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Book Review: The Pearl

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In 1947 the Salinas Valley native, John Steinbeck wrote The Pearl. This short (97 page) story is written in a time far ago in a little village. Some young people file a very fine pearl and it changes their lives. On the whole, I found the prose wonderfully written. That is after all that I have come to expect from this epic writer. Reviewing this is hard since I like the writing but the story was so sad, it would not be a book that I would want to read again. Since I had recently read The Red Pony which had some sad stories in it too, maybe that is a good comparison. I think I liked the Red Pony overall better. Maybe because it was longer, maybe because it wasn’t as sad. Either way, this book is worth a read if you haven’t read it before. But “mentally prepare” yourself.

2016 Wrap-Up

Time for my yearly post about all the books I read in 2016. I did not meet my goal of reading 100 books last year. I didn’t even come close. I only read 66 as you can see in the above image. Work got busy and I also enrolled and completed two certificate classes in data science from University California, Irvine.

What you won’t see in the infographic below is that I borrowed 43 books from my local library. If I had bought them on Amazon, I would have paid $561.30. That savings is worth your free library card, and a bunch of hold fees!

My local libraries saved me $561.30 in 2016!

Review: The Red Pony

I read The Red Pony by John Steinbeck as part of a summer reading program. It was a great quick read. Always a good story to be had with Steinbeck. And this one has four! I’m looking forward to find out what happens to Jody when he grows up and if he and Black Demon are as good buddies and he thought.

Steinbeck has long been one of my favorite writers. In my opinion you can not go wrong choosing to read one of his books.

Presidential Library

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 2: (AFP OUT) U.S. President Barack Obama holds up a book given to him by author Eric Metaxas, who was the keynote speaker at the National Prayer Breakfast February 2, 2012 in Washington, DC. Obama also spoke, defending his economic policies in an echo of his recent State of the Union address. (Photo by Chris Kleponis-Pool/Getty Images) — WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 2: (AFP OUT) U.S. President Barack Obama holds up a book given to him by author Eric Metaxas, who was the keynote speaker at the National Prayer Breakfast February 2, 2012 in Washington, DC. Obama also spoke, defending his economic policies in an echo of his recent State of the Union address. (Photo by Chris Kleponis-Pool/Getty Images)

I couldn’t resist posting this list of books. The following list appeared in the November Wired magazine. It is a list of books that Obama recommends for future leaders. I love book lists! BTW the book above is Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln
- This is an easy choice. One of America’s most loved presidents.
Parting Waters: America in the King Years 1954-63 by Taylor Branch
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert A. Caro
- The #1 Best Seller on Amazon in the City Planning & Urban Development category
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
- The #1 Best Seller on Amazon in the General Sociology of Race Relations category
Andy Grove: The Life and Times of an American by Richard S. Tedlow
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
- The #1 Best Seller on Amazon in the Biology & Life Sciences category
Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
- The #1 Best Seller on Amazon in the Business Decision Making category
In Dubious Battle by John Steinbeck
- Can’t go wrong with Steinbeck. One of my all-time favorite writers
Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo
- National Book Award Winner
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert
- The only book on the list that I have read. My Goodreads review: “Overall, I enjoyed this book however, I thought it was slow and overly technical at times. If you are into the why and how extinction occurs you will enjoy this book. For me the last chapter was the best chapter. The chapter on Wolly Mammoths was also very entertaining.”
- The #1 Best Seller on Amazon in the Ecology category

San Diego Comic-Con for Book Lovers

I’ve been at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) for the last three days. I have been lucky, and gotten to go to Comic-Con for the past several years. The last three years, I have concentrated on getting complimentary advanced readers copies (ARC) from publishers at the event. All the big publishers are there: HarperCollins, Disney Publishing, Penguin, Del Rey, etc.

Pictured above are those books which I was able to meet the author and get their books signed. Only one above, Life Debt, was paid for. This is one I have been excited for, so paying was no big deal!

Obtaining books at Comic-Con is not difficult but it takes some research. I plan out my days before hand. Looking to see who will be signing in what booth at what time. But much harder than the planning is getting tickets. Approximately 130,000 people attend Comic-Con and getting tickets to the show is extremely difficult, but tickets are open to everyone.

The photo above are the books that I have gotten from the first three days, Wednesday – Friday. I’m going to go again tomorrow and on Sunday. Today alone I received 15 copies of books, well 14 books and one audiobook. My backpack was VERY heavy!

I’m very happy to have the opportunity to meet the authors and publishers of some of my favorite books. I thank them all for being there! I’m excited for the last two days of the show.

Summer Reading Programs

The summer has started and that means that libraries around the country have started their summer reading programs encouraging patrons to check out books and visit their local library branch more often. For my part I visit my local libraries (at least 2) once or twice a week. During the summer and the rest of the year, but summer reading programs are fun!

There are usually freebies attached to the number of books you read. Summer reading programs are not just for kids either. While my kids are enrolled in summer reading programs so am I. Both my nearby libraries have adult reading programs running in parallel with the kids programs. Why would adults want to participate? How about a winning an iPad mini or $150 Target gift card? These are the top prizes that both my local libraries are giving away to participants in the summer reading program.

In July of last year (when the reading program starts) I read 20 books in a single month. That’s a lot for me! I currently have a list for all the books I want to read as part of the program. Next to each title is the call number (book library location) for both of my local libraries. Meaning by reading one book I can claim credit for reading it in both libraries programs.

I’ve finished 4 books MTD this July, so I have a lot to read to keep up with what I did last year. I have about 30 books listed on my summer reading list and more being added all the time. I hope I can get to them all. I’m always looking for more time to sneak in reading. Wish me luck and go check out your local libraries summer reading program.

Review: The Fall of the House Usher

The Fall of the House Usher by Edgar Allan Poe is a short story, 36 pages, that even though I have not read the Tell Tale Heart I have to believe is super similar. The story starts when the main character is invited to cheer up a childhood friend. The main character visits the house Usher and a verbose amount of description starts about the house and how spooky and depressing it is. Turns out his friend is all bummed because his sister is wasting away.

The sister dies after a long illness that the doctors can’t figure out. They bury her under the main characters bedroom. Weird right? Of course she isn’t dead and comes after her brother. She falls on him and I guess both are dead the main character who is telling us the story runs from the house scared out of his wits.

This story for me demonstrated how a whole great story can be told in only 36 pages. Writing short stories can be hard, but Poe nails this one!

Review: Unreasonable Men

I was lucky enough to have Unreasonable Men: Theodore Roosevelt and the Republican Rebels Who Created Progressive Politics sent to me for free from St. Martin’s Press as part of The History Book Club, of which I am a member. The opinions expressed below are my own.

Michael Wolraich moves you ten detailed and fascinating chapters, through the progressive politics of Theodore Roosevelt’s era. In the story you will get to know the players like “Fighting Bob” La Follette and Teddy himself as well as a larger cast of personalities. This well researched history takes you through a time in American politics that has been largely forgotten.

I found the book riveting and the story fun and education as my understanding of this period and the players was limited.

If you are interested in this topic I encourage you to browse through the discussion forms at History Book Club and read all the great information that club moderators put together as well as many comments from the author himself!

Book Review: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

I gave The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo to my wife for Mother’s Day. It was meant to be a slight joke. My wife falls into the third category that Kondo points out in her book:

the “can’t-throw-it-away” type, the “can’t-put-it-back” type, and the “first-two-combined” type.

When I gave this to my wife on mother’s day my mother-in-law was also over at our home celebrating. When my wife opened the gift she rolled her eyes, but my mother-in-law shrieked. She said she had had this book on hold at the library for months, waiting to read it.

Since my mother-in-law has such a reaction we made sure she had a copy. As she read it (she reads faster than my wife) we discussed it and the book interested me. It’s a short read. While 224 pages long the text is large. So, I decided to read it as well. So, now we have three copies in the family.

As I read the book though, I found it read surprisingly fast and smooth. I also found lots of tid-bits to use. Kondo states, that you should clean house in a particular order:

The best sequence is this” clothes first, then books, papers, komono (miscellany), and lastly mementos

I agree with this list as the easiest things to drop are listed first. However, books would come after papers and komono for me.

As this all these self-help type books there are things you will take away from them and others that you will prefer to leave.

Star Wars: Chewbacca

Star Wars: Chewbacca is one of the most recent comic book complications in the new Star Wars Cannon. I had to wait a long time for this one to come in from our library.

The story starts with Chewbacca stranded on a strange planet after crash landing. Soon trouble finds him in the form of a tween girl. She needs his help and lovable caring Chewbacca is there for her after his usual complaints that no one can understand.

The story follows the battle against the bad local bad guys and eventually Chewbacca and his new little pal have to part ways. Chewbacca proceeds to his original destination Kashyyyk, his home planet, where he is able to finally deliver a box. We are never told what is the box, but I got the feeling it was the remains of a fallen comrade.