What I'm Reading Now:

Thursday, June 28, 2007

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Title: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Author: Douglas Adams

Pages: 216

Genre: Science Fiction

Letter Grade: B

Synopsis: Arthur Dent is taken off of Earth by his neighbor Ford Prefect who had been stuck on Earth for 15 years. They are picked up by a ship of Vogons and then thrown out into space once they are caught. They are then picked up by Zaphod Beeblebrox (president of the galaxy), Trillian (also an earthling) and Marvin (a clinically depressed robot). They are in a ship called the Heart of Gold which has a new feature called Infinite Improbability Drive.

Why I Chose This Book: Alison and I saw the movie made from the book and both of us found it extremely strange. I would never have read this book had my Dad not recommended it. Now his recommendations have lost all credence.

My Review: As you can probably tell by the grade that I gave the book, I found it a little too off the wall for my liking. By the end of the book I was used to Adams' writing style and I was enjoying it more, but I'm afraid that it was still just a little too strange.

From the Book: "(p. 11, introducing Ford Prefect) He struck most of the friends he had made on Earth as an eccentric, but a harmless one - an unruly boozer with some oddish habits. For instance, he would often gate-crash university parties, get badly drunk and start making fun of any astrophysicists he could find till he got thrown out."

"(p. 64) Vogon poetry is of course the third worst in the Universe. The second worst is that of the Azgoths of Kria. During a recitation by their Poet Master Grunthos the Flatulent of his poem "Ode to a Small Lump of Green Putty I Found in My Armpit One Midsummer Morning" four of his audience died of internal hemorrhaging, and the President of the Mid-Galactic Arts Nobling Council survived by gnawing one of his own legs off. Grunthos is reported to have been "disappointed" by the poem's reception, and was about to embark on a reading of his twelve-book epic entitled My Favorite Bathtime Gurgles when his own major intestine, in a desperate attempt to save life and civilization, leaped straight up through his neck and throttled his brain."

***UPDATE: I changed this grade from a B- to a B after I found myself considering reading the other books in this series.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

The Bad Beginning

Title: A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book the First, The Bad Beginning

Author: Lemony Snicket

Pages: 162

Genre: Children's Fiction

Letter Grade: B

Synopsis: This is the sad story of the Baudelaire youngsters, Violet, Klaus and Sunny. Their parents die while they are at the beach and they are forced to live with a very distant relative, Count Olaf. He is not very nice and conjurs up a scheme to get his hands on the children's large inheritance.

Why I Chose This Book: I've heard these books were good, but I'm not entirely sure.

My Review: I had to keep reminding myself that this was a children's book. It was just okay for me. I am still undecided as to whether or not I will read the rest of the books (13 in total I believe). They may be fun to read with Ada when she is old enough to enjoy them.

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Angels and Demons (Illustrated Edition)

Title: Angels and Demons (Illustrated Edition)

Author: Dan Brown

Pages: 498

Genre: Thriller

Letter Grade: A

Synopsis: This is the story of Robert Langdon's adventure before The Da Vinci Code. He is flown to CERN in Switzerland to help solve the murder of one of their top scientists. The murdered scientist had been branded with the annagramic word "illuminati" and Langdon was a leading scholar on this satanic cult. The search takes Langdon and the murdered scientist's daughter Vittoria to the Vatican and Rome where they are chasing the murderer while also trying to recover an explosive canister of antimatter buried somewhere in Vatican City.

Why I Chose This Book: I just recently used an Amazon.com giftcard that I got for Christmas to buy this book and I figured that I should read it.

My Review: I think that I like this book more than The Da Vinci Code. There are parts that are unbelievable, but they still make for an exciting story. It was fun to read the illustrated edition and to be able to see pictures of the churches, artwork and sculptures that are described in the book. I wish that I would have read this book before I visited Rome and Vatican City.

From the Book: "(p. 42, Langon speaking with the director of CERN) "But aren't scientists today a bit less defensive about the church?"
Kohler grunted in disgust. "Why should we be? The church may not be burning scientists at the stake anymore, but if you think they've released their reign over science, ask yourself why half the schools in your country are not allowed to teach evolution. Ask yourself why the U.S. Christian Coalition is the most influential lobby against scientific progress in the world. The battle between science and religion is still raging, Mr. Langdon. It has moved from the battlefields to the boardrooms, but it is still raging.""

"(p. 455) "Not on your life!" Langdon sat bolt upright, eyes flying open.
"Attento!" one of the creatures yelled, steadying him. His badge read Dr. Jacobus. He looked remarkably human."

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Mafia to Mormon

Title: Mafia to Mormon - My Conversion Story

Author: Mario Facione

Pages: 105

Genre: Autobiography

Letter Grade: B+

Synopsis: Mario Facione grew up in Michigan and began experimenting with theft and deceit when he was quite young. This is the story of his conversion to the LDS Church. He became a successful businessman and had a few dishonest business dealings on the side. He was very successful in these and he and his family lived very well. Missionaries were prompted to visit his house one day and the incredible story of how he was converted and what he had to give up in order to free himself of all his ties to the mafia is what follows.

Why I Chose This Book:
My parents read this book when it first came out. I had checked the Salt Lake City Library for it at the time but they did not have it. I remembered the book a couple of months ago and placed my name on the hold list in order to get a copy.

My Review:
This book won’t win any awards for its writing or the proofreading but nonetheless, I really enjoyed it. It’s a very quick and easy read and it will leave you feeling good. The strength of Mario’s testimony is inspiring and there is something that everybody can learn from reading this book.

From the Book: "(p. 27) The biggest score I made was $500,000 in one week. I had eleven guys with trucks that could move equipment and hit eleven different jobs in seven days. For the most part, I remained in the background overseeing the operation. Sometimes, though, I tagged along on the jobs I thought were going to be the slickest, just to get in on the excitement of it."

Monday, June 18, 2007

The Da Vinci Code (Illustrated Edition)

Title: The Da Vinci Code (Illustrated Edition)

Author: Dan Brown

Pages: 467

Genre: Thriller

Grade: A- (I would give the non-illustrated edition a B+)

Synopsis: A Harvard symbologist (Robert Langdon) is in Paris, France when an albino monk murders the curator of the Louvre. Langdon is immediately a suspect and flees from the French Judicial Police with the grand-daughter (the cryptographer Sophie Neveu) of the murdered curator. They are sent on a wild goose chase in search of the Holy Grail and information about Neveu’s family. They are chased by the police and another group of people who are desperate to get their hands on the grail.

Why I Chose This Book: I used a gift card to purchase the illustrated edition of the Da Vinci Code a few years ago. I have never actually read it (Alison has) and I was in the mood for an easy, exciting read.

My Review:
I’ve read this book before and I enjoyed it once again. It was especially enjoyable to read the illustrated edition. Instead of trying to imagine the architecture, paintings and sculptures that are described in the book, full-color photographs make it much easier to envision. While the book does make some far-fetched claims about Christianity I feel that it is up to every reader to decide what they believe and what they feel is fiction. It is especially enjoyable because it is a work of fiction that makes you think.

What is Dan Brown Writing Next? See this story from ksl.com.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

The Great Bridge

Title: The Great Bridge

Author: David McCullough

Pages: 565

Genre: Non-Fiction

Letter Grade: B

Synopsis: This is the story of the long-process of building the Brooklyn Bridge. A lot of time is spent describing the Chief Engineer, John A. Roebling and his life. He ends up only designing the bridge and dies before work on the bridge is started. His son, Washington A. Roebling takes his place as Chief Engineer and gets the bridge built.

Why I Chose This Book: A coworker first recommended this book to me during the fall and it sounded very interesting. Then in April, Ben wrote a great review on this book and I was convinced that I should read it.

My Review: I thought that I would like this book a lot more than I did. It took me a while (~100-150 pages) to get into it and once I was into the book, I felt that McCullough spent too much time on the politics during the time as well as the politics involved in getting the bridge built. I guess, that I felt that there was simply too much information in the book. A short book of just a couple of hundred pages would have told the story well. It's a hard complaint to make because after reading this book I certainly understand a lot more about the era than I would have had he left it all out. All in all, it was still a pretty good book.

From the Book: "(p. 27 - A quote by John A. Roebling) The completed work, when constructed in accordance with my designs, will not only be the greatest bridge in existence, but it will be the greatest engineering work of the continent, and of the age. Its most conspicuous features, the great towers, will serve as landmarks to the adjoining cities, and they will be entitled to be ranked as national monuments. As a great work of art, and as a successful specimen of advanced bridge engineering, this structure will forever testify to the energy, enterprise and wealth of that community which shall secure its erection."

"(p. 502 - William Marshall defending the Chief Engineer before the board who want him removed) There are two bridges across the Niagara. He built the largest of them and it stands there today - a perfect success. When I say 'he' I mean his father and himself - the father who sacrificed on this bridge. There are two bridges across the Ohio, one built by Mr. Roebling and one by a man who is ashamed of his name. The one at Wheeling fell into the river; the other, at Cincinnati, is an honor to the man who built it... For one I would take the arm off my shoulder before I would permit myself to vote against a man standing here without a blemish upon his character or ability. If you search back to the time of the sinking of the caisson to the present moment you will find that he has not kept the bridge back a moment."