chrisdeanfuller

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Walden and Civil Disobedience Book Review

I read the book Walden and Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau, and it was an interesting study. The book is the pairing of two of the author's most famous writings. Walden describes his nearly solitary life in a one-room cabin beside a lake, and Civil Disobedience outlines his philosophy of man's relationship to the state. In the first, the author describes at length his food regimen, his use of time and his observations of weather and nature, among other things. He advocates for a simpler life. In the second, the author emphasizes the individual as all important. The individual should be self-reliant, and the state should not be involved in slavery.

There were a few quotes which caught my attention. "As if you could kill time without injuring eternity." (50) "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation." (50) "Our life is frittered away by detail." (135) "There is but little virtue in the action of masses of men." (392) The author's vocabulary and style are demanding at times, but there are some profound insights that make the reading worthwhile. It's mostly a recommended study, but it's also a recommended read. 

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The Red Pony Book Review

I read The Red Pony by John Steinbeck, and it rambled. I could definitely see that this book, Of Mice and Men, and The Grapes of Wrath were all written by the same author, but the story felt uninspired. It was basically a collection of four short stories that kinda connected. The descriptions and feel were palpable; the writing was excellent. There is a theme of life and death, and the parenting of the father affecting the character of his son, but these themes seem accidental. But then again, sometimes life rambles, and perhaps that's a worthwhile reminder from time to time. It's a recommended read.

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Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood Book Review 

I read the book Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells, and it was a cheesy, fun love story. I read it because it was a #1 New York Times Bestseller and cost me just ten cents. It's the story of a woman going through a mid-life crisis, and she delves into her mom's past to understand her present. Her mom was a piece of work but had three life-long friends who experienced life's ups and downs together. It's mostly a collection of stories about these friends and most are pretty entertaining. It's a story about love, family and friendship. I understand the movie stinks, so I won't be watching that. It's a recommended read.

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Water for Elephants: A Novel Book Review 

I read the book Water for Elephants: A Novel by Sara Gruen, and it was a quick read. I read the book because it was a New York Times Bestseller and cost me ten cents. It's the story of a man during the depression who joins the circus as a veterinarian and falls in love with ringmaster's wife. It's a love story. The writing is excellent and the plot moves along briskly. There's a movie of this book, but the reviews of it aren't good. Be aware that the book has some adult content not suitable for younger readers. It's a recommended read.

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Broken Earth Trilogy Series Review

I read the Broken Earth Trilogy series by N.K. Jemisin, and it was pretty good. There are three books in the series; The Fifth Season, The Obelisk Gate, and The Stone Sky. All three books won the Hugo Award! The last book also won a Nebula.

It's the story of an orogene, someone who possesses the innate ability to sense (suss) movements of the rocks and earth below and use that power to manipulate earth and air around her in dynamic ways. The world building is first class as orogenes are feared and persecuted while the planet is often unstable. There are other humanoids called stone eaters who can move through stone and rock effortlessly, and there are still other humanoids with other powers.

It relates the life of this orogene and her daughter who was absconded by her dad after he killed his son. Orogenes deal with prejudice and fear, but the protagonist eventually finds a community accepting of those with her abilities. The protagonist and her daughter each journey on different paths with different goals, but eventually come together in a dramatic conclusion. This series also reveals insights into parenting and progress, but the theme of what it means to be human is profound. Mysteries I didn't understand at first are answered in the end. The author does a particularly good job of weaving different characters and storylines together. These books are a recommended read.

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Machiavelli: A Brief Insight Book Review

I read the book Machiavelli: A Brief Insight by Quentin Skinner, and it was short and sweet. It highlighted three of Machiavelli's major works, The Prince, Discourses, and The History of Florence. This book explains his more significant thoughts and philosophy in a way that's easy to understand. Machiavelli was an Italian Renaissance diplomat, author, philosopher, and historian. His ideas on power, deception, and governance have had a lasting impact on political philosophy and science. It is a recommended read. 

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Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Book Review

I read the book Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame Smith, and it was an elaborate joke. The book parallels the original Pride and Prejudice book inserting at numerous points encounters with zombies and references to their katana training. The book also adds a few humorous sentences and illustrations. It wouldn't be worthwhile reading at all except that I enjoyed the original book so much. Which means, unless you are a big Jane Austen fan or a big zombie fan, the book probably falls flat. But for me, it was a recommended read.

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Rising Sun Book Review

I read the book Rising Sun by Michael Crichton, and it was enjoyable but highly critical of Japan. The book is a murder mystery thriller with one turn after another as two detectives try to solve the crime. It's fast paced and well-written. However, the book constantly bashes Japan, especially its business practices, detracting from the action. Furthermore, the book was written during the height of Japan's economic power which evaporated soon after, so it's not as relevant today. There are some great twists in the story, and there's interesting insights into Japan. It's a recommend read. 

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Disclosure Book Review

I read the book Disclosure by Michael Crichton, and it was a wild ride! Crichton usually tells sci-fi fiction, but this was more like a John Grisham legal thriller. It's the story of a man sexually harassed by a woman, and his pursuit of justice. There's office intrigue, back-stabbing, gossip, people jumping to conclusions, and it's strangely engrossing. There are some computer/sci-fi elements, but they are peripheral. It was one interesting development after another, a real page-turner. It's now one of my favorite Crichton books. I'd now like to see the movie even though the Rotten Tomatoes score isn't good. It's a recommended read.

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Julius Caesar Book Review

I read the book Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, and lots of people died. Of course, Julius Casaer is killed, but then the conspirators are killed in dramatic fashion of one kind or another. I was not aware that the line, "It was Greek to me," came from this play. Also, the line, "Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war," comes from this play. But my favorite quote in the play was, "Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, it seems to me most strange that men should fear seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come." A provoking thought. However, there were numerous words footnoted because their meaning was unclear making reading too stilted to be enjoyable. It's not a recommended read.

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The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition Book Review

I read the book The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition by Anne Frank, and it was better than I expected. I've heard about it for years, but I guess because it was about a girl and written when she was quite young(12-13), I thought it wouldn't mean as much to me. I was wrong. It's the story of a young teenager in Holland who hides out from the Nazis during WWII along with her family, and other family and another man. It describes their living situation, how they got food, and what they experienced. Anne also describes her feelings about life, love, family, religion and politics. She's insightful and a great writer. I'm pleased I read this right after reading The Hiding Place as the first describes those who hid Jews and this describes those in hiding. Engrossing and tragic. It's a recommended read.

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The Hiding Place Book Review

I read the book The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, and it was okay. It's the true story of a Dutch family who hid Jews from the Nazis during WWII. The primary focus is what the author experienced as her rescue operation grew and was eventually uncovered resulting in the arrest of most of her family. Many family members spent months in jails and concentration camps. The book also relates the spiritual challenges she faced and the people and scriptures which guided her. The author's courage is remarkable. It's also a chilling inside look at the horrors people faced during the war. It's a recommended read.

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The Invention of Wings Book Review

I read the book The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd, and it was a sobering tale. It's the story of two girls growing up together in Charleston, SC in the early 1800's. One is white and rich and the other her black slave. The white girl grows up to be an abolitionist and they each work toward the slave's freedom. It's based on a real-life abolitionists, Sarah and Angelina Grimke, who I've never heard of before. There are insights into the cruelty of slavery and southern life and thinking. I read this book because the author's husband was my wife's campus minister in college. It's a recommended read.

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The Confessions of Saint Augustine Book Review

I read the book The Confessions of Saint Augustine by St. Augustine. This is the testimony of a man who grew up in Carthage and Rome around 400 AD, his struggles with sins, and his conversion to Christianity. The author bares his soul revealing a tortured conscience at every stage of his life. He works through his theology bit by bit in a day and age when the Christian faith was still evolving. It's a better study than read. Still, this spiritual autobiography continues to inspire. It's a recommended read.

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Leaves of Grass (The First - 1855 Edition) Book Review

I read the book Leaves of Grass (The First - 1855 Edition) by Walt Whitman, and it wasn't good at all. I'd always wanted to read Walt Whitman ever since I heard his poem When I Heard The Learn'd Astronomer in the TV series Breaking Bad. That poem was profound, and it appears in Walt Whitmans 1892 Edition of Leaves of Grass, a book he revised and added to several times. None of the poems rhyme or convey interesting or profound insights. It's long been my contention that books like this are lauded primarily because they give English teachers job security as they're needed to translate its contents. Walt Whitman does have an expansive vocabulary, creativity, and imagination, but that's not enough to make a book good. It is not a recommended read.

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The Elephant and the Dragon: The Rise of India and China and What It Means for All of Us Book Review

I read the book The Elephant and the Dragon: The Rise of India and China and What It Means for All of Us by Robyn Meredith, and I liked it. The "elephant" is India, and the "dragon" is China. It reviewed the political/economic history of each and how they are now reshaping the world as China is becoming the world's largest manufacturer and India is becoming the world's largest back office. While the book's copyright is 2007, and the world has evolved, many of its lessons and insights remain relevant. The closing chapters highlight the importance of education for America to remain on top and stresses the problems of protectionism. Another insight which wasn't stressed, but I see time and again is that, as the world changes, it disproportionally hurts the poor. It's a recommended read.

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Rob Roy Book Review

I read the book Rob Roy by Sir Walter Scott, and it had good parts and bad parts. I wanted to read the book mostly because I enjoyed the movie (with Liam Neeson and Jessica Lange), but the book is nothing like the movie. In the book, the protagonist, Francis, is a young man who is forced by his father to live with his uncle near Scotland while his uncle's son, Rashleigh, goes to live down in London with the protagonist's father. Rashleigh is a schemer who causes numerous difficulties for Francis and his father. The title character, Rob Roy, isn't revealed until over halfway through the book! The plot eventually becomes more interesting, but the main problem is the constant use of the Scottish dialect which becomes tedious, especially at first, until you figure out some of the vocabulary. It's not a recommended read.