Louis XIV: A Royal Life by Olivier Bernier My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a good book about a remarkable man. So while it is in some respects a hagiography, there is at least some justification for that. … Continue reading
Beatles ’66: The Revolutionary Year by Steve Turner My rating: 4 of 5 stars If you are a Beatles fan, this is a fun read. 1966 was the year they did their final tour before retreating to the studio. And … Continue reading
The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World by Patrick Wyman My rating: 5 of 5 stars I first encountered Patrick Wyman from his podcast The Fall of Rome, which I highly recommend. History is a funny … Continue reading
Stop the Presses! by Robert Goldsborough My rating: 3 of 5 stars The Goldsborough Nero Wolfe books are a little controversial among serious Wolfe fans. I would never claim that they match up to Stout’s work, but I have derived … Continue reading
Living With Moore’s Law: Past, Present and Future by Dana Blankenhorn My rating: 5 of 5 stars This was a fascinating book. I first started following Blankenhorn when he was a reporter covering technology, particularly Linux and Open Source software. … Continue reading
A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is a masterpiece of a book, deservedly considered a classic. It starts with a group of human scientists re-awakening an AI, but everything goes pear-shaped … Continue reading
Worlds of the Imperium by Keith Laumer My rating: 4 of 5 stars Prior to this I knew Laumer as the author of the Retief stories, but this is not like them at all. It is a very interesting parallel … Continue reading
Variable Star by Robert A. Heinlein My rating: 5 of 5 stars You don’t know what to expect when one writer finishes a work started by another writer, particularly when that other writer is considered one of the greats in … Continue reading
The Misadventures of Nero Wolfe: Parodies and Pastiches Featuring the Great Detective of West 35th Street by Josh Pachter My rating: 4 of 5 stars I quite enjoyed this book as a long time fan of Nero Wolfe. I read … Continue reading
In the Ocean of Night by Gregory Benford My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is the kind of book that on its own is not a masterpiece, though it is interesting enough. The main character, Nigel Walmsley, is an … Continue reading
