All Consuming : Kiri Wagstaff

Consuming "Life in Cold Blood"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 05:01:30 GMT

Life in Cold Blood

by David Attenborough

Consumed "How to Live on Twenty-Four Hours a Day"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 05:03:14 GMT

How to Live on Twenty-Four Hours a Day

by Arnold Bennett

WORTH IT!

Entertaining advice (rated 4 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 05:03:14 GMT

How to Live on Twenty-Four Hours a Day

by Arnold Bennett

Initially I thought this book would be another compilation of time-management advice. Not at all! Its emphasis is on the word “live” in the title, and the goal is to help you arrive at a feeling of having lived your life, rather than passing through it and feeling vaguely dissatisfied. The advised process by which you may achieve this is to revisit how you employ your non-work hours, and to use them to greater personal benefit through a combination of mental focus exercise, self-analysis, and enriching education in topics that interest you. This summary probably sounds a bit dry—the actual text is delightfully entertaining, with a strong author voice. Even better, you can listen to it as an audiobook for free through librivox! The total listening time is only 1.5 hours, so I imagine it’d be an even faster read. Enjoy!

A story about "The Atlantic, October 2008 issue"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 01:30:47 GMT

The Atlantic, October 2008 issue

Interesting articles in this issue:

“The Wars of John McCain”: a description of McCain’s wartime experience, which likely plays a large role in shaping his opinions of our current military conflicts. The main question raised by the article, of whether McCain’s Vietnam experience has tinted or tainted his policy views, is never really answered (and probably cannot be, possibly not even by McCain itself), but the article is great reading nonetheless.
“How the West Was Wired”: entrepreneurial efforts in the far west of China have brought internet access to the least likely of users: subsistence farmers. Great (and ongoing) story.
“Is Pornography Adultery?”: this reads like an exercise in a high school debate class. There seems to be a clear answer: [the viewing of] pornography is literally not adultery because it does not involve sexual intercourse with a non-spouse, which is a necessary condition of adultery. The only reason the discussion is of interest is that it seems to mask the question everyone really wants answered: “Is Pornography Acceptable?” If pornography constitutes adultery, then it isn’t acceptable. But if it’s just a hobby, then maybe it is. But even if it’s a hobby, it seems to be one that levels serious damage at spousal self-esteem—which is an interesting facet of our societal attitudes, at the very least.
“Land of Green Gables”: a travel article about Prince Edward Island, and specifically its appeal to fans of the book, Anne of Green Gables. This was interestingly relevant as I just finished reading the book for the first time; I’d watched the TV show as a kid but never read the book. It was interesting to read about the fanatical tourism to the (fictional) town of Avonlea, recreated near the (real) town of Cavendish. Apparently, this destination is particularly popular with Japanese tourists; there is a great photo in the article of two Japanese women wearing straw hats with fake red braids dangling on each side.

Consumed "The Invention of Hugo Cabret"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:57:36 GMT

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

by Brian Selznick

WORTH IT!

A visual and literary treat (rated 4 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:57:35 GMT

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

by Brian Selznick

This book is long—2 inches thick. Its length derives from the over 100 illustrations created by the author, which interleave with the text in a complementary, not redundant, fashion. The book alternates between telling the story visually, with an almost silent-picture feel, and telling it in text (made all the more vivid by the preceding illustrations). The story itself immediately draws you in and combines a great young adult tale (or two!) with some fascinating history of the early filmmaking world. Clocks, magicians, automata, and the dreamland of film all combine to create a wonderful reading experience.

A story about "Atlantic Monthly, October 2006 Issue"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:50:54 GMT

Atlantic Monthly, October 2006 Issue

by Editors of The Atlantic

Interesting articles from this issue:

Atlantic Retrospective on Politics: excerpts from articles in this magazine going back to 1862 (!). The oldest one is an article by no less than Ralph Waldo Emerson (quote: “We want a state of things in which crime shall not pay.”)
Perplexing ad from Capella University: picture of a black woman setting a table, with a child in the background running towards the table. Text reads: “Knowledge is finding the place where mom and PhD can actually co-exist.” Punctuation gaffe aside, I can only assume that they mean the conflict between raising kids and finding time to study for a Ph.D., not that having a Ph.D. somehow precludes you from reproducing. I’m no raging feminist, but I would have preferred a version that replaced “mom” with “parent”.
“The Drama of the Gifted Parent”: Sandra Tsing Loh is back with her usual scintillating wit as she reviews four books on the high-stress existence led by overachieving, gifted children. I really enjoy her particular sort of vaguely subtle sarcasm, at least partly because she is so willing to turn her own criticisms on herself and to acknowledge her own foibles.
“Making Sinatra Sinatra”: an obituary for Bill Miller, Sinatra’s pianist. I find the Atlantic’s two-page obituaries unexpectedly compelling; they tend to be written in a lively fashion, and I come away with a real sense of a person whom I otherwise would never have known. (I have yet to read an obituary for someone whose name I recognized—but that makes them all the more interesting, like extended character sketches for a novel.)

A story about "The Atlantic, September 2008 Issue"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:49:07 GMT

The Atlantic, September 2008 Issue

by Editors of THE ATLANTIC Magazine

Interesting articles from this issue:

“The Front-Runner’s Fall”: an analysis of Hillary Clinton’s campaign, including what worked and what didn’t. Perhaps the most fascinating reading comes from the excerpted emails and memos from her campaign staff that show the behind-the-scenes drama and disagreements throughout.
“Girl, Interrupted”: a discussion of the Patty Hearst story, the details of which were new to me. The events occurred in the 1970’s but are newly up for discussion due to an upcoming book by William Graebner called Patty’s Got a Gun. The story, of abduction, violation, and brain washing, is disturbing enough. Caitlin Flanagan, the author of this article, also discusses society’s reaction to the events in a way that yields a broader context and complexity.

Consuming "How to Read a French Fry: And Other Stories of Intriguing Kitchen Science"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:45:11 GMT

How to Read a French Fry: And Other Stories of Intriguing Kitchen Science

by Russ Parsons

Consumed "Daughter of the Empire"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:06:14 GMT

Daughter of the Empire

by Raymond Feist

WORTH IT!

Consumed "Siddhartha"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:52:08 GMT

Siddhartha

by Hermann Hesse

WORTH IT!

A review of "Saving Dinner the Vegetarian Way: Healthy Menus, Recipes, and Shopping Lists to Keep Everyone Happy at the Table" (rated 4 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 08:51:42 GMT

Saving Dinner the Vegetarian Way: Healthy Menus, Recipes, and Shopping Lists to Keep Everyone Happy at the Table

by Leanne Ely

Do you ever really “finish” reading a cookbook? I’ve now made quite a few of the recipes in this book and for the most part was delighted with the results (generally easy, and generally tasty). Originally I was particularly excited by the concept of having recipes batched by week, so in theory you just go shopping once for all of them and then already have the needed items on hand for a week’s worth of dinners. However, it’s really tailored to a four-person family’s needs. Even cutting amounts back, I just don’t have the time (or need) to cook every night (especially with the heaping portions these recipes generate—leftovers are great!). For me, it makes more sense to shop for only two of the recipes per week (and I’m not even that regular).

Still, there are several recipes I have remade or plan to remake (Tofu and Black Bean Stew, Veggie Lasagna, Three B’s Salad, etc.) and it’s certainly given me the chance to try out some new ingredients. Yum!

Dan Simmons does it again (rated 5 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 04:18:19 GMT

Olympos

by Dan Simmons

Mind-blowing, adrenaline-pumping, world-expanding science fiction at its very best. Dan Simmons has big ideas and grand schemes, and he is never content to simply tell a story; no, he must weave it into our own reality in a seamless fashion, reaching backward and forward in time and literature. In this story (I’m grouping the previous book, Ilium, into the “story”), he brings together Shakespeare, Homer, Proust, quantum teleportation, terraforming, robots, and so much more. Each new bit that unfolds reveals new amazements, filled with both horror and wonder. I definitely recommend both Ilium and Olympos to any fan of science fiction. Or Greek/Trojan history. Or Shakespeare. Or ignore all of the connections and enjoy it for its own sake!

Mind-bending thriller (rated 4 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 05:31:02 GMT

Cyteen

by C.J. Cherryh

This is an absolutely stunning book. The pacing starts out slow ~~- in fact, it continues to feel slow throughout -~~ but I found myself entirely wrapped up in it regardless. The thesis of the book involves cloning—but rather than just genetic cloning, it explores how you might try to control the environmental and chemical factors that also have a strong influence on the person who ultimately comes out. Cherryh has a masterful hand when it comes to putting you right inside a character’s mind, even in the third person, and even with a character constantly changing (in age and other ways) throughout the book. My only complaint is the long list of questions left unanswered at the end, when the curtain falls so suddenly that you’re left blinking in surprise. But definitely, definitely worth the time it takes to read.

A technological romp into the future (rated 3 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 05:25:39 GMT

Singularity Sky

by Charles Stross

This book provides a fun romp through a future post-singularity universe, where the singularity itself included the creation of a sentient artificial intelligence called the Eschaton. The technology in this book is fascinating (cornucopiae machines, FTL communication via entangled bits, ship drives) although perhaps not fully fleshed out—but technology was not the point of the book. It feels more like an author’s lark, containing subtle (or not so) pokes at bits from our own history (the jabs at “Jusef Smith” did make me chuckle). The characterization is exceedingly thin, the romance is (as too often happens) pasted on top of the plot, but if you can set that aside and skip to the fun tech bits, it’s an enjoyable read.

Love: a life-long disease (rated 4 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 02:59:39 GMT

Love in the Time of Cholera

by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

I am a latecomer to the writing of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, which is a shame. Even in translation, his writing is beautiful, lyrical, and full of imagery and power (some credit goes to the translator, of course!). I very much enjoyed this story, which has some interesting things to say about love and self-delusion and pursuit and success and failure. The characterization is very well done. Plotwise, the continual emphasis on the protagonist’s obsession with sex-sex-sex-sex-sex became somewhat tedious, but this is a minor detraction from an otherwise engaging tale. And, in contrast to many books I’ve read of late, it has a solid, delicious-yet-not-trite ending.

Mystic, Rider, who cares? (rated 2 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 02:54:52 GMT

Mystic and Rider (Ace Fantasy Book)

by Sharon Shinn

Was this book really written by the same hand that penned the beautiful Samaria books? Two pages in and I kept checking the cover to confirm that yes, it was Sharon Shinn, and yes, she really was writing a dull, trite, flat story with abysmal characterization. Her Samaria books are filled with interesting ideas, moral crises, and characters you care for. This book is filled with predictable scene after predictable scene and characters who are (you guessed it) both predictable and one-dimensional. The romantic subplot never gets any true emotional traction, and despite the quest-centered plot, none of the actual journeying is at all realistic (horses only appear when riding is needed; provisions are inexhaustible, unless the protagonists need an excuse to go into a town; etc.). Character development happens but is entirely unmotivated (as one small example, consider how Cammon more or less immediately morphs from callow cringing youth to sensitive, mature, insightful, deep mystic). The central “mystery” of why the mystics are being pursued and killed is either no mystery at all (easily explained by fear of magic) or else entirely unresolved (if there was more to it, it never manifested itself). There are more books to follow, and maybe they’ll answer it one way or the other, but I can’t bring myself to care. I’m still shocked that this could possibly have been written by Shinn!

A multi-faceted eye (rated 3 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 12:22:29 GMT

The Thin Place

by Kathryn Davis

This is a somewhat odd book that nevertheless manages to tell an intriguing story. The viewpoint shifts radically from chapter to chapter (ranging from people to rocks to beavers to…), bumping the reader along. But if you hold on despite the turbulence, you can gradually piece together the story that is being told, and it does end up being worth the wait. Personally, I think I like the book better if I cut off the final chapter, although perhaps that is the punctuation mark that the author most wanted to reach—who knows!

Lesson: don't anger the Emperor

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 20:56:01 GMT

The Carpet Makers

by Andreas Eschbach

Despite being composed of a series of multi-faceted, interwoven yet independent narratives, this book holds together as a novel. Although few characters persist longer than an episode or two, the plot itself carries throughout, drawing you along to the unraveling of the core mystery: where do the glorious hair-carpets, which each take the entire life of a master to weave, go? To what end is so much human effort and devotion invested? The carpet-makers believe that they go to carpet the palace of the Emperor, but early on we see reasons to doubt this. The original book was written in German, but the English translation is so smooth and fluent as to feel like no translation at all.

Creepy and gothic and captivating (rated 4 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 20:29:55 GMT

The Shadow of the Wind

by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

This is a mystery and a ghost story, a frustrated romance mirrored and reflected, a book about a book, and a story with such a strong sense of place that, if interrupted while reading, you look up with confusion that you are not, in fact, in 1945 Barcelona. It is well written, disturbing, and engrossing.

Marvelous inventions, from amazing people (rated 4 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Kiri Wagstaff) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 20:25:07 GMT

Jacquard's Web : How a Hand-Loom Led to the Birth of the Information Age

by James Essinger

This book starts with, but ultimately reaches far beyond, the invention of Jacquard’s mechanical loom. I have always loved the idea that the first kind of “programming”, with punched cards, came from the world of textiles, and was only later adopted and extended with the invention of digital computers. This book does a great job of relating the history in a very personable fashion; the key characters are so life-like that I came away wishing I could sit in a room with Babbage or Lady Ada or any of their cohort, even just to listen in if not to converse!