The Bookshelf - March 2005

2005-03-09T14:58:00.000-08:00

More Books For You To Run Out and Buy:

Caught Inside and Looking For Mo, Daniel Duane.
The first is a book known to surfers everywhere; a journal of Dan Duane's year spent on the Northern California coast, observing nature and riding waves. It's a thoughtful, picturesque take on the surfing life. The second is a novel about a guy who publishes a memoir about his rock-climbing exploits - exploits that were actually carried out by his best friend. I've wondered how much of Caught Inside was Duane's own story after reading Looking for Mo; there are elements of Caught Inside that seem contrived, and the "real" people that Duane meets come across as composite characters. Still, both provide a great look at the obessions of surfers and climbers.

Charlie Wilson's War, George Crile.
The best history books read like novels, and tell stories that are stranger than fiction. How did the Afghans manage to defeat the invading Soviet Army in the 1980's? The answer: a drunk, womanizing, corrupt Texas Democrat congressman and a burned-out, blue collar CIA agent. The story of Charlie Wilson and his dealings with the mujahedin reads like a collaboration between Tom Clancy and Carl Hiaasen.

The Moon by Whalelight, Diane Ackerman
I love whales. And I love penguins. Crocodiles are cool. And Ms. Ackerman's essays about her experiences studying these critters are fascinating. But the bats. Oh, the bats. You'll come away from this book feeling guilty that you EVER had a bad thought about bats. Did I mention how amazing bats are?

Neuromancer, William Gibson
The sci-fi book that introduced us to virtual reality, the Internet, and the progenitor of The Matrix. The one with the best opening line ever: "The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel."

True History of the Kelly Gang, Peter Carey
The fictional autobiography of Australia's legendary outlaw, the Robin Hood of the 1800's Outback. Written as a series of letters from Ned Kelly to his daughter, in a unique style, the book is everything you want in a great novel.

More next month...

The Bookshelf

2005-02-18T13:45:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth Arthur, Antarctic Navigation: Is this my favorite book ever? Possibly. Calling it an adventure story is like calling Moby Dick a book about a pissy whale.

Richard Powers, The Gold Bug Variations: Everything is connected; music, art, love, science, like the search for the secrets of DNA that is one of the plot elements of this amazing novel. Might also be my favorite book ever.

William Brinkley, The Last Ship: You are the captain of U.S.S. Nathan James; your ship and its crew may well be the last survivors of nuclear holocaust. Exciting, unexpectedly profound, and the most surprisingly elegant use of the English language in any book I've read.

Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveler's Wife: Haunting. Only word to describe it.

Evan Wright, Generation Kill: A first-hand account of the drive into Baghdad, through the eyes of a group of Marines and the embedded reporter (Wright) who accompanied them. For or against the war, we owe to the soldiers that fought it to hear their stories.

Allan Weisbecker, In Search of Captain Zero: Surfers are an obsessive lot. This book is among the best written about the people who will sell their souls for a ride on the perfect wave.

Dave Eggers, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius and You Shall Know Our Velocity: First one is a memoir, second is a novel, both are good reminders that life is worth the high prices we pay to live it.

Mark Salzman, Iron and Silk: Salzman's account of his adventures in China, teaching English and learning martial arts.

Patrick O'Brian, the Aubrey-Maturin Series: twenty books in the telling, the story of Royal Navy Captain Jack Aubrey, and his best friend/ship's doctor/master spy Stephen Maturin during the Napoleonic Wars. Yes, like the Russell Crowe movie. But much, much better.

Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: Drugs are bad. But sometimes, very very funny.

Tony Horwitz, Blue Latitudes: A funny, enlightening, sometimes poignant travelogue; Horwitz retraces British explorer James Cook's three Pacific voyages, and links the 18th century with the 21st.

Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The book that inspired my twisted views on Life, the Universe, and Everything, as well as the tattoo on my shoulder blade. Read it before the movie comes out. Remains the funniest book ever written.

Richard Gehr, The Phish Book and Sean Gibbon, Run Like An Antelope: Everything you need to know about my favorite band and the Phreaks that love them. Gehr's is a guide to the band, Gibbon's is a humorous account of following the band around the country.

Alan Lightman, Einstein's Dreams: Young Albert dreams of time, and worlds within worlds. Brilliant.

David Sedaris, Holidays on Ice: No tactful way to put this: it's piss-your-pants funny. A Yuletide tradition in our house, along with the South Park DVD, Mr. Hanky's Christmas Classics.

Tom Robbins, Still Life with Woodpecker: Remains his best.

Neal Stephenson, Cryptonomicon and The Baroque Cycle: The literary equivilant of an ice-cream headache. The four novels in this group trace the rise of the Information Age from the late 1600's, through World War II, to the present. 4000+ total pages of fun. Really.

More recommendations to come...

The Pet Cobra Library

The Bookshelf - March 2005

The Bookshelf