Missive #146 Published 23 October 2023
This is a good book for what I label as current history. The story line is a little disjointed with quick transitions from one country to another but not a serious fault. The author had a media basis imposed by the main stream newspapers that he worked for during the period of the story but he has held it in check rather well for this book.
Missive #144 Published 20 October 2023
5. NASRUDDIN, HIS SON, AND THE DONKEY
Nasruddin was going to town with his son. Nasruddin walked while his son rode their donkey.
Someone saw them and scoffed. “Lazy boy! Why must your father walk?”
So the son got off, and Nasruddin got on.
Farther down the road, someone else saw them and said, “Cruel father, making your son walk!”
So they both rode the donkey.
Missive #143 Published 18 October 2023
This is a good start to another trilogy. The author seemed to like to write a series of books which I like plus they are alternate history which I also like. The author also seems to like to have strong, active female characters playing the lead in his books which may have captured some female readers which alternate history is usually not their genre.
Missive #141 Published 13 October 2023
4. WHY NASRUDDIN RIDES BACKWARDS
Nasruddin was riding his donkey to the school while his pupils walked behind him. Nasruddin sat backwards, facing the children.
“You look funny riding backwards!” they said.
Missive #140 Published 11 October 2023
Conservative historian Hanson, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, faults what he sees as a diminished respect for American citizenship. What does it mean to be a “citizen”? In a deeply contextualized call to arms, Hanson moves from the ancient Greeks and Romans through the Federalists and Enlightenment philosophers to show how answers to the question have evolved and why he believes cherished ideals about American citizenship are under assault by progressives. As he sees it, “citizens must be economically autonomous.” Unless a sturdy middle class can achieve “material security,” a society divides into “masters and peasants.”
Missive #139 Published 9 October 2023
This is a very good book by Dos Passos, much better than most of his early books in my opinion. It is also the fifth book in the Mainstream of America Series which I now plan on reading. History written by writers rather than academics.
Missive #136 Published 5 October 2023
This was the last book by Frank Herbert in the Dune series. His son took his father's notes for two additional books and published them. He then kept the series alive by writing some of his own — cashing in on the Dune name. I will not be reading them. I will also not read any of Herbert's other books. This one was not understandable by this reader so I'll call it quits.
Missive #135 Published 2 October 2023
This book has more of Twain's satire and sarcasm than Innocents did. Much of the satire is self directed but emulates Americans. His sarcasm is directed more toward the Europeans but they get their fair share of satire as well. A very good book. I'll be reading some more of his travel books.
Missive #132 Published 26 September 2023
Most of these essays are from the 1980's and early '90s. I liked them a lot as you can tell be the number of quotes I have selected. Recommended, except for Book V.
Missive #129 Published 19 September 2023
Oryx and Crake is at once an unforgettable love story and a compelling vision of the future. Snowman, known as Jimmy before mankind was overwhelmed by a plague, is struggling to survive in a world where he may be the last human, and mourning the loss of his best friend, Crake, and the beautiful and elusive Oryx whom they both loved.