DISLAIMER: While I identify as Christian, I am not a "crazy Christian" or a "Republican Christian" (increasingly the same thing, I'm afraid); I'm moreDISLAIMER: While I identify as Christian, I am not a "crazy Christian" or a "Republican Christian" (increasingly the same thing, I'm afraid); I'm more a New York liberal science/evolution non-literalist Christian who just tries to be nice to people. But still, yeah, a Christian.
Not sure how I stumbled onto this book, but once I did it sounded kinda fun, in that it takes the weirder stories from the Bible - drunk & naked Noah, talking donkeys and fighting bears, ball grabbing, angel sex and the various references to farts, poop and boobs - and uses them to deliver legitimate and generally thought-provoking mini-sermons. French is a youth pastor, so his humor is sometimes pretty immature, but this did make for a good commute listen over a week or so. (The audiobook is not listed on GR, but is available on Hoopla)
Recommended, if only for a fairly specific audience.
Merged review:
DISLAIMER: While I identify as Christian, I am not a "crazy Christian" or a "Republican Christian" (increasingly the same thing, I'm afraid); I'm more a New York liberal science/evolution non-literalist Christian who just tries to be nice to people. But still, yeah, a Christian.
Not sure how I stumbled onto this book, but once I did it sounded kinda fun, in that it takes the weirder stories from the Bible - drunk & naked Noah, talking donkeys and fighting bears, ball grabbing, angel sex and the various references to farts, poop and boobs - and uses them to deliver legitimate and generally thought-provoking mini-sermons. French is a youth pastor, so his humor is sometimes pretty immature, but this did make for a good commute listen over a week or so. (The audiobook is not listed on GR, but is available on Hoopla)
Recommended, if only for a fairly specific audience....more
In true Agatha Christie style, this book is seriously over-plotted and too cute by half, but hey—that's the genre; and I gotta say this was a real pagIn true Agatha Christie style, this book is seriously over-plotted and too cute by half, but hey—that's the genre; and I gotta say this was a real page-turner (or the audio equivalent) from first word to last period.
Other readers complain about the "breaking the fourth wall" style, but I actually enjoyed it. The first person narrative is such an artificial construct to begin with—someone is actually telling a story to…who exactly?; and so why not incorporate that weird fact into the narrative itself? Anyway—worked for me.
There are already two other books in this series, so may return at some point—but only after a good while, since as enjoyable as it was, I'm guessing a little of this will go a long way....more
Nice companion/follow-up to DK's more massive Battle: A Visual Journey Through 5000 Years of Combat. While that book has 1/4- to 1/2-page summaries ofNice companion/follow-up to DK's more massive Battle: A Visual Journey Through 5000 Years of Combat. While that book has 1/4- to 1/2-page summaries of nearly every famous battle ever fought (13 for the American Civil War alone), this more manageable book focuses on a much smaller selection and goes into considerably greater depth (2-4 pages each) on those battles that — at least in DK's opinion — most impacted history, (for comparison the Civil War here is just Gettysburg and Antietam). Have only visited around five of the sites listed here — so time to hit the road! ...more
Before videogames, before the internet, before even Lego and Toys 'R' Us…there were plastic model kits, taking up a good portion of the toy shelves atBefore videogames, before the internet, before even Lego and Toys 'R' Us…there were plastic model kits, taking up a good portion of the toy shelves at every Woolworth's, W.T. Grant's, Kresge's (forerunner of Kmart) and even the local (and at that time, family-run) drugstore. And not those snap together, molded-in-a-dozen-colors Gundam robots that my son was into in the early 2000's — no, I'm talking glue and X-acto knives and 15¢ bottles of Testors paint (which now cost $2.99); I'm talking those shitty decals that you soaked in water and which then tore when you tried to apply them, and chrome pieces that you had to scrape so the glue would stick, and those glue fingerprints on the clear pieces that you could NEVER fix…
So yeah — a good chunk of my pre-teen boomer childhood, and good times all. In fact, I only searched out and ordered this after reading several way more serious books about WWI, WWII and Vietnam, and realizing that with pretty much every picture of a tank, plane or helicopter, my first thought was "yup, built that; built that; built that…"
This book doesn't include as many listings or pictures as I was hoping for; and as an American kid growing up in the '50s and '60s we were ALL about Revell and Aurora, maybe a Monogram thrown in if we were really pressed, but we'd never even HEARD of Airfix or Tamiya then. What it DOES offer is a nice history on the origins of plastic model kits (a direct result of WWII and the rise of plastics in general as a replacement for rubber, which had become scarce due to the Japanese invading England's rubber-producing colonies in the Far East), and then profiles of all the major — as well as most of the minor — players in what was once a very crowded field. The book then concludes with chapters on model "genres" (because all serious modelers are specialists), and on kit collecting as a hobby, (i.e., "DON'T UNWRAP THAT BOX!!!!").
This is a British publication, and so leans heavily into the European obsession with planes, trains and tanks, as well as the related toy soldier and diorama industries,* (Ward devotes a full 36 pages to Britain’s Airfix, while its main foreign competitors Revell and Tamiya get just 14 apiece, and everyone else a brief 2-4 page spread). And since it was published in 2012, it came out before the latest trilogy of Star Wars movies and live action TV series, and so doesn't include the whole family of models that THOSE inspired; nor does it even anticipate the increasingly popular 3D-printing model market. It also helps to keep Google handy when reading this, as while there are a lot of photos, there aren't nearly enough — especially of finished models. So it's fun to image search things like Aurora's knight and monster kits, anything by "Big Daddy" Roth, Germany's bizarre WWII Kettenkrad motorcycle/tank hybrid, or any one of the long list of "master modelers" Ward mentions in his final chapters.
Sadly, things like Star Wars and Gundam aside, model-making in America seems to be fading away — what remains (at least here in Northern Virginia) is a weak selection at shops like Michael's and Hobby Lobby, which just has a few short shelves of cars, cars and more cars:**
However, model-making DOES remain a popular hobby in Asia — especially Japan — and from what little I've seen, I would imagine is still fairly popular in Europe as well.
* So okay, the whole "US = cars/Europe = planes & tanks" thing DOES make sense, in that the U.S. finished the 1940’s with a roaring economy, housing market and auto industry (i.e., forward looking) — while Europe was still recovering physically, economically and psychologically from a devastating war (understandably backward looking).
** Hobby Lobby DID have 1-2 fighter planes tucked in the back, but nothing from WWI — my main interest as a kid — which was a disappointment. But then I did the math, and realized that I was building those SPADs and Fokkers just about 50 years after they were actually flying, and so that would be comparable to a kid today building a Huey or Cobra from Vietnam…which then just made me feel ANCIENT. ___________________________________
AND NOW THE PERSONAL STUFF: As I said, I was heavily into WWI planes, as well as motorcycles, dinosaurs (which along with the actual science of the day were WILDLY inaccurate), and anything cowboy-related, including Revell's series of Old West "Miniature Masterpieces," which due to their small size are the only ones my parents never tossed, God bless 'em (see pics below). My younger brother, on the other hand, grew up in the "BATMAN - the TV show!" era, and so was more into Aurora's superheroes (from the comics and cartoons, long before the movies — and they were exactly as tacky as you're imagining; just Google them) and car models, including various Batmobiles and those weird "Big Daddy" creations with various Rat Fink character figures…
And we made these things by the DOZEN, most of which — after a suitable display period — ended up in the back yard as BB gun targets…again, good times.
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(Assuming one has good eyesight and decent fine motor skills, these small-scale kits were actually easier to paint than larger models — at least in the pre-airbrush days — since it was always impossible to paint big surfaces [airplane wings, superhero costumes, etc.] without distracting brushstrokes and super-gloss finishes. And faces — just forget it; on any characters bigger than those above, if you DIDN'T paint mouths and eyes, they looked super-creepy…but if you DID, they inevitably looked like wall-eyed morons.)...more
As always, "Get Fuzzy" is a delightful and welcome 21st Century update on the long-exhausted "Garfield" formula, mimicking but vastly improving on theAs always, "Get Fuzzy" is a delightful and welcome 21st Century update on the long-exhausted "Garfield" formula, mimicking but vastly improving on the classic trio of clueless cat, dumb dog and hapless owner. And again as always, Conley remains an outstanding draftsman in the "Calvin & Hobbes" model, where each panel is a minor masterpiece.
This book is the second "treasury" of "Get Fuzzy" comics, after the best-selling Groovitude: A Get Fuzzy Treasury, so basically a continuation of those cartoons with little evolution in style or humor, (as opposed to the only other one I've read, 2014's Jerktastic Park which came out a full ten years after this one and is frankly much funnier).
Another great "McKay Used" $1 find, and I'll certainly keep an eye out for any of the four other collections that fill in the intervening decade....more
This book does the usual first-rate DK job of briefly but thoroughly covering every aspect of forestdom - not just the wholHow can you NOT love trees?
This book does the usual first-rate DK job of briefly but thoroughly covering every aspect of forestdom - not just the whole seeds/bark/cones/leaves/fruit/needles bit, but peripheral topics like the timber industry, acid rain, good and bad insects and animals, etc. - its pretty much all in there somewhere, including this interesting illustration of how (and how NOT) to cut timber in order to maximize the "good" (i.e., won't warp with the grain) amount of lumber:
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Meanwhile, in the "everything I learned in primary school is BS" category, it turns out my childhood understanding that trees are either "coniferous" or "deciduous" is totally wrong. Trees are either "coniferous" (cone-bearing) or "broadleaf" (having, y'know, broad leaves), and can be either "deciduous" or "evergreen." "Deciduous" simply means "loses its leaves in winter;" and while most deciduous trees are indeed braodleafs, there are in fact a few conifers that do shed their leaves (some larches and redwoods). Conversely, "evergreens" - which in general are your coniferous guys - actually include some broadleafs that DON'T lose their leaves at all (some oaks and magnolias). And don't even get me stared on palm trees...
Also interesting: the "dawn redwood" is apparently the "coelacanth" of the tree world, in that it was known only from fossils and so thought to be extinct up until the 1940's, when living trees discovered in China. The things you learn!...more
Wow, for a wordless cartoon about a dog and his robot, this is one complex story - and not even a particularly happy one. At best, you could maybe calWow, for a wordless cartoon about a dog and his robot, this is one complex story - and not even a particularly happy one. At best, you could maybe call it…bittersweet? Wistful?
Don't want to spoil anything here, so will only say that while it's easy to label "Dog" an asshole here, I know I have been "Dog" in at least one (and probably more) of my younger-self relationships, where if I had been a little more thoughtful, or smarter, or less selfish, that situation - and perhaps my whole life - might have turned out differently…and so I personally cut him a little more slack than I might otherwise.
But those rabbits in the boat? THEY were assholes.
Oh, and when penguin returns the snowman's clothes to dog? Heartbreaking.
This book is nominally (or at least shelved as) a children's book. But parents, I'd strongly recommend reading - and then immediately rereading - it first and then deciding; or at least being prepared to have some pretty deep conversations afterward.
The Oscar-nominated animated movie is coming to Apple+ in August....more
So - last of the EYEWITNESS "Wars of the 20th Century" books (my categorization, not theirs), as for some reason they didn't do one on Korea - never sSo - last of the EYEWITNESS "Wars of the 20th Century" books (my categorization, not theirs), as for some reason they didn't do one on Korea - never sure why that one is so often overlooked.
Similar to the previous two books (WWI, WWII) this is a typically informative overview* presented in the now-classic DK graphic style - much to learn here from a variety of angles, as can be seen from the Contents page: chemicals in war; highland struggle; medical care; heliborne warfare; the Television War; village life; war on inland waters; etc. Of particular interest (to me at least) was learning that the entirety of the Ho Chi Minh Trail (and there were actually two of them, the other being called the Sihanouk Trail) ran through Laos and Cambodia, not VIetnam itself, which kind of makes one understand more America's intensive bombing of those two countries during the war - basically, both sides were seriously ignoring and abusing their nominally neutral status.
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Despite all the carnage and tragedy - and there was a lot of carnage and tragedy - I found the most heartbreaking item a single photo and the following text at the very end: "An estimated 50,000 Vietnamese children were fathered by US soldiers. The men returned home, leaving mothers and children behind…Some were adopted in the US, but most remain outcasts in Vietnam." _________________________________
By this time, Marciuliano has become pretty much a one-trick pony - but it's still a damn good trick. This time around, many of the poems are aimed atBy this time, Marciuliano has become pretty much a one-trick pony - but it's still a damn good trick. This time around, many of the poems are aimed at people who own more than one cat...something I just find unfathomable.
I'M SORRY
I'm sorry I knocked That giant pot of pasta sauce All over your kitchen But in my defense I've already forgotten why you're upset Hey, are those floor meatballs for me?
ASSASSIN
When I kill a bug You thank me When I kill a mouse You thank me So when I kill your plants Instead of shouting "My orchids! My prize-winning orchids!" Say, "Thank you For killing them before they kill us" Because I know what I'm doing And heads up, I don't really trust your bird
GRATITUDE
I can't thank you enough For everything you've done for me Apparently Because you can't stop asking For another show of affection
HIGH COST OF LIVING
Yes I did eat That twenty you left on the counter And I appreciate your anger And I appreciate your distress But mostly I appreciate That you forgot there were two fifties along with it
OUR THOUGHTS
There is a word We cats have When we want to say "Thank you." But none of us can remember it
Slim but fascinating explanation of how 2000 years of scattered religious writings came together to create the Bible as we know it today. While other Slim but fascinating explanation of how 2000 years of scattered religious writings came together to create the Bible as we know it today. While other reviews (I'm sure rightly) describe it as "simple" and "basic," for an idiot like me it was generally revelatory - the fact that Paul's letters were actually written before the Gospels, or that as late as 1535, William Tyndale was executed - "strangled while tied to the stake, and then his body was burned" - in Belgium (of all places) for trying to translate the Old Testament into English (among other heresies - it's complicated).
Spelled out this way, it does (again, to my idiot brain) make the assumption of "divine inspiration" a bit dodgy - God would have had to be whispering in a lot of different ears over several millennia, to inspire all the original authors and subsequent organizers.
Smith does hammer his "like building a house" comparison a little hard, but by and large does pull it off. Again - fascinating information for anyone looking to understand the story behind The Story....more
Not merely "everything you could ever want to know about flags, but indeed "way more than you could every want…;" but that's a good thing for we oddbaNot merely "everything you could ever want to know about flags, but indeed "way more than you could every want…;" but that's a good thing for we oddball followers of flags/stamps/coins/banknotes/etc.* Aside from the obligatory "flags of the world" section (which takes up nearly half the book, and includes all sorts of "I never knew that" detail on how each flag came to be), there are sections on the origins and history of flags; military flags/banners; flag "families;" etc. Interesting if not riveting stuff, best read…I dunno, one chapter or half a dozen countries every other month?
* I also learned that the study of the history, symbolism and usage of flags is called vexillilogy. Who knew?? _____________________________________________
(Another under $3 find at McKay Used Books in Manassas)...more
Funny if way too foul-mouthed; I'm no prude, but when the F- and S-bombs are landing every other sentence, they soon lose their ability to either shocFunny if way too foul-mouthed; I'm no prude, but when the F- and S-bombs are landing every other sentence, they soon lose their ability to either shock or amuse.
Still, full of surprisingly useful advise; and so while it made for a fun listen, it would probably be even more valuable as a future reference as "that time approaches." ...more
Watching the latest season (4) of the excellent "The Chosen," and so wanted to know at least a little more about the various tribes, cultures and civiWatching the latest season (4) of the excellent "The Chosen," and so wanted to know at least a little more about the various tribes, cultures and civilizations that inform Jesus' story and Jewish history - and this quite fit the bill.
A disturbing blend of high art and seemingly-endless violence, I alternately marveled and winced as I learned details of jewelry making, siege warfare, agriculture (never knew Palestine had both watermelons and apples!), battle-ax design…you get the idea. Yet somewhat hopefully, what survived through the ages in physical form* was the art - pottery, goldsmithing (granulation!), bead and glass work, and unbelievable ivory carvings such as the below:
[image] (And sure, China was doing similar work at the same time, but I never knew the Middle East was equally skilled - just look at the latticework under the chairs!)
A nice, well-designed introduction to a fascinating and important part of history - and unlike a few of my other recent non-fiction reads, in a point size I can actually read! ____________________________________
* Of course, what was also passed down in less physical form is, what - four thousand years of religious hatred and conflict? So there's that......more
Didn't really like Station Eleven - think I finished it, but reluctantly at best; and couldn't get into the HBO series either - but this one sounded sDidn't really like Station Eleven - think I finished it, but reluctantly at best; and couldn't get into the HBO series either - but this one sounded somewhat more interesting, and I needed a reasonable length audiobook, so…
And well, didn't really love this either. Structurally, it seemed like a Cloud Atlas ripoff; and plot-wise, it took me well over half the book to assemble even the faintest clue about what was going on. But then, it did kinda started coming together; and when the hardcover became available at the library I switched to that, and it frankly became easier to follow. I had totally missed the (view spoiler)["recurring name" (hide spoiler)] device when listening in the car, but seeing it in print made it more of an "a-ha!" thing. And then, everything did indeed come together in a remarkable, final 25-page stretch, and so much to my surprise, am giving this four stars. But that said, think I'm done with Ms. Mandel for the foreseeable.
NOTE: This was a decidedly "soft science" book, with Mandel checking the "moon colonies," "time travel" and a few other boxes as if they were just givens in the next couple of centuries. That said, I do find the whole concept of the "simulation hypothesis" (which has been out there far longer than just this book) fascinating, and alternately scary and reassuring (depending on the day's news). The idea that we may be living in a "Matrix"-like simulation seemed WAY out there just a few years ago; but with speed-of-light advances in AI, VR, holography and other related fields, it's not as far-out an idea as previously imagined that within the next century or so, "artificial reality" could get that good...anyway, food for thought....more
"Donald Trump will be president again, whether he is on the ballot or not."
Make no mistake about it: we are so much worse off than we thought. Possibl"Donald Trump will be president again, whether he is on the ballot or not."
Make no mistake about it: we are so much worse off than we thought. Possibly. Probably. Because as Miles Taylor - the original "Anonymous" who wrote the scathing 2018 NYT editorial "I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration," which was later expanded into the 2019 bestseller A Warning - describes with frightening certainty in his latest book, whether or not Donald Trump ever wins another election (hopefully unlikely) or ends up in prison (disappointingly unlikely), his movement and followers are not going away anytime soon; and indeed, the NEXT "Trump" will probably be even MORE dangerous, as he or she is likely be more savvy, less of a buffoon and have a higher IQ…UNLESS we make some major changes to our electoral systems, or (most unlikely of all) as a country finally and collectively grow a backbone and a conscience.
More memoir than his previous book,* Blowback details the deeply conservative Republican's struggles as he joins, attempts to rein in, and finally abandons and turns against the Trump White House, while also further documenting the excesses and insanity of our former Madman-in-Chief - and it is one dark and sordid tale. Taylor tries his best to identity any potential bright side (there aren't many), listing steps that can be taken to turn our government into one that is truly representative of the majority of the American people - things like "nonpartisan redistricting" and "ranked choice voting;" both of which would be excellent and long-overdue improvements, but are in reality (or at least the current political environment) about as likely to happen as Congress overhauling the electoral college or giving Washington DC a seat in the Senate or making Puerto Rico a state.
I have long admired Taylor (and a very few others, such as Adam Kinzinger) for his courage in taking the difficult and dangerous path in opposing the increasingly Fascist MAGA movement, and continue to appreciate (one cannot say "enjoy" in regard to anything related to Trump World) him as a commentator on CNN.
This is a dismal book; but as much as I am just sick of reading about the current state of American politics, I would have to say it is an essential one - and should be read by as many Americans as possible between now and November.
Some decades ago I watched a series on PBS or NOVA or somewhere about the most common shapes in nature, and it was fascinating - just how often a few Some decades ago I watched a series on PBS or NOVA or somewhere about the most common shapes in nature, and it was fascinating - just how often a few basic shapes (I think they discussed six?) occur over and over again in the natural world whether in geography, weather, animals, plants or even outer space. Things like meanders (e.g., snakes, rivers, brain coral); hexagons (beehives, snowflakes, those basalt columns in Iceland and Ireland); branches (antlers, basket stars, circulatory and root systems); rays (dandelions, sea urchins, pine trees, mineral crystals), and the omnipresent spirals (seashells, galaxies, coiled snakes, ram horns, spiderwebs, anything Fibonacci) and circles/spheres (pretty much everything). So totally way cool stuff, but I was never able to find that show again.
But now this book comes close, if not quite as awe-inspiring as I remember that series being. Text is brief but informative, and the photos are just wonderful, although being a 1992 book the layout/production quality is a bit dated. Still, for someone who loves both nature and design (and who can love one without the other?), this was another delightful $3 find at our local monster used bookstore.
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* Thus book is also a great example of why it's so fun to own books/have a home library - I could just go over and get my Snake book to look at and enjoy the patterns again! :)...more
Did you really think That you could hide fish in rice? Oh, the green paste burns!
JUST THE TWO OF US
There is nothing like long Direct Intense Awkward Unfortunate Eye contact To help us see That maybe you put my litter box Too close to your favorite chair
THAT TOP SHELF
I think I can jump to that top shelf I want to jump to that top shelf I know I can jump to that top shelf I am jumping to that top shelf I missed that top shelf by a good six feet And now everything is on the floor And I'm left wondering Why people even bother buying china If it breaks so easily
Been reading a fair amount about Machu Picchu recently, initially as I was fascinated to learn about their unbelievably precise stonework:
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…butBeen reading a fair amount about Machu Picchu recently, initially as I was fascinated to learn about their unbelievably precise stonework:
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…but also then got into the whole history of its discovery, as well as Incan history itself, (which again just highlighted the horrific abuses of the "more civilized culture" - in this case the Spanish - in their wanton desecration, slaughter and theft…not that the Incans themselves weren't right bastards in their own internicine warfare).
Anyway, I went through several interesting books on this from the library, but as a former art school guy, this one was my favorite thanks to Lewin's beautiful watercolor illustrations:
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Short, informative, and just really beautiful....more
I figured this book would be of interest to a natural history buff and former diver like me - and then likely no one else; and so I was pretty dubiousI figured this book would be of interest to a natural history buff and former diver like me - and then likely no one else; and so I was pretty dubious about the cover sticker claiming it was a "#1 International Bestseller." But damn if it's not, with over 18,000 ratings on GR alone.
Svensson has structured the book beautifully, alternating factual chapters on all aspects of eel-ology with tales of his childhood and bonding with his father over their shared years of eel fishing (and beyond). As such, I'll say up front: 4 stars for the eel stuff, but a 5th for the lovely father-son/family story that evolves over the course of the book. Well played, Patrik!*
On the eel side…well, there was a LOT about eels, to the point where it almost (but never quite) got overwhelming - although I would still recommend this as a nightstand book to be read over time, rather than straight through as a "main read."
As to why eels are so interesting, I had frankly never really heard of "The Eel Question" before, but apparently that's been a big thing since Aristotle's time, progressing up a list of questions as the previous ones oh-so-slowly got answered: Is the eel a fish? (Yes) Does it spontaneously generate? (No) How/where/when does it spawn? (Um…) Because that last one is the truly big one, and which is only partially answered even today.
Other fun eel things I learned, in no particular order:
- Both Sigmund Freud (who was one messed up guy) and Rachel Carson (who I knew little about, but who will probably become my next obsession)** were big eel people in their pre-fame careers;
- Eels are basically immortal, if prevented from undergoing their final metamorphosis and returning to their original spawning grounds, (just Google "Brantevik eel");
- American and European eels (which differ only in their number of vertebrae) most likely spawn and begin their tremendous Gulf Stream journeys together, before the Americans turn left and the Europeans turn right - and of course, no one knows how or why;
- Eel fishing played a crucial role in both Ireland's "troubles" and the Spanish Basque separatist movements;
- The American eel played a far greater role in the original Thanksgiving than turkeys every did;
- Eels can be prepared in nearly as many ways as Forrest's pal Bubba could prepare shrimp: eel fried with rye straw; eel salted and fried with juniper brush; "sailor's" eel braised in dark beer and butter; eel stuffed with dill and salt; smoked eel; boiled eel; eel soup; etc.;
- And finally, I now know the difference between anadromous and catadromous fish, (the first spend their lives in the sea and then return to fresh water to spawn - think salmon - while the second do the reverse - think eels)
Sadly - and pretty much like all such 21st Century natural history/environment stories - this book ends on a discouraging note. Eels - which had already been around for millions of years before humans ever laid eyes on them - are considered seriously endangered, for a variety or reasons: diseases introduced by man (during attempts to breed in captivity - all of course unsuccessful) and then spread through international fish trade (thanks Japanese diners!); dams, locks and hydroelectric turbines which kill up to 70% of all eels trying to swim downstream to the ocean (the essential first step in their reproduction cycle); and of course relentless overfishing (Japan again)…and that's not even looking at the effects of climate change.
Anyway, a fascinating book for anyone interested in such things - although that said, I have to again put in a plug for the even better (at least from the wider-variety-of-purely-awesome-science POV) Eloquence of the Sardine: Extraordinary Encounters Beneath the Sea, which not only covers the same general eel story but goes into over a dozen more “absolutely astounding tales from the sea!" _______________________________
*…and handled far better than Sy Montgomery did in her otherwise excellent The Soul of an Octopus, where she unfortunately went a little overboard in her breathless "ooh, I'm touching an octopus!" and "ooh, I'm learning to scuba dive and it's hard!" stuff, and overall touchy-feely New Age-iness.
** Yeah, Rachel Carson - gonna have to read more about her. Only knew her as an Ayn Rand-type famous name connected to a famous book, but had no idea she started out as an oceanographer. Cool! Oh, and really - Freud was one seriously messed up dude; he should have probably seen a psychiatrist :D...more
Eric Ambler is one of those "golden age" names you often hear in the same sentence as others like Deighton, Hall, Higgins, Innes, MacInnes, MacLean, eEric Ambler is one of those "golden age" names you often hear in the same sentence as others like Deighton, Hall, Higgins, Innes, MacInnes, MacLean, etc. - except that while I knew the name, I knew absolutely none of his books. However, after reading the wonderful Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang: The Boom in British Thrillers from Casino Royale to The Eagle Has Landed back in 2018, I started looking for him in the cavernous racks of McKays Used Books, and so found and read the enjoyable Passage of Arms a few years back...but then lost track of him until recently finding both this book and A Quiet Conspiracy,* (which I brought home for a grand total of $1.05).
So…fun story, and unique in that you don't actually learn what the "plot within the plot" is - is it a spy story, a heist, a political thriller? - until the last 40 pages.** And it also offers a nice change of scenery from the CIA-, KGB- and MI6-heavy plots that tend to dominate the genre, in that it focuses exclusively on the Turkish intelligence and police services. Anyway, will continue to watch for other Amblers if and as they land on the shelves, and of course still have Conspiracy to get to - but no rush; these books are generally light fillers best saved for when one needs a break between weightier readings. * For some reason, these are both old British editions of the books - no idea how they ended up in Manassas. But they were easily recognizable as such, since traditional British book design - much like traditional British cuisine, (and with apologies to my English friends) - is known more for its stodgy functionality than cutting-edge creativity.
** Unless, of course, you've ever seen or even heard of the 1964 movie (view spoiler)["Topkapi" (hide spoiler)], which is based on this book but basically gives away the WHOLE IDEA in not only the film's trailer, synopses, etc., but also the title itself…so, basically everything....more
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