What makes Sarah Vowell such an interesting author, aside from her sharp, witty and sarcastic humor, is her remarkable ability to take history away from the elite, pedantic, library-like atmosphere where it is discussed in hushed and obsequious tones, and remind us that it belongs to all of us. In her most recent book Lafayette in the Somewhat ( Read more... )

Below is a summary of my August reading with links to longer reviews in my journal.

Book 74: Look Who's Back by Timur Vermes, 2012. Translated from the German by Jamie Bulloch, 2014. 352 pages. Political satire that may not be to everyone's taste as it is narrated by a transported in time Adolph Hitler. Review here.
Book 75: Cryptonomicon by ( Read more... )

Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible by Ursula Vernon

The comic story of a hamster princess whose Sleeping Beauty tale is a bit derailed by her being herself.  A pretty standard rebellious princess, to be sure, but brightly drawn and with a quirky fondness for fractions.

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Below is a summary of my June reading with links to longer reviews in my journal.

Book 56: The Cold Tap by Tom Beckerlegge, 2015. 229 pages. Quirky detective tale with bathing theme. Review here.

Book 57: From the Cradle (DI Patrick Lennon #1) by Louise Voss and Mark Edwards, 2014. 399 pages. Engaging new police procedural series. Review here.
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A light-hearted series of children's books by Ursula Vernon about the adventures of Danny Dragonbreath, a dragon. Along with his iguana and nerd friend Wendell. Opening usually with a dream or daydream by Danny before he gets plummeted in the problems of real life. Of course, for him, that includes problems breathing fire. A wide variety of menaces ( Read more... )

Castle Hangnail by Ursula Vernon

I stayed up entirely too late reading this book.

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From the Eastern Front to North Africa to a Russian labor camp: the memoir of one of Rommel's officers.


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Scout's Honor by Henry Vogel

An old school action-and-adventure planetary romance.  Indeed, part of the fun was the meta-effect of recognizing the old tropes.
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Here is a summary of my September reading with links to longer reviews in my journal.

Book 164: Blood on the Strand (Thomas Chaloner #2) by Susanna Gregory, 2007. 464 pages. Restoration spy thriller.
Book 165: Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier, 2009. 384 pages. Story of early 19th-Century fossil collector Mary Anning. Reviews of Books 164 ( Read more... )

A cynical satire of "the best of all possible worlds."


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