Non-Fiction
Click on the name of an author to read book reviews and/or go to the author's website.
Judith Barad with Ed Robertson
The Ethics of Star Trek
This book was definitely a disappointment. I’ve read The Physics of Star Trek and The Metaphysics of Star Trek both of which I found interesting. Perhaps because of this I had high hopes for this book. I was, unfortunately, disappointed.
The authors used specific episodes to outline specific ethical points. And to give them credit, they do over the major ethical theories, which is really what this book was about. It was far more a ethical theory primer than the discussion of ethics I thought it would be. They did towards the end discuss ethical situations to be found in the series, but most of the book focuses upon relating specific episodes to specific ethical theories. Interesting, but not fascinating.
Of course part of my bitterness towards this book may be the short shrift give to one of my favorite episodes, Deep Space Nine’s "In the Pale Moonlight." The episode (and justifiably so I admit) is used to explain utilitarianism. But from my perspective, the episode was far more than that, or the existentialism they also discussion.
Essentially I would have preferred an actual discussion of the ethical issues, rather than a primer on Ethics 101.
The Ethics of Star Trek (2001) (Ethics)
T.R.: The Last Romantic (1997), The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin (2000) (History)
How the Irish Saved Civilization, The Gift of the Jews, Desire of the Everlasting Hills (History, Religion)
The Power of Myth, The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Mythology, Folklore)
Rabbi David A. Cooper
God is a Verb: Kabbalah and the Practice of Mystical Judaism (Religion)
A Reporter's Life
I picked this up because I was interested in getting a first hand view of some of the more important events in the 20th century (and because it was in the bargain bin) and ended up purchasing a second copy for my grandmother, I liked it so much. It also hands-down beat The Greatest Generation which was fascinating but terribly written.
A Reporter's Life (1996) (Biography)
Eamon Duffy
Saints & Sinners : A History of the Popes (History, Religion)
Joseph J. Ellis(permalink)
American Sphinx : The Character of Thomas Jefferson
Biography of Thomas Jefferson, BUT please note that this book omits discussion of the presidency, and much of his vice presidency.
American Sphinx : The Character of Thomas Jefferson (1996) (History)
Ann Faraday
The People's Pharmacy (Health)
Ellen Greenberg
The Supreme Court Explained (Law)
The Metaphysics of Star Trek (Science)
A Brief History of Time (Science)
All Things Bright and Beautiful (1973)
All Creatures Great and Small (1972)
All Things Wise and Wonderful (1976)
The Lord God Made Them All (1981)
Benjamin Hoff
The Tao of Pooh (1983)
I picked this up several years ago because it looked cute, (in fact it may have been many years ago and I picked it up from Coles at the old mall) and never got around to reading it, and so finally decided to just read it.
Well, it was definitely cute, and not a difficult read in the slightest. It wasn’t a story, and I didn’t feel like I learned much of anything from it, it was just…cute, in a somewhat boring manner.
R. Stephen Humphreys(permalink)
Between Memory and Desire: The Middle East in a Troubled Age
Excellent book. Discussion of politics, religion and economics in the Middle East, primarily for the past couple of centuries. If you would like to delve into some of the the history behind the current conflicts and unsettled affairs in the Middle East, I highly recommend this book. He covers population problems, colonialism and its repercussions, the involvement of Islam in politics and power, jihad, the role of women in Islamic society and human rights. Although he does tend to focus upon Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia in many of his examples, he does cover the entire region, and much of what he says in specific can be broadly construed.
Between Memory and Desire The Middle East in a Troubled Age (1999) (History)
Sam KeanJonathan Kirsch(permalink)
Biblical scholar, book critic and attorney manages to write very readable books, though I think he does tend to stress the scandal a bit much. King David is a biography of the greatest king of Israel, and one of the most intriguing figures in the Torah, While Harlot focuses upon some of the lesser told stories of the Old Testament/Torah. Interesting and easy to read, although I have to admit that in Harlot I enjoyed his analysis of the stories more than his "retelling" of the stories.
The Harlot by the Side of the Road (1998), King David : The Real Life of the Man Who Ruled Israel (2000) (History, Religion)
Stephen Kinzer(permalink)
Crescent and Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds
Stephen Kinzer is the former New York Times Istanbul bureau chief who spent years in Turkey. The book is interesting and well-written, but he came across at times as an apologist for the government in his justifications for the Turkish crackdowns of Islam, of the Kurds, and of opposition political parties, as well as the military take overs that have occurred. He does an excellent job describing cultural customs of Turkey, such as the smoking bars, and discusses a little of Turkish history under Atatürk.
Crescent and Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds (2001) (History)
Jospeh P. Lash
Eleanor and Franklin, and Eleanor: The Years Alone
Borrowed these books from my mother. They are very good. I really enjoyed them. Unfortunately they are out of print, so good luck finding a copy.
NOTE: Back in print. Just found 'em.
Eleanor and Franklin, and Eleanor: The Years Alone (Biography)
James W. Loewen
Lies My Teacher Told Me. Everything Your American History Book Got Wrong (History)
William H. Rehnquist(permalink)
All the Laws But One
Discussion of habeas corpus in times of war. From a quote by Abraham Lincoln "all the laws, but one, go unexecuted, and the government itself go to pieces, lest that one be violated." It's interesting, but as bedtime reading, it took me quite awhile.
All the Laws But One : Civil Liberties in Wartime (Law)
Peter Robb(permalink)
Midnight in Sicily
The History of La Cosa Nostra, or Mafia, in southern Italy. The story and the history are fascinating, but the writing was slightly difficult. Even though, I still recommend it to anyone curious about the mafia and organized crime in Italy.
Midnight in Sicily (1996) (History)
Elaine Sciolino(permalink)
Persian Mirrors: The Elusive Face of Iran
Elaine Sciolino is a writer for the New York Times who has covered Iran for more than twenty years. She seems to love both the land and the people, and that comes through, even when she's talking about the negatives, including the treatment of women in Iran, and the oppression of Iranian citizens by their government.
Persian Mirrors: The Elusive Face of Iran (2000) History
Sherry Sontag and Christopher Drew(permalink)
Blind Man's Bluff
Submarine espionage, from the start of submarines to the boomers and attack subs developed for the cold war. Incredible what they got away with and how they managed to keep it all a secret. They interviewed former sailors who were submariners during the cold war, and convinced many that now was the time for their stories to be heard. They even discuss the project to tap the Soviet deep sea communications link, and it becomes apparent that they U.S. military never really spent hundreds of dollars for toilet seats and wrenches, but was instead forced to pad their budget to cover the expenses of these super secret operations.
Blind Man's Bluff (1998) (History, Military)
James Trager
The Women's Chronology (History)
First Ladies: An Intimate Group Portrait of White House Wives (History, Biography)
Alice K. Turner
The History of Hell
Yup, the history of Hell. Only started, so don't have much to say about it, but it is quite interesting. Starts with the idea of Hell, it started back in Sumer about 4000 years ago, of course it was more the Land of the dead, much as what we would associate with the Underworld of Greek and Roman mythology than the idea of demons and fires etc.
Addendum: This is NOT the book to read right before bed. Attempts to read this book were abandoned due to really disturbing dreams.
The History of Hell (History, Religion)
Eating Well for Optimum Health (Health)
Juan Williams(permalink)
Thurgood Marshall : American Revolutionary (Biography)
Simon Winchester(permalink)
The Professor and the Madman
I heard an interview of the author on NPR's Fresh Air and was intrigued. I'm very glad I caught that program because it's an entrancing book. I never realized how late it was before there was a "complete" English language dictionary. Definitely worth reading. As my grandmother says, it really sounds like something in which you wouldn't be interested, but is actually fascinating.
The Professor and the Madman : A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary (1998) (Biography, History)
Bitch : In Praise of Difficult Women
Richard Zacks(permalink)
An Underground Education (History)
