Reading Economy: January Report
Posted 21 Jan, 2006 at 22:10 by kael in /Books | Permanent link
My reading has apparently been more scattered than what Matt's been reading lately.
What I've read recently:
- The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature, Matt Ridley:
It is what it says on the label. The way it does it is quite interesting. If you aren't scratching your head or sitting up and asking yourself if you believe what he's saying, then you're not really reading this book. You don't have to accept all of his arguments (I don't) or facts (I haven't decided on that), but he does a good job of forming a compelling argument.
Read this if you're comfortable re-evaluating your behaviour! Buy! - Wayfarer's Redemption, Sara Douglass:
It's fluffy fantasy fiction, but as FFF goes, it's actually pretty good. It reminds me of the better parts of Edding's and Jordon's various marathonologies, without bogging down much. It is only the first of a six part series, but it's great!
Read this if you have the time. Borrow!
In the spirit of http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?ReadingDebt
Reading Deficit
- Foreigner, Invader
Inheritor, C. J. Cherryh:
One of the best bits of social SF I've read in a long time. Bren Cameron is the human ambassador to the Atevi, a race of intelligent humanoids humans stumbled across two hundred years ago. The catch is, they did it by accident, they can't get back to earth, and they have to settle on the Atevi planet in order to survive. Oh, and the Atevi are mentally wired very differently from humans, and think assassination is a perfectly legitimate method for dealing with trouble.
For what it's worth, I'm on the third book. Apparently it he's working on the third trilogy in the same world, but from a different perspective. The strength of this trilogy is definately in the political and cultural descriptions of the world. I'll skewer my own opinion by pointing out that those who don't like introspective characters or books will probably be yawning about half-way through the first one.
Really Read this book! Borrow! - Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, Daniel Goleman: Doesn't seem quite as good as it did the first time I'm reading it. Part of that's probably because some of the lessons stuck the first time I read it, or because I've learned some of the lessons the hard way since. Read this book if you haven't read it already! Beg, borrow, or steal!
Reading Debt
- How To Read a Book, Charles Van Doren & Mortimer Adler:
Does what it says on the label. Click on the title if you want more info. - Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty: The Only Networking Book You'll Ever Need, Harvey Mackay:
Practical, but in a completely different way. The fellow who recommended this to me really couldn't recommend it enough.
Comments (2 comments so far)
Yes... CJ Cherryh is a fairly talented writer. I read The Faded Sun trilogy and quite enjoyed it.
I also read Sara Douglas' Axe Trilogy and enjoyed it, though found the same as you... decent reading, but fluffy fantasy when you come down to it.
Perhaps you'd consider a swap so we can each read the other work by these?
Posted 2006/1/22 08:59:58 by
Blue
Swaps
Unfortunately, the bolded titles are the only ones on the list that are also in my personal library.I heartily recommend borrowing the others from the TPL. For one thing, it's cheap!
I'm slowly working on a homemade library list.... Posted 2006/1/23 00:07:03 by Kael