The Fifth Elephant
A Guards story that I had completely forgotten about
Month: January 2010
sopors?
Mockingbird
Intriguing science fiction from the author of The Hustler and The Color Of Money.
It’s a few hundred years in the future and a mankind coddled by robots and lulled into drugged sterility – both mental and physical is dwindling to it’s last generation until a man in Ohio learns to read..
Raising so many ideas about the nature of humanity and the burdens of artificial intelligence this is really a very good bit of science fiction.
sap?
Boneshaker
It’s got everything you’d ever want – a steampunk setting in Seattle, with zombies and airship pirates, oh and a kickass female protagonist who’s handy with a shotgun…
purple?
July, July
Apparently this is novel is made up of linked short stories covering a class a reunion.
I borrowed this book from the library and I remember NOTHING about it.
(updated January 2012)
gospodin?
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
When I first read this, Heinlein’s last truly great book, I was blown away. Of course I was a pre-pubescent teenager at the time. While this remains a vastly entertaining romp, sadly it’s dated badly by some bizarre sexual politics and heavy handed political theorizing.
egg?
The Magician’s Assistant
One of the quirks of Fife libraries is that books are often assigned to genres they plain don’t belong to. I’m guessing it’s because the people involved have to make snap decisions based on the title, cover and blurb.
This book was sporting a fantasy sticker when I borrowed it and the blurb on the back was vague enough to suggest that it could well have been a subtle fantasy novel.
In fact this a very good mainstream fiction novel about a stage magician’s assistant.
She was his wife and inherits his fortune when he dies. While they were very close, the marriage was one of convenience because he was gay.
In the course of going through his estate she discovers that, after all these years of thinking he was an orphan, he has family back home in the midwest.
I really enjoyed this book and plan to read more by this author.
bruno?
The History Of Love
Leo Gursky is a Polish Jew who arrived in America after surviving the horrors of World War 2. A writer by nature he wrote a book about the only girl he ever loved – the girl who left for the USA before German onslaught could begin.
Alma Singer is nearly fifteen, a Jewish girl growing up in New York, her family traumatised by the loss of her father. She is named after every girl in a book called A History Of Love.
After Alma’s mother is asked to translate A History Of Love from the Spanish into English events begin intertwine and histories unravel as Krauss spins the story’s threads.
This a lovely, surprisingly moving, little book about the nature of love, human connection and the power of lies and self-deception to alter lives.
I’d definitely recommend it as a read if you’re not in a particularly cynical frame of mind.
35?
Albums of 2009
1 The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love
2 Alela Diane – To Be Still
3 Saint Jude’s Infirmary – This Has Been The Death Of Us
4 Dinosaur Jr. – Farm
5 Wilco – Wilco (the album)
6 The XX – XX
7 Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
8 Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career
9 Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
10 Bill Callahan – Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
The Rest
Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Bat For Lashes – Two Suns
The Big Pink – A Brief History Of Love
Vic Chesnutt – At the Cut
De Rosa – Prevention
Empire Of The Sun – Walking On A Dream
Florence + The Machine – Lungs [Expanded]
James Grant – Strange Flowers
Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
Charlotte Hatherley – New Worlds
The Horrors – Primary Colours
The Low Anthem – Oh My God – Charlie Darwin
Madness – The Liberty Of Norton Folgate
Manic Street Preachers – Journal For Plague Lovers
Malcolm Middleton – Waxing Gibbous
Monsters Of Folk – Monsters Of Folk
The Mountain Goats – The Life Of The World To Come
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Julian Plenti – Julian Plenti Is… Skyscraper
Dave Rawlings Machine – Friend Of A Friend
St. Vincent – Actor
Taken By Trees – East Of Eden
Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures
James Yorkston & The Big Eyes Family Players – Folk Songs
58?
Books Read In 2009
1. Marrow Robert Reed A-
2. The Family Trade* Charles Stross B+
3. The Hidden Family* Charles Stross B
4. The Clan Corporate Charles Stross B
5. The Merchant’s War Charles Stross B
6. You’re Not Fooling Anyone… John Scalzi C
7. Replay Ken Grimwood A+
8. Flash Forward Robert Sawyer A-
9. American Scream: The Bill Hicks Story* Cynthia True B
10. The Android’s Dream* John Scalzi A-
11. Making Money* Terry Pratchett A-
12. Zoe’s Tale John Scalzi A
13. Old Man’s War* John Scalzi A-
14. All Fun and Games…* Christopher Brookmyre A-
15. The Last Colony* John Scalzi A
16. Nation Terry Pratchett A-
17. Witch Week* Diana Wynne Jones A+
18. Foundation* Isaac Asimov B-
19. Truckers * Terry Pratchett A-
20. Diggers* Terry Pratchett A-
21. Wings* Terry Pratchett A-
22. Hexwood Diana Wynne Jones A-
23. Foundation & Empire Isaac Asimov B+
24. Jpod* Douglas Coupland B
25. Second Foundation Isaac Asimov B
26. Choke* Chuck Pahalniuk B+
27. Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist Rachel Cohn and David Levithan B
28. Fargo Rock City* Chuck Klosterman C+
29. Night Watch* Terry Pratchett A+
30. The Summer Tree* Guy Gavriel Kay A
31. The Wandering Fire* Guy Gavriel Kay A
32. The Darkest Road* Guy Gavriel Kay A
33. Cider With Roadies Stuart Maconie B+
34. An Abundance Of Katherines John Green B+
35. Pandaemonium Christopher Brookmyre B+
36. The City and The City China Miéville A+
37. Slaughterhouse 5 Kurt Vonnegut A
38. Things The Grandchildren Should Know Mark Oliver Everett B+
39. The Status Civilization Robert Sheckley B-
40. All Families Are Psychotic Douglas Coupland B+
41. The Ninth Circle Alex Bell B+
42. The Drowned World J.G. Ballard A+
43. The Eye Of The Heron Ursula K. LeGuin A
44. Way To Go Alan Spence A
45. Gentlemen of the Road Michael Chabon B
46. Eleven David Llewellyn C
47. Unseen Academicals Terry Pratchett A-
48. The Outsider Albert Camus A-
49. Quite Ugly One Morning Christopher Brookmyre B+
50. Makers Cory Doctorow A-
51. For The Love Of The Game Michael Shaara A-
52. The Night Sessions Ken MacLeod A-
53. Country Of The Blind Christopher Brookmyre A
54. Grave Peril Jim Butcher B+
55. Soul Music* Terry Pratchett B
56. Beggars In Spain* Nancy Kress A-
57. The Thief Of Time* Terry Pratchett B+
58. The Truth* – Terry Pratchett A-
*re-read