Hi readers. Thanks for coming by for a read.
Most of you probably know that going into a new year with unfinished business is a risky proposition. There’s no telling what sort of karmic baggage it will carry into your next year to harry you. But sometimes it just can’t be avoided.
In my case it’s a couple of obvious items. One being Orphans in the Sky, copyright 1941, Robert Heinlein. I found it listed in the Johnson County, Kansas, Library and only managed to get it yesterday. I put in into the que for reading, but unless I get cracking I won’t finish it before midnight. I’ve only got a chapter to go. But Heinlein isn’t the only iron in the fire.
A reader here recommended A Pirate of Exquisite Mind, by Diana and Michael Preston. I only got it from the library the same day as the Heinlein tome, so I’ve been alternating between the two. The Preston book is biography of William Dampier, who discovered earlier than anyone else that being a scientist and a pirate weren’t mutually exclusive.
I’ll be a while polishing off the Dampier tome, even if I manage to croak the Heinlein before the world slouches into next year.
And as for the Orphans in the Sky, I’ll confess it rattles me somewhat. One of my favorite all time science fiction books was Starship, by Brian Aldiss. I’ve read it at least half-dozen times over the years. The Heinlein book reminded me of it so when I discovered the library doesn’t have it and it’s not available InterLibrary loan I checked Amazon. And surprised myself by finding a review I wrote about it in 2004:
See this image
So Far From Heaven 
Seeing that you’re stepping into the new year armed with two splendid re-readings, all that’s left for me is to wish you a great new year, with many more re-readings, and a few fresh ones too, to boot. All the best, Jack.
Hi Wesley. Got those Heinlein’s whupped and am about halfway through the Riverworld series. I’ll confess Riverworld’s not as satisfying in the reading of as it was last time around. Age, I reckons. I think it appealed to the pedant in me before. Thanks for the good wishes, and likewise to you and yours. J
I haven’t moved forward on the William Dampier biography yet, but it’s calling to me. Gracias, J
Happy New Year!
Thanks and likewise. J
I’m about half way through a Christmas present from my ex-wife: “Unbroken”, by Lauren Hildebrand. The more or less true story of a kid just out of high school who ran in the 1936 Olympics, shook hands with Hitler, then joined the Army Air Corps as a bombardier in a B-24, crashed in the Pacific, floated around a while in the Big Empty with the sharks, was picked up by the Japanese and thrown in a POW camp. There’s more, but I’m only up to the part where they are bombing Wake Island. So far it is hard to put down. Gives you a feel for how war was managed, say, half way between Waterloo and Robot Drone Assassinations. Plus the kid is an interesting character.
One tidbit: more planes and crews were lost to accidents and mysterious disappearances over the ocean than were lost to combat. A lot. The country just kept on cranking them out long after the Japs and the Nazis were running on fumes. There was plenty of courage and ferocity in WW 2 on all sides, but what won the war was America’s seemingly endless capacity for mass-producing men and weaponry. You lose a few thousand? Just pop in twice as many ready replacements.
I’ll go out on a limb and recommend this one after only reading about half of it. There’s also a movie out. This is the same author who wrote “Seabiscuit”.
http://www.amazon.com/Unbroken-World-Survival-Resilience-Redemption/dp/0812974492/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1420327998&sr=1-1
Bob G: I appreciate the recommendation. The Johnson County website is shut down at the moment but I’m going to put it on hold as soon as I visit the site. Sounds to be a good book. I appreciate your recommending the Dampier biography. I’m only a few chapters into it, but it’s a good one. Didn’t have to get it through InterLibrary loan, so I’ll be able to recheck it if I don’t finish it before it’s due. I’m obliged. J
I just noticed this posted comment again Bob, and realized I never got that book. Just put it on hold at the Leavenworth Library though. thanks again.