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Pass the frobscottle

In a previous life, before I became a parent, I dabbled a bit in a game called Quake. It’s one of those horrendously violent first person shooter computer games. For me, the most interesting aspect of Quake was the ability to play against real people via the Internet. Some of my co-workers were keen on [...]

In Books, Parenting on 22 November 2005 with 2 comments

Danny The Champion of the World

I’ve been reading to one or another of my children every night since they were each a few weeks old. It’s the thing I look forward to most everyday. Lately, it’s been my great pleasure to read novels and chapter books with my five-year-old, including my absolute favorite Danny The Champion of the World by [...]

In Books, Parenting on 14 October 2005 with 2 comments

The Long Emergency

I finished Jim Kunstler’s The Long Emergency a few days ago and I’m feeling much better today, thank you very much. Kunstler cracks me up on occasion. His critical writing on American urban design and its afflictions in The Geography of Nowhere was sublime. His humorous “Eyesore of the Month” is required viewing. His further [...]

In Books on 16 June 2005 with Comments Off

One down, two to go

I finished Quicksilver last night, finally. Since I only have an hour or two a day for pleasure reading, it took almost two months to finish this 900 pound gorilla. Was it worth it? Most definitely. I’ve never so thoroughly enjoyed a novel of its size and breadth. Stephenson’s style is fluid and breezy. He [...]

In Books on 10 March 2005 with Comments Off

A good yarn

I’m about 200 pages into Quicksilver and so far I’d call it a good yarn. It’s got polymaths, plague, and pirates! What more could you ask for? Ok, maybe one woman character, at least, who isn’t a scullery maid or a whore would be nice. And what’s with all the italicizing, Mr Stephenson?
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In Books on 21 January 2005 with no comments