January Reading Thread

[Dave Vicks]

IT WORKED FOR ME. Colin Powell &
Tom Koltz.2012.

 

[Elentarri]

~Irresistible by Joshua Paul Dale [nonfiction, sociology, history, science]

This is a fascinating examination of what makes things "cute", why and how this "cuteness" influences human behaviour, as well as a historical examination of the development of the cultural phenomena as shown in literature and art. The author starts off with Ancient Japanese cuteness in the form of Ancient Japanese literature The Pillow Book, and goes all the way to Japanese kawaii culture, teddy bears, Pokemon and Hello Kitty, with some comparison to American culture, also the changing views of children, and the domestication of dogs (and humans), and the influence of cuteness on a changing society in general, and its use in marketing. I found the chapters on the interaction between biology and culture particularly interesting. The focus on Japanese culture was also a nice change. A complimentary book to this one is Survival of the Friendliest by Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods.​

 

[Dave Vicks]

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE. 1976
Anne Rice.
Audio.

 

[dask]

Started this, ironic considering the endless train of atmospheric rivers we’ve been slammed with the past couple of months. Still, it’s a Christmas gift from my wife and so far it’s very good.

 

[Extollager]

I expect soon to finish Winter, the fourth and final book in Tiina Nunnally's translation of Sigrid Undset's Master of Hestviken quartet. The books are very fine but generally somber, appropriately for the themes.

 

[Danny McG]

. I didn't like Tale of Two Cities, but I had to dissect it at school which kills any enthusiasm anyone has for books

I still know men I went to school with who've never read a book for pleasure since those days, their entire reading consists of the newspaper sports pages and an occasional magazine about football

 

[Elentarri]

I still know men I went to school with who've never read a book for pleasure since those days, their entire reading consists of the newspaper sports pages and an occasional magazine about football

That's very sad, but I also know people like that.

 

[Elentarri]

~Seventy Great Inventions of the Ancient World edited by Brian M. Fagan

I think this is what is considered a coffee table book? The book is larger than usual, has loads of colour photos and illustrations, and 70 short chapters of (usually) 2-4 pages in length on a wide variety of topics such as basketry, glass making, weaving, smelting, stone architecture, agricultural tools, watermills, pumps, wheeled vehicles, camel saddles, bridges, sailing vessels, navigation, methods and tools for war and hunting, plumbing, water supply, skis, games, musical instruments, writing instruments, calendars, cartography, surgical instruments, cosmetics, etc. Each topic could become a whole book in itself, but this book provides a lovely broad and concise overview of the 70 great inventions of the ancient world, as selected by the editor. It provides something to think about and a starting off point for more research.​

 

[williamjm]

I finished Adrian Tchaikovsky's Days of Shattered Faith, the third in his Tyrant Philosophers fantasy series (I'm unclear whether more novels are planned, there's definitely potential for them). I thought the first two books in the series were excellent and I also liked this one a lot. Initially it looked like it might only have loose connections to the earlier books, but as the book goes on there are several returning characters showing up and often playing significant roles. The long-term repercussions of the events in the second book on Pallaseen society also start to become evident. I thought the new setting of Alkhalend that is explored in this book was one of the highlights, after two books set in areas under the control of the Pallaseen regime it's an interesting change of perspective to see it from the outside. This also leads to an interesting dynamic in the succession contest between the two princes of Alkhalend where one of them is more sympathetic and likeable than the other, but at the same time is clearly underestimating the dangers of accepting aid from the Pallaseen. The plot does take some interesting twists, and while some of the events have a sense of inevitability to them there are also some sudden reversals in fortune. I think one aspect where I think this was slightly weaker than the previous books was that the lead characters were not as compelling, I think Loret in particular remains enigmatic for most of the book even when we are seeing things from her perspective. However, there are some good supporting characters, some returning and some new.

I then read T Kingfisher's novella Minor Mage, which I enjoyed. Although the premise seems whimsical (a young and inexperienced magician sets out with his armadillo familiar to try to bring back rains for his village), it does have a few darker moments in it.

I've now started Jeff Vandermeer's City of Saints and Madmen, which I was expecting to be a bit weird based on its reputation and it is living up to that. Out of the two sections I've read so far I preferred the historical text of the founding of the city, the extensive footnotes were fun.

 

[BAYLOR]

I finished Adrian Tchaikovsky's Days of Shattered Faith, the third in his Tyrant Philosophers fantasy series (I'm unclear whether more novels are planned, there's definitely potential for them). I thought the first two books in the series were excellent and I also liked this one a lot. Initially it looked like it might only have loose connections to the earlier books, but as the book goes on there are several returning characters showing up and often playing significant roles. The long-term repercussions of the events in the second book on Pallaseen society also start to become evident. I thought the new setting of Alkhalend that is explored in this book was one of the highlights, after two books set in areas under the control of the Pallaseen regime it's an interesting change of perspective to see it from the outside. This also leads to an interesting dynamic in the succession contest between the two princes of Alkhalend where one of them is more sympathetic and likeable than the other, but at the same time is clearly underestimating the dangers of accepting aid from the Pallaseen. The plot does take some interesting twists, and while some of the events have a sense of inevitability to them there are also some sudden reversals in fortune. I think one aspect where I think this was slightly weaker than the previous books was that the lead characters were not as compelling, I think Loret in particular remains enigmatic for most of the book even when we are seeing things from her perspective. However, there are some good supporting characters, some returning and some new.

I then read T Kingfisher's novella Minor Mage, which I enjoyed. Although the premise seems whimsical (a young and inexperienced magician sets out with his armadillo familiar to try to bring back rains for his village), it does have a few darker moments in it.

I've now started Jeff Vandermeer's City of Saints and Madmen, which I was expecting to be a bit weird based on its reputation and it is living up to that. Out of the two sections I've read so far I preferred the historical text of the founding of the city, the extensive footnotes were fun.

Those all sound quite interesting

Two suggestions
The Kagan the Damed Trilogy by John Maberry it'd Game of Thrones meets The King in Yellow , Cthulhu , Hastur and the outer gods
1. Kagan the Damned
2. Son of the Poison Rose
3. A Dragon in Winter

By Felix Palma
1. Map of Time
2. Map of the Sky
3. Mp of Chaos