I’m going to join the chorus flitting around the blogosphere and say that Salon’s interview of Neal Stephenson was well worth sitting through the ad. Not that I actually watched it, of course, but even if I had it would have been worth it. Stephenson’s the sort of guy you want around when you’re channel-surfing at 2:30 PM on a Sunday afternoon; he knows a bunch of weird stuff, he knows a bunch of obscure stuff and he’s good at connecting both to modern situations on very short notice. I look forward to buying his book as finances permit (I’m on a budget these days, and Bab5 Season 5 calls to me)…
Moe
PS: Open book thread, if you like.
Well, I’m a sci-fi/fantasy fan, with political thriller thrown in once in a while for fun, but lately I’ve been captivated by Patrick O’Brian’s Master and Commander series (or the Aubrey-Maturin series for the cognizati). I first picked up the book after I really fell for the film. I was happy to find out there are twenty of them; I’m working on polishing off the tenth right now.
The series is set during the Napoleonic wars and is centered on an English captain Jack Aubrey, and his friend, naturalist and ship’s surgeon Stephen Maturin. Very accurate depiction of 19th century life and politics, great stories, great characters, and it even manages to be hysterically funny in places.
The only downside is the learning curve is steep — 18th century grammar and dense nautical terminology makes the going initially rough. I tended to just glaze over some of the worse parts, and found that I just kind of absorbed the definition of jibs and mizzens and studding sails. By halfway through book three I realized I knew more about sailing a ship than poor Stephen, who seems doomed to be a perpetual lubber. I highly recommend it.
Richard Clarke-Don’t Bother.
Woodward-Worth the read, though the media is making much of little.
Leigh Montville’s new bio of Ted Williams-great if you’ve never read about Teddy Ballgame, only so-so otherwise.
Thomas Cahill’s-Wine colored Sea, a history of Greece, pretty good.
Thomas Cahill’s-Desire of Everlasting Hills, history of Jesus, atrocious.
David Fisher’s Washington’s Crossing-Sensational, get it, read it.
Charlie Wilson’s War The story behind the story on Afghanistan in the 1980’s. Riveting and bizarre.
“The only downside is the learning curve is steep — 18th century grammar and dense nautical terminology makes the going initially rough. I tended to just glaze over some of the worse parts, and found that I just kind of absorbed the definition of jibs and mizzens and studding sails.”
That’s how I did it, too; you can always go back later and review. 🙂
Excellent advice! After finishing Far Side of the World, I went and re-read the latter half of Master and Commander, particularly the taking of the Cacafuego (love that name!)
While initially reading it, I knew it was really cool and exciting what was happening, but I wasn’t really sure what was going on except that cannons where blazing and then guys started hacking each other to death. Upon re-reading it the naval tactics really came into the forefront.
Wow, I’m so excited to finally have talked to someone who’s familar with the series. I tried hanging around hmssurprise.org, but that is a… different crowd. When did you start reading them? Have you finished the series?
“When did you start reading them?”
Back in 1998 – 1999. I had come across references to the series in a SM Stirling novel, picked up one, kept soldiering through until Book 3 and was hooked after that. I’d get a new one every two weeks or so…
…yeah. I’d get on the PATH at Newark and go to the WTC stop. Then it’d be grab a smoke, hit the Borders bookstore there, grab the next book in the series and take the subway uptown. Did that for a long time, sun, rain and snow.
All I have of the WTC now are some of its books.
“Have you finished the series?”
A couple of times; I’m thinking that it’s time to reread them again.