The books that I finished reading in September 2018
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| September 2018 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson |
“Cruise Control,” A.J. Stewart
Another amusing Miami Jones story. It further strengthens my conviction that I will never go on a cruise.
“The Lost City of Z,” David Grann
A fascinating look at the history of exploration. Col. Percy Harrison Fawcett believed in a lost civilization he called the City of Z; in 1925 he enters Amazonia in search of it and is never seen again (as they say). This author recounts his own journey in Fawcett's supposed footsteps to see what he can find.
This book tied in really well with “John Woman” as to thinking about about history as truths, lies, or something in-between.
“John Woman,” Walter Moseley
It says "Walter Moseley on the cover. His usual author photograph is on the inside jacket. But, I swear, based on the erotica, this book seems to have been written by Mat Johnson rather than by the creator on the Easy Rawlins mystery series.
Regardless, it is one of the best I have read this year. Heck, one of the best ever. I say this not so much for the story, but the philosophical discussions of history - what it is and what it isn't.
“The Tangled Tree,” David Quammen
Quammen is one of my favorite authors. This book may not be at the top of his oeuvre, but this overview of how molecular biology is turning the "tree of life" on its side is captivating.
There are more things on earth than are dreamt of in the science I learned in school. Institutional standards, by their nature, lag behind the times. Therefore, I have known that some of the material I am asked to present as a part of my work can be construed as well intended, but misleading. Now, I realize that it is even more out of step with current thinking.
As an aside, speaking of my training - I joke that, as of 2016, the periodic table has 118 confirmed elements. But, when I was in school there were only four; earth, air, fire, and water.
“The Lost World,” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
A presumed classic, I have seen the movie, but never read the book. So, as the “The Lost City of Z” cited Col. Percy Harrison Fawcett as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's inspiration for this story, I decided that it was time to do it. The tale, first published in 1912, is very entertaining. However, I was quite put off by the blatant racism. But, then, not much has changed.
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