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New books ten to thirteen
Feb. 8th, 2009 02:19 pm10) Y: The Descent of Men (Steve Jones). An interesting and well-written book on the genetic problems of maleness - a chromosome that never gets the chance to recombine suffers all sorts of degeneration, beyond having mutations that can't be swapped out. (ETA: the book does cover a fair bit of other gender- and reproduction-related genetic ground as well.)
11) Tideland (Mitch Cullin). I did not like this book. I can see why Terry Gilliam wanted to make a film out of it, and I might even watch the film some day, but I have no desire ever to read the book again. Not recommended to anyone, frankly. The interesting but increasingly infrequent bursts of childhood wonder completely fail to compensate for the unpleasantness of the rest of the book.
12) Camouflage (Joe Haldeman). An entertaining enough semi-thriller, although I at least thought the twist was obvious quite early on. I continue to be irritated by Haldeman's need to finish each book with a monogamous heterosexual happy ending regardless of how poorly this fits with what has gone before (in this case ( cut for spoilers. )) I'm also not sure whether to be amused or annoyed by the idea of positron radar for scanning ocean trenches; I expect better science from Haldeman.
13) Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (John Perkins). Nothing particularly new to those who've stayed awake to the way the world runs, but an interesting insider's description of resource-rich third-world countries being manipulated to keep them under the economic and political thumb of (powerful countries in general but in this case) the USA. An interesting read, to be taken with however much salt you regard as appropriate for such books.
11) Tideland (Mitch Cullin). I did not like this book. I can see why Terry Gilliam wanted to make a film out of it, and I might even watch the film some day, but I have no desire ever to read the book again. Not recommended to anyone, frankly. The interesting but increasingly infrequent bursts of childhood wonder completely fail to compensate for the unpleasantness of the rest of the book.
12) Camouflage (Joe Haldeman). An entertaining enough semi-thriller, although I at least thought the twist was obvious quite early on. I continue to be irritated by Haldeman's need to finish each book with a monogamous heterosexual happy ending regardless of how poorly this fits with what has gone before (in this case ( cut for spoilers. )) I'm also not sure whether to be amused or annoyed by the idea of positron radar for scanning ocean trenches; I expect better science from Haldeman.
13) Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (John Perkins). Nothing particularly new to those who've stayed awake to the way the world runs, but an interesting insider's description of resource-rich third-world countries being manipulated to keep them under the economic and political thumb of (powerful countries in general but in this case) the USA. An interesting read, to be taken with however much salt you regard as appropriate for such books.