I enjoyed the last audio book by Bill Bryson so much — A Short History of Nearly Everything — that I followed up by listening to his latest book:
It’s back to the much loved Bryson comedy. But this time, the funny stories are nostalgic commentary on growing up in American in the 1950s.
He recounts meeting the infamous Stephen Katz, for the first time.
I loved the book. Bryson is a few years older than myself. But some of the experiences paralleled my own upbringing in Calgary, Canada.
Brian recommended this book, one I had years ago dropped like a hot potato after learning it was not a funny travel story.
One of my favourite writers, Bill Bryson, had switched to science.
At the library, I got the 6hr abridgment on CD read by the author. Excellent. In fact, an abridgment may even be better for this text. Bryson should have called it A Shorter History of Nearly Everything.
… explores the history of biology, botany, and zoology, and traces life from its first appearance all the way to today’s modern humans, placing much emphasis on the development of the modern Homo sapiens. All along the book, humorous stories about the scientists behind the discovery and their half-crazy behaviour is given. Throughout the book, there are many reports on the way humans change the Earth’s climate and destroy other species, as well how the Earth was and is a very destructive planet itself, briefly touching about earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and mass extinctions. His tendency to look for big explosions and awe-inspiring devastation takes him to the most destructive disasters in the history of the world, from Krakatoa to Yellowstone National Park. ….
Brian learned how LITTLE we actually know about “everything”.
I was most struck by how much confusion was caused when scientists started analyzing DNA in human fossils. One group of people living in Australia, for example, were “impossible” by all known science.
I highly recommend it.
You’re the right track, Tim. Keep going.
Timothy Ferriss, nominated as one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People of 2007,” is author of the #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and BusinessWeek bestseller, The 4-Hour Workweek.
He has been featured by dozens of media, including The New York Times, The Economist, TIME, National Geographic Traveler, CNN, CBS, and MAXIM. …
Check his blog: Four Hour Work Week
I’ve been advocating a paperless future.
Yet, … I find myself still somewhat envious of those reading books, now that I’ve given them up.
There’s something about a hammock and a good read. Especially on a holiday.
Random House Audio abandons audiobook DRM.
A FANTASTIC story, as dramatic and compelling as any high altitude mountaineering epic.
I had no idea deep wreck diving was so thrilling.
Hitler’s Lost Sub was a NOVA TV special first aired in 2000:
In 1991, professional diver John Chatterton discovered a sunken German U-boat from World War II, lying undetected only 60 miles off the New Jersey shore, its unexploded torpedoes and the bodies of its crew still aboard. This two-hour special follows Chatterton and his dive partners in their dangerous quest to identify the missing U-boat, a pursuit that takes six years and costs three lives. The U-boat’s history involves unusual coincidences and a startling twist of fate. …
Of course Hitler lost hundreds and hundreds of submarines, but this one has a particularly compelling story.
Highly recommended too is this book on the adventure:
Actually, there is a follow-up book contesting the book I read: Shadow Divers Exposed: the Real Saga of the U-869 by Gary Gentile. I will not read that one. Sounds to me it is dull, badly written and perhaps a work motivated by jealousy.
Like most everyone, I’m a big fan of Michael Palin’s travel TV specials and books.
His latest book was of particular interest to me as I’ve only been to a couple of the 20 countries he covers in this one — Eastern Europe.
Unfortunately I found this to be the least interesting of his books to date. His adventures tame in comparison to the things he did Around the World, across the Sahara, and in the Himalaya.
Still, it’s as well written as any of his other books. I enjoyed it. But less than the rest.
This is his 7th travel series.
I reckon Michael Palin has at least one more in him. But which?
Outer space would be my best guess.
Northern Lights, published in 1995, is the first novel in the His Dark Materials trilogy by British novelist Philip Pullman.
In the USA the book was retitled The Golden Compass.
His Dark Materials Trilogy (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass)
As usual, I listened to it as an audio book. It was brilliant to have professional actors reading the parts of the many characters. Audio is so, so much better than reading.
In many ways the plot is far better and more fantastical than Harry Potter. It’s the coming of age story of Lyra Belacqua (later Lyra Silvertongue) — an orphaned, eleven-year-old girl growing up at Jordan College, Oxford.
The most interesting angle of this very adult story are the dæmons (animal-formed, shape-shifting manifestation of each human’s soul).
I haven’t seen the movie, yet. It was terrific. Especially the casting!
More Americans have library cards than at any time since 1990, according to the American Library Association. …
… the 2 billion items checked out from U.S. libraries this year is 10 percent more than during the economic downturn in 2001. But books, DVDs and other material are only part of the story …
In tough financial times more folks take advantage of libraries.
In fact, I think libraries could be a growth industry in the future. If only they could make going to the library “cool” for young people.
Calgary is planning a new central library. I really hope they do as well as Vancouver or Salt Lake City.
Our current downtown library is pretty crappy, a hangout for the homeless during the winter.
Life is a continuum. Each morning you awake assuming it is your last. There is no difference between Dec. 31st and Jan 1st to me.
But a young buddy pressed for some sort of pronouncement to mark the changing of the calendar. (I eschew resolutions so as not to tinker with perfection.)
Spontaneously I predicted that Rick McCharles would listen to even more audiocasts in 2008. Watch even more online video than in 2007. And “read” even more audio books.
I’m off to a good start. Waiting on my digital bookshelf are:
And I’m currently listening to A Beautiful Mind: The Life of Mathematical Genius and Nobel Laureate John Nash. (Not a great book, but a fantastic true story.)
Actually, I finally dropped my monthly subscription to Audible.com as the Calgary Public Library seems to offer more good books on MP3 than I could possibly need.
(I can still buy books one-at-a-time on Audible or iTunes.)
Digital on demand infotainment rocks in 2008.
Rick McCharles 