Tuesday, July 19, 2011
The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge
by Harry Harrison
Jim DeGris throws lots of smoke grenades, changes his appearance many times, and sneaks in then out then in again to get the bad guys. This easy to read science fiction book does not challenge the reader at all but is still kind of fun.
Jim DeGris throws lots of smoke grenades, changes his appearance many times, and sneaks in then out then in again to get the bad guys. This easy to read science fiction book does not challenge the reader at all but is still kind of fun.
The Life of Pi
by Yann Martel
Piscine Molitor Patel, also known as Pi, begins his life story in India as a son of a zoo keeper. When his family decides to sell the animals and relocate to Canada, they board a cargo ship and ready for a new life.
This is where the story of the life of Pi begins. Pi tells his story as the cargo ship sinks and how he found himself trapped in a life boat with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan, and a tiger named Richard Parker. Pi and Richard Parker learn to live with each other and spend 227 days at sea.
The way pi describes the sea, fish turtles, his hunger, loneliness, helplessness, and bliss was beautiful. I loved this book and how it had me guessing until the end.
Piscine Molitor Patel, also known as Pi, begins his life story in India as a son of a zoo keeper. When his family decides to sell the animals and relocate to Canada, they board a cargo ship and ready for a new life.
This is where the story of the life of Pi begins. Pi tells his story as the cargo ship sinks and how he found himself trapped in a life boat with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan, and a tiger named Richard Parker. Pi and Richard Parker learn to live with each other and spend 227 days at sea.
The way pi describes the sea, fish turtles, his hunger, loneliness, helplessness, and bliss was beautiful. I loved this book and how it had me guessing until the end.
Monday, July 18, 2011
The Code Book: The Evolution of Secrecy from Mary, Queen of Scots to Quantum Cryptography
by Simon Singh
Simon Singh traces the history of cryptography (creating secret codes) and cipher-breaking (code breaking) explaining each step by exploring more and more complex codes. Singh begins each chapter explaining how each new secret code was discovered finishing with how it was cracked.
I experienced the same emotion with each chapter. First, amazed about how clever and creative the code creators were. Each new code seemed unbreakable but by the end of each chapter I was even more surprised by the genius of the code breakers and how they found weaknesses in the codes to exploit.
This book was a good "Math Geek" book being both technical and complicated at times. Little was held back in the areas of mathematics which I appreciated.
I would recommend this book to any who finds this topic interesting.
Simon Singh traces the history of cryptography (creating secret codes) and cipher-breaking (code breaking) explaining each step by exploring more and more complex codes. Singh begins each chapter explaining how each new secret code was discovered finishing with how it was cracked.
I experienced the same emotion with each chapter. First, amazed about how clever and creative the code creators were. Each new code seemed unbreakable but by the end of each chapter I was even more surprised by the genius of the code breakers and how they found weaknesses in the codes to exploit.
This book was a good "Math Geek" book being both technical and complicated at times. Little was held back in the areas of mathematics which I appreciated.
I would recommend this book to any who finds this topic interesting.
Stainless Steel Rat
by Harry Harrison
I am not going to feel bad for reading this book. I had read it twenty years ago and remembered it as being a fun read. When my middle son wrote a story for school last year, his style reminded me of Harry Harrison, cleaver, funny and easy to read. Not a bad reason to read a book.
The Stainless Steel Rat was not as clever or funny as I remembered. Almost no effort was made in developing any interesting futuristic technology. Jim DeGris gets out of every situation with a combination of smoke grenades and a costume.
That said, I will read the next adventure.
I am not going to feel bad for reading this book. I had read it twenty years ago and remembered it as being a fun read. When my middle son wrote a story for school last year, his style reminded me of Harry Harrison, cleaver, funny and easy to read. Not a bad reason to read a book.
The Stainless Steel Rat was not as clever or funny as I remembered. Almost no effort was made in developing any interesting futuristic technology. Jim DeGris gets out of every situation with a combination of smoke grenades and a costume.
That said, I will read the next adventure.
Monday, July 04, 2011
Measuring the World
by Daniel Kehlmann
Measuring the World is a fictional account of two genius' lives. Daniel Kehlmann alternates the story between lives of two great mind, Carl Gauss, the father of mathematics, and adventurer Alexander von Humboldt. He deftly examines their lives, how they see the world, and traces the journey to their greatness.
These men were similar in their ambition and greatness, but they different how they see the world and interacted with it. Gauss' superior attitude and crass behavior is hilarious, even as he hits his oldest son who will never reach his understanding of the world. Humboldt on the other hand, though sharing Gauss' genius, is not frustrated with others, he is oblivious of them. His interaction with subtlety also made me laugh.
When these two giants final meet their interaction is beyond funny. Here is a small part that made me laugh out loud. Gauss' son has been arrested and Humboldt is trying to use his influence to get him out.
This was a great book and I highly recommend it.
Measuring the World is a fictional account of two genius' lives. Daniel Kehlmann alternates the story between lives of two great mind, Carl Gauss, the father of mathematics, and adventurer Alexander von Humboldt. He deftly examines their lives, how they see the world, and traces the journey to their greatness.
These men were similar in their ambition and greatness, but they different how they see the world and interacted with it. Gauss' superior attitude and crass behavior is hilarious, even as he hits his oldest son who will never reach his understanding of the world. Humboldt on the other hand, though sharing Gauss' genius, is not frustrated with others, he is oblivious of them. His interaction with subtlety also made me laugh.
When these two giants final meet their interaction is beyond funny. Here is a small part that made me laugh out loud. Gauss' son has been arrested and Humboldt is trying to use his influence to get him out.
All he (the commander) had to do was go (to) the police jail and send the young man home, said Humboldt. The name hadn't even been registered. Nobody would know.Needless to say, Gauss' son was no released.
But there was a risk, said Vogt.
But a small one.
Small or not, between civilized people there were ways of recognizing these things.
Humboldt assured him of this gratitude.
Which could express itself in more than one way.
Humboldts promised that he would have a friend in him. And he would be ready to grant any favor.
Favor. Vogt sighed. There were favors and favors.
Humboldt asked what he meant.
Vogt groaned. They looked at each other in embarrassment.
God almighty, said Gauss's voice beside them. Did he really not understand? The fellow wanted a bribe. Poor pathetic little fellow. Poor little shit-eater.
He must protest, shrilled Vogt. He didn't have to listen to such things!
Humboldt made frantic hand signals at Gauss.
Yes he damn well did, said Gauss. Even a piece of vomit like him, a bastard mongrel, a greedy dwarf turd, should be able to bear up under the truth.
That was quite enough, shrieked Vogt.
Nothing like enough, said Gauss.
He would throw them out, said Gauss. They would be bound to be a pair of ne'er-do-wells if they were willing to be ordered around by a dung beetle like him. They could expect to learn the size of his foot, in the ass and elsewhere!
This was a great book and I highly recommend it.
