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.

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.

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."

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."

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.

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."

Gifted Hands

Title: Gifted Hands

Author: Ben Carson & Cecil Murphey

Pages: 232

Genre: Biography/Autobiography

Letter Grade: A-

Synopsis: This is the story of a young pediatric neurosurgeon who is the best in his profession. He attempts (and usually succeeds) at surgeries that no other doctor is willing to attempt. The African-American surgeon (Ben Carson) grew up very poor in inner-city Detroit. With the motivation of his mother (who only had a third grade education) and his own desire to be the best, he rises above the stereotypes and graduates from Yale and then the University of Michigan with his medical degree. He has spent most of his time as a surgeon at Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore. He shares numerous experiences where the reader is left with no doubt that the Lord was guiding him. His faith in Christ is very apparent from this book.

My Review: I really enjoyed this book (I read it in only 2 days!). His story is inspiring and amazing and he never fails to give credit to the Lord for his successes. There are a few sad stories but most of them are simply miraculous. He obviously feels very strongly about his Adventist faith and comes across as a little preachy at times. The book is an easy read and one that will not soon be forgotten.

From the Book: "(p. 119) I learned something from that experience. No knowledge is ever wasted. To quote the apostle Paul: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God" (Romans 8:28). The love I learned for classical music helped draw Candy and me together and also helped me get into one of the best neurosurgery programs in the United States. When we work hard to acquire expertise or understanding in any field, it pays off. In this case, at least, I saw how it certainly had yielded results. I also believe that God has an overall plan for people's lives and the details get worked out along the way, even though we usually have no idea what's going on."

A Train to Potevka

Title: A Train to Potevka

Author: Mike Ramsdell

Pages: 345

Genre: Thriller, Autobiography

Letter Grade: B+

Synopsis: This is the story of an LDS CIA agent who works covertly in the Soviet Union and Russia. Although he classifies it as a work of fiction (because of the sensitive nature of many of the stories), I would classify it as an autobiography. The stories told are incredible and often inspiring. He was blessed with many miracles during his trials. The main story is of a covert operation in a Siberian town that goes wrong. Mr. Ramsdell is forced to evacuate the city and go to Potevka on a slow peasant train. Although the book mainly follows his journey and adventures in Russia, he intertwines many other stories from his youth in Bear River, Utah and family life.

My Review: I enjoyed this book. While reading it, it is apparent that the book has been written by an "amateur" and not a professional writer. That's not to say its not well written though. The book is inspiring and draws heavily upon Mike's LDS mission and church experiences. When he breaks away from his stories about Russia, the book slows down but it always seems to pick up again. This book has a hard-to-explain human quality that really makes the stories easy to envision and hard to put down.

From the Book: "When I was younger, I always thought that after a person reached a certain age of maturity, life's troubles would finally be behind him. Yet, for whatever reason, the Good Lord apparently has a different plan for some of us."

The Cold War

Title: The Cold War

Author: John Lewis Gaddis

Pages: 266

Genre: History/Non-fiction

Letter Grade: B+

Synopsis: Most people in my generation know very little about the Cold War. This is a book written by a Professor of History at Yale University specifically for people who do not remember the fear of life during the Cold War. The book describes how the Cold War began, how the world was divided during the Cold War, the major political decisions that were made during the Cold War and how the Cold War finally ended after 45 years.

My Review: I really liked this book. It was a little dry at times (it is a history book), but most of it was very readable. The book is organized by concepts and by time. This means that once a new chapter is started, the book often goes back in time to explain a new concept. I would have preferred the whole book to be written on a time line and to not go back and forth between decades. I almost even shed a tear at the description of the Berlin Wall being breached.

From the Book:

• "(p. 48)

President Truman: We will take whatever steps are necessary to meet the military situation, just as we always have.

Reporter: Will that include the atomic bomb?

President Truman: That includes every weapon we have.... The military commander in the field will have charge of the use of the weapon, as he always has.

• "(p. 82) And so, to paraphrase Kurt Vonnegut, it did indeed go. The Cold War could have produced a hot war that might have ended human life on the planet. But because the fear of such a war turned out to be greater than all of the differences that separated the United States, the Soviet Union, and their respective allies, there was now reason for hope that it would never take place."

• "(p. 257) Gorbachev was never a leader in the manner of Vaclav Havel, John Paul II, Deng Xiaoping, Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan, Lech Walesa - even Boris Yeltsin. They all had destinations in mind and maps for reaching them. Gorbachev dithered in contradictions without resolving them. The largest was this: he wanted to save socialism, but he would not use force to do so. It was his particular misfortune that these goals were incompatible - he could not achieve one without abandoning the other. And so, in the end, he gave up an ideology, an empire, and his own country, instead of using force. He chose love over fear, violating Machiavelli's advice for princes and thereby ensuring that he ceased to be one. It made little sense in traditional geopolitical terms. but it did make him the most deserving recipient ever of the Nobel Peace Prize."
  

The Radioactive Boy Scout

Title: The Radioactive Boy Scout

Author: Ken Silverstein

Pages: 209

Genre: Biography

Letter Grade: B+

Synopsis: This is the biography of David Hahn as a teenager outside of Detroit, Michigan. He was a science genius and spent much of his life attempting to build a model breeder reactor, which is quite different than a normal nuclear reactor (and much, much more difficult to build). This book chronicles his achievements, first building his own fireworks, brewing moonshine and creating a self-tanning lotion. Eventually he sets his sights on obtaining every element on the periodic table. Most of his peers, teachers and scout leaders didn't see just how ambitious and ingenious David really was. The methods that he used to obtain radium, thorium, americium, uranium, lithium and many other elements is very impressive but very scary as he took little thought towards protecting himself. Eventually he does build a neutron gun and a highly radioactive nuclear reactor (not a real breeder reactor).

My Review: I really enjoyed this book. I believe that I first heard about it in an IEEE magazine. There is really a lot of chemistry in the book and those interested in chemistry would probably enjoy this book even more than I did. David's scientific ambition is very impressive. Unfortunately for him, this ambition didn't translate well into schoolwork. It's a little nerve wracking the kinds of things that can go on right under your nose (in his case his parents' nose).

From the Book: "(p. 105) But David had discovered a secret, which had been first revealed to him when he read in his Boy Scout materials about polonium and americium: Many household and consumer items contain radioactive elements. Perhaps they contained only small quantities and certainly not in a pure form, but David figured he could devise means of isolating and gathering radioactive elements from store-bought goods."

Sarah

Title: Sarah

Author: Orson Scott Card

Pages: 390

Genre: Historical Fiction

Letter Grade: A

Synopsis: This is the story of the prophet Abraham's wife Sarah. Card follows her from a young child to when Abraham leads their only son Isaac to the hills to be sacrificed. He describes Sarai's marriage to Abram, their life in the wilderness and time in Egypt. After their time in Egypt, they return to the land of Canaan and descriptions of the wickedness of Sodom and the righteousness of Salem (Melchizidek's city) ensue. Sarai's emotions and feelings are brought to life throughout the book as she struggles to find out why she has not been blessed with children and to accept that God wishes her to give her handmaiden to Abraham.

My Review: I really, really enjoyed this book. I have read a handful of other books by Orson Scott Card but they were all science fiction books. I was impressed with how this one turned out. Sarah is an example of faith and obedience that everybody can appreciate. Because Card is a Mormon, his views and the liberties that he takes with what little is written in Genesis and the book of Abraham is very believable. Although, the book is fictional, Card has made the book of Genesis come alive for me.

Farewell to Matyora

Title: Farewell to Matyora

Author: Valentin Rasputin

Pages: 227

Genre: Fiction

Letter Grade: C+

Synopsis: This book is a sanctioned piece of Soviet literature. It was published in the Brezhnev (post-Stalin) era and portrays how a Soviet village is destroyed because of a large hydroelectric dam project. The book describes how the older people in the village struggle to change and adapt and how the younger villagers are much more willing to give up their village and move to a new, larger village. The book provides an argument that the Soviets can only be spiritually regenerated by returning to and embracing the old way of life.

My Review: I found this book to be a pretty easy read, but I did not find it all that interesting. The book is full of symbolism and metaphors. The book seems to be lacking a climax and most of the story is simply filler. I'll be reselling this book on half.com.

From the Book: "(p. 92) "So don't live to be that old," Darya said with sudden anger. "Know your limit," and she stopped, lowering her voice, realizing that it is not given for man to know his time. "Is it for one's sins that God keeps you alive beyond your time? Oh, they must be terrible sins for that...Where do you collect them? Man must live only as long as he serves a purpose.""

What Should You Read Next?

Here's a fun website that I stumbled across recently. It's called what should I read next? It's web address is http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/. I haven't had a chance to try it out too much, but it looks pretty good so far. I put a permanent link to this site on my sidebar for your easy access.

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

Title: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

Author: Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Pages: 139

Genre: Historical Fiction

Letter Grade: B+

Synopsis: As the title so simply states, this book chronicles one cold, January day in the life of Ivan Denisovich Shukhov. Shukhov is in a Stalinist work camp in Siberia. He was sent there because he escaped from the Germans as a prisoner of war and returned to the Russians (i.e. no concrete reason, just like most of the people in the camp). The book is a single narrative and has no chapters. Although this book clearly chronicles one of the "good days", it still makes you shudder that people were forced into such awful conditions. In many ways, this book is a satire of "Socialist Realism", which is the concept of what Soviet art (including literature) should be. This book shows how Shukhov is a model prisoner, yet still receives no special treatment. He is generally kind to others, while still looking out for his own good.

My Review: I quite enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and realatively easy to understand. Most of us know very little about the forced labor camps and the purges under Stalin. While this book does not deal with the purges, it shows very effectively how men were placed in these camps without reason. It is a vivid depiction of humanity under extreme duress. Disclaimer: This book had quite a bit of foul language, supposedly included as a knock against Socialist Realism.

From the Book: "(p. 134 - Shokhov talking to a Baptist prisoner, Alyosha) But, Ivan Deisovich it's because you pray too rarely, and badly at that.Without really trying. That's why your prayers stay unanswered. One must never stop praying. If you have real faith you tell a mountain to move and it will move..."

"(p. 101 - Walking back to the camp after a hard day's work) Now we could take things easy. Everyone was elated. As elated as a rabbit when it finds it can still terrify a frog."

Sofia Petrovna

Title: Sofia Petrovna

Author: Lydia Chukovskaya

Pages: 120

Genre: Historical Fiction

Letter Grade: A-

Synopsis: This book is a fictional account of the Stalin's great purge. The main character of the book is Sofia Petrovna, a workingwoman trying to be the best Communist that she could be. Her son, Kolya was a great Communist. He was a member of the Young Komsomols and an ingenious inventor. Regardless of all this, he was arrested because somebody had fingered him as a terrorist or something (he wasn't of course). This book chronicles how Sofia Petrovna would wait in line day after day after day trying to learn more about the whereabouts of her son and trying to find out why he was arrested. Eventually he was sentenced to 10 years in a labor camp. Sofia Petrovna never believes that her son is guilty, she also never believes that anybody else who has been arrested is innocent.This is a story of a mother's naivety.

Review: This was a good book. It was a quick read and easy to understand. It is a testimonial to just how messed up the Soviet Union was at the time of these purges. It can be compared to the McCarthy scares of the 1950's but on a much much greater level. Nobody knows exactly how many people dies during the purges. Most believe that more than 6 million were killed. This book is a reminder of the cruelty of those times and the lives that it destroyed.

From the Book: "(p. 72 Spoken by Kolya's friend Alik to Sofia Petrovna) "We've been put on the blacklist, as I understand it. Scoundrels! Where the hell did so many swine come from all of the sudden?" said Alik."