Category: books

A year alone on an island in Patagonia

On By Rick McIn books, philosophyLeave a comment

Author Bob Kull seems to be a jerk.

It’s not easy to argue with one review I read – Unfocused drivel by an unlikable author.

On the other hand, his diary kept me going. The philosophical ramblings were circular — and I ended up learning nothing.

But the day-to-day physical challenges were interesting. The technology he used fascinating.

This was actually Ph.D.  research. And he defended his dissertation in 2005 at UBC.

Years after losing his lower right leg in a motorcycle crash, Robert Kull traveled to a remote island in Patagonia’s coastal wilderness with equipment and supplies to live alone for a year.

He sought to explore the effects of deep solitude on the body and mind and to find the spiritual answers he’d been seeking all his life.

With only a cat and his thoughts as companions, he wrestled with inner storms while the wild forces of nature raged around him. The physical challenges were immense, but the struggles of mind and spirit pushed him even further.

Amazon

The Likeness by Tana French

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An intriguing (if implausible) plot. Good writing.

I do recommend this book — but it should have been about half as lengthy.

(I felt the first book in the series – In the Woods – was too long, as well.)

The audio version is best, I think, so you can enjoy the various Irish accents.

It’s read by Grainne Gillis.

Set in Ireland, it is the second volume in French’s Dublin Murder Squad series.

The story follows the efforts of detective Cassie Maddox to determine the circumstances surrounding the death of Lexie Madison, a young woman who is her doppelgänger.

The dead woman not only resembles Cassie but also was living under an alias the detective used in an earlier undercover assignment. A senior police officer, Frank Mackey, convinces Cassie to impersonate the dead woman to investigate her death …

related – NY Times review 

 

Bosch – season 5

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

I’ve read pretty much all the books. And Amazon Prime binged the most recent season.

Still good.

The show’s cast is a big part of what makes Bosch work.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

New evidence in an old case leaves everyone wondering whether Bosch crossed the line by planting evidence. Simultaneously, a murder at a Hollywood pharmacy exposes a sophisticated opioid pill mill …

93% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Season 6 is in the works.

World Book Day – April 23

On By Rick McIn books, education, governmentLeave a comment

It’s World Book Day. An event organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

I bought a book on Audible.com recommended by my author brother.

related – Ford government cuts Ontario Library Service budgets in half

The Impossible Dead by Ian Rankin

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I loved the John Rebus books and TV shows. But Rebus retired.

Malcolm Fox is another character invented by Rankin from the same Edinburgh police force. But I find him not nearly as compelling.

Still, Rankin is a superb writer. This book is well worth reading.

Detective Inspector Malcolm Fox works in the Complaints and Conduct Department of Lothian and Borders Police, members of which are invariably treated with suspicion and hostility by regular police officers. …

Sins of the Father by Jeffrey Archer

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After just finishing two HORROR novels by Karin Slaughter, it was a relief to follow the family friendly historical fiction of Harry Clifton growing up to become a soldier in WW II.

England and America.

Archer is a great story teller.

It’s one of a 7 part series but I’m not intrigued enough to read the entire thing.

Amazon

 

 

The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

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I did finish this book. … But can’t recommend it.

It’s too dark. Too sad. It’s a hard read. And it’s long.

Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn’s happy small-town family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their family home. It left their mother dead. It left their father — Pikeville’s notorious defense attorney — devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that terrible night.

Twenty-eight years later, Charlie has followed in her father’s footsteps to become a lawyer herself — the ideal good daughter. But when violence comes to Pikeville again—and a shocking tragedy leaves the whole town traumatized—Charlie is plunged into a nightmare. Not only is she the first witness on the scene, but it’s a case that unleashes the terrible memories she’s spent so long trying to suppress. Because the shocking truth about the crime that destroyed her family nearly thirty years ago won’t stay buried forever . . .

A Darkness More Than Night – Michael Connelly

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

Sadly I’m running out of Michael Connelly novels. This one from the early days when Harry was darker was excellent, as usual.

A Darkness More Than Night (2001) is the tenth novel by American crime author Michael Connelly; it is the seventh featuring the Los Angeles detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch, and the second featuring FBI profiler Terry McCaleb, with reporter Jack McEvoy (The Poet) also making an appearance in a supporting role. …

Harry is being framed for murder by a movie director.

The story seems so familiar that I’m sure the plot was used in the TV series.

AMAZON

Where are LIBRARIES headed?

On By Rick McIn books, education, ethics, government, product endorsements, things getting betterLeave a comment

I spend a lot of time in libraries. They are good. But could be much better.

Eric Klinenberg spent a year researching libraries for his book Palaces for the People.

How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life

Social infrastructure is the glue that binds communities together, and it is just as real as the infrastructure for water, power, or communications, although it’s often harder to see.

But Eric Klinenberg says that when we invest in social infrastructures such as libraries, parks, or schools, we reap all kinds of benefits. We become more likely to interact with people around us, and connected to the broader public. If we neglect social infrastructure, we tend to grow more isolated, which can have serious consequences.

Calgary Public Library

I heard Klinenberg interviewed on the 99% Invisible podcast. His argument was compelling.

I’d love to see libraries expand their programs. Increase the hours they are open.

Libraries are unofficial sanctuaries for street people, at least during daylight. That should be formalized.

Libraries could be much, much better.

Camino Island by John Grisham

On By Rick McIn books2 Comments

Loved it. Especially the ending.

It was nice to see a female protagonist. I found Mercer Mann to be quite believable.

I’ve put library holds on more Grisham books for the future.

Camino Island (2017) is a departure from Grisham’s main subject of legal thrillers and focuses on stolen rare books. Grisham made his first extensive book tour in 25 years ….

The book begins with the theft of five rare F. Scott Fitzgerald manuscripts from the Firestone Library at Princeton University and then embarks on a journey to a resort town on a Florida island in search of clues about the heist …

Amazon