Book recommendations

[Alex]

Currently reading Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell. It is amusing though so far I haven't really learned anything I didn't already know (stupid American Presidency class in college ruining a future learning opportunity).

Have recently read (as in finished in the last few weeks):

Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton. Epic science fiction that I picked up at a mall while waiting for Lani to finish something and needing a book to read. Unfortunately I didn't catch that it was the first of two books and the other one isn't in paperback yet. If you like wide ranging science fiction (galactic warfare type stuff) this is ok. Too much politics which isn't quite as good as Herbert (daddy) but not nearly so bad as Herbert (sonny).

Science on Trial: The Clash of Medical Evidence and the Law in the Breast Implant Case by Marcia Angell. Angell is the editor of the New England Journal of Medicine and talks about how courts and politicians were making findings of medical truth without any actual scientific support. A good, straightforward look at the hysteria surrounding silicon breast implants a decade ago and the deficiencies in the law when it comes to handling medical questions, particularly epidemiological ones.

After the Quake by Haruki Murakami. A collection of shorts stories that all touch on the Kobe earthquake in some way but the stronger connecting theme is of spiritual vacuum.

Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Blunders by Rob Neyer. A collection of sabremetrical essays looking at some of the decisions in the history of baseball that turned out to be the most boneheaded. Not errors on the field but decisions that were made where someone thought they were a good idea but turned out to be completely wrong. Pretty good but you need a pretty hardcore interest in baseball.

Everwhere by Neil Gaiman. Urban fantasy and much better, in my opinion, than the overrated American Gods (which was great until it went all to hell in the ending).

All the Trouble in the World by P.J. O'Rourke. I know few here will be in ideological agreement and where he stitcks to libertarian conservativism (easily confused with classical liberalism) I am. The information is a decade old now but it is a good reread and highlights how problems aren't always so simple in origin as we like to think.

[tracilicious]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

After the Quake by Haruki Murakami. A collection of shorts stories that all touch on the Kobe earthquake in some way but the stronger connecting theme is of spiritual vacuum.

I've read a few stories and will most likely finish the rest this week. I really like it. I'm not prone to liking short stories, but these are quite good, I think.

Everwhere by Neil Gaiman. Urban fantasy and much better, in my opinion, than the overrated American Gods (which was great until it went all to hell in the ending).

I agree. The BBC had the Neverwhere miniseries available to download a few years ago. I haven't checked since then. I always picture the two villians as Penn and Teller. I really enjoyed Stardust as sort of a light reading fairytale.

[flippyshark]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

Everwhere by Neil Gaiman. Urban fantasy and much better, in my opinion, than the overrated American Gods (which was great until it went all to hell in the ending).

D'oh! I just started American Gods. Guess I'll stay focused on its temporal enticements, and keep my expectations low when I reach the last quarter.

Also on my nightstand: Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston (popcorn reading) and The Reason Driven Life by Dr. Robert Price. (It's a chapter by chapter rational rebuttal to Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life, and great stuff!)