The books that I finished reading in the month of February 2024
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| February 2024 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson |
Cliff's Notes
"Darkness"
A story based on the proposition that truth is a matter of the imagination. And, science fiction is a genre that allows one to imagine that things can be very different. Most current reviews stress that this book is a study of gender, However, it also speaks to government, psychology, sociology, and human emotions. I highly recommend it.
"Orange County"
I grew up in Southern California during a time when Orange County was known as a land of oranges, oil, and opportunity for white people. This explains how and why it was, and is, much more than that.
"Bombs Away"
Watching "Masters of the Air" reminded me of this book on the shelf with my collection of Steinbeck works from the Penguin Classics series, which I read quite a few years ago. So, I took it out and reread it.
Written in the early days of World War II, it is a description of how the U.S. Army Air Force recruited and developed a bomber team. It also describes the two planes that they would be flying. Reading it in conjunction with watching the streaming series gives one more insight into role that each crew member fills and the capabilities of the Boeing B-17. (This plane is also known as the Flying Fortress, but I notice that show usual just refers to it as a "Fort".)
Some refer to this work as a piece of propaganda, however I see it as worthy bit of journalism. It is not of the caliber of his novels, but is well worth reading as a part of history.
"Weeds"
Some, unnamed, history professor supposedly suggested that some kinds of problems could be fixed by understanding how they came to be. This book informs us that if there is going to agriculture, there are going to be weeds. This book explains why that is and how we might come to terms with that.
