The Manhattan Projects cannot be described as an uplifting experience, but it is definitely one hell of a crazy ride.
Read More »‘How We Got to Now’ is a fascinating intersection between science, history and sociology
This book is truly fascinating and a must read for all who enjoy studying the intersection where science, history, and sociology cross. Johnson is a highly accomplished tangential thinker and is very adept at delineating the indirect, non-linear cause and effect.
Read More »‘The Paying Guests’ is a well-crafted tale of a lesbian love affair in post-WW1 London | review
This is a tightly wound tale of a cataclysmically imploding infidelity with a distinctly gothic noire flavor. Waters is very good at her craft, but the main caution about this book is that it is not one for the optimist.
Read More »Jeffrey Kluger warns of an epidemic of self-obsession in ‘The Narcissist Next Door’
With an engaging style and the sense of an adept storyteller, Kruger takes us through the ins and outs of pathological self-love and all the varieties of the disease.
Read More »Sherlock Holmes comes out of retirement to solve a string of mysterious suicides in ‘The Spirit Box’
This novel is yet another delightful addition to Titan Books' excellent Sherlock series.
Read More »Sci-fi author Robert A. Heinlein bio is extraordinarily detailed but a frustrating read
I cannot say that this was an easy book to wade through, nor was it particularly well-written. But it is a thoroughly educational, unadulterated view of the process of a successful writer.
Read More »‘Howtoons: [Re]ignition’ is a fun, educational comic that engages kids in science
The mission of 'Howtoons: [Re]ignition' is to educate and engage kids in the science knowledge necessary for them to function within and positively impact the world they will inherit. It does a fabulous job.
Read More »Dragonlance creator returns with mysterious, transcendental ‘Unwept’
Unwept is written with a graceful, transcendental tone that enhances its mystery. This first volume suggests that the Nightbirds trilogy will be a strong edition to the fantasy genre.
Read More »No missteps in the hot and sensual ‘Mambo in Chinatown’
Jean Kwok’s writing style is simple and direct but magnificent. The dancing in the novel is wonderfully described with all the heat and sensuality of D.H. Lawrence.
Read More »‘Mentats of Dune’ oozes the hatred and horrors of ideological warfare
The importance of the Dune books is that they are indeed a great read but they are quite a bit more than that. They are exploration of the entanglements of science, religion and politics and the morality and immorality uniquely endemic to each. Mentats of Dune has continued this vein of introspection and is a quality addition to the series.
Read More »J.K. Rowling becomes a man again in entertaining mystery ‘The Silkworm’
The story of The Silkworm itself is quite good and makes for a brisk read, but what is best about this book, and head and shoulders above The Cuckoo’s Calling, is the character development.
Read More »‘Me Before You’ sparks healthy discussions of illness, despair, suicide and hope
The true value of this book is that it is a conduit for a dialog between the seriously ill and their families and caregivers, so that the caregivers might truly be able to understand the pain and debilitation of the patient, and that the patient might respect the crucial role of supporters as a steady and reliable holdfast of hope.
Read More »Throwback Thursday: a geek’s guide to great 70s TV
For this Throwback Thursday, I thought I'd dust off the TV Guide and break out some suggestions from an era when you could count the number of available channels on one hand.
Read More »Psychic detective Delia returns in ‘A Barricade in Hell’
The story in A Barricade in Hell is strong throughout, and Jaime Lee Moyer’s descriptions, settings and historical details remain as wonderfully well-painted as in the first novel.
Read More »Stephen King’s ‘Mr. Mercedes’ is the ultimate summer binge read
No matter whether he is operating on the astral plane or one nearer to reality, Stephen King remains a master storyteller and Mr. Mercedes is no rule-proving exception. The master has done it again. This is the ultimate binge-read of the summer.
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