The Three Way Tavern: Selected Poems   Ko Un

A collection of poems by “the pre-eminent Korean poet of the twentieth century.” Unfortunately, these poems seem to be a good example of Robert Frost’s claim that “poetry is what’s lost in translation”. That seems especially true of Un’s Sŏn poems. Still, very glad I read this collection.

Joyland   Stephen King
Have felt for a long time that I should read a Stephen King novel because of his influence in American fiction. This mystery novel, part of the Hard Case Crime series, is about a series of carny murders back in 1973. It’s a coming-of-age story of sorts, as well. I was disappointed by the writing and the adolescent characterizations. Also, there was no real edge to it, the series notwithstanding. But it was an engaging distraction for a couple of days. Not very good, but no regrets.

The Blinds   Adam Sternbergh
Entertaining, well-written novel that follows the narrative structure of a western, small town in west Texas, sheriff, standing up to outside invaders, with a little science fiction sprinkled in. Imaginative, readable, though a little short on characterization, and the ending seems too optimistic for the plot. But an enjoyable diversion.

Ezra Pound and His World   Peter Ackroyd
Brief but very good biography of probably the most influential poet of the twentieth century. Filled with excellent photographs, as well. Answered the questions I had about him, his politics, poetry, and sanity. Very readable. Just what I was looking for.

The Night Market   Jonathan Moore
Entertaining, well-written, inventive novel about a near future San Francisco policeman investigating a very strange death. It just gets more complicated from there. A blend of science fiction and mystery that is plausible and well-executed. Found the ending unjustifiably optimistic, but not too bad. Really enjoyed it. Couldn’t put it down.

Normal   Warren Ellis
Short, well-written, imaginative, and highly intelligent novel about academic futurists confined in a remote rest farm because peering into the future has driven them mad. In turns hilarious, sad, and deeply troubling, but also very entertaining. Though known more for his graphic novels, this is the third excellent novel I’ve read by Ellis. He’s a very good writer. Really glad I read it.

Ultraluminous   Katherine Faw
Very well written, emotionally bleak novel about a high-end prostitute working in Manhattan. A first-person narrative in clear, precise prose perfectly suited to the main character’s emotional disintegration. Even though you see it coming, devastating conclusion. A quick, powerful read.  

Bhagavad Gita
A beautiful and profoundly spiritual text.  This, more than any other “sacred” text I have read seems purely spiritual and conveys an understanding of life. I do not like the explanations for why it is acceptable for Arjuna to kill people, Krishna is a harsh god. I also am uncomfortable with the Lord/God references even though they can be understood to portray a reverence for the foundation of existence throughout the universe, which I liked. Loved the clarity and simple beauty of Mitchell’s translation.

Four Quartets   T.S. Eliot
Four of the most beautiful and philosophical of Eliot’s poetry. I used to read these poems every year, but it has been a while. Very rewarding to read them again, and I see things in them for the first time, my life having changed so much in the last couple of years. Even so, Burnt Norton and The Dry Salvages are still my favorites. “There is no end of it, the voiceless wailing.”                  “ but this thing is sure,

                          That time is no healer”

The Bear   William Faulkner
Read this novel forty years ago, and it seems just as great now. The beautiful, intense, well-crafted prose moves us through the lives of McCaslins and the death of the Mississippi wilderness symbolized in the hunt for and killing of Old Ben, a monumental bear that has eluded the encroaching civilization for generations. While I remembered parts clearly, it was fresh and powerful once again, got me through some tough stuff, as well.

The Wanted   Robert Crais
Latest in the Elvis Cole series. This time Cole and Pike help a woman track down her son and solve a series of eighteen burglaries of very high-end homes. Plot moves along well, and Crais’ prose is clear and readable, but there isn’t as much humor and emotional power compared to previous books. Wish Pike had been more involved, and the final confrontation was kind of weak. Nonetheless, a very enjoyable, quick, and entertaining read.

Righteous   Joe Ide
Second novel in the I.Q. series about the Sherlock Holmes figure based in the hood. This time he’s rescuing a friend’s sister from Triads while figuring out who killed his brother eight years ago. Language and dialogue aren’t quite as inventive and authentic this time, but the plot and characterization are good, the narrative comes together nicely, and, unfortunately, the excellent ending made me wish the next book in the series was already available. Enjoyable, entertaining read, like the protagonist and series quite a bit.

The Fifties   David Halberstam
Well-written, overview history of the decade when the United States became the country it is now. While not exhaustive, this is a thorough account focused on the people who embodied the staggering postwar affluence that generated suburbs, rock and roll, malls, big cars, fast food, McCarthyism, the pill, the beginnings of the women’s movement, huge Hollywood stars like Brando, Dean, and Monroe, the Cold War, the Korean War, Ike, desegregation, the generative stages of the Civil Rights Movement, the great migration, and the “changes that were taking place every day in more subtle ways because of the ferocious commercial drive of television and its effect upon both consumers and industry.” A very, very good book, informative and readable, really glad I got to it.

Duino Elegies   Rainer Maria Rilke
Very nice dual-language edition. Nearly every phrase is exquisite, even in Stephen Mitchell’s translation. Again, a little astonished that a person can write with such beauty. This time, except for some well-loved passages, it was like I hadn’t read them before. Still love these poems, always will.

                        “Ah, but what can we take along
into that other realm? Not the art of looking,
which is learned so slowly, and nothing that happened here. Nothing.
The sufferings, then. And, above all, the heaviness,
and the long experience of love...”

                                            "The Ninth Elegy"

My Absolute Darling   Gabriel Tallent
Beautifully written, deeply disturbing novel about the incestuous relationship between Julia “Turtle” Alveston and her monster of a father who abuses her sexually and emotionally. Extraordinary details about the physical world and her inner life. Outstanding portrayal of her personality that completely justifies the narrative development, and very-well written characters, good and bad, most often in authentic dialogue. Very good, but hard to read emotionally.

Sourdough   Robin Sloan
Read this book because I loved Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore so much, and this novel has the same inventiveness and wonder in the same light, readable prose. Story of a young woman, sourdough starter, the future of food, and, as always, love. An interesting blend of hard technology and mysticism, very bay area. Entertaining, enjoyable, and worth every quick page. Really liked it.

The Midnight Line   Lee Child
Latest Reacher novel. This time, he’s in Wyoming and South Dakota trying to return a woman soldier’s West Point class ring. Get’s involved with a very sophisticated opioid drug ring. Written in Child’s usual crisp, intelligent, highly-readable prose. But most of the interactions between Reacher and the other searchers weren’t as interesting as in past novels, almost got a little tedious in the  middle. But, a quick, entertaining, and enjoyable read. Sad, too. Wish I had another one.

I.Q. Joe Ide
Very inventive, entertaining novel about a contemporary Sherlock Holmes character in urban Los Angeles. The Holmes figure is a young black man, Isaiah Quintabe, thus the title, whose sidekick is Dodson. Pretty good characterizations, and good writing, but the real power of it is the dialogue, which is very good. Plot is a little thin, but not bad. Very enjoyable read, couldn’t put it down, even the way I am now. Really looking forward to the next one.

Deep Freeze   John Sandford
Latest, very entertaining Virgil Flowers police procedural, based again in the fictitious Trippton, MN. He has to solve two murders, both with some difficult wrinkles. Not as much humorous repartee, this time, and I miss Virgil’s sexual adventures now that he’s with Frankie, but still good. All of it told in Camp’s clear, very readable prose that moves things right along. A very nice, enjoyable distraction.

Later Short Stories, 1888-1903   Anton Chekhov
Re-read these stories because I read a statement in a review that Lady With a Dog is the greatest love story ever written. It, like all the others, is really good, but hard for me to agree it is the greatest. Really enjoyed re-reading The Bet again, one of my all-time favorites. Liked Shelby Foote’s introduction as well. Reminded me what real literature is about, even in translation. Really good stories.

Tampa   Alissa Nutting
In this novel, the main character “unrepentantly recounts her elaborate and sociopathically determined seduction of a 14-year-old student.” She particularly wants the most emotionally vulnerable boy she can find, so he can be easily used and manipulated. All this while she’s married. I could only survive a few chapters. The prose is good, and some of the characters are well and humorously described. But, I found the whole thing deeply disturbing, and I kept thinking what critics, especially feminist critics, would say about a man targeting for an affair the most vulnerable 14-year-old girl he could find in his class. Would it even get published? Why is this ok?

The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye   David Lagercrantz
Deeply disappointing next volume in the Lisbeth Salander books. Lagercrantz has completely missed her character and sidelined her in the narrative. The plot is stiff and predictable, filled with unbelievable characters and sidebars. It all gets adolescent treatment, and the resolution is completely unconvincing. He has undermined and trivialized one of the great literary characters of the 21^st century. A complete shame. A waste of money, as well. A really bad book.

Home   Toni Morrison
Latest, brief novel by the Nobel Prize winner, the third book of hers I’ve read. Employs a narrative technique where the protagonist writes a critique in the first person of the narrator’s third person account, though not sure what that adds for anyone other than the author herself. Got almost propagandistic toward the end, and I found Frank’s recovery unjustified. I though A Mercy was excellent, and Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination was deeply mistaken. Unfortunately, this book is closer to the second, but glad I read it.

Wolf on a String   Benjamin Black
Novel about the court of Rudolf II in 1599 Prague, where a young visiting scholar improbably gets tasked with solving the murder of Rudolf’s mistress. Much court intrigue, and far too many prose flourishes, Banville seems completely infatuated with his own style, found myself skipping over-long descriptions of unnecessary things. Fairly interesting, follows the same structure and method of his Quirk, mysteries. Not a waste of time, but not great.

You Belong to Me   Colin Harrison
Beautifully written “thriller” about the American wife of an Iranian-American financier and the multi-layered connections to them both. Harrison is great at portraying the richness of the webs that bind people, families, and communities underneath their seemingly-normal lives. Really liked the protagonist, Paul. As usual with Harrison, the worst possibilities triumph, though there are, this time, some survivors. Another very good read.

No Middle Name: The Complete Collected Jack Reacher Stories   Lee Child
As the title indicates, a collection of all the Reacher stories Child has written, plus a new novella. Entertaining, like the novels, though it is easy to tell the older stories because the prose hasn’t yet gotten to the precise, clear style of the more resent work. Enjoyed reading them all very much, wish they hadn’t gone by so quickly.

Prussian Blue   Philip Kerr
Most recent Bernie Gunther novel. More interesting than the previous few because he’s back in Nazi Germany, working for them against his will. He’s up at Berchtesgaden, Kerr’s pretentious homage to Der Zauberberg with Gunther as a jaded Castorp? Longer, with more detail, some unnecessary. Kerr eschewed any romantic involvement this time, probably a good thing, in the last few novels it was forced. Not as good as the first three, but enjoyable. Thanks to Charlie for giving it to me, glad I read it.

Habermas: A Very Short Introduction   James Gordon Finlayson
Excruciatingly tiny print in a small book, but a very intelligent, informative, thorough, and well organized introduction to and overview of Habermas’s work and thought. Habermas’s contributions to philosophy, sociology, and political thought are so extensive, getting them all together, even briefly, is a major accomplishment. Finlayson writes clearly and precisely. Excellent summary appendix at the end, though the book is so well done, it’s almost unnecessary. A very good book.

Golden Prey   John Sandford
Latest Lucas Davenport police procedural. I’m not really a fan of Davenport, but Camp’s prose is very readable, and the plot’s are always entertaining. This novel is the same, though this time there wasn’t as much funny cop chatter, and the two sinister criminals were much more sympathetic and interesting than the cops. Another quick read and pretty good distraction.

What Work Is: Poems   Philip Levine
Beautiful, personal, almost polemical poems about labor and life in the United States. Levine, and this book in particular, have had a profound influence on my poetry. re-read it for National Poetry Month. Loved it again, though this time I read it with some heartache because it is my last, and I’m no longer writing poetry.

The Book Thieves: The Nazi Looting of Europe's Libraries and the Race to Return a Literary Inheritance   Anders Rydell Disappointing book about the efforts to identify, and in some cases, return books stolen by the Nazis. Well enough written, as you would expect from a journalist. Based on the title, and my interest, I thought there would be much more history. Instead Rydell deals primarily with the present day attempts at identification. Also, he inserts himself into the narrative way too much for me. Besides, I am unconvinced that it really means something to return a book to the descendants of someone who was gassed and then incinerated by fascist racists. Too bad.

American Philosophy: A Love Story   John Kaag
Engaging tour through the history of American philosophy as a result of Kaag’s time working in Ernest Hocking’s library. I generally love books like this, intellectual history and analysis couched in a personal narrative. Kaag’s vituperative discussions of his first marriage, even though most of the blame is directed at himself, seemed much too personal, I felt like I was forced to look at something I didn’t want to see. But the book is pretty well written, and it did help rekindle my interest in James and Royce, so I’m glad I read it.

The Ranger   Ace Atkins
Interesting thriller about an army Ranger who goes home on leave to find his uncle dead and the town he grew up in submerged in corruption. Of course, he fixes it. Very readable prose, more actual characterization than often is the case in this genre, and general believability. Found it to be a pleasant, fairly satisfying diversion. First in a series, may try the next one. Enjoyable enough. Glad I read it.

Guilty Thing: A Life of Thomas De Quincey   Frances Wilson
Relies heavily on De Quincey’s autobiographical writings, at times it seems just to be regurgitating them. But provides a good sweep of his life. Prose is pleasant and effective, though De Quincey himself remains a little elusive until the end, this book provides a good overview. Surprised and very interested that Poe was so strongly influenced by him, and that De Quincey was read and so esteemed in America. Enjoyed it very much even though my opinion of De Quincey is now more realistic, his life got very sad at the end as he got more prolific and brilliant. Good writing and research. Excellent, brief summary at the end of De Quincey’s profound influence. Glad I read it, kind of sad it has ended.

Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II   John W. Dower
Excellent, Pulitzer Prize-winning history of postwar Japan. Really liked the emphases on social and intellectual history, use of popular culture, such as, comedians, TV shows, magazines, songs, etc., and personal letters and diaries. Provides good insight into what life was like for individual Japanese. Very interesting details about the decision to keep the emperor in place, reflecting SCAP’s very conservative approach. Though I read this book about 10 years ago, it fit well with my current reading about Japan in the Pacific war. Very good book.

Confessions of an English Opium Eater   Thomas De Quincey
De Quincey’s idiosyncratic autobiographical sketches of his early life, as well as specific thoughts and reminiscences of the pleasures and pains of opium use, in his case laudanum. I was assigned to read this book in high school, but I didn’t, so, since I have always been interested in it, I finally got to it. I never would have been able to get through his prose back then, it was work enough now. The section on the pains of opium use was the most tedious, all his weird dreams, etc., but I enjoyed the book somewhat, and I’m really glad I finally got it done.

Sad Animal Facts   Brooke Barker
Imaginative, creative, delightful book of little-known facts about all kinds of animals. The drawings, though seemingly simple, convey the facts and emotions perfectly. A fun, quick read by the daughter of a good friend. Really enjoyed it.

Silence   Thomas Perry
Thriller about the attempt by Jack Till, a PI, to bring a woman back from hiding. Interesting narrative technique of focusing on two couples, Till and the woman he is returning, and the assassins hunting her. For me, too much interpersonal maneuvering. The whole thing got tedious, especially since Perry’s prose is only average. Nothing thrilling about it. Too bad.

The Fall of Japan: The Final Weeks of World War II in the Pacific   William Craig
Very readable, highly informative history of the last weeks of World War II in the Pacific. Excellent details about the struggle within the Japanese hierarchy about whether to surrender, Hirohito’s decision, and the subsequent failed coup, even though the book was written in 1967, and Hirohito’s full military influence wasn’t yet known. Fascinating accounts of the two atomic bomb missions, rescue of prisoners in China by the OSS, the arrival and tension of the first occupiers and their fear of being murdered, etc. Very interesting, enjoyed every page.

So Lovely a Country Will Never Perish: Wartime Diaries of Japanese Writers   Donald Keene
A collection of diary entries by Japanese writers during World War II. Disappointed  that it isn’t just the entries. There is far more commentary by Keene, and diary entries are used as examples of what he’s saying, though what he says is not bad. As he says at one point, “The diary is filled with brilliant passages that cry out for quotation.” Really wanted to read those passages and the diaries themselves. Also, Keane organizes the sections by topics that often seem of secondary importance. Not a bad book, but disappointing for me.

The Girl from Venice   Martin Cruz Smith
Engaging novel about a fisherman and the girl he fishes out of the Venice lagoon toward the end of World War II in Italy. I have really liked all of Smith’s novels, and this one is, like the others, very well written, but I found the characters thin, and the narrative line a little preposterous. Never was convinced by the relationship. Ok.

The Decline and Fall of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan: A Pictorial History of the Final Days of World War II   Hans Dollinger
Excellent pictorial history of the final 100 days of the war from German, Japanese, and allied sources. Impressive collection of photographs, detailed charts, complex maps, and primary documents. Very thorough, especially about the war in Europe. Extensive explanatory text, as well. If I have a complaint, it’s that the pictures and text, because there are so many of them, are small, and so, a little difficult to see. But that is not really a criticism. Much less coverage of the war in the Pacific, but what there is is thorough. This is an important historical reference gem.

Japan 1941: Countdown to Infamy   Eri Hotta
Detailed history of the months leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor that precipitated the Pacific war. Good background on the political and historical events that led to the disastrous decision. Hotta is extremely critical of the men whose fantasies started the war and nearly led to Japan’s destruction. A lot of detail about the conflicts between those who wanted to avoid war and those who wanted war. Very sad reading about all the miscalculations and hubris that led to such profound misery and suffering, especially for the Japanese. Prose is a little academically sterile, but the book is informative and well done. Glad I read it.

Night School   Lee Child
Latest in the Reacher series, number 21, all of which I have read. This time he’s in Germany in the 1990s trying to stop a sale to terrorists. The same quick, sharp-edged prose, intelligence, and just enough narrative tension for a deeply entertaining read. Once again, though, the female sexual interest seems contrived, and a couple of things Reacher knows seem improbable. But a very fun read, once again. Enjoyed it.

The Windup Girl   Paolo Bacigalupi
This novel is so beautifully written, so well imagined, that it’s difficult for me to say anything meaningful about it. In a wholly believable future devastated by genetically altered disease and climate warming, political, technological, genetic, and biological conflict propels the very-interesting characters toward the overwhelming conclusion. See, told you I couldn’t find anything to say. Emiko is the windup girl of the title, and she survives. Loved this book, wish it hadn’t ended.

The Dream of the Golden Mountains: Remembering the 1930s   Malcolm Cowley
Beautifully written, insightful memoir of the 1930s while Cowley worked as an editor at The New Republic. Chapter one is an outstanding overview of the social situation of the Great Depression. Excellent description of the enticements of Communism for intellectuals, especially writers, of the period. Interesting account of Cowley’s involvement with the Harlan County coal strike. The chapter “Grass Grew in the Streets” is a fascinating depiction of the things people did to get by, especially in the early years of the depression. This is an excellent depiction of the literary, intellectual 1930s in the United States. Made me wish we were still like that. The few insertions of purely personal history worked very well. I loved this book.

Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945   David M. Kennedy
Detailed political history of the United States through the depression and WWII. Very thorough, balanced account of The New Deal, but disappointingly meager information on the actual American people, subtitle should read “The American Government in depression and war”, there’s no social or intellectual history at all. Interesting historical, political, and economic assessment of The New Deal. Good chapter on the buildup to war. Fascinating account of the contortions the Roosevelt administration went through to aid Great Britain while remaining “neutral.” The war is described in only broad strokes and emphasizes major encounters, political as well as military, and Kennedy kind of skips around. Language is a little too flowery for a serious history book, which this is, but that’s not really a criticism. Overall disappointing because even after 858 pages and with all the facts he presents, my understanding of the 16 momentous years described did not grow at all. Too bad.

Dust to Eat: Drought and Depression in the 1930s   Michael L. Cooper
Brief but excellent history of the conditions of the depression and dust bowl in the 1930s, and the resulting migration of hundreds of thousands of people to California. Clear, simple prose highlighted by excellent Dorothea Lange photographs. Not a lot of detail, but good broad strokes for an effective overview. Goes well with my other reading on the period.

Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny   Robert Wright
Describes human cultural evolution as derived from the ongoing progress of nonzerosumness, a concept from game theory. Besides being an incredibly clumsy term, I am deeply suspicious of looking back over history and seeing patterns that lead inevitably to where we are now. Also, I think he is straining to identify an underlying logic to anything to do with human “development.” Interesting history of the increasing complexity of human cultures. Wright really gets off kilter in the second part of the book where he talks about natural selection “designing” and “inventing” things. His engaging prose style made it an enjoyable read, but I am completely unconvinced by the “logic” he thinks he sees, and his notion of a human destiny. The third part about teleology and spirituality at the end was so bad to be embarrassing. A shame.

Escape Clause   John Sandford
Entertaining, well-written, latest Virgil Flowers police procedural. This time Virgil is investigating the theft of endangered tigers from the Minnesota Zoo, multiple resulting murders, and an attack on his girlfriend. The plots develop nicely, the characters are interesting enough, and the banter is humorous. As usual, Camp’s prose is clear and pulls things right along. Very enjoyable, I like Virgil, didn’t really want it to end.

Terminal World   Alastair Reynolds
Science fiction novel about a far-distant future earth. Begins with what might be understood as a gloss on Dante’s journey. Characters get a little thin, almost stereotypical. Reynolds kind of falls in love with the world he created and spends too much time describing details that aren’t really important to the plot, and there is a lot of discussion among characters, so the narrative bogs down a little. And the lengthy, and much-too-numerous, conversations are stilted and implausible, got tedious. The ending is weak. Too much work for the payoff, too bad.

Men in Dark Times   Hannah Arendt
Collection of essays about people, political and intellectual, under duress during the war years in Europe. Especially interested in Rosa Luxemburg, Karl Jaspers, and Walter Benjamin. As always, Arendt is highly intelligent, analytical, and insightful. Unfortunately, she discusses quite a few people I do not find interesting or that  influential, such as Roncalli, Dinesen, and Gurian. Wish she had included an essay on Heidegger. Her work, in general, is important and was highly influential in the 20^th century.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind   Yuval Noah Harari
Disappointing book about homo sapiens. Liked his use of the term sapiens to designate what we usually call humans, and humans to designate all homo genus species. But the book has an odd condescending tone, as if the its audience is in middle school, and Harari is giving them a moralistic lecture. For example, “The story of these fundamental features of our universe is called physics…The story of atoms, molecules and their interactions is called chemistry.” Unfortunately, none of the information was new to me. Not a good book, a waste of time. Really glad I didn’t purchase a copy.

Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945   Tony Judt
Very well-written, highly intelligent history of Europe in the aftermath of World War II. Excellent overview and summary of the state and conditions in Europe at the end of the war. Also, a very good account of the conditions and circumstances of Europe’s political and, especially, economic recovery, by state. Really liked his use of film history and analysis as indicator of social conditions, and film attendance as sign of economic well being. Excellent account of the development of the European Economic Community (Common Market) and eventually European Union. Good information about the Hungarian (1956) and Czechoslovak (1968) invasions by the Soviet Union and causes. Excellent information on the collapse of the Soviet Union. This is a very good book.

The Vegetarian   Han Kang
Novel constructed from three novellas connected by the stories of Yeong-Hye who becomes vegetarian because of seemingly psychotic dreams. Told from three different perspectives. Emotionally dark, couldn’t understand why any of the characters acted the way they did, felt off-balance throughout. Even though it won the Man Booker International Prize, didn’t really like it.

Theses on the Philosophy of History   Walter Benjamin
These aphorisms are, like much else of Benjamin’s, somewhat enigmatic and unfocused, but also insightful and highly intelligent. Much concerned with Marx’s historical materialism. Fascinating notion of history as memories that “flash up” at moments of danger. Benjamin shows himself to be a theoretical Marxist, not a communist. Very critical of historicism. If I were younger, I would do some analytical work on these. Very good.

The Invoice   Jonas Karlsson
Delightful, touching, humorous novel about a man who is required to pay for being happy. Clear, spare prose and a gentle sensibility made it a quick, absolute pleasure to read. Liked it very much.

On Empire: America, War, and Global Supremacy   Eric Hobsbawm
Collection of four thoughtful, very well-written, and insightful essays/lectures. The statistics on the wars of the 20^th century are staggering, especially the wars from 1914-1945, in which at least 187 million people were killed. Hobsbawm sees clearly the problematic nature of the Bush administration’s attempts to declare itself an empire and act like one. His distinctions between the British empire and American hegemony are obvious to self-evident. An excellent, stimulating, and enjoyable book.

The Emerald Lie   Ken Bruen
Another Jack Taylor novel written in Bruen’s characteristic spare, beautiful, prose. Emerald is back, Jack keeps getting beaten, literally, and everything, and everyone, is harsh at best. Plot wanders a little, loses focus, and kind of runs down. Enigmatic ending. But as usual, very enjoyable, and well worth it.

I’m Traveling Alone   Samuel Bjørk
Well-written, complexly-plotted novel about a police team trying to catch a serial killer of six-year-old girls. Interesting and believable characters, at least as far as the police are concerned. Twist just before the unjustifiably rather sweet ending, though I didn’t really mind because I liked the characters. A couple of plot tangents that were just red herrings and ended up going nowhere. Still enjoyed it, good distraction.

Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that Brought Nazi Scientists to America   Annie Jacobsen
Jacobsen begins with the POV that the use of former Nazi scientists was wrong in every case, and there is no discussion of the pros and cons. She writes an exposé rather than a history, in the style of a true-crime book, though her research and documentation are pretty good. Wish she had taken a more scholarly approach. Found the accounts of the search, capture, and interrogation of the scientists very interesting. The narrative rambles and is a little unfocused, again because of the exposé approach. Veers off topic in the last few chapters, and her  prose gets overwrought. Good appendix listing “Principal Characters.” Not bad, don’t regret reading it.

Year Zero: A History of 1945   Ian Buruma
Well-written, well-organized history of the world in 1945, after the trauma of the world war. Topics include, sex, hunger, revenge, described in graphic detail, etc., and range from the defeats of Germany and Japan to the founding of the United Nations. “The scale of human misery in the aftermath of the war was so vast, and so widespread, that comparisons are almost useless.” Europe and Asia were utterly devastated in every sense. Very informative, and Buruma’s Dutch personal history and sense of irony add a lot. A very good book, really enjoyed it.

Examined Lives: From Socrates to Nietzsche   James Miller
Interesting, well researched biographies of major western philosophers. Some good analysis of their ideas as well. Don’t know that I would have included Seneca, or some of the others such as Augustine, Montaigne, Rousseau, and Emerson because it’s questionable whether they were actual philosophers, and because of a personal lack of interest. Surprising how strongly Kant was influenced by Rousseau, at least according to Miller. Interested also that he had to hide his atheism to protect his position. Always thought his philosophy was atheist. Kant’s late-life dementia, and Nietzsche’s insanity, are deeply sad. Enjoyed reading through this.

The Richest Woman in America: Hetty Green in the Gilded Age   Janet Wallach
“Feminist” history of a Trump-like woman, mean financially and emotionally. Nothing about her seems admirable, even her wealth was initially inherited. Wallach’s praise, written in young-adult-like prose, centers solely on the fact that she was a woman, and liked “nothing better than to best a man.” She valued “influence and position.” I found her to be an example of what was bad about the whole period. Didn’t like Green or this book.

Germany 1945: From War to Peace   Richard Bessel
Detailed, informative history of the end of World War II in Germany. Incredible physical and economic destruction, and social, political, and cultural dislocation. The number of deaths is staggering. Poland and Germany were changed completely, and Germany was essentially wiped out. Though the prose is sometimes a little clumsy, doesn’t really detract from the wealth of information. Impressively documented. Enjoyed it and learned a lot.

White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America   Nancy Isenberg
The problems with this book begin with the title; it’s a “history” of an underclass that exists only in the traditional south, not “in America” at large. While all the details she uses point to it, Isenberg never admits what is completely obvious: the underclass she is discussing was created and perpetuated by slavery, and exits only in the south. She gets badly muddled between class, race, and economic status without clarifying the distinctions, perhaps intentionally blurring them. Some good information on the founding of Georgia, but much of the other history was already well known to me. In the end, unconvincing. Disappointing.

The Osamu Tezuka Story: A Life in Manga and Anime   Toshio Ban, Tezuka Productions, Frederik L. Schodt Disappointing hagiography of one of the 20^th century’s most influential artists, especially in Manga. I was expecting an autobiography, not a formulaic worship of his greatness. Nothing like Mizuki Shigeru’s incredible four volume history and autobiography. Quit after 100 pages of 900. Too bad.

The Third Reich at War   Richard J. Evans
Third, huge volume of Evans’ trilogy history of Hitler’s Reich. Not really about battles. Much more about the strategy, decisions, and administration of the army and Nazi government during the war from September 1939-May 1945. While organized more chronologically than the previous volume, it still covers the continuation and expansion of policies implemented before the war. Amazing that the Nazi leadership knew as early as fall 1941 that they did not have the industrial capacity to win the war. Diabolical, the savagery and brutality were hard to read. Interested in the details of the domestic social situation in Germany during the war. Excellent, informative history, as were the two preceding volumes.

Crooked Little Vein   Warren Ellis
A very well-written novel about a private investigator hired to find a secret book written by the founding fathers that would get the United States back to what it should be. Bizarre caricature of the American sexual underground in the first decade of the 21^st Century. Like Mike and Trix, I got tired of it all by the end, but I really got to like Mike and Trix and their attempt to have a relationship against all odds. Mostly fun, and a pretty good ending.

Gun Machine   Warren Ellis
Inventive, well-written, highly-intelligent, and deeply entertaining police procedural about a detective tracking a serial killer in high totem phase. Really interesting characters, especially the CSUs, and even the psychotic killer was fascinating. Read it because I recently re-watched Red and Red 2 which Ellis created. Loved it, wish it hadn’t ended.

The Young Hemingway   Michael Reynolds
Concentrates far more on Hemingway’s family and antecedents than I needed, but Reynolds does a good job of constructing Hemingway’s early milieu and influences. Makes the case that all Hemingway’s values come out of his early life in Oak Park. My interest began at Chicago as a step toward Paris. There’s plenty about Hadley. Also wanted more about the war, of which there is almost nothing. Only hints at the development of his style. I’m interested in the writing, not the life. Good enough to get me started on Paris.

The Third Reich in Power   Richard J. Evans
The second volume of Evans' trilogy, this volume is a measured, scholarly, detailed, 930-page history of the Nazi state from spring 1933 to the invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939. Well organized by topics such as intellectual life, education based on “brutal physical prowess”, religion, the economy, labor, coordination, agriculture, rearmament, rampant political corruption, etc. to show the complete nazification of all aspects of German life. And, of course, the systematic aryanization, racial hygiene, eugenics, and vicious anti-Semitism. An excellent, well-written history, but difficult to read because of the subject. I knew they were really bad, but the more you know about the Nazis, the worse they are.

Blood Rites: Origins and History of the Passions of War   Barbara Ehrenreich
Very well written account of how war developed in human culture. Fascinating, and I think, persuasive hypothesis that religion developed out of our hominid, then human, experience as prey. Even more interesting than war. Excellent ideas about how the modern nation state was created and is defined by war. Interesting idea about the form that nationalism takes in the United States. And, maybe war is a meme. Interesting and useful book, especially about the origins of religion.

The Dog Stars   Peter Heller
Beautifully written, sad dystopian novel set in the United States after almost everyone is killed by a new flu. Interesting and exciting plot device toward the end. Surprising sense of meaningful survival, and even redemption, through others, what humans require. Deeply moving meditation on loss. Loved this book.

The Coming of the Third Reich   Richard J. Evans
Measured, scholarly, and detailed history of the political rise of the Nazis. Starts with the political conditions in Germany from Bismarck. Surprising how unoriginal the Nazis were, just more violent and better organized. Far too many electoral demographics for my taste, but highly relevant. Excellent account of the Nazification of all levels and aspects of German politics and society primarily by the directed intimidation by unrestrained physical violence. Good use of diaries that provide a fascinating insight into areas of German society. Interested particularly in the intellectual and cultural Nazification. Excellent summation at the end. Very well done.

Exile's Return: A Literary Odyssey of the 1920s    Malcolm Cowley
Another volume on “the lost generation,” this one much more personal and impressionistic than Flowering. Really liked the brief essays on Eliot, Joyce, and Pound, and their influences on the lost generation, and the depictions of Joyce. Very interesting social history as well as literary, Cowley captures an American generation’s development as well as their literary ambitions and accomplishments. Excellent depiction of the growing corporatization of American life in the 20s. Harry Crosby’s life and death was the perfect example of the generation, as Cowley says. Very good, very well written.

Extreme Prey   John Sandford
Latest Lucas Davenport police procedural, this time he’s trying to stop a suspected political assassination down in Iowa. Procedural was a little tedious at first, but enough mayhem developed that things picked up nicely, humming by the end. As always, Camp’s prose pulls you right along. Not enough Kidd and Flowers for me, but another enjoyable ride.

Green Hell   Ken Bruen
Another deeply sad, entertaining, and, in the end, satisfying Jack Taylor novel. Introduces a fascinating new character. I forgot how emotionally brutal these books are, so I was repeatedly stunned by plot twists so cryptically presented. As always, Bruen’s, achingly spare prose was a delight. Very good, quick read.

Why Does the World Exist?: An Existential Detective Story   Jim Holt
Entertaining, journalistic examination of the philosophical question, “Why is there something rather than nothing?” Found it a little irritating that he too often has to reduce his arguments to logical notation equations, but he is from that tradition, I guess. Though unpersuaded, Holt treats the god hypotheses with too much respect. Personally, I find, and have found for some time, the quantum theory persuasive and satisfying, at least intellectually. Unfortunate, useless detour into Platonism of all things, as well as other deeply unconvincing “theories.” A moving chapter at the end on death and the return to nothing. Even though I enjoyed it, took far too long to read this, sometimes only one or two paragraphs at a time. Fun read, though.

The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History   John M. Barry
Embarrassingly over-written, sensationalized account of the 1918-1920 influenza pandemic. I guess that’s what happens when you’re telling an “epic” story rather than just a history. Wasted a lot of time plowing through Barry’s verbosity. Interesting, very short, account of how viruses work, especially the H1N1, in particular. Book is at least twice as long as it needed to be. Excruciating by the end, and nearly nothing to show for it. Too bad.

A Second Flowering: Works and Days of the Lost Generation   Malcolm Cowley
Beautifully written, first-hand literary history and analysis of the generation of writers who flowered after World War I. First chapter is one of the best descriptions of WW I I’ve ever read. Also, an excellent description of the American expatriate colony in Paris in the 1920s. Made me want to re-read most of the eight authors covered, especially my favorite, Hemingway. Very well done, really enjoyed it.

The Last Days of Innocence: America at War, 1917-1918   Meirion Harries and Susie Harries
Far too much detail on all the tiny parts of the military buildup, excruciating. Lifeless prose that is really just an accretion of lists, the authors love nothing more than a list, the longer the better. Descriptions of the WW I battles are somewhat better, but also more useless detail. No real social, intellectual, or cultural history. I think they over-emphasized the centralization of government power, as demonstrated by the 20s and early 30s. After nearly 500 pages, don’t really feel like I have an understanding of the U.S. in these two momentous years. Too bad.

The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language   Christine Kenneally
Well-written, informative, and scholarly overview of current research and thinking about the origins of human language. Very well organized. Deftly covers the ideas that have lead to linguists’ current understanding of how humans evolved language. The idea that language evolved, and the mechanism(s) of how it evolved, are new, so Kenneally spends a lot of time speculating on the future of the field. Other than the speculations, an excellent book. Learned a lot.

Ayako   Tezuka Osamu
700-page, bleak, brutal manga about a Japanese family from 1949-1973, nearly every member of which is disgusting. Murder, incest, all forms of deception, political intrigue. Didn’t really enjoy it, at all, but glad I read it, Tezuka is a huge figure in manga history.

The Searcher   Christopher Morgan Jones
Excellent thriller about a man who goes to Georgia (the country, not the state) to find a friend who has disappeared while investigating an act of terrorism. Like Jones’ other books with these characters, it is highly intelligent, convincing, and entertaining. Seems to me, it captures the complexity and brutality of the place. Very good.

The Quantum Moment: How Planck, Bohr, Einstein, and Heisenberg Taught Us to Love Uncertainty   Robert P. Crease Alfred and Alfred Scharff Goldhaber
Well-written, interesting, and informative discussion of the development of quantum theory and mechanics. Good history, and historical and scientific analysis, with special care for the impact on society and culture in general. Based on the course they teach at Stony Brook. Learned a lot, and enjoyed the read.

Sailing the Wine Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter   Thomas Cahill
Brief, popular, and pseudo-scholarly glance at ancient Greek culture, thought, and politics. At times, Cahill’s tone seems unjustifiably flippant and superior. Also, he couldn’t resist talking about Christianity in an inappropriate and irrelevant closing section. But I’ve loved the Athenians since I first encountered them, spent years studying and writing about Greek philosophy, so even Cahill couldn’t wreck that. Not bad, wish it had been better.

The Ancient Minstrel   Jim Harrison
A collection of three novellas, a form that Harrison mastered. The first of the three novellas is a slightly fictionalized memoir. The second is another of his exquisite portrayals of an idiosyncratic, wonderful life. The third is distilled from Harrison’s 2015 novel The Big Seven, or the novel developed out of this novella. Deeply sad that Harrison died recently, that sadness saturated my reading, especially the memoir. I will miss his rambling style and robust characters.

SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome   Mary Beard
A “history” of Rome that is more a meditation on all the possibilities than any actual occurrences. Much more about the Roman historians such as Livy and Polybius than what they wrote. She discusses writings about the three Punic wars without any information about the wars themselves. After 200 pages, I hadn’t learned anything about Rome except what we don’t know. Deeply disappointing.