Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Michael Vey 4: Hunt for Jade Dragon
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Michael Vey 3: Battle of the Ampere
This series now has the feel of a TV show. The main characters go through all sorts of great adventures, but are left essentially where they started, ready to start the next episode, ready to start the next episode. However, we do also have some character development. They go through traumatic experiences, separate and get back together. They feel more unified and are now a team ready to help save the world.
Sunday, September 24, 2017
The Well-Tempered City: What Modern Science, Ancient Civilizations, and Human Nature Teach Us About the Future of Urban Life
Two primary ideals of city development have dominated the world. The Greek model considers a number of different parts that exist together. The Chinese model focuses on the whole environment, with different areas fulfilling the function of the whole. The United States, alas, took the Greek model to the extreme.
The discussion of cities in the US is quite depressing. There was a great degree of self-inflicted harm. Zoning began in New York as an attempt to improve the quality of life of residents by allowing some distance from noisy factories and to provide light for residents. However, it soon was adopted as a way to segregate functions, leaving people in isolated residential pockets of single family homes. This produced traffic and ironically more noise and pollution. The federal government heavily subsidized highways, and tore through cities to build them. "Urban renewel" would often rip apart functional neighborhoods and lead to their decline. Housing policy heavily subsidized loans for single family houses, while neglecting multi-family rentals. The government insisted that subsidized multifamily housing only be allocated to the poor, rather than mixed income. This along with restrictive covenants (meant to improve single-family home values) resulted in the drastic decline of cities and the growth of sprawl.
The book then goes on the explore the people in the city. Social programs and diversity help make a good city. However, incomes should not be too diverse or else conflict starts to arise. Europe has created greater peace by supporting the common good (through parks and social programs) and thus narrowed the income gap. Third world cities often have very high inequality and plenty of conflict.
The discussion of social aspects of a city is important in understanding how cities work. However, it spreads the book too far. There are plenty of things to talk about, but it is difficult to tie everything together into one comprehensive thesis. The book would have been better chopping off some of the later chapters and just mentioning their key points in the discussion of city layout.
Labels:
2016,
books,
history,
Jonathan F. P. Rose,
urban planning
Michael Vey 2: Rise of the Elgen
This book is loaded with action. We get more of the Hatch and Elgen backstory, but in a less annoying manner. The groups become closer together and seem more like real people.
Labels:
2012,
audiobooks,
books,
childrens books,
fred berman,
michael vey,
Richard Paul Evans
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25
There was something about the story that didn't quite seem right. The characters were too melodramatic and easily controlled. It felt like things were better adapted to the rural west than the many areas that were covered. Things were working well as an "awkward boy meets cheerleader" book, but had difficulty stretching into a superhero adventure.
Labels:
2011,
audiobooks,
books,
fred berman,
michael vey,
young adult fiction
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Family Gene
during much of her twenties she was quite a rebellious type (to a degree impacted by the decline and early death of her father.) She tried to get health insurance, however, was unable to due to a benign heart murmur that had been diagnosed earlier. This makes a good case for a better socialized medicine. She also found she was nearly completely Ashkenazi Jew. The narrow gene pool has allowed various mutations to propagate. (As a side, she also talked about the "blue" people of Appalachia who had a recessive trait that was passed along a tight-nit population.) You wonder how many other odd conditions are out there that we don't know about
Labels:
2017,
audiobooks,
books,
genetics,
Joselin Linder,
Khristine Hvam,
medicine
Friday, September 15, 2017
The Colossus Rises
The Colossus Rises is the first book in a Seven Wonders Series. The series focuses on a group of kids with a unique genetic mutation. It gives them "super powers". However, it also causes health issues - including death at a young age. An "institute" comes trhough medical records to find those with the condition - often identified by a mark on the head. They usually intervene in the hospital after a kid has a serious medical condition and help cure him - and take him away.
The kids discover that their talents are amplified to "super" strength. They also try to escape multiple times and are put on a quest for Ancient Greek artifacts. They use codes to help communicate secretly. (Alas, they have been implanted with trackers, making it all for naught.) In the process, they run into various monsters and also "magic" such as healing water.
The book ends with one "quest" completed, but many more questions remain. Clearly, this is the start of series.
I found the book to be ok. The gimmicks (such as code and backward talking) got annoying. I did not find myself very attached to the characters or interested in the plot and don't have a desire to continue the series.
Labels:
2013,
audiobooks,
books,
childrens books,
Jonathan McClain,
Peter Lerangis,
seven wonders
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Michael Vey 6: Fall of Hades
Labels:
2016,
audiobooks,
books,
childrens books,
fred berman,
michael vey,
Richard Paul Evans
Michael Vey 5: Storm of Lightning
In this book Michael sees the growing strength of his powers, as some of Hatch's underlings also begin to rebel. The book has a more right-leaning feel than most. Characters are military and police officers. They travel around western "red" states and foreign countries. They are also free to admit there are problems with cherished liberal values (like equality.) However, the politics is merely a slight slightly right-leaning undertone. The novel is primarily an action adventure with characters gradually coming of age in a decaying world.
Labels:
2015,
audiobooks,
books,
childrens books,
fred berman,
michael vey,
Richard Paul Evans
Mark of the Thief
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
The Supernaturalist
Labels:
2004,
audiobooks,
books,
Chiwetel Ejiofor,
Eoin Colfer,
middle grade,
post-apocalyptic
Friday, September 08, 2017
If You're Reading This, It's Too Late (Secret, Book 2)
The author does a great job of making sure the kids are really kids. They make lots of mistakes and let emotions make them do stupid things. They need to be rescued at times. They are themselves, with all of the weirdness it entails.
The "author" of the book is constantly breaking through the wall to interact with the readers/listeners. The chapters are also numbered in countdown fashion, with chapter one being the last chapter. It all helps you to fell you are part of the action, rather than just a passive participant.
As for the plot? Well, there was an alchemist that created a living homunculus and found great secrets. He treated his creation poorly. A court jester talked to the homunculus, fed him and befriended him. The homunculus eventually turned on his master, burying him and his notes. He was not able to destroy the notes, but he hid them with the grave and did not want anybody to find out. The midnight sun wanted this knowledge. They used other girls and a pop band (Skeleton Sisters) to help get them. The good kids have to save the day, if they can convince their parents to not ground them anymore. The kids also find out more about their life and parents.
Labels:
2008,
audiobooks,
books,
childrens books,
Joshua Swanson,
Pseudonymous Bosch,
secret series
Tuesday, September 05, 2017
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat: And Other Clinical Tales
With many of these people they have lost some basic ability that we see common, yet they still have other areas that they can contribute to society. We can help them to utilize their special talents. Society has this narrow understanding of "normal". We like to pride ourselves on accepting "differences". However, these differences seem to be in the narrow band of standard behavior. Some of the more extreme differences may make it much more difficult for us to interact with others. However, these could also provide positive experiences for the people and society as a whole.
Labels:
1985,
audiobooks,
books,
Jonathan Davis,
neurology,
Oliver Sacks
Saturday, September 02, 2017
Click Here To Start
Ted is a half-Jewish, half-Japanese twelve year old who is an expert at "escape" video games. His great uncle served as Japanese soldier in the American army during World War II. He recently passed away and left all to Ted (after praising his intelligence and skill at games.) Ted's Jewish dad was recently passed over for the position of English chair at their local Southern California college in favor of a wealthy east coaster. The new professor has a "too perfect" daughter Ted's age. She doesn't want much to do with him, but you can tell she will be part of the story. She, along with Ted and his friend end up solving the puzzle to find the treasure (meanwhile dodging the efforts of a rouge antiques dealer. In the process, they also grow to become good friends.
The mechanisms for solving the puzzles seems to stretch believability. Worse, however, is the video game that only shows up for Ted and exactly mimics some key real life escapades he will have. By never explaining this, the author leaves the novel in a slightly fantastic world, just unreal enough to make it annoying.
Labels:
2016,
audiobooks,
books,
childrens books,
Denis Markell,
Greg Watanabe,
video games
A River Runs Through It and Other Stories
Labels:
1976,
2010,
audiobooks,
books,
david manis,
norman maclean,
short stories
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