Book I read last week that I loved: Novik's latest Temeraire book, Crucible of Gold

Several years and books ago, Novik hinted about the alternate history of the New World as a result of the existence of dragons, and in this book readers get to learn more.  But better than that, the dull, dragging narrative and clunky pacing of the last book have ( Read more... )

Very quick post of my thoughts about this very good explanation of the melt down of mortgage backed securities in 2008 that lead to the on-going recession.  Over at WordPress.

Today's SBD is a non-romance book.  Lots of brothers-in-arms affection, but no romance.  [Unless you are wearing slash goggles, like apparently many people are.  Go google "Brad Colbert/Nate Fick", I'll wait.  Personally I don't really see it, despite the constant sexual references in the book and miniseries, but the casting of the HBO miniseries ( Read more... )

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~ As I was wandering down memory lane last night, I was reminded of my first big crush in middle school.  He had spiky black hair, a scattering of freckles across his nose, and an amazing grin.  Joking and talking during Science Class used to get us both The Look from Mrs. Smith.  His name was Fabio.  Seriously.  This was before the romance model ( Read more... )

Am reading Nancy Goldstone's Four Queens: The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe. This description of Simon de Montfort strikes me, I think because of the irony, enthusiasm and criticism all rolled up in it:

Simon de Montfort was one of the most renowned figures of his day, and a pivotal actor in the drama that would result in French hegemony in the ( Read more... )

Monday again.  Ho hum.  Beth has rung the bell on SBD.  She's reading more of the Twilight series.  After her post last week, I went hunting for my copy of Twilight and pulled it out for this month's TBR Challenge.  Sadly, I haven't cracked the book open yet.  Instead, I've read other stuff.  Such as...

I read Erin McCarthy’s Hard and Fast last week ( Read more... )

~~My post on Bujold's A Civil Campaign is up over at Readers Gab. It took forever to write. You may not have noticed, but I'm having a hard time writing about my reading lately. Which matches up to the epic reading slump I'm in.

~~Milk is the best movie I've seen in a while. Sean Penn sometimes is too much for me, but he just nailed this role ( Read more... )

From the cover flap:

The World Without Us reveals how, just days after humans disappear, floods in New York's subways would start eroding the city's foundations, and how, as the world's citiies crumble, asphalt jungles would give way to real ones. It describes the disntinct ways that organiic and chemically treated farms would revert to wild, how ( Read more... )

Belated happy Turkey Day to all who stop by ( Read more... )