Twenty years after the publication of Notes From a Small Island Bryson makes another journey around Great Britain to see what has changed. …
The book has received mixed reviews. …
I’m a huge Bill Bryson fan. Loved his 2010 book – At Home: A Short History of Private Life.
Sadly I didn’t get through Dribbling. Bryson comes off as a grumpy old man, not the observant, humorous observer I expected.
Dribbling is not recommended.
I much prefer multi-day hikes, but walking with a light day pack makes it easier to do more thrilling routes.
It turned September while I was above the Arctic Circle in Norway. Winter was coming.
Where to hike next?
Looking at my list of the best hikes in Europe I considered at least a dozen options.
But the hike that most intrigued was a ridge walk out of Interlaken, Switzerland. A climber, Brendan Leonard, claimed the Hardergrat, or Brienzergrat (“grat” = ridge) was the best hike in the world. I’d never even heard of it.
But his photos could not be denied. This looked amazing.
So I flew to Zurich, my first trip back since the World Gymnastics Gymnaestrada 1982. It did not look familiar. My memory is terrible.
Trains in Switzerland are super efficient, super expensive. It’s easy and costly to zip around. After a day in Zurich, I hopped the train to Interlaken East.
I’d hiked the Jungfrau region in 2009 specifically skipping Interlaken as a tourist trap.
Interlaken is a tourist trap filled with rich Arab, Asian and Indian suitcase tourists. But it was worth staying just to enjoy one of the best hostels in Europe – Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof. In fact, I can’t recall any hostel with more amenities.
On arrival at the hostel I asked the girl at the desk about Hardergrat. She cursed Brendan Leonard. Told me he’d single handedly popularized a very dangerous route. AND they’d hiked it in the wrong direction. All locals KNOW you should do it starting in Brienz, finishing Interlaken. She gave me some good advice.
A really long, tough day, I made it. Almost 10 hours with only very short breaks.
I posted my trip report over on my hiking site.
As I did in 2009 while I was here, I reread the Eiger Sanction by Travanian (1972). It holds up pretty well. Lot’s of violence and murder and politically incorrect sex. Clint Eastwood directed and played the starring role in the 1975 film.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
I liked the TV adaptation of this book series – The Expanse.
So downloaded the first book.
Leviathan Wakes is set in a future in which humanity has colonized much of the Solar System. …
It’s an ambitious series with some very compelling characters:
Ethical James “Jim” Holden, the reluctant ship captain.
Naomi Nagata, a Belter, his much smarter partner.
Gruff, straight talking engineer Amos Burton.
Best of all is washed up Belter detective Josephus “Joe” Miller.
The plot is excellent. But I found the TV series better than the book. The story telling is more compelling. More direct.
I feel the same way about Game of Thrones. The TV shows are better than the books.
My two favourite authors recently are Lee Child and Michael Connelly.
The Brass Verdict is the 19th novel by American author Michael Connelly and features the second appearance of Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Michael “Mickey” Haller.
Connelly introduced Haller in his bestselling 2005 novel The Lincoln Lawyer …
In fact, this is the book where maverick LAPD detective Harry Bosch and Haller first find out they are half-brothers.
I measure all Crime Thrillers against Connelly. This is yet another great book. I was sorry when it ended.
I’d heard good things. It was winning awards from Lee Childs, one of my favourite authors.
But I really can’t recommend this book.
It’s smart. Complex. Extremely well written. … But — sad to say — it actually didn’t work for me. The intriguing plot simply went on … too … long.
It was 40% too complicated, as well.
My main takeaway was that I’m glad I have the camera on my laptop covered with tape. In this book women are stalked with RAT software. The criminal watches them online and has complete control over their digital lives.
This was the 5th book for British novelist Stav Sherez.
I’d never read Patterson. But was intrigued to hear of the collaboration with a former President.
The disappearance of the U.S. President, Jonathan Lincoln Duncan, a former Army Ranger and a Gulf War veteran, comes as a cybercrime attack jeopardizing Secret Service protection.
The book begins with the president rehearsing his appearance before Congress over impending impeachment proceedings. …
The President Is Missing (2018)
Like many who’ve read it I was skeptical. The plot itself starts quite unbelievably.
But as it progressed I increasingly grew to enjoy the story. Having Clinton as a consultant certainly helped. He knows exactly how things work. Hillary proof read the book, as well.
I recommend it to anyone who enjoys farfetched thrillers.
Banks is an excellent writer. The plot of his 1988 book Player of Games is superb. WAY ahead of its time.
It’s on some lists of the best Science Fiction all time.
So why am I having trouble recommending this book?
None of the characters are likeable. Jernau Morat Gurgeh — the Player of Games — is a jerk. Everyone else worse.
His drone sidekick, Flere-Imsaho, should have been the character readers can identify with. He’s not.
This book is too long, I feel. Some have called it sluggish.
I will read more Banks, however. He is a canny wordsmith.
Banks died of cancer in 2013 age-59.
The Other Woman is a 2018 spy novel by Daniel Silva. It is the eighteenth in the Gabriel Allon series…
I read it shortly after it’s July 17th release.
This one is as good as any previous.
It’s set modern day. Trump is President. And it’s clear the author doesn’t like Trump.
Brits and Israelis are once again battling the Russians. Searching to find a traitor mole akin to Kim Philby.
Characters are well-developed and realistic. Plots detailed enough to make me feel this could actually be happening right now.
The Other Woman is a tour de force that proves once again that “of all those writing spy novels today, Daniel Silva is quite simply the best” (Kansas City Star).
I agree.
Still good, I did find his 2014 book The Burning Room less brilliant than the others I’ve read.
The plot was a little too convoluted and far fetched for me. I was keen to watch Bosch deciding on his imminent retirement.
My first Grisham, I believe.
The protagonist Malcolm Bannister, an African American and former United States Marine, is an attorney … is wrongly convicted and given a 10-year prison term. …
Bannister makes a deal with the FBI to give them the name of a killer, in exchange for his release and being made a member of the United States Federal Witness Protection Program …
It was the #8 best seller on Amazon in 2012.
I found it OK. … The plot not believable. Story telling good.
It doesn’t motivate me to download more Grisham.
The author hopes Denzel will play the character in a movie adaptation.
Rick McCharles 