Oxford geographer Nick Middleton’s companion volume to his four-part Channel 4 series, about the most extreme examples of human habitation on Earth.

While the four individual sections (Coldest, Driest, Hottest, and Wettest) are enjoyable, I was disappointed that Middleton makes no effort to connect the sections or even come to any overall conclusions about why people live in such extreme realms.

In addition, the sections themselves seemed occasionally padded. The Driest section is the worst offender, with a lengthy section on living at extreme Andean altitudes, which, while fascinating, isn’t related to the main topic (this is ironic to me since it’s the main reason I bought the book, having visited - for twenty minutes - the airport at Arica, Chile, enroute to La Paz, and being curious about this desert beachfront place).

The best section is the first, being a rather vivid look at the peculiar adaptions the people in that Siberian town make to live with (as well as some fascinating descriptions of the phenomena associated with) extreme cold.

Perhaps the TV series is more enlightening, but since it’s not out on DVD yet, I can’t find out.

A gift from Mike Mitchell: an award-winning biography of the famous diarist. So far, a fascinating portrait and-of course-of his era, and why his diary matters.

Randomly pulled off my shelf this morning. No particular reason—maybe it’s just that I’d like to be reading about someplace hot and dry (New Mexico, the novel’s setting) in the middle of winter.

In this prequel series to ST: NG (part of Pocket Book’s plan to account for every millisecond of the Star Trek Chronology from the present day to the 25th Centur), Captain Picard-commander of the USS Stargazer, youngest starship captain in Starfleet, and possessor of a full head of hair-meets for the first time a woman who will be a part of his future, still recovering from her traumatic encounter with a mysterious energy field…

Fresh from Amazon. Hopefully, lots of delicious reading to dip into over the week.

Brief but lucid intro to linguistics, part of the Oxford University Press “Very Short Introduction”series.

A bit heavier on the leaden academic prose than a layman’s introduction should be, but still pretty good. Covers a bit more territory than the usual trade/economics-focussed introductions to globalization, and doesn’t (so far) preach.

A bit heavier on the leaden academic prose than a layman’s introduction should be, but still pretty good. Covers a bit more territory than the usual trade/economics-focussed introductions to globalization, and doesn’t (so far) preach.

Fresh from Amazon Japan last night. I’ve already started it, and so far Clarke is NOT coming across as particularly partisan (okay, he does seem particularly pissed off at the FBI). Looks good.

I grabbed this to add to the 100 pounds of travel guides I brought with on my London/Paris vacation-travelling from my home in Tokyo-and toted along purely for reading pleasure.

It wasn’t my intention for this book to fit in with my trip, but it seems to be working out that way: the book opens in London-where I just was-with the kinds of cultural/societal observations he usually applies to future worlds. I’m finding it very engrossing, particularly since the protaganist happens to share my interest in Muji. Even more startling is the plot sending the protaganist off to Tokyo, to walk streets familiar to me, even at this distance.

When I’m through, I think I’ll be passing it onto someone I know in London, someone who spent a couple of years in Tokyo and might appreciate the nuances.