In the hospital, there is a woman. Her hair, once blond, hangs in tangles down her back. She doesn’t remember why she’s in such a terrible place – just a tea party long ago, and long ears and blood… Suffice to say, this is not Walt Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland,” and not a book for […]
We’re All Damaged, by Matthew Norman
Of the books I read while on vacation this past week – or all the books I’ve read yet this year – this is my favorite. We’re All Damaged is a novel that, in my mind at least, goes in the same category as The Junk-Drawer Corner-Store Front-Porch Blues and The Art of Racing in […]
Be You. Do Good., by Johnathan David Golden
Johnathan David Golden is the founder of Land Of A Thousand Hills coffee, a company who’s tagline “Drink Coffee. Do Good.” is more than a slogan, it defines their mission. Working directly with farmers in war-torn Rwanda, they provide us delicious coffee and the farmers with sustainable, profitable business. Golden encourages us, in his new […]
Black Hat Jack, by Joe R. Lansdale
Joe R. Lansdale’s “Black Hat Jack” is an… interesting western about an African American Cowboy and his partner exploring the great west and getting into trouble with Native American Tribes. I wouldn’t exactly recommend it to kids nor adults who are squeamish about rough language, but it’s a good tale. The writing style reminded me […]
The Lathe of Heaven, by Ursula K. Le Guin
A man comes to you, saying that some of his dreams come true. Not in a “I dreamed I’d get a new car and the next day I won a sweepstakes” sort of way; he says that he’s actually changing the past, and that what we remember isn’t real. Or wasn’t real. Or something. On […]
Summer Reading
As a youngster I spent a whole bunch of time, especially during the summer, at the public library. Libraries, actually, plural – my mom would take me to several in the area though my favorite was always “the library with the flying saucer.” I’m pretty sure she even had a job there for a while; […]
Thunderbird, by Jack McDevitt
A “stargate” type portal is found in North Dakota, opening to various worlds and… other places. How far will we reach, who gets to explore, and how to handle the expected / anticipated / feared Contact With Others — those are a few of the questions explored in Jack McDermitt’s novel “Thunderbird.” There were a […]
A Good Morning
My wife and I had plans to see Avengers:Age of Ultron this morning; we’d had pre-purchased tickets at our local cinema, reserved seating and all. When we arrived, though, and were picking up our tickets, we changed our mind. At the next window were a man and his little boy. The man was trying to […]
Parts Is Parts – a Foray into 3D Printing
I broke the dishwasher. To be more specific, I broke a couple parts of the dishwasher. I put a few too many heavy pots & pans in and the rack fell off it’s track. The rack rolls in and out on these little wheels, and the wheels roll on little axles, and all of those […]
On Measurement
I read this the other day, as part of a discussion about monies; in particular the fact that at one point in history not all currencies were divided into decimals, as the US Dollar is (ten pennies = one dime, ten dimes = one dollar). I believe it’s originally from Terry Pratchett’s book Good Omens: […]