“Integrity is a bugger, it really is. Lying can get you into difficulties, but to really wind up in the crappers try telling nothing but the truth.” – David Mitchell, Ghostwritten
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The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins The familiar arguments against the familiar arguments for god, well arranged and cogently stated. If you’re a member of the choir Dawkins preaches to, you’ll understand what he’s saying, and particularly appreciate the talking points he delivers in defense of Darwin and natural selection. If you’re a member of the opposition choir, you’ll either not read the book or reject Dawkins’ arguments out of hand. I suppose the debate must be carried on, but I see few converts on either side. Really, what more can anyone say? |
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Whirlwind: The Air War Against Japan, 1942-1945, by Barrett Tillman The reviews made me think I was going to get the inside dope on the conduct of the air war against Japan in the last phases of WWII. It delivered details by the planeload, and I was interested to learn how early 20th century air power doctrine and far-thinking visionaries influenced the development of a long-range bomber capable of hitting Japan (the B-29 began development for just that purpose, well ahead of Pearl Harbor). It was also interesting to learn that India-based B-29s bombed Japan before bases in the Marianas became available. But the narrative only hinted at . . . indeed pussyfooted around . . . the turf battles between the Navy and the Army’s upstart air corps, already lobbying for full independence. I, however, a veteran of more recent doctrinal and budgetary turf wars between the USAF and the other services, wanted to know more about what was going on in the corridors of power in Washington DC and Honolulu. Barrett Tillman whetted my appetite but did not satisfy it. Most readers will want to know the author’s opinion on whether the firebombing of Japanese cities and the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was necessary. They will find that Barrett Tillman endorses the standard opinion: yes, it was all necessary; the Japs would have fought to the last man, woman, and child; potentially a million American and Allied troops would have died in a land invasion; et cetera. |
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The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible, by A. J. Jacobs A.J. Jacobs was raised in a secular family and describes himself as agnostic. After attempting to live by biblical rules and injunctions for a year, he becomes tolerant of the religious faith of others, learns a bit about himself, and emerges a more patient, humble, kindly man . . . but still agnostic. He does not come to believe there is a god, but he does come to believe that the Bible, the Torah, and the Koran contain practical, time-tested wisdom, and that it is good for us, individually and as a society, to observe rules and behave well toward others. It may not make any immediate practical sense to observe the sabbath, for example, but observing it does teach one a degree of humility and patience, and that, ultimately, is a good thing. The Year of Living Biblically is an interesting, almost breezy read, full of fascinating historical tidbits and penetrating observations of our own bad (and good) impulses, and if you are agnostic (or atheist, like me), don’t worry — A.J. Jacobs is not out to convert you. He may convince you to strive to be a better person, though, and as someone who is sick of hearing religious people tell us we can’t be good if we don’t believe in (their) god, I’m all for telling the world, “Oh yes, we can!” My only wish is that A.J. Jacobs would have taken Proverbs 13:24 to heart: “He who spareth the rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him correcteth him betimes.” That kid of his is a real snot, and A.J.’s an overindulgent pussy! |
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Black Swan Green, by David Mitchell I’m on a David Mitchell bender. I was so impressed by Cloud Atlas (reviewed here) I checked out his 2006 novel Black Swan Green (and put two other Mitchell novels on order at the library). This is something I often do when I find an author I like. Black Swan Green is the first-person narrative of a year in the life of a 13-year-old boy, Jason Taylor, in the small English town of the title. As with Cloud Atlas, the novel has a nice round structure, beginning and ending at a lake in the woods, a lake rumored to have swallowed up a boy. I haven’t been this wrapped up in a growing-up story since The Catcher in the Rye. God, what a bittersweet experience the teen years are. Jayson Taylor’s life was not my life, but some experiences are universal, and David Mitchell captures all of the heartache and all of the glory. A brilliant read. |
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Ghostwritten, by David Mitchell I have previously reviewed two David Mitchell novels. With both, I was most impressed by structure. With Ghostwritten, now somewhat used to Mitchell’s looping, interwoven way of structuring a story, I was most impressed by his mingling of supernatural and science fiction plot lines. A free-floating intelligence inhabits a series of human bodies as it seeks to learn its origins; later, a mathematically-created artificial intelligence thwarts our increasingly computer-dependent machines of war, then encounters . . . a free-floating intelligence it didn’t know was out there. I resist comparing David Mitchell to anyone else, though Margaret Atwood occupies a similar orbit. Mitchell is brilliant with characterization . . . you’re fascinated by his people and want to know more . . . but he floors you with structure and ideas. He needs to write more, and soon. I’m currently reading the only other David Mitchell novel in print and I want more. More, I say! |
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Number9Dream, by David Mitchell Not my favorite David Mitchell novel, but still a compelling read. An imaginative young man travels from a southern Japanese island to Tokyo in search of the father he never knew. His dreams at first are detached from reality; later, reality outstrips his wildest dreams . . . and not generally in good ways. I saw a lot of William Gibson in this book, also some Haruki Murakami (and I don’t mean Mitchell’s explicit reference to The Wind Up Bird Chronicle (reviewed here), I mean Mitchell’s Murakami-like observations of life). So, yeah, Number9Dream comes across as derivative, not totally original like David Mitchell’s other novels. But it’s still damn good, and I for one could not stop turning pages. |