Reading Update

(3) Carry on, Jeeves - P.G. Wodehouse

Wonderful! I can't wait to start the next collection of stories about Jeeves and Wooster.

Reading Update

(2) 100 Cupboards - N.D. Wilson

Very Fun!

This is a children's book that I am guessing is aimed at the 12 - 14 year-old range. Perhaps a bit too scary in places for much younger than that. I enjoyed it though and I'm 32! It is part one in a series of three and I definitely plan on reading the other two.

Reading Update

(1) My Man Jeeves - P.G. Wodehouse

I have discovered an author that I love! Laugh-out-loud moments and all smiles as I read about the adventures of Bertie Wooster and his hilariously clever servant Jeeves. This book is a collection of short stories, about half of which are focused on Jeeves and Wooster, the other half on Wodehouse's early versions of the same characters. If you know nothing about Wodehouse, check out the Wiki article on him and then grab a story and enjoy.

New Year - Try Again!

As you can see from the lack of recent posts, I failed in my attempt to read 24 books last year. I dare say I came closer than the blog intimates, but I can't remember what the books were that I read, yet failed to comment on here. Anyway, I will once again try for 24 books this year, but will be altering slightly the way I comment on those books. One of the reasons for the lack of posts is that when I did finish a book, I had no desire to write a detailed account of my thoughts on it. So this year I reserve the right to write one-sentence or even one-word reviews of the books I read. In some cases no doubt, I will be so captivated by a book that I will find it necessary to pontificate at great length on its excellence and so in those cases, a lengthy review will occur. So wish me luck!

Reading Update

(14) The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education - Craig Mullaney

This is one of the best books I have read in some time. Mullaney tells his story from his time at West Point, through his days as a Rhodes scholar at Oxford, to the battlefields of Afghanistan, and more. His writing is marvelous and turns this biography into a page-turner. I recommend it without reservation!

Reading Update

(13) The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - J.R.R. Tolkien

As anyone reading this will know, this is part two of the famous trilogy. One thing I noticed in reading this book was how different it was from Peter Jackson's movie. The book spans a much greater period of time than the movie. For example, the battle at Helm's Deep, which is the final battle scene in the film, takes place in the first third of the book. Anyway, a great book that everyone should find the time to read.

Reading Update

(12) The Forever War - Dexter Filkins

This was a difficult read for me.  Not because the book is bad or poorly written, but just because the subject matter and vivid nature of the writing is troubling.  It is a book about Muslim extremism and the wars that have been and are being fought by its adherents.  The main thrust of the book takes the reader through America's conflicts with the extremists in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Filkins is a foreign correspondent with the New York Times and was embedded with units in both conflicts.  The author's take on the situations is complex and yet very simple at the same time.  He sees the all the nuances of the region's politics and religion, yet also sees that this war has really been being fought for ages and that manipulation and betrayal is the key to survival for many of the extremists.  It is weird to see him describe a man who is one day a Taliban fighter, the next day a friend of the Afghan Coalition, and the next day a Taliban fighter again.  I recommend the book for its honest description of the brutality of war and its perspective on the minds and actions of those Muslims who have been waging this war for ages.