Well, I may not be keeping up on the daily posting, but I am at least posting a heck of a lot more than I had for the last who knows how many months. :)
Day 13 - A fictional book
Alright. Some of the fiction I've read lately.
Old Man's War, by John ScalziWhen John Perry turns 75, he does two things: He visits his wife's grave and he joins the Colonial Defense Force. The CDF's enlistment contract is incredibly tempting. When a person reaches retirement age, all they have to do is give up all their worldly possessions and promise never to return to Earth.
I really enjoyed this one, and I'll be picking up the next books in the series. John Scalzi is also going to be one of the guests at Phoenix ComiCon.
Hominids (Neanderthal Parallax Series #1)Humans (Neanderthal Parallax Series #2)Hybrids (Neanderthal Parallax Series #3)
by Robert J. SawyerHominids examines two unique species of people. We are one of those species; the other is the Neanderthals of a parallel world where they became the dominant intelligence. The Neanderthal civilization has reached heights of culture and science comparable to our own, but with radically different history, society and philosophy.
Ponter Boddit, a Neanderthal physicist, accidentally pierces the barrier between worlds and is transferred to our universe.
I've never read a Robert Sawyer book I didn't like. This trilogy continues that trend. It did feel like book 3 had kind of a rushed "oh no, I have to resolve things" ending though.
Huh, looking at the books I listed you'd think I was a fan of Sci-Fi, but it's actually not the majority of what I read. It's just what I happened to have read lately.
Day 14 - A non-fictional book
I've got 2 non-fiction books I'm reading right now.
Return to Antarctica: The Amazing Adventure of Sir Charles Wright on Robert Scott’s Journey to the South Pole, by Adrian RaesideReturn to Antarctica marks the 100th anniversary of the Scott Expedition to the South Pole.
By 1910, the South Pole had gripped the imagination as one of the final frontiers to be explored, and British naval officer Robert Scott was obsessed that an Englishman-specifically himself-should be its conqueror. Despite being under-funded and under-equipped, Scott gathered together an electric group of naval personnel and scientists and sailed south in the ex-sealing vessel Terra Nova. Halfway through the rough passage to the Antarctic, Scott got word that rival explorer, Norwegian Roald Amundsen, was also making a run for the Pole and was close on their heels. What started out as a stroll to the South Pole became a race between two very determined and different men.
Also aboard the Terra Nova was a Canadian, Charles Seymour "Silas" Wright. Return to Antarctica will transport the reader to the very time and place of Scott expedition through the eyes of Charles Wright, whose diaries and notes were handed down to his grandson, Adrian Raeside. In the Antarctic summer of 2008-2009, Raeside travelled to Antarctica to retrace his grandfather’s footsteps and to gain perspective on an adventure of a century ago that challenged men’s courage, strength and sanity. Raeside’s story telling, supported by revelations from previously unpublished accounts, drawing and photographs, does admirable justice to the legacy of the men who literally followed Robert Scott to the end of the Earth.
I know. Me, reading a book about Antarctica. Who'd have guessed? LOL. I got my copy of this free from Quark Expeditions when they had a Twitter contest. It's really interesting, and the author has a down to earth way of writing. It does, however, become obvious that he's not a professional author at times as he repeats information, or a paragraph will have info that seems out of context. I think the book really just needed a good editor.
My other current non-fiction is
Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex, by Mary RoachThe best-selling author of Stiff turns her outrageous curiosity and infectious wit on the most alluring scientific subject of all: sex.
I'm only a chapter into this one, so I don't really have anything to say about it yet. But I LOVED her first book,
Stiff : The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers so I'm expecting good things.
Day 15 - A fanfic
And for this last one... Don't worry. I won't point you towards any slash or vampire porn. No sex at all in either of these. They are also both hilarious.
Wait Wait Don't Eat MeYes, it is Wait Wait Don't Tell Me fanfic. With zombies.
Drugstore SushiAnd this is Jonathan Coulton fanfic, letting us all in on the secret of how he creates his songs.
Like I said, no sex. They are both totally safe for work.
Day 01 - Your favorite song(s) Day 02 - Your favorite movie Day 03 - Your favorite television program Day 04 - Your favorite book Day 05 - Your favorite quote Day 06 - Whatever tickles your fancy Day 07 - A photo that makes you happy Day 08 - A photo that makes you angry/sad Day 09 - A photo you took Day 10 - A photo of you taken over ten years ago Day 11 - A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 - Whatever tickles your fancyDay 13 - A fictional book
Day 14 - A non-fictional book
Day 15 - A fanfic
Day 16 - A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 - Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 - A talent of yours
Day 20 - A hobby of yours
Day 21 - A recipe
Day 22 - A website
Day 23 - A YouTube video
Day 24 - Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 - Your Day, in great detail
Day 26 - Your week, in great detail
Day 27 - This month, in great detail
Day 28 - This year, in great detail
Day 29 - Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 Days
Day 30 - Whatever tickles your fancy