You Dreamed of Empires, Alvaro Enrigue

 

You Dreamed of Empires by Alvaro Enrigue

Started: March 25, 2023
Completed: March 26, 2023
Recommendation: Not recommended (audio book)
Recommended By: A list of international books

Review:

The accent of the reader is very heavy.  I understand that this book was written in Spanish and that the frequent use of Aztec names and titles made it impossible for me to understand the book.  The Spanish cadence was tough, but I had nothing to grasp onto and the frequent pronunciation of familiar words in unfamiliar ways just made it impossible.  I'm sorry I couldn't appreciate this book, but the audio book was just too difficult to understand.

Migrations, Charlotte McConaghy

 

Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy

Started: March 23, 2025
Completed: March 25, 2025
Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Recommended By: Nobody

Review:

I am not one for sad books.  This is really a sad book.  Oh, I could wax on about the power of the human spirit, blah, blah, but this book is simply sad.  The plot is sad.  The characters are sad.  The events are sad.  The whole environment is sad.  Really, I am not kidding, this is a sad book.  I dislike sad books.  I did, however, enjoy this book.  I didn't find any redeeming values.  This just kind of reflects a sad and eventful life.  I liked that it seemed real.  Unlikely, but entirely consistent and real.

Ours Was the Shining Future, David Leonhardt

 

Ours Was the Shining Future: The story of the American Dream by David Leonhardt

Started: March 10, 2024
Completed: March 17, 2024
Recommendation: Recommended
Recommended By: Nobody

Review:

A large portion of this book was well covered ground and it isn't pretty.  The conclusion was surprising to me.  I guess I live in a bubble of progressivism.  I'm really tired of being told what to do by the far right (the right bothers me less).  I've always seen progressivism as supporting freedom (yes, to a certain extent stopping military grade weapons in the hands of citizens has always seemed like a good idea because, somehow, someone who shouldn't have such a weapon seems to have no trouble getting one), but not stopping gun ownership.  So, I've always thought of myself as trying to find the line where your freedom intersects someone else's freedom and tried to come up with an approach that leaves each with as much freedom as possible.  In this sense (and probably others), I am a universalist.  I've never had much faith in what my wife calls, "tribalism," and this author addresses as "community."  So, I need to be louder about how much I value patriotism (though, nationalism seems a stretch too far).  Though I am personally a pacifist, I understand that a nation in a group of anarchic nations needs a military.  I understand the need to have a border so that the United States does not become overwhelmed and unable to help those who would flood into the country without some sort of restriction.  On the other hand, I don't like the USA being the police of the world (particularly when armies are simply not designed to be police).  I don't think that people who are genuinely at risk should be turned away when they show up at the border claiming asylum.  I feel like if we helped make the world a better place for everyone (there is that universalism again), then fewer people would feel the need to come to the United States--so, we should strive to make the world a better place where we can.  To me, these seem like basic and fundamental truths.  I am learning, however that others view those positions as disloyal to the USA.  I dunno, that is going to be a hard discussion.  I don't like lying.  I especially don't like misleading people for your own benefit.  That is just wrong.  That, to me, is evil.  The enormous greed is evil.  I just don't see how I can have a useful discussion with people who live in a world where misleading people is a good idea and where endless greed is just fine.  I guess that is where I draw my line.

Attack From Within, Barbara McQuade

 

Attack From Within:  How disinformation is sabotaging America by Barbara McQuade

Started: March 4, 2024
Completed: March 10, 2024
Recommendation: Mild Recommendation
Recommended By: My wife

Review:

This is a well written book.  Unfortunately, for me, it recounts details with which I am intimately familiar.  As a result, I cannot tell how helpful it might be for someone else.  For me, it recounted and validated what I already knew to be true.  Nicely organized, nicely put together, well written, but not terribly informative.

Godkiller, Hannah Kaner

 

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner is the first book in The Fallen Gods Trilogy

Started: March 17, 2024
Completed: March 23, 2024
Recommendation: Highly recommended
Recommended By: Kobo books to me

Review:

I had a bit of trepidation with this novel.  The title suggested a bunch of killing to me and I wasn't looking forward to that.  This is more of an epic adventure novel.  Sure, there is some killing, but for the most part Kaner does not dwell on it and it serves the plot well.  I enjoyed every moment with uncharacteristic character development, revealed things that were interesting and unexpected, as well as a nice twist.  Most of the plot was pretty clear fairly quickly but the details were excellent and the pieces well laid for the next book.  Broadly, I can see where things are headed and, to some extent, that is as it should be.  Really enjoyed it.

The Invention of Air, Steven Johnson

 

The Invention of Air:  A story of science, faith, revolution, and the birth of America by Steven Johnson

Started: March 2, 2024
Completed: March 9, 2024
Recommendation: Recommended
Recommended By: Nobody

Review:

At heart, this is a light biography of Joseph Priestly.  The focus of this biography is the impact that he had on others (like the US founding fathers), so it doesn't cover his whole life and it doesn't dive into personal details (like the relationship with his wife and children) in any great detail.  Johnson isn't really trying to tell you what it was like to be Joseph Priestly, the focus here is on how his scientific and religious activities affected the US founding fathers.  He was younger than Franklin, but did not outlive Adams or Jefferson.  His scientific interests were fostered by Franklin and his religious material (as well as scientific) impacted both Adams and Jefferson who both made an effort to distance themselves from him as candidates for office.  In the letters between Adams and Jefferson, though, Priestly was a frequent topic and that showed how he had impacted both.

A Feast for Crows, George R. R. Martin

 

A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin is the next book in A Song of Ice and Fire

Started: January 29, 2024
Completed: March 2, 2024
Recommendation: Recommended
Recommended By: Nobody

Words for which I sought help:

piebald -- having irregular patches of color, typically black and white

Review:

If you have read this far in the series, it is unlikely that you would suddenly stop.  This was, however, clearly a middle of the series book.  Plots moved forward, but there was little character development.  For the most part, things went on as one would expect. There were a couple of surprises because Martin does things that are atypical for a series (like killing off main characters), but there are such a plethora of characters from which to choose.  On a broad scale, this book has a lot less blood, but, having said that, there remains plenty.

No Shame, No Fear, Ann Turnbull

 

No Shame, No Fear by Ann Turnbull is the first in a three book series.

Started: February 14, 2024
Completed: March 2, 2024
Recommendation: Mildly Recommended
Recommended By: Elaine who recognized this was a young adult book, but thought it was a good read

Words for which I sought help:

virginal -- an early spinet with the strings parallel to the keyboard, typically rectangular, and popular in 16th and 17th century houses

Review:

This was a quick and easy read.  The plot dissipated about mid-way through and became a will-they won't-they romance with the end game well telegrammed.  It is hard to recommend this book for anyone but young adults and those interested in the 17th century at that.  A rather small crowd.