Bookshelf

Orbital

This is less of a novel and more of a poetic musing about life, the universe, and everything framed by a day in the lives of astronauts aboard the International Space Station. There’s some lovely language and arresting imagery and an overall feeling of the fleeting beauty of life. The one thing that kept tripping me up though is my knowledge that actual astronauts are chosen for their absolute practicality and they are hardly likely to spend their time in space on such bittersweet meditations.

BRave New World Revisited

An interesting appendix to Brave New World. It mostly emphasizes that literary dystopias shouldn’t be confused for accurate prediction of the future. Many of the things Huxley feared most have never come to pass, and in some cases his convictions about ethical dilemmas seem a bit horrifying by today’s standards. But that doesn’t diminish the novel. Rather, it underscores that the value of literature is as much in its interperability as it’s accuracy.

Master of the Revels

Making Shakespeare a character in your time travel novel is gutsy, but that’s not the main reason I was disappointed by this return to the D.O.D.O. series Galland began with Neal Stephenson in the previous installment. Mostly, it’s the sense of wheel spinning. You get the feeling that the first novel was the pilot episode and the rest of the series will be made up of endless adventures that always return to the status quo the first book established. No sense that the stakes are changing or that the story as a whole is inching toward a conclusion.

And while the adventures are still fun (especially as brought to life by a full-cast audiobook), they don’t have that spark of weirdness that was Stephenson’s contribution to the first one. I’m not sure I’ll be returning to this series.

The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.

I’ve read a number of Neal Stephenson novels, and I think I know his style pretty well. So looking at this collaboration, I have to guess it’s more Galland’s work than his. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just a bit more everyday than I’d expect from Stephenson. Less idea density, less eccentricity. It’s there, just not much of it.

That said, it’s a fun magic-scifi-time-travel adventure story that kept me very engaged. Probably not the most memorable or insightful thing on my reading list, but I had fun. It could be a bit shorter, and occasionally the epistilary style wears a bit thin, especially in the really beauracratic middle sections. But I’ll definitely read the sequel (not least because nothing is resolved!).

Practicing History

I was keen to read a book on the practice of historiography, and this book really failed to deliver. The first couple of essays are fine, but after that, most of the essays don’t really concern the practice of history. And, funnily enough, this book about history is quite dated, especially when it comes to Tuckman’s attitudes. She’s curmudgeonly, Eurocentric, and has some politcal stances that just make me cringe.

Narrow Road to the Interior / Hojoki

An interesting look at the Japan of Basho’s time. Though I must say I was hoping for something a bit more poetical, given the author. There is a sense of whistfulness here, but mostly it’s a straightforward account of his travels. More interesting to me as a historian than as a fan of literary form.

The Robots of Dawn

I knew that Asimov had taken nearly thirty years to publish this next entry in his landmark Robots series, so I was pretty curious as to how different it would feel. And in a lot of ways, it doesn’t feel that different at all. The universe is familiar, Elijah Baley and robot partner Daneel Olivaw are the same characters we grew to love, and the mystery is as impossible and surprising as usual.

Where it is different is that this an Asimov ready to talk about sex, and frankly, it feels weird. It’s too much like hearing your grandpa talk about such things, with all the awkwardness and dubious mores that entails. It doesn’t ruin the book by any means, but there are certainly long passages where you find yourself uncomfortably looking around in search of a change in subject.

Still, like all Asimov, the book is fun to read, and I’m still looking forward to continuing the series.

The Return of Sherlock Holmes

Holmes is back from the dead! And he and Watson are back in the crime-solving saddle (or rather private train compartment). Ah, sweet comfort.

I’m not sure the actual mysteries in this volume are quite as good as the early works. And Watson seems to be single again without any explanation. But none of that matters. What matters is seeing these two friends face derangement and danger while at the same time staying as comfortable and proper as only the Victorians could.

Brave New World

I hadn’t read Brave New World since high school, but it had always left an indelible mark in my psyche, so I was eager to see it with adult eyes and see if it lived up to my memory. And yep, still brilliant.

People usually refer to Brave New World as a dystopia, speaking about it in the same breath as 1984, but I’d argue that satire is a much more accurate description. Huxley himself said that he was lampooning American culture, and the citizens of the World State aren’t oppressed by a brutal regime, they’re happy. We just find it frightening because of what they give up in exchange for happiness. Still, I think Huxley would feel rather vindicated to see how much Americans (and the rest of the world) have leaned into that bargain in the last century.

But socio-politics and genre definitions aside, the writing is just sharp. The prose sings, the images stick. It’s a great read.

The Design of Books

A book about books—you’ve got my attention. A book about the design of books—now we’re talking!

Berne does a great job of explaining all aspects of book design, from the physical artifact and materials, to the principles of typography, to the process of working with a publisher and designer. And though this is targeted at authors and others in the publishing industry, she does a surprisingly great job of outlining the core skills of typography and composition. So much so that I think I’m going to recommend this to all my design students, even those without any particular interest in books.

Never Use Futura

I love the idea of a cultural history of a typeface, and this book does a good job of leading us through Futura’s origins and many uses throughout the last century. But it fails at giving this story any sense of meaning. It’s mostly just a list of brands and campaigns that have used the typeface. There’s always this looming sense that something greater is implied by those uses, but whatever it is never quite comes into focus.

It’s still a worthwhile read for type nerds like me, but temper your expectations.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Primary Phase

As familiar as I am with the novels and the mini-series, the original Hitchhiker’s Guide radio series is pretty new for me (though I think I listened to it once long ago). Apart from the joy of hearing one of my favorite stories brought to life by voice actors and sound effects, it’s also fascinating to observe the differences from the story’s final form in the novels. There are a few gags that were replaced by better ideas, a few that work great but were changed for reasons unknown, and even a few places where the original adds a bit of explanation to elements that felt disconnected in the books.

Hilarious, smart, and just pure joy. (But I hope you find a version with better audio fidelity than I had.)

Double Star

A lot of the best authors have pet themes that they return to again and again. Sometimes it gets repetitive, but never with Heinlein. He’s concerned with asking how people should be governed, and he’s endlessly inventive in how he explores the question. Double Star is a great example, with a silly plot device that leads to unexpected depth. It’s fun, it’s poignant, it makes a self-important protagonist really work.

My only quibble—and it’s a small one—is that the first few chapters are pulpy in a way that the rest of the book just isn’t. It sets you up for a very different kind of story.

Claudius the God

Picking up right where I, Claudius left off, the story of this accidental emperor finds its tragic conclusion. Far more than the first book, this one brings home its themes of inevitability and the blind selfishness of human nature. And because over the course of the two books you’ve learned to like Claudius so much, every betrayal he faces lands like a sting in your heart.

The Invincible

Lem has an incomparable imagination for the alien, for the unknowability and incompatibility of the infinite unknown. The Invincible takes us to a world where something inhuman, unthinking, something that isn’t even really alive lurks waiting. We follow a no-nonsense crew of space professionals who must struggle to fathom what is going on. And I love the careful, scientific way they approach the problem — none of the insufferable trope of them making obviously stupid choices for the sake of drama.

My only complaint is that the ending is rather unsatisfying. But in way, that is appropriate; how can you find a satisfying resolution with something so truly alien?