leave her life. I can't do justice to the book in a small blog entry but there is the on-going struggle for her to become happy with her life.. which if you look at the larger issues is just as valid today as it was 87 years ago. I think this is also an interesting look at small town life back before WWI.
The book isn't quick reading there is a lot of philosophizing as well as following her through the things she does.
It IS a wonderful book and well worth a read today. Lewis became the first American writer to win the Nobel Prize in Lit, and Main Street was his third novel and his first big success.
I also have Elmer Gantry another one of his novels, in the same binding as Main Street which was in a summer home my parents bought (furnished) years ago.. some day I will get to that as well. It appears that the copyrights on most (if not all) of Sinclair Lewis' works have expired and not been renewed. You can download zip files of many of his books from Universities and other places.. A google search will help you out.
The Mediterranean Caper (43)
The Mediterranean Caper
Clive Cussler
This was the first book written by Cussler and the first Dirk Pitt book. It is not quite as detailed as later books but sets Pitt us as the 'super human' we have come to expect. A few noticable difference.. in this book Pitt is not he hansome man he is described in later books.. although he does get the girl in this one - lol. Also a book written in 1973, Pitt is chain smoking during much of the book.
I bought this book back in the 80's and was not sure if I had read it before. I had.. I don't really remember the story, but a few of the parts I did recall.
Clive Cussler
This was the first book written by Cussler and the first Dirk Pitt book. It is not quite as detailed as later books but sets Pitt us as the 'super human' we have come to expect. A few noticable difference.. in this book Pitt is not he hansome man he is described in later books.. although he does get the girl in this one - lol. Also a book written in 1973, Pitt is chain smoking during much of the book.
I bought this book back in the 80's and was not sure if I had read it before. I had.. I don't really remember the story, but a few of the parts I did recall.
On A Clear Day You Can See GM
On A Clear Day You Can See GM
John Z Delorean
After reading Hailey's fictional account of the auto industry I thought I would read a factual one. I remember when this book came out, long before John's legal/drug problems. I had picked up the paperback some time ago and never read it.
The book starts out with his resigning from GM.. but it follows no pattern. Time jumps around from past future and present in no order and seemingly without a real story. In just a short while I was able to learn that everybody was against John and nobody had as much pizaaz and style as him. I leafed through the rest of the book and decided I could not finish it. It seemed to be mostly petty differences with managers etc.. things that no longer have any bearing when read nearly 30 years later. I don't care about the Vega, or who wouldn't let him redecorate his office.
I seldom start a book I don't finish.. but this was one I could not waste my time on. I love reading about the auto industry.. but this one is definitely a skipper.
John Z Delorean
After reading Hailey's fictional account of the auto industry I thought I would read a factual one. I remember when this book came out, long before John's legal/drug problems. I had picked up the paperback some time ago and never read it.
The book starts out with his resigning from GM.. but it follows no pattern. Time jumps around from past future and present in no order and seemingly without a real story. In just a short while I was able to learn that everybody was against John and nobody had as much pizaaz and style as him. I leafed through the rest of the book and decided I could not finish it. It seemed to be mostly petty differences with managers etc.. things that no longer have any bearing when read nearly 30 years later. I don't care about the Vega, or who wouldn't let him redecorate his office.
I seldom start a book I don't finish.. but this was one I could not waste my time on. I love reading about the auto industry.. but this one is definitely a skipper.
Wheels (42)
Wheels
Arthur Hailey
This was written in 1970 about the Auto industry. A very detailed book.. the author obviously did his homework on Detroit and the industry in general. It is interesting the things which are far off idea in the book.. mostly have come true.. fuel injection, safety, fuel economy.. all issues in the book that have happened. The book also looks at not only the industry, but life on the line. The plight of the inner city person and how working at the line can change their life (hopefully for the better).
I enjoyed this book. This author also did Airport which I read about 25 years ago and enjoyed. A few years ago I started reading his novel Overload but could not get very far before quitting.
Arthur Hailey
This was written in 1970 about the Auto industry. A very detailed book.. the author obviously did his homework on Detroit and the industry in general. It is interesting the things which are far off idea in the book.. mostly have come true.. fuel injection, safety, fuel economy.. all issues in the book that have happened. The book also looks at not only the industry, but life on the line. The plight of the inner city person and how working at the line can change their life (hopefully for the better).
I enjoyed this book. This author also did Airport which I read about 25 years ago and enjoyed. A few years ago I started reading his novel Overload but could not get very far before quitting.
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