What I’ve Been Reading, Fiction Edition
August 24, 2008 – 5:11 pm by BHFlying Crows by Jim Lehrer. A fascinating and fun read by the host of the famous tv show that bears his name. The story is a quick look at 20th century America through one man’s life. Recommended.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I had mixed emotions about this and though I made it through to the end, I’m not sure I would recommend it. Apparently the book was written for his son. It is dark with a glint of hope. A good friend recommends Blood Meridian instead.
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. The last lecture is a series sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University. Retiring faculty are invited to give one final lecture, hence the name. It has since been renamed the Visions series. Anyway, this is the story of Pausch’s final lecture. It is particularly moving since unlike other professors who were retiring into a life of leisure, the computer science professor was forced into it by pancreatic cancer. Here is a short summary. As most of you know, he recently passed away (CMU). If nothing else, watch the lecture (YouTube). But I read the book anyway, even after seeing the video and recommend you do likewise.
The Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and The Second Foundation, by Isaac Asimov. To some it will be a shock that I have never read some of the most basic foundational pieces of science fiction. Others will just think I am some wierd trekkie. Regardless, I enjoyed this series and recommend it highly. I consider Asimov to be one of our great writers.
Twilight, New Moon, by Stephanie Meyer. The first two of four books in a series. Supposedly this is the next Harry Potter. It is written for teenage girls so naturally I loved it. Coase resonates throughout, though the author does not realize it. I am reading the third book, Eclipse, now. Her newest book has been getting lots of publicity and all are bestsellers. My biggest complaint is that the author insists on hitting readers over the head with the idea that this story, though it involves vampires and werewolves and other scary things, is simply a retelling of Romeo and Juliet. She references the book throughout to ensure no one misses the point. It is mostly fun otherwise.
