http://theludwigs.com Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:54:05 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://theludwigs.com/2009/02/recent-books-matter-the-creators-map/ http://theludwigs.com/2009/02/recent-books-matter-the-creators-map/#comments Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:13:48 +0000 john http://theludwigs.com/?p=3383

Matter by Iain M. Banks. Solid far future science fiction set in the author’s Culture universe. First I’ve read in this setting, interesting characters tho mostly dead by bookend. I admire an author who can kill off their main characters in furtherance of the plot and emotional impact of the book.

The Creator’s Map by Emilio Calderon. At first I feared this was one of the legion of Da Vinci Code clones, but it is really a spy and love story twisted together. And a deep look at 3 characters who experience the same events, but have profoundly different experiences based on their own issues and emotions.

]]> http://theludwigs.com/2009/02/recent-books-matter-the-creators-map/feed/ 0 http://theludwigs.com/2008/08/recent-books-watchmen-customers-yachts-broken-angels-gi-biomechanics/ http://theludwigs.com/2008/08/recent-books-watchmen-customers-yachts-broken-angels-gi-biomechanics/#comments Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:26:03 +0000 john http://theludwigs.com/?p=3006

Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Wow, excellent.  Better as a graphic novel than it could have been as a book, the use of text and font and images to intertwine multiple stories works very well. You have to think as you read.

Where Are The Customer’s Yachts? by Fred Schwed Jr.  Timeless classic, its crtiticism of the financial services industry and customers’ foolishness is still dead on.

Broken Angels By Richard K Morgan.  Another Kovacs novel, this one wasn’t a home run for me.  With all the morally ambiguous factions, I could never quite get Kovacs’ motivations.  And his drawn out death postponed by one miracle drug after another quit working for me. The whole thing felt a little choppy and unmotivated.

Biomechanics of the Gastrointestinal Tract by Hans Gregersen. Interesting reference on the GI tract, treating it as a mechanical device and analyzing behaviour from that view. Useful to help you build up a complete picture.

]]> http://theludwigs.com/2008/08/recent-books-watchmen-customers-yachts-broken-angels-gi-biomechanics/feed/ 0 http://theludwigs.com/2008/08/recent-books-an-american-tragedy-beginners-greek-big-russ-and-me/ http://theludwigs.com/2008/08/recent-books-an-american-tragedy-beginners-greek-big-russ-and-me/#comments Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:02:56 +0000 john http://theludwigs.com/?p=2972

An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser. A compelling story of overreaching ambition, lust, and tragedy.  But oh my gosh could it have used an editor — needs to be about 40% shorter. The whole first book establishing the lustful ambition of the protagonist should have been a chapter.

Beginner’s Greek by James Collins.  Entertaining comic romance. Light and breezy, appealing leads.

Big Russ and Me by Tim Russert.  A light autobiography, particularly poignant in light of Russert’s untimely passing. No deep messages but solid life lessons and makes you sorry that Russert is gone.

]]> http://theludwigs.com/2008/08/recent-books-an-american-tragedy-beginners-greek-big-russ-and-me/feed/ 0 http://theludwigs.com/2008/07/the-enzyme-factor-one-false-move-and-other-recent-books/ http://theludwigs.com/2008/07/the-enzyme-factor-one-false-move-and-other-recent-books/#comments Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:17:34 +0000 john http://theludwigs.com/?p=2898

Plato and a Platypus walk into a bar by Cathcart and Klein. Philosophy lite.  A diverting bathroom book, no more.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. A parable about being true to your dreams. Simplistic.  And so kind of appealing but kind of ridiculous. A week later, hasn’t stuck with me.

Crash Course: Gastrointestinal System by Seidel and Long.  A western medicine reference to the gastrointestinal system. adequate overview. all trees, no forest tho.

The Enzyme Factor by Hiromi Shinya.  Excellent sensible book on health and diet. Based on his long long experience. Contrast with the prior text, very much a forest view. Some very sensible conclusions about diet and lifestyle. Some of the details may not be fully justified (coffee enemas on a regular basis, really??) but the overall discussion is very useful.

One False Move by Harlan Coben. Another myron bolitar tale. Snappy as always. Can’t go wrong with one of these on the beach or the plane.

Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks. Eh. Pretty rote Bond story with a telegraphed twist.  A fine screenplay but pretty tired as a story.  Don’t understand the rave reviews this has gotten, there are like thousands of suspense and mystery books that are more interesting

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