Wednesday, December 22, 2010

This Week at the Library (15 Dec - 22 Dec)

Slow week, really. I've been...distracted, and a minor eye infection didn't help matters. It's hard to read while squinting like a pirate. I wound up reading a history book instead of concentrating on either my wolf book or my Cornwell novel, so I read a  good bit of all three and all of none.

I did finish William Leisner's Losing the Peace and Asimov's Whiff of Death, though, both of which were enjoyable. I've never read Leisner before, but his character drama was top-notch. He's only written a few Trek works, but I'll keep my eyes peeled regardless. Bill Bryon's A Walk in the Woods was considerably entertaining -- I still think of think of Bryson for his A Short History of Nearly Everything, but he's obviously a successful humorist and travel guide. I also listened to Lords of the North, which I'll post full comments on later.

Selected Quotations:
"Some people weren't above 'crying wolf' when it suited their purpouses. In Puritan New England, the regularity of wolf attacks on sheep just prior to church services every Sabbath, and the resulting drop in attendance, led some ministers to regard certain members of their own flock with suspicion." - p. 69, The Great American Wolf;  Bruce Hampton

"You realize, I hope, that you had no real authority to land and disassemble this vessel. [...]"
"Excuse me?" she answered, giving him a mock-stern glare. "Is this the same man who kidnapped two Federation political leaders and brought them here against their wills, lecturing me?"
"'Kidnapping'" is such an inflammatory term..."  - p. 306, Losing the Peace. William Leisner.

"What chance has the truth got when priests begin to tell tales?", The Lords of the North; Bernard Cornwell.

Next week's potentials:

  • I'll be finishing off Bruce Hampton's The Great American Wolf, Cornwell's Sword Song, and  -- since I spent so much time with it THIS week -- The Golden Door, by Isaac Asimov. I'm reading about Teddy Roosevelt and Progressivism at the moment, so I'm not far from the book's endpoint in 1918. 
  • I think I'll be reading Beneath the Raptor's Wings by Michael A. Martin, the start of the Romulan War series in ST: Enterprise's relaunch. 
  • I may spot a book or two I want to investigate the library today, since I'm writing this prior to my usual visit there. 
  • ..and there's also Eye of the World, which I really need to read through to page 230. I have been promised that if I make it two hundred pages in, the book will hook me. I figure the first sixteen chapters are enough to decide whether or not I want to continue in the book.


Though I imagine I'll post a comment or review before Saturday, I'd like to wish a Merry Christmas to everyone in case I do not.  Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice, Joyeaux Noel, Fröhliche Weihnachten,  Feliz Navidad, and Thank You For Shopping, Please Come Back Again!

1 comment:

  1. I think I'm on track for my 8 books over the Christmas-New Year break. 3 books in 3 days so far..... [grin]

    ReplyDelete

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