In his own words
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De Rarum Natura
Review: An excellent, unexpectedly absorbing read. An explanation of atomic theory written 2000 years before Einstein, and it’s remarkably accurate. Also an investigation of the world in general. De natura. The nature of things. Lightning, earthquakes, iron, waterspouts, seasons, wine. An important book for the 21st century as we try to beat back the darkness…
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The Devil in the White City
Review: Excellent, entertaining from cover to cover. Three narrative threads are woven together: The book offers a unique glimpse into 19th century Chicago life. The stench, the crime, all the way to the glory of the world’s fair and the starry-eyed visions of the future it embodied. Will have to see what else this author…
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The Prophet
Review: Meh. Flowery language and often self contradictory. A Bible prophecy/poetry knockoff. Greeting card or minion quote philosophy mostly. The writing is fairly good, but I bet it is better in the original version. I say that because I am not sure what translation my version was. This appeals to farty white yoga women. “Quote…
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The Perfectionists
Review: A fascinating look inside the world of the very exact, from the super tiny to the vastly immense reaches of space. Everything in the world relies on precision. If the ball on the pen I used to write this review originally were too big by a fraction of a millimeter I wouldn’t have been…
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The Moor’s Last Sigh
Review: A masterpiece. Sometimes poetic, sometimes profane. A dark journey through four generations of a remarkable family. A glimpse inside the world outside the tourist brochures of India, the world at the top of the skyscrapers and the world at the bottom of the streets. The prose is masterful and elegant, from the gutterspeak to…
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Catch-22
Review: An excellent, important novel that I did not enjoy one bit. I don’t think one is supposed to like it very much, like Ulysses or some really dark Dickens. Like reading a 500 page prose version of Mad Magazine. Satire is nice in small pieces, cartoons in Mad, or an Onion article. But to…
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Brief Lives
Review: Exactly what the title suggests, brief little biographies of 17th century notables. Walter Raleigh, William Harvey, Inigo Jones, and a major section dedicate to Thomas Hobbes. Despite the age of this book the prose is clean and concise. Aubrey also blends in plenty of juicy gossip with the biographical data. My favorite was something…
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Slaughterhouse Five
Review: A brilliantly executed and skillfully written book. An anti-war manifesto if ever there was one. Funny, sad, disturbing, and throughout the book is a consistent moral statement. Most of the time we look at war as an historical event but forget the deeply disturbing personal stories that make it up. I award this book…
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The Catcher in the Rye
Review: A very unusual, very interesting read. I always thought it was a book about baseball. Poignant, often very depressing, it brought back some vivid memories of my drunken history. I could feel, almost literally feel, the deep down to the bone exhaustion after drinking misadventures. **Shiver** If you asked me what the book is…
