Posted by barb on Jul 8, 2003 in
Books,
Pictures While we were in Alexandria, I released a book “into the Wild”. (Check out Bookcrossing.com if you don’t know what that means — it’s a way cool web site! You can also check out my bookshelf .) I released it on a bench in the Market Square
It’s hard to see, but the book is on that bench — way to the left.
I was worried that it might get rained on, since the forecast called for thunderstorms.
Nothing to worry about! Someone picked it up, and registered it today!
Posted by barb on Jun 22, 2003 in
Books A Living Doll Turns Forty
Edited by Yona Zeldis McDonough
McDonough has collected 25 pieces on that most loved, and most hated, doll, Barbie. While many of the essays blasted Barbie for (take your pick):
- giving girls an unrealistic picture of the female body
- showing girls that fashion, above all else, is the most important thing in a girl’s life
- being a negative role model for girls
- being racist,
many of the pieces in the book took a more balanced approach to Barbie.
No one disputes that Barbie was modeled after a quasi-pornographic doll sold primarily to men. Nor do they dispute that her measurements are unrealistic for a healthy woman. On the other hand, blaming the downfall of civilization on Barbie seems a bit much for her perfectly sculpted shoulders to handle. Barbie has held many jobs not traditionally seen as “female” jobs — astronaut (the first time in the ’60s), paleontologist, veterinarian, and dentist. In addition, Barbie is the one doll out there that lets girls explore their lives without babies. Baby dolls imply that a woman’s job is to have and care for babies, whereas Barbie shows girls that they can live their lives with or without babies.
I’ll admit to being somewhat on the fence about the “Barbie-issue.” I know that she’s unrealistic, and even in her non-traditional careers, she has to be absolutely fashionable. Let’s not even mention the whole “Math is hard” debacle in the early ’90s. On the other hand, I played with Barbies, and I seem to have turned out just fine — in fact, I’m quite independent and shun fashion trends and make-up with a passion. Maybe I’d have turned out more fashion conscious if Mattel had made an astrophysicist Barbie.
Posted by barb on Jun 21, 2003 in
Books by Jules Verne
While it took me a little while to get into this book, once the “Journey” was well underway, I found myself hooked.
Professor Hardwigg found a scrap of paper in a recently-acquired early edition with some cryptic writing. He vows that the household will not eat until the message is decrypted. His hungry nephew, Harry, finally figures out the secret (motivated mainly by his desire for a good meal). The note contains instructions for finding a cave in an extinct volcano in Iceland that will lead into the center of the Earth. So it’s off to Iceland for the Professor and his nephew (dragged along by his uncle’s enthusiasm, rather than any inclination of his own to see the center of the Earth).
Do they make it to the center? Well, no. But they do have a grand adventure, finding a vast underground sea populated by ancient giant sea monsters, and stumbling upon a giant ancestor of man (fleeing before interacting with him).
I found that Verne would have some wonderfully descriptive passages followed by terribly simplistic whining from the nephew (our narrator). So, I’m not sure if my difficulties of getting into the book were from Verne’s writing style, or an artifact of the translation. Overall, though, a fun story, if slow-moving.
Posted by barb on Jun 2, 2003 in
Books by James P. Hogan
A million years ago a wayward, malfunctioning alien ship landed on Titan to start a robot factory.
A million years later, 20th century humans embark on a mission, purportedly to determine the suitability of a site on Mars for colonization. Instead, the mission is “rerouted” to Titan, and only the mission “brass” knows why.
What they find is a thriving robot colony in the equivalent of Earth’s medieval period. The brass sets out to exploit the robots for the financial gain of the US and Europe. One unlikely alliance of the usurped team sees the robots for what they are — sentient beings made of a different kind of biology.
I quite enjoyed this book, despite Hogan’s tendency to rant (in this case about the stupid masses who desire to keep themselves ignorant). The story is quite engaging.
Posted by barb on May 27, 2003 in
Books by Peter David
I accidentally pulled book six off my shelf, instead of book five — I wondered why they were talking about events that I couldn’t remember. Oh well.
Fun, fluffy, read. Not much more to say.
Posted by barb on May 22, 2003 in
Books by Frederik Pohl
Excellent book. It’s the first in a series of four…sigh…this is the third book in the past month or so that has gotten me started on a series. I hope the subsequent books continue the quality of story and character Pohl exhibits in this one.
Humans discovered Gateway, a station built long ago by a race we now call the Hechee. The station is a gateway to other places, with nearly a thousand Hechee ships left behind. The Hechee, however, left behind little else, so that our knowledge of them is very limited. We know how to make the ships go, but don’t know what fuel they use, how to refuel them, or how to translate the destination settings. People go to Gateway to gamble their lives for potential fortunes. They hop in a ship going to a destination they can’t predict, with an amount of fuel they can’t change for an unknown round-trip duration and into unknown conditions. Most ships don’t return. Most of the ships that do return are without one or more of the crew members who originally embarked. But those who do return with new Hechee artifacts or new scientific results are well rewarded.
Posted by barb on May 15, 2003 in
Books by Jill Conner Browne
I almost didn’t make it through the Introduction of this book, because it made the Sweet Potato Queens sound exactly like the stuck up bitches I knew in high school, only older and larger. Maybe that’s all they are. Maybe I didn’t need to know that.
After the intro, I got into the book more, and quite enjoyed it. Conner gives advice on how to get any man to do anything, five men every woman needs in her life, and the best advice her father ever gave her (‘be particular’, which makes a lot of sense, and may have to become one of my mottos). My favorite chapter was on food — a topic particularly close to my heart. The recipes are sinful, but quite yummy.
Posted by barb on May 4, 2003 in
Books by Diana Marcellas
The shari’a were an ancient race, but when the Allemanii came to live in their lands, the peace only lasted 80 years. Now, several hundred years later, the shari’a are nearly extinct, believed by some Allemanii to be merely a myth of a long-ago era.
Brierley is a young shari’a witch living in Yarvannet. She’s a healer living a quiet life, trying not to bring attention to herself. She knows that if she is found out, her days will be numbered. Her secret, however, comes out when she saves the life of a noblewoman. The Earl of Yarvannet feels obligated to protect Brierley from the shari’a laws, since she could hardly be seen as evil.
This launches her on a quest to find other shari’a, her ancient lands, and lands her in love.
Wow! I went into this book expecting to enjoy it, but I didn’t think I’d like it as much as I did. The writing style took me a chapter to get into, but I must agree with the quote on the book’s cover from Morgan Llywelyn that the writing is often lyrical. I’ve never thought that about a sf book before. I’m looking forward to the second book, The Sea Lark’s Song.
Posted by barb on Apr 24, 2003 in
Books For a year (or more) now, Andrew and I have been saying that we can’t buy any more books. He has three large bookshelves full, each 6 feet tall, and totaling at least ten feet across. Though most of the books on his shelves have already been read. I have three and a half smaller bookshelves full, but most of mine have not been read. (I read much, much more slowly than he does.)
But, who can resist a used book sale at the local public library? Not only that, but we went the first night…within the first 20 minutes of the sale. We certainly couldn’t have waited until Saturday when the stock would have been picked over. No sir-ie-bob.
I walked out with a dozen books, including a American Museum of Natural History book on “man’s” exploration of the Universe from the 1960s. Also a smattering of sci-fi and a couple plain fiction books. Oh, and I got John Gribbin’s In Search of Schrodinger’s Cat — it might be a bit dated (1984), but I like Gribbin’s style, and maybe, just maybe I’ll start to understand quantum physics…. (after two undergrad and a graduate class in quantum physics, I realize that this is unlikely…)
Posted by barb on Apr 23, 2003 in
Books by Ann Brashares
What can I say? I’m a sucker for stories about girl friends. They remind me of the wonderful friendships I have formed over the years, and long to have my “girls” closer.
Carmen, Tibby, Bridget, and Lena have been friends practically since before they were born. Their mothers had met in an exercise class for pregnant women — they were the Septembers, those due in September. While the Septembers grew apart through the years, the girls have not. Now, for the first time in their 15 years, the girls will be spending the summer apart — Carmen will be with her Dad out of state, Lena will be in Greece with her grandparents, Bridget will be in Mexico at soccer camp, and Tibby will be staying home, working at a discount department store.
Shortly before their good-byes, the girls discover that a pair of jeans Carmen bought on a whim at a thrift shop (without even trying them on) are magic. Not only do the pants fit all of the girls with their different figures, but the pants make them all look great.
The girls make a pact to share the pants over the summer — they will spend 1-2 weeks with each girl and then be sent on. At the end of the summer they will get together and record their experiences in the pants.
This book is sort of a Ya-Ya Sisterhood for a younger crowd. It’s touching and funny. I’m looking forward to reading the second book, The Second Summer of the Sisterhood (though I will wait for paperback).