Audible Book Review - The Return of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs

I wasn't planning on getting this any time soon. This wasn't because I didn't like the first book, but rather because I recently finished three books that were all start of their respective trilogies (see last three book reviews). However, there were a number of factors that influenced me to get The Return of Tarzan from Edgar Rice Burroughs. First, two of the trilogies I got from the library and I didn't want to own the audio versions of the later books without having the first book. Second, in regards to the series I listened to Angel already bought the second book (and today the third) so I didn't have to. Third, as I won't make it to the library until Saturday, I wanted to start something right away, but needed to put some space between the last book and the 2nd in the trilogy. Fourth, a good friend recommended that I listen to book two of Tarzan as it wraps up Tarzan's undecided love story with Jane. So, all in all, I got The Return of Tarzan and now am ready to dive back into the other trilogies. Here is the link to the Audible's page for the book. It was narrated by Robert Whitefield and was a much better production then my copy of the first Tarzan.

Plot: Tarzan has left America and is intent on returning first to Paris and then, ultimately to his jungle Africa. While on the boat however, he interferes in the affairs of a man who will come to plague Tarzan. Rokoff, a Russian spy stationed in Paris, is as devious and sinister as Tarzan is noble. In Paris, Tarzan meets and becomes friends with others that help him secure his first job, a special agent for the Ministry of War. His mission takes him to North Africa to ferret out a spy. Next he is sent to Cape Town, but is caught by surprise and is tossed overboard, only to wind up at his original cabin, built by his own father. In a search for weapons to arm himself (there were none left at the cabin and he had none on him when he was thrown overboard), he meets and befriends a wild tribe, the Waziri. Helping to save the village from slavers and cannibals endears him to them and they elect him their king. While with the Waziri Tarzan hears of a land of gold to the south and leads a group of warriors there to try and claim some. Tarzan is captured by the misshapen inhabitants, but is able to escape and with the warriors returns laden with gold ingots. At this same time, Jane Porter, the only woman Tarzan has ever loved is on a cruse around Africa with her fiance and some friends when they are shipwrecked not far from where they originally met Tarzan. But Rokoff is among them and how will they survive without Jane's "Jungle God" to watch over them?  From the journey across the Atlantic to Paris, to North Africa, and ultimately back to his cabin by the sea Tarzan meets this villain and strives to foil his plots both as they threaten others and Tarzan himself.

My personal favorites: This book moved faster than the first Tarzan. There was lots of action and Tarzan was either kicking trash or facing dangerous peril. I was surprised on the occasions that Tarzan made mistakes or was caught off guard. It made him a little more human. Although, like most good adventure stories he rallied and came back stronger for it. I found it entertaining how Burroughs would phrase many of Tarzan's inner thoughts as "Tarzan soliloquized." Tarzan working as a special agent for the war department (in essence a spy) made sense and was a fun twist on his story. The character of Rokoff was suitably despicable and made a good adversary for Tarzan, balancing strength for cunning. Not to say that Tarzan was stupid, but that Rokoff was good at coming at him in ways he didn't expect. It was also interesting to read of Tarzan's comparisons between "civilized man" and the savage jungle.

Consideration: Like the first, this book has some early 20th century opinions and some may find offense with comments made about women or people of color. I didn't think the Burroughs was unfair to women, as a whole, but there were times that a comment made would make me shake my head. Tarzan is just as superhuman as ever and "has the devil's own luck." The whole idea that a man was thrown overboard on one day should land on a beach that two months later should house shipwrecked mariners was rather far fetched, as were some of the things that assisted Tarzan. But again, these troupes are common in the adventure genre and should be taken with a grain of salt.

All in all, I enjoyed the book immensely and found it hard to put down. There is a lot that happens over the course of the book and it had both the surprising and the inevitable. It was a very good distraction. The totol length was nine hours.

Memories from Drivers Ed.

This weekend my family had their monthly get together. We met at my sister's new house by Park City. It's a nice area with great views and they found a very nice house. My wife and I were a little envious, but then we also have more than one grocery store within five minutes. I guess it depends on your needs and where you find work. We're very happy for them and enjoyed seeing everyone.

One thing that has become common at gatherings of people is to share the latest things they've found on line. Most often this is videos from YouTube, or some other site. As we all have our potable media devises this was easily done. In continuation of this social custom, I thought I would pass this one along.

I feel the need to explain my reasoning here. The biggest reason I share this is because this is what my experiences in Drivers Ed was like. I can't remember my teachers name at this point, but that may be a very good thing. Just like the teacher in the video it seemed like the purpose of the classw as to provide a way for teenagers to come to grips with their mortality and the "unnatural" ways of traffic and cars. It seemed that every week we went into class he would have a new story about how a girl killed a young child because she didn't walk around her car before pulling out. Or a group of teenagers who tried to beat a train and how only the driver survived and was haunted by the fact that he killed his three friends. Such stories were common place and it seemed like the teacher went out of his way to find them.

I also remember that all the drivers ed instructors were coaches. My was the tennis coach, but I had friends who had the football coach and he was known for his language. While it was nothing that wouldn't be found in a PG-13 movie now-a-days, it was always seen as somewhat humorous. I don't think I had any friends who would try to make him swear, but I did hear of students that did.

I thought I did pretty well in my drivers ed class. That was up until the test. I had done all of the "hard stuff" on the freeway and was actually just working my way through the blocks on my way back. I had just done the last item on the test and the teacher signed the paper when I noticed that I hadn't stopped for a stop sign. I screeched to a halt in the middle of the intersection and sat there cursing to myself and then pulled through. The teacher looked up, said, "If I hadn't just signed this, that would have failed you" and handed me the paper. My parents required me to drive an extra 500 miles with them before I could ask for the car. I like to think that I'm a fair driver, more defensive than offensive. And I am proud to say that I have never received a ticket and only been pulled over one for speeding.

Granted, that just means I've only been caught for speeding once.

Drive safe!

Audible Book Review - Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Again, I affirm that I have very little difficulty embracing books that are generally seen as "chick lit" or otherwise romantic in nature. With that said, Uglies and its corresponding books in the series by Scott Westerfeld is more of a dystopic novel than a romance. I do have to be honest that it would have been unlikely that I would pick up this book if it were not for three things. First, my wife had already grabbed it from audible. Second, it is the favorite series of her brother, Leeroy's, wife. And Third, I had read another series of books by the author and enjoyed them quite a bit. Distopias are not my preferred genre, but I was quite intrigued with Uglies. Like the Leviathan trilogy the writing was good and the plot had some twists and turns. Here is the link to Audible's page for the book. It was narrated by Carine Montebertrand and while I didn't like everything she did it was a good listen.

Plot: Tally is ugly. This is not just what people say about her and it is not even what she says about herself. It is what society has classified her and everyone between the ages of twelve and sixteen. At sixteen uglies become pretty, a plastic surgery designed to align their looks with what the society determines to be ideal beauty. Tally can't wait. She has only a few months before she'll be made pretty and be able to join her best friend, Paris, over in New Pretty Town. Stuck over in Uglyville until then, Tally sneaks out and visits Paris. On the way back she meets Shay, another ugly who is out and up to tricks. The two bond as all their other friends are already pretty and have left the dorms. Shay teaches Tally how to hoverboard and invites her to come visit the Rusty Ruins - the remains of a city from the previous unenlightened society. They enjoy their time together, Tally counting down the days until she'll be pretty and she is excited that Shay will become pretty too. But Shay is not excited. She's almost hostile about the procedure and they get into a couple of fights about it. Four days before their joint birthday Shay tells Tally she's running away and invites her to come along. Tally has to decide. Stay or go. Stay safe or go into danger. Stay ugly or go against her loyalty for her friend. Tally's world spins out of control as she learns that there are more than one kind of pretty, and how ugly some of them can be. And what if the operation isn't just about making you pretty?

My Personal favorites: I enjoyed seeing arguments both for and against the concept of beauty. Tally's arguments on why it was so important to be pretty were well made and the book prompted some good musings. I do not believe that the book is a ham-fisted commentary on our modern obsession of beauty. There were several times I was driven to deeper reflection on the topics being discussed. The book had decent pacing as well. It didn't feel like it bogged down and there were periods of action that were nicely done. Having talked with Leeroy's wife, I knew that the series is more of a distopia then anything else, but it was well covered by the character story being told. I can accept the vast majority of the character motivations and the internal struggles that Tally had were believable. It was a great story about what it means to be a friend.

Considerations: I would often find myself getting annoyed with some of the characters, but it was because they were acting like typical, or at least believable teenagers. As the main characters are between 15 and 18, you will have some angst, and a fair number of decisions based on hormones and not thinking too clearly. But again, that fit the characters of the book. I related to my wife that the book felt juvenile and sophisticated all at the same time but that was because they were juvenile characters in a sophisticated story. There is some alcohol references and a couple of very brief references to pretties hanging out in "pleasure gardens" which appear to be just want they sound like. There is no graphic violence or any sexuality despite the adventure and romance in the story. It does have a hefty romance element, but that becomes overshadowed by the distopic element. Last, the narration wasn't bad, but one of the voices irked me and occasionally she would narrate with a character's voice or use the same voice with a coupe of characters.

I did enjoy it and am glad that Angel has already secured the second book Pretties so I can start on that at my leisure. The total length was just over twelve hours.

Book Review - Time of the Twins by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

About seven years ago I decided that it was time to actually try reading Dragonlance. I didn't intend to read all of the books that use the world, but I figured if I was going to claim to be a reader of high fantasy, I needed to at least try them. Dragonlance has been a well know name in the role-playing gaming community ever since the 1980s and was Tracey Hickman's initial success in the industry and as an author. I read the original Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy and enjoyed them. I didn't pursue more, I can't remember why, but I decided that I might pick them up again. I read up a bit on which one I should read next (there are many, many, many Dragonlance books) and found the Dragonlance Legends trilogy which starts with Time of the Twins. These books revolve around two of the more interesting characters from the first trilogy. There are certainly parts of this first book that I was glad to have read the first trilogy. I think you could start them without the first trilogy, but you would may be confused on several things. The first trilogy is well worth the read regardless, so start there anyway.

Plot: Caramon and Raistlin are very different. Caramon: a huge, hulking giant of a man, known for loyalty to his friends, ferocity in battle, devoted to his brother, and not adapting well to the end of the war that made him famous. Raislin: a cold-hearted, sickly, ploting, scheming, evil mage who could take the world, if he wanted it. How do these guys relate to each other? You saw it coming - they're twins. The war is over, balance has been restored, and the Heroes of the Lance (which include Caramon and Raistlin) are revered and honored. That is, except Caramon. For as long as he had been self aware, Caramon had cared for Raistlin, but Raistlin had never cared about Caramon. With his last letter returned without being opened Caramon falls into drunkenness and despair. However, while Caramon is weakening, Raistlin is growing stronger and stronger in his magic. Two years past and Crysania, a cleric of the growing church of Paladine feels that it is her duty to turn Raistlin from his evil ways and so arranges a meeting. Surprisingly Raistlin accepts, and what's more invites her to his tower to continue the conversation. When she leaves his tower, she is set on reaching the mages who put Raistlin to the test all those years ago in an attempt to help him. Caramon ends up following her as does his old companion Tasslehoff Burrfoot, a kender (who is basically like an adult sized child) goes along to keep an eye on things. But whether they travel to help Raistlin turn from his evil ways, or to help him fulfill his mad plan, no one really knows. Their quest takes them back to a time when the world was changed forever - and they happen to know the date that it will occur. And what's worse is that Crysania seems to have fallen in love with Raistlin and will it help her turn him, or will it turn her?

Personal Favorites: The world is incredibly developed. That is one thing that Dragonlance is known for and one way they influenced the genre. Tasslehoff is a great character who is written so well. As a childish, kleptomaniac who sees the world as one big adventure, you can't help but like him. His thoughts explain his actions and provide a depth he might not have otherwise. I mentioned earlier that the twins are two of the more interesting characters of the first trilogy, and I mean it. Their interactions, their flaws and their strengths, how they could be related and yet be so different all feeds the story and adds tension, emotion and everything else. The characters are very clearly flawed and their flaws make them human. The action was good, the pacing was nice, and the story had some twists and turns that were captivating.

Considerations: This book is a classic fantasy which means you have violence and adventure. The style is not a graphic one and I can't remember any reference to gore. There is what might be called brief sensuality, but again there is no graphic images or details, explicit or otherwise. I have known of many young adults who have read the Dragonlance books. Be aware, the book ends with a large cliff hanger so be prepared by having the second or access to it.

All in all I enjoyed the book and was glad to be back in the setting. It didn't take as long to read as I thought as the pacing was good and the writing diverting. The total length was 421 pages.

Music

I've listened to more music this week than I have other weeks. I mentioned that my iPod touch is broken, so I cannot chose what I listen to. But if I plug in my headphones I can hit the play button on the inline remote and it will start playing my music library in alphabetical order. Even with skipping a few songs, I was surprised when I didn't even make it through the bs when mowing the lawn. In addition, my wife and I sang in the choir at church today. An arrangement by Mack Wilberg, one of the big names with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It had some wonderful harmonies and moving lines in it. We have a wonderful choir director that I also work with in Cub Scouts. It is the most relaxed choir I've ever sung in (which is a grand total of about 4), but we seem to do a good job and I feel more empowered in my singing.

I've always loved singing but have had very little formal training. I did take lessons in a youth choir from one of my friend's mom's who was doing her Ph.D. in music (and was a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir), but that was more to support her son then because I really wanted to sing better. I did play piano for about 6 years and then baritone/euphonium for another 6, so I know how to read music (particularly the bass cleft). My family has also been rather musically inclined, but I never had any ambition with it. I still don't, not really, but I did feel honored when our choir director asked me to be in a men's quartet for a special musical number. The song is one that her husband wrote and re-worked for four male voices. Today we met after church to practice. I felt grossly aware of my deficiencies, but was so glad to be singing with group. I wish I could sing better and am grateful for the opportunity to improve.

I guess I do have one ambition when it comes to music. I would like to learn how to play the piano again. I told my wife that after I finish my Master's program that piano lessons would be my next education experiences. My mother only took lessons as an adult, so I have no difficulties in my age and questioning if an old dog can (re)learn new tricks. I want my children to be able to listen to a song and feel the emotions because they have a love of music. I hope to instill that in them.

Book Review - Only You Can Save Mankind by Terry Pratchett

Another excellent that my mother has recommended to me that has taken me over 10 years to read. I will confess that the list of books that fit that description is rather long. It doesn't help that she keeps recommending and I keep playing catch up. The list doesn't get bigger, but it doesn't get smaller either. Terry Pratchett is a personal favorite of mine. I haven't read one of his books that I didn't like and he has written dozens. Known for the Discworld, Only You Can Save Mankind is the first in a primary world trilogy. It takes place during Operation Desert Storm, the original Gulf War. In the introduction to the 2004 edition Pratchett points out that with the televised war and computer games getting more and more realistic (still nothing by 2004 standards let alone 2013) the line between game and reality could be blurred. This idea has been propagated for years having a special audience in young adult and middle grade fiction, so it is by no means original. But as usual Pratchett does a wonderful job in telling a fun story with a kernel of of idea that he plants into your mind. For those that worry about Pratchett pushing an agenda, I feel that he does this just to make you think.

Plot: Johnny Maxwell is 12 and going through "Trying Times." He is not a bad kid, nor even a misguided kid. He is just floating, living each day at a time and is one of those that just isn't noticed. He is not full of angst, or courage. In fact he could be described as very normal. One think he enjoys is playing computer video games. His current favorite is Only You Can Save Mankind, a space fighter game where you eliminate the foul aliens who are invading. He's gotten pretty good, not the best, but quite decent, and has reached level 7 when suddenly something happens. The aliens surrender. He now finds himself as their sole protector against the players that find them. As he falls asleep he finds himself at the controls of the space fighter. When he dies he wakes up sitting at his computer which is shut down. His friends thinks he's kind of crazy (but are okay with that). But it appears that the aliens have disappeared from every copy of the game everywhere. As he watches the war on TV and flies his game fighter at night he starts to wonder what is game and what is reality.

Personal Favorites: I remember seeing some of the footage of Desert Storm when I was a kid, and I also happened to be playing computer games, so I was able to relate to Johnny pretty well, even if I was a little younger than he is. Per the usual Pratchett style, the book was entertaining and thought provoking and I enjoyed the characters.. They were well done satires which provided fun perspectives. It was interesting to watch Johnny grow and and felt like the transition was logical and believable, even for a twelve year old.

Considerations: The book is a middle grade novel, and as I mentioned in my last review sometimes I have difficulty believing that the character is acting like an actual 12-year-old. Johnny seemed like a real kid most of the time. Over the course of the book Johnny comes face to face with death and destruction. This is painted in a "kid friendly" kind of way that is not graphic, yet is impressive and thought provoking. The characters are parodies of themselves and so may seem stereotypical, but I felt that it was clear that they were their own people.

All in all it was a good book and quite thought provoking, like most Pratchett books. It's certainly dated, but with the conflicts nowadays, it is still very applicable. I'll be reading the rest of the trilogy and report on those when the time comes. I'm locking for it.

The total length of the book was 201 pages.

Book Review - Dragon Run by Patrick Matthews

I was glad that I made it to the library this week as my iPod starting having problems and I can't finish my Audible book. I grabbed three books, two of which I was familiar with the author and the story. But then I did something I haven't done for a couple of years. I grabbed a book off the shelf based on its cover and jacket description. I've gotten lucky the few times I've done this, meaning I grabbed books that I ended up likely the vast majority of. The particular book in question I grabbed was the debut novel of Patrick Matthews entitled Dragon Run. The book is a middle grade high fantasy setting and while having a world which is quite different from ours is able to show it quite easily. I wouldn't mind seeing more of this world.

Plot: Dragons rule unquestionably. Rarely seen, but undeniably there they created the five races and now supervise them. Created of the five elements (life, fire, air, earth, and water) the people of the world go about their tasks with the understanding that their lives will be directed by the rank they receive in their twelfth year. The level of their potential, a rank of 1-7, is tattooed onto the back of their neck. A level 7 can become anything and is often chosen by the dragons to train in the use of potentia, the power of magic which is based on the elements. Level 1 can't hold jobs and aren't even allowed to marry or have children. Al Pilgrommor walks out of his testing stunned. He expected to be a level 4 like his parents, maybe a level 3 like his disappointment of a sister. Instead, he has learned that he is a level zero. Al's life goes from potential to problem. Hunted by the government, disowned by his family, protected by a secret organization whose mark is a red feather, Al has to survive and in the process he finds out what the ranks really mean...

Personal favorites: The action moved along, and the pacing was good. The first day I read it on the bus I didn't realize I was nearing my stop because I was engrossed in the book. The world is interesting and the magic was simple, yet elegant. For a middle grade book our hero was faced with some difficult situations and some peril and destruction, but it was well done and described appropriately for the age group. I would recommend the book for young readers who want to get into fantasy and are looking for a stand-a-lone novel to do it. The lore around the dragons was one I hadn't heard before and the story felt original in many of its aspects. The action felt realistic and the characters were fun. Al has to fight a number of times, giving and receiving wounds. I personally thought that it was well done in terms of pacing, action, description, and mentality, Al responding in many ways like a real twelve year old with only three months training.

Considerations: As usual, I mention these things out of consideration for others, not as negative reviews of the book. I would happily purchase this book for either of my children when they are a little older than their current 5 and 3. One of the biggest things that can pull me out of a story, particularly in young adult or middle grade fiction is when the character acts older then they are. Al and his friends are twelve but don't seem to act like it sometimes. One way I reconciled moments of this was to remind myself that in this kind of society children don't get much chance to be children. They are raised on hard work and many of them "grow up" at a younger age. This was easy to do in this book by using the descriptions of the society. However, I can't say I was one hundred percent convinced of Al being twelve all the time in the book. Something else to consider is that quite a few people die in this book, the vast majority being killed en mass via dragon fire. Those deaths that do occur are not described in any graphic terms (other then to mention the body), but I think it worth mentioning. The last thing I'll mention is that there are some things that are not explained and the book leaves off at a satisfying, yet unfinished time. I would like to know more about some of the things that happened, but until then I am happy to speculate.

I thought this was a well written middle grade book that has great potential for future events in the world. I particularly liked how Al responded during conflicts and how he worked with his sword. The book was compelling and straight forward while entertaining a couple of fun twists.

The book was a total of 325 pages.

What started as a lazy day...

A question I commonly ask students who come into my office on a Friday is, "Do you have any plans for the weekend?" A small handful will say that they do have one thing or other, but most of them say they do not. I will often reply to this that those weekends can sometimes be the best ones. This weekend, I only had two things on my plate: mow the lawn (my usual Saturday morning activity) and go to the library.

Both of those activities proved very successful. I grab three different books for myself nine books for the kids, and my wife picked up a book on CD for when she finishes her latest Audible. We we got home we were started into lunch when I got a call from my brother, Bub. He and Bluey (his wife) had been tasked with picking her parent's apricot tree clear and had called to invite us to glean what we could from the prolific tree. We readily agreed and joined them for an hour of so of picking and chatting. They showed us around the garden and we even tried black caps - a pseudo-raspberry that is not as sweet, but still savory. We came away with quite a few apricots and wondered what to do with them before they spoiled.

Originally we planned on making  jam, but without the supplies and not wanting to make a run to the store, among other things, we decided on something a little different. Angel makes herself a smoothie most mornings for breakfast and likes putting frozen fruit in it for flavor. We thought that we would try freezing the apricots. We did get a couple of bags of apricot halves, but also ran a whole bunch of them through a food grinder and froze the stuff in three cup measures. We figured that we could use it for making jam later, in pies, mixed with cream for a topping, etc. In addition, we froze portions of the ground apricots on cookie sheets and placed them in backs so Angel can add one or two of them to her smoothie in the mornings.


It was a lot of work and Kanga very expertly ran the grinder, doing a great job of pushing the fruit down the chute into the screw. Luckily she was wearing coveralls so her shirt stayed clean through the who procedure. It brought back memories of helping my mother make applesauce when I was very young. Kanga let us know when she needed more and did a good job of working very hard without complaining one bit. Tigger watched, but was a little too small to contribute.

That night the kids and I read every last one of the books we got for them at the library including: Olivia Acts Out, The House on 88th East Street, Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave, and The Watering Hole. This may not seem like much in and of itself, but my mother and I suffer from the same condition. We both fall asleep when we read aloud. You may wonder how it is possible to fall asleep when you are reading and talking, but not only is it possible it is the norm in my family. I can usually read three children's books to my kids without curling up for a nap, or passing out in the middle, but that is my limit. The fact that I read nine is a huge achievement for me. Something about reading aloud puts me to sleep. I don't know why. Oddly enough we both fall asleep writing in our journals too.

Spending time with family

The Monday before the Forth of July we had a chance to hang out with my older sister and her family. There is a splash pad near my parents that's open to the public and so we suited up and went there with the kids. It was fun to chat with Muscles and her husband who I want to call Darpa, because he works on that kind of stuff. (If that doesn't work let me know.)

On a side note about the names I use for my family members, Muscles didn't think that her name was appropriate. In a rare turn of events I had to remind her that she had told me that "Muscles" was her middle name. She had even asked Darpa "What's my middle name?" and he had replied that it was indeed "Muscles." So, unless she wants me to call her by our grandfather's nic-name for her, I intend to stick with Muscles. My other siblings have it a little easier as they have always had nic-names. "M", "Bub", and "Babe" round out my family with Bub being my only brother. Babe (the youngest, and my junior by 14 years) came with us as did my mother.

We had a lot of fun. Even Tigger, who hasn't decided whether he likes water or not. He alternated between screaming his head of in terror and screaming from excitement. I was glad that I was wearing a t-shirt because when he gets scared he tries to climb up as high as he can, which means he goes for the top of my head. It reminds me of the stereotypical housewife trying to get away from the proverbial mouse. Without a shirt he wouldn't have had any traction and I'm sure I would have dropped him. Kanga loved running around with her cousins. (Hey, Muscles! I need names for your kids!) There was one unfortunate moment when she went to run into a falling stream of water and didn't see the other kid trying to do the same from the other side. Bonked head aside, she enjoyed herself.

On the Forth, we went to my in-laws and enjoyed their pool and, I hope, got Tigger over his hydrophobia. We were joined by Tree and Peanut (my wife's youngest two brothers), as well as both grandparents. It's an above ground pool which means the water is always four feet deep - no shallows for young, hydrophobic, children. He's getting heavier and so we inflated a small child raft and put him in it. Kanga, who has always enjoyed the water, got her floater on and started partying. Tigger just didn't want to let go of whichever relative was holding on to him. We finally got him in the raft and to stop screaming. After a while he even started to enjoy himself. Eventually we took him out and my wife began the process of conditioning him holding his breath. The age old method of doing this is to just toss the kid in the water. We were kinder than that while still keeping with the spirit of the thing. By the end, he was even remembering to close his mouth and had a smile on it. On the way home we stopped for hot dogs and roasted them over our fire pit for dinner.

Audible Book Reivew - The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams

This was another book my family has recommended to me that I've finally gotten to. The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul (hereafter referred to as Tea-Time) by Douglas Adams was a very different book from what I've read or listened to recently. Most people remember Douglas Adams for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but Tea-Time features a different set of characters and is what would now be called an urban fantasy. Featuring a mystery plot and a private "holistic" detective it certainly kept me guessing up to the end. I did enjoy it, and freely acknowledge that it is not for everyone. Here is the link to Audible's page for the book. It was fun to hear it read by the author, Douglas Adams.

Plot: "It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on Earth has ever produced the expression as pretty as an airport." Kate is late to her flight in the Heathrow Airport because a very large, very hairy, very Norse man with a hammer is trying to get tickets but doesn't have a checkbook, credit car, or even a passport. When the man becomes upset there is an explosion (in which no one is killed), and the check in person who was not helping him disappears. Kate ends up in hospital but can't seem to forget this large man and so she goes looking for him when his body (and private Coke machine) are taken from hospital in the middle of the night... Dirk Gently, a private holistic detective, arrives to meet with his client only to find that the man's head is several feet from his body. Dirk is beginning to think that the man's claims about a seven foot tall, scythe-wielding monster are a little more credible then when he first heard them the day before. Even though his client is dead, Dirk is curious about what's going on. And then the airport explodes and the only person not accounted for is Dirk's old secretary. He decides to check it out. While all this is happening, we find that humanity's need to believe in something has produced Gods that, by virtue of us wanting them to be, are immortal and are a little ticked off about it. Kate, Dirk, and the Gods (and whoever Odin made a bargain  with) now start a dance around each other, meeting in the most unusual circumstances and resulting in a conclusion that wraps up everything in about 10 minutes. And how is Dirk going to get that homicidal eagle out of his house?

My personal favorites: Adams has a way of using language that is just entrancing to listen to. The story is not particularly complex (although it is convoluted) and the language and general absurdity was rather refreshing. I can honestly say that I will not look at of the Norse Gods the same way again, despite enjoying the movies Thor and The Avengers. Dirk's character in particular was amusing, particularly in the way he conducts his world. Not to mention his method of driving - to find a driver who appears to know where he/she is going and follow them. As I think about it, Dirk's style of detective work appears in a small way similar to Peter Falk's Columbo, but Columbo normally has a plan (even if it's not obvious) where as Dirk buys an electronic I Ching calculator. The humor was off the wall and the whole idea was entertaining.

Considerations: Surprisingly there was what the movie posters would say "brief strong language." Every time I came across it it was a bit of a shock as the vast majority of the book doesn't even hint at it. While the book is a mystery of sorts it is not in any sense in a traditional mystery. The resolution comes through events beyond Dirk's control, so some may claim Dues Ex Machina, or decry it as a plot driven story. But be fair with the Dues Ex Machina, there are Gods in the story. Also, the style may not be to everyone's liking.

All in all it was a curious read that was both entertaining and diverting. The total length was 6 and a half hours.

Book Review - Blackshore: Tales of the Dragon's Bard II by Tracy & Laura Hickman

This is another book introduced to me by my mother. She told me about the first of the Tales of the Dragon's Bard, Eventide, and I borrowed it, then bought it. It was a very worthwhile book. In Eventide Tracy & Laura create a book centered around a town, not just a cast of characters. You hear the stories of many of the towns occupants, their past troubles and their future hopes. You come to learn why it is considered lucky to dance with a dwarf during the spring festival and the secret of the gossip fairy. Not to mention the origins of the haunted manor house. While the action tends to revolve around a particular character's quest you come to learn about so many more people. And through it all Edvard, the Dragon's Bard (and his trusty assistant Abel), ensure the important narrative flourishes take place. For Edvard is no ordinary bard, but his task is to gather the stories of the people so that he can return to the cave of the dragon and regale him into not destroying these wonderful people. It is a hard task, but someone must do it. So it is with Blackshore, which I also borrowed from my mother. Edvard and Abel are headed for the chief den of pirates who are known for their cutthroat ways.

Plot: Percival Taylor has fled his home town of Eventide and with the help of a gypsy fortune teller has arrived at Blackshore to "see the world AND make it mine." However, he has done this right after the mother of Vestia Walters, the girl that everyone knows he is supposed to marry, has hired the Dragon's Bard to insure that the nuptials take place. Vestia does not take rejection well and arrives in Blackshore herself to express her discontent with Percival. At the same time Tuppence Magrathia-Paddock has been reading too many romance novels involving pirates carrying off the governor's daughter and is afraid that it will never happen to her as she is the governor's daughter. However when she visits the docks and is "defended" by Percival from pirates trying to keep him off their ship, she knows that destiny has finally seen fit to grace her with the coveted forbidden love. She runs home to pack and wait for her imminent abduction. So now we have our ill-fated love triangle, but what about the rest of the town? What agreement do the merefolk who guide the ships and the centaurs who unload the ships have? Where did Professor Knick-Knack get all of his wealth and what else is he looking for? And what is shipwright Adrian Wright waiting for and why are his eyes full of pain? And is Percival ever going be allowed on a boat?

Personal Favorites: The stories are all endearing and the characters intriguing. This book was a little more bonded than Eventide - that is to say that the stories fit into each other better. It was more of a liner story with flashbacks than the wide scope of Eventide. I like the way they both are and mention it just to note the variety. Some of the stories were a little sadder, or at least started out that way. The town of Blackshore and its residents have seen more hardship than those of Eventide. Edvard, the Dragon's Bard, was still a blast to follow and the interactions between Percival, Vestia and Tuppence were all very delightful. Percival's triumph was masterful and I almost cheered aloud for him. I did laugh aloud during it, but not in any way to disparage Percival. The ending was particularly touching as it tied the first two books together again. As I mentioned the book has some real emotional lows, but that does mean that you can end with emotional highs. Tracy & Laura do just that. Like the first, this book is uplifting in the best ways.

Considerations: Tracy & Laura are doing something old with the Dragon's Bard stories. They are releasing them in serial format to readers to subscribe to them. Upon the completion of a city, a hardbound copy of the book is sent to each subscriber. The price may seem a little more than the usual book, but the stories are well worth it. Now, both Eventide and Blackshore have been picked up by other publishers (Blackshore has been re-titled Swept up by the Sea and was redone as a young adult standalone novel) and you can find them both in the broader market. Bare in mind though that the book quality is not the same (Tracy's & Laura's is way better) and as I mentioned already Blackshore is not quite the same book at Swept up by the Sea. I'll have to see what some of the changes are, but having read other Tracy & Laura Hickman books, I'm sure that I'd still recommend it.

The book was just over 300 pages long. And I enjoyed it all the way through. I just wish it had lasted longer than three days. That's what a long bus commute will do for you. That is why I've been posting so many of these book reviews.

Book Review - Persuasion by Jane Austin

I have no guilt or shame in my reading of what is often times referred to as "chick lit." Jane Austin is one of my favorite storytellers and while I have been mostly exposed to her wit, charm, and suspense via video, Persuasion is the second book of hers that I've read, Pride and Prejudice being the first. I first heard references to the story in the movie The Lakehouse and was introduced to the story via a Masterpiece Theater Jane Austin marathon where they covered a different story a night for a week.  I found it compelling and later bought a film version of the film (different from the first one I saw). It wasn't until one of my coworkers mentioned that she was reading it that I decided to buckle down and read it as well. I actually finished it a couple of day ago, but haven't had a chance to write the review yet. So, without further adieu, here it is.

Plot: Anne Elliot is the daughter of Sir Walter, a widowed, very vain baronet who is quickly racking up debts and will lose the ancestral home unless he does allow it to be let out and consolidates his wealth in more frugal surroundings. With their finances in trouble Sir Walter moves to Bath with his oldest daughter Elizabeth. Anne is called to call on her other sister, Mary, who lives in the nearby country with her husband's family and her two sons. While this is not inherently suspenseful, Anne faces a most uncomfortable situation. Her father has lent the house and grounds to the sister (and her husband) of the man who Anne refused to marry eight years previous to the story beginning. A man who has since made his fortune, is still unmarried, and for whom Anne still has feelings for. Captain Fredrick Wentworth asked Anne to marry him before he went to sea and when Anne's friend Lady Russel persuaded her to refuse him all contact was lost between him and Anne. Now, he is in the market for a wife and Anne watches as the young single siblings of Mary's husband vie for the good Captain's attention. Tragedy strikes, jealousy rears its ugly head, and Anne is taken for a ride that taxes her head and her heart.

Personal Favorites: The characters are delightful. Whether it's Sir Walter's excessive vanity, Anne's sensibilities and patience, Wentworth's devotion, Mary's self-suffering or Benwick's dreariness, each of the characters have their own flavor. There are few surprised (but they are there) and the story progress well. Like other Austin stories, there are plenty of happy endings. The thing that this book conveys better then others is Anne's sense of lost love and the state of mind it puts her in. My wife and I broke off our courtship for a period of a couple of months before ultimately getting engaged, so Anne's desire to see Wentworth, but her dread of the pain at seeing him was something I had experienced so I could relate.

Considerations: The only way I can describe some of the characters in this book is ugly. Some may find it hard to deal with Mary's self-suffering, Sir Walter's vanity, and some of the other character's predominate traits. Also, the book does not move at a breakneck pace, but does make good consistent progress. The book and the movie did not perfectly align, but the differences were well done.

The copy I read was part of a complete works collection and totaled about 110 very full pages.

Family photos

With all of the other posts this week I almost forgot my usual weekly post. But as it is broiling hot and the whole family has retreated to the much cooler basement I was reminded of it and so sat down at the desktop to blog. Again, between finishing a couple of books and my grandmother's passing I was not sure on what to blog. The funeral was yesterday and passed well, but I do not see a need to detail its items as I had detailed my thoughts on the one who it was for. I will say that it was good to see my extended family again, although the circumstances were unfortunate. I feel blessed that I know my great uncles and aunts and most of my father's cousins by sight and have interactions with many of them. I am very grateful for my family.

Recently my cousin and his wife found a box of letters and photos in the basement of my grandparent's house. They scanned the contents of the box and uploaded it to Google Drive. Now we all have access to it and this morning I was showing it to my children. I thought that I would share some of those photos here.

These are a few of my progenitors Byron Harvey Jr. and Sen. (left) and William Moore (right). They are probably the earliest ones that we could have photographs of. William Moore was part of the early movements of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints who were driven from their homes in Nauvoo, Illinois back in the 1840s. My parents have been to see the plot of land he owned back in Nauvoo. His uncle, James, had 12 sons and is a big part of why my extended family is so large. Whenever someone asks if I'm related to so-and-so my answer is, "Yes, I just don't know how." In most cases it is through James, William Moore's uncle.

I found this picture of my grandparent's wedding and just had to chuckle. Grandmother looks like she's being ignored for a moment and is not too pleased. My Grandfather is talking with his brothers, Richard and Byron "Moony". I was speaking with Moony at the funeral yesterday and he mentioned that with exception of their father, my grandfather (his oldest brother) was the person he loved the most.

I had to share this one because it is of my grandparents and my father. I never saw them this way myself, but I love how they look here. The original of this picture was on a table at the funeral and my sisters were talking about how hansom our grandfather was. In most of our memories he had stomach difficulties and was very thin. There was little excess weight on him and probably less then there should have been. My grandmother was a very beautiful women as well. Al I can say for my father is that I've never seen him look this innocent before. It's still probably an act.

I hold my family very dear to me and am glad that I can share these photos with my children and now with you. Thank you.