Review: Lies & the Lying Liars Who Tell Them

Lies & the Lying Liars Who Tell Them by Al Franken

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Great fun and even enlightening audiobook from an insightful and honest comedian from before he seems to have been subsumed by the beast he formerly goaded.



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Review: Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea

Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Wow: great content, great narrator.

I have been avoiding reading North Korea books, even though the subject fascinates me, because I figure, who can know enough about the "Hermit Kingdom" in order to fill a book? Well, Demick's extensive interviews with defectors is able to tell the story of lives inside North Korea from the separation of Korea on to before the ascendancy of Kim Jong-un, in the twilight of Kim Jong-il's reign. Especially engrossing is the the North Korean famine, which lasted from 1994 to 1998 and killed an estimated 800,000 to 3,500,000 people. Also, life and means of traffickers and defectors that cross north into China or Mongolia even is fascinating. Other dimensions explored are families split between the two Koreas as well as ethnic Koreans living in China and Japanese-Koreans.



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Review: Space Mathematics: Math Problems Based on Space Science

Space Mathematics: Math Problems Based on Space Science by Bernice Kastner

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This NASA-created collection of pre-calculus mathematical problems is set up in a workbook format. Problems are presented with solutions immediately following and some blank pages for computations. The space science “story problems” come mostly from high school and first-year undergraduate algebra with contributions from geometry, probability, matrices, linear regression, trigonometry, and conic sections.

(Look for my entire review at MAA Reviews.)



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Review: The Witchcraft Trials in Finnmark Northern Norway

The Witchcraft Trials in Finnmark Northern Norway by Liv Helene Willumsen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



This a beautiful, cloth-covered hardcover oversized presentation of witchcraft trials from the district of Finnmark in Northern Norway. The populace perceived severe witchcraft persecution during the 17th century, as had been popularly imaginged across Europe and in North America in the preceding centuries. In this area with no more than 3,000 inhabitants, 135 people were accused of witchcraft: 91 of them were executed. This book contains the court records of the original trials. Very little commentary bookends the original documents in Norwegian, side by side with the English translation. So, the mass of this book is depositions and court declamations of shape-shifting (often into the form of a duck), beer-inspired fighting with apparent malevolent influence, trials by ordeal (floating indicates guilt), and torture-borne confessions of weather control, broomstick riding and more. It is both chilling and sadly funny at the same time. It turns out that the Holy Grail witch scene was about documentary material.



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Review: The Collapse of the Third Republic

The Collapse of the Third Republic by William L. Shirer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Some amazing things in this history! I had no idea Shirer was a radio correspondent basically embedded with the Nazi army and thus present at many key events, such as outside Foch's rail car for the defeat signing and strolling into an abandoned Paris. (At that point cows gazed in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.) Peeling away the onion of sociological and political France pre-WWII the sudden defeat makes sense with the seeds planted there. Riddled with fascist support, even the far left was against fighting Hitler. "Die for Danzig?", they asked. Heck, it seems like the could have joined The Axis with a bit more of that. This basically briefly in the attacks on the (much hated) British as they tried to sink the French Fleet and prevent it from falling into German hands. The book concludes, before an Epilogue, with the signing away of the Republic to estable Petain's collaborationist, anti-Semite Vichy regime.



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Review: Anna Karenina

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

My rating: 0 of 5 stars



I did got a copy of the Kindle edition of Anna Karenina. I figured with the Stoppard movie in mind I could try a second read and maybe keep the characters straight, with their nicknames and all.



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Review: Rough Beasts: The Zanesville Zoo Massacre' One Year Later

Rough Beasts: The Zanesville Zoo Massacre' One Year Later by Charles Siebert

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This is a very short and thus very easy read about the exotic pet hoarder that, apparently, committed suicide covered in chicken blood after releasing his bears, lions, tigers, and more - oh my! It's a messy seen, coming on the heels of divorce and firearm-related imprisonment. His apparent pre-suicide actions and the suicide itself makes me ask why this man could legally have guns, let alone predators. The predators themselves were largely de-clawed and de-fanged companion animals raised from cubs and most of the 49 killed probably could have been gathered and saved by the on-hand caretaker that knew them, but either the sheriffs on hand did what they felt they had to do given insufficient information and keeping public safety as the highest priority, or they took the opportunity to slay even in their cages mostly harmless animals that they had long sought to get rid of you. You decide.



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Review: The World's Most Beautiful Voyage

The World's Most Beautiful Voyage by Erling Storrusten

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This is the English-language overview of Hurtigruten's Norwegian cruises. It includes a history of the cruise line, which also operates as a coastal water bus service, and typical sites and stops of a 12-day voyage from Bergen to Kirkenes and back. Another couple dozen pages includes maps, birds to be sighted, meteorological and cultural information. This is a nicely done and essential guide to the trip and apparently only available when asked for specifically through a tour operator.



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Review: The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



It has been many years since I read one of Sagan's books and from how much I enjoyed this one, it has been much too long. Sagan runs down a litany of the paranormal and popular beliefs and probes each one delicately: witch hunting, UFOs and alien abductions, therapy, and more. I stress "delicately" since Sagan's atheism and secular humanism seem eternally human and open-minded, say as opposed to the jaded and crusty [a:Richard Dawkins|1194|Richard Dawkins|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1188068989p2/1194.jpg]. Much of this material came out initially in Parade magazine and here Sagan gets to revisit it in compilation, often including reader's remarks such as on the veracity of alien abductions and what hope there may be for the United States education system. Yes, Sagan goes there with some of his own prescriptions especially for science and mathematics education.



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Review: I Owe Russia $1200

I Owe Russia $1200 by Bob Hope

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Really, a very funny and enlightening Cold War travelogue. The memoir is packed with one-liners that so have Hope`s voice that they probably fall flat with today`s readers. What is more interesting is the behind the scenes tales of makine road pictures with Bing Crosby and the logistics and travails and joys of his star-studded Christmastime USO tours of mostly remote U.S. installations. This includes Guam, the Antilles, Japan (Still reconstructing from WWII), Greenland, and Korea. How things have changed! Back then, he relates, the worry of the split Korea was the rural and agricultural South Korea. How would it make it without the industrial North? Among the 65 black-and-white picturs is one of Hope before a large crowd in Pyongyang. I have to do some post-Korean War research to find how that was possible!

The title refers to a jaunt to Moscow that is only two chapters of the book. Is is a very small subset of the content, but a fascinating look into trying comedy and cultural exchange in Kruschev`s Russia.



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Review: Pro Bono The 18year defense of Caril Ann Fugate

Pro Bono The 18year defense of Caril Ann Fugate by Jeff McArthur

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



A real good followup to [b:Caril|1675379|Caril|Ninette Beaver|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1277867799s/1675379.jpg|1670413], this work by the son of one of an attorney for Caril, this covers the years to her release not in the book by Ninette Beaver. While maintaining her privacy, this does let on she relocated Michigan and entered nursing. Beside having a ringside and lifelong seat to the legal battle, James developed a friendship with the companion of Charlie Starkweather and is able to provide many personal details about her. Also, James goes into some length on films, plays, and books written on the crime spree, both fiction and not, and judges each for its veracity.



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Review: Out of Our Past: The Forces That Shaped Modern America

Out of Our Past: The Forces That Shaped Modern America by Carl N. Degler

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Degler plots a largely sociological arc of American development seeing an at times painful but 'progressively' growing approach to an inclusive, guarantor society underpinned by by an unbreakable union of states offering ciitzen equality (settled by the Civil War after the spineless federal government that arose from the American Revolution) and an overt socialism that arose from the Great Depression. For instance, where it is not unusual for a book on American history to underscore how financial panics are cyclical, this book explores how anit-immigrant fervor is has also risen and fallen periodically. Degler looks back to a socialist Thirties and post-WWI unionism and prosperity from The Fifties see a future of a stronger central government offer more assurances.



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Review: Encyclopedia of the Strange

Encyclopedia of the Strange by Daniel Cohen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



While this book is dated, I still very much liked it. Delving into Fortean topics, the author maintained a skeptical approach while dissecting with Occam's Razor. Topics range from the disappearance of the Mary Celeste to UFOs, and Jack The Ripper to Stonehenge.



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Review: My Star Trek Memories

My Star Trek Memories by William Shatner

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Shatner wrote this book aftr the final Star Trek movie and wistfully, nostalgically reflects back on the TV series. He brings in his own interviews with Nimoy, Roddenberry's widow and more. In this audiobook he narrates the whole work (nice), but does no voice alterations for his interview subjects, which makes some of it confusing. By his own account, this is an incomplete history forcussing only on the TV series from its inception to conclusion, but it is enjoyable for its honesty and revelations as well as documenting the healing of some broken friendships.



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Review: Out of Our Past: The Forces That Shaped Modern America

Out of Our Past: The Forces That Shaped Modern America by Carl N. Degler

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Degler plots a largely sociological arc of American development seeing an at times painful but 'progressively' growing approach to an inclusive, guarantor society underpinned by by an unbreakable union of states offering ciitzen equality (settled by the Civil War after the spineless federal government that arose from the American Revolution) and an overt socialism that arose from the Great Depression. Degler looks back to a socialist Thirties and post-WWI unionism and prosperity from The Fifties see a future of a stronger central government offer more assurances.



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Review: The Suffering and Celebration of Life in America

The Suffering and Celebration of Life in America by Shane Bugbee

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This is the book (accompanied by a DVD) documenting their year on the road plucky entrepreneur Shane Bugbee and his wife Amy spent in travails and travels discovering America taking videos and presenting a Q&A. Listening to my interview with Shane about this 6-January.

In the book, Shane and Amy survive privation, each other, and betrayal thanks to determination and Craig’s List. They meet the Craig’s List founder, a Christian military family living on a base, Satanists, a New Orleans rum maker, and more. The book chronologically takes us from before the start of the year, to the end on the eve of Obama’s first election to the presidency. Suspiciously, the last half of the year and especially the last few months is only thinly documented in the entertaining book where the two find unexpected connections and at times enlightenment in the road-spawned tribulations.




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Review: Shark Infested Soda Fountain

Shark Infested Soda Fountain by Alison Mosshart

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



After the Dead Weather tour in 2010, Alison Mosshart (aka "Baby Ruthless") self-published a book of her photos compiled from their adventures on the road as a gift to the other members of the band. These are candid photographs with one-line captions of Jack White and the rest of Dead Weather and the cast of characters that interacted with them on their international travels. Third Man reprinted the book for subscribers to its The Vault special packages service.



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Review: Shadow Warriors: Inside the Special Forces

Shadow Warriors: Inside the Special Forces by Tom Clancy

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This book ends basically on the eve of the The War in Afghanistan, so it may seem out of date. However, as a work of history it is interesting and enlightening. Clancy and insider Steiner take us through the history of U.S. special forces from inforomal, one-off Jedburgh teams of WW II to increasing formalization reaching an acme in the Vietnam War with Rangers and Green Berets. Marginalized and continued to be seen as adjuncts to regular infnatry, etc., these units lose ffectiveness, prepararation, force integation until Desert One disastrously shows in the wastes of Iran that we need better Special Forces capability. After that, an SF commandis set up leading to counter-terrorism measures (the takedown if not take-in of the Achille Lauro hijakes is notably told) into the ever-increasing friction with Iraq.



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Review: Learning and Teaching Mathematics Using Simulations: Plus 2000 Examples from Physics

Learning and Teaching Mathematics Using Simulations: Plus 2000 Examples from Physics by Dieter Ross

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



What should be made clear is that the printed book is supporting documentation to a simulation package built on the EJS platform. As such, it is learning or teaching tool for subjects from algebra to differential equations, but in no way a complete course on the topics. This is a tool to explore applications of the topics and visualizations of key functions. Through numerous interactive Java simulations on topics from number theory to calculus and partial differential equations, the exploration of mathematical concepts is not as restricted to physics as the title may suggest. The number theory, sequences and series, and integration treatments alone offer much to the non-physics student. Actually, physical applications from mechanics to relativity are only lightly touched in the book where a few pages toward the end refers to those prepared simulations without the additional remarks given to the pure math topics.

The author is convinced that an experimental approach to mathematics via such interactive simulations will build enthusiasm in modern students not sufficiently interested in engineering and scientific studies. For teachers of mathematics and physics, this is a reality that requires fresh approaches, as I can attest. Author Dieter Röss is very much worried about the declining number of students motivated to learn science and engineering. Sparking their interest in this way at introductory levels seems a wise plan. I applaud his approach based on computer simulations, although it seems the finished product needs more done in the user friendliness department before students will do the all-important interaction themselves. I think teachers may find this useful for preparing demonstrations and to add emphasis to lectures. I myself like to demonstrations and simulations to my students off the Texas Instruments calculator they are required to have, hoping to get them to explore and set up simulations with a tool I know they will have on hand. Despite my own philosophy on this point, I am convinced to work in a few of these simulations next semester, so Herr Röss has won me over. I think if continues on this vector, he will win over some distracted students, too.

[See my full review on MathDL.



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Review: Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions

Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



An enjoyable, quick easy read detailing a lot of human behavior experience differenting market from social norms, how free is vastly different from any cost, universality of dishonesty, and our image to others can trump our own self interest. The framing and architecture of each guerilla experiment is itself enlightening and entertaining.

This audiobook comes with a PDF that can be printed, but I didn't find it necessary.



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Review: Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



An amazing tale of one of the supreme actors for positive change, American humanitarians, of our time, someone I put on the same level as Dr. Paul Farmer ([b:Mountains beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World|10235|Mountains beyond Mountains The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World|Tracy Kidder|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320524223s/10235.jpg|1639628]). Mortenson's tale of transition from army medic and mountain climber and success beyond harsh odds made even worts by 9/11 and the War on Terror to promote basic education for children in Afghanistan and Pakistan (Waziristan and Baltistan!) gives me hope for our entire species.

I have to knock this down to two stars due to the allegations of falsehoods in the work, which make me especially uncomfrotable since Jon Krakauer, a former financial supporter of CAI, has also questioned Mortenson's accounts separately and released his allegations in [b:Three Cups of Deceit: How Greg Mortenson, Humanitarian Hero, Lost His Way|11151351|Three Cups of Deceit How Greg Mortenson, Humanitarian Hero, Lost His Way|Jon Krakauer|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1303177098s/11151351.jpg|16075075].

Still, it seemed someting in Mortenson's accomplishments was remarkable and selfless and suggests that a girl with a text book could be the best defense against terrorism.





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Review: One Man's War: The WWII Saga of Tommy LaMore

One Man's War: The WWII Saga of Tommy LaMore by Tommy Lamore

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Thiis a brisk and exciting read about a B-17 tailgunner's journey into the air, down into the French resistance and out to the Russian side of the Eastern Front though the Luftwaffe/German POW system rhough escape. At the point of farflung "Mongolian Terror Troops" my credulity was stretched

I enjoyed this book much, don't get me wrong. In it, the author, talks extensively of fanatical, murderous pistol and sabre armed "Mongolian Terror Troops". I suppose they were maybe Cossack or mis-id'ed calvary from a central Asian SSR. However, so much of his story seems extreme and hard to believe starting at this point in the book, I wonder at the truth of much of it. Along with the rapacious "Mongolians" (really, citizenb of Mongolia, left the Japanese threat behind to fight in Europe?) the story of superhuman Ivan the Russian officer who easily makes room in his jeep and life for the author, a dog and their two Polish travelling companions (Russia still then digesting Poland) all starts to seems a bit much.

(I sought answers to this on Axis History Forum.)



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Review: How to Win Friends and Influence People

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Well, allow me to be "hearty in my approbation and lavish in my praise" for this sage tome. It strikes me as exciting, wise, and wonferful as the first time I read it. Following Carnegies advice, I probably should refer to it more often. I'll keep this copy at hand. Hopefully, that'll help me find the courage to live this way.



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