"The Secret World of Og" by Pierre Burton (1920-2004)

 

Publisher: McClelland and Stewart

Copyright: 1961

ISBN: 0771013868

This book is a lot of fun to read, it is obviously a children's book, and one I've had in my collection for many many years. I can remember one of my elementary school teachers reading it to me our class in the mid 60s. And I subsequently read it to my daughters when they were young.

The story tells the tale of five children who discover a secret passage underneath her playhouse leading to a underground civilization a little green people who primarily speak by saying the word "Og". A few can speak English, or at least a version thereof as they learned the language through comic books, children stories, etc. In addition to this the little people act like the characters they have read about in the comics, which leads to sound rather humourous encounters.

The storyline is very straightforward and would be an easy read for anybody in the middle elementary grades (grades three and up), and would make a very good story (as I know for certain) for parents to read to their children.

There was never any sequel to this book to the best of my knowledge, but it would've been nice if there was.

Highly recommended.

"Mathematics" Margaret Ball

 

Publisher: Baen Books

Copyright: 1996

ISBN: 0671877550

This novel is a lot of fun to read. It concerns a former warrior woman Riva Konneva, who has taken refuge on Earth (or the Planet of the Paper-pushers as it is referred to) to help educate her daughter, and to stay away from the magician/wizard who is the father of her daughter, and not a nice person.

In the alternate reality that they came from magic is performed through the use of mathematics. This may seem a little odd to diehard fantasy readers, but it actually works very well in the way the novel is structured. It also doesn't hurt that Margaret Ball is a mathematician and computer scientist.

This novel is the second in a series, however there is no indication of this in the beginning of the book. It is listed on the cover as "A Chicks in Chainmail Novel" which does support this idea. Upon consulting the Internet Science fiction Data Base it turns out that the first book in the series is called "Career Day", well the third is called "Tales from the Slush Pile", and the fourth "Fun with Hieroglyphics". Unfortunately I haven't read any of these other three, but will definitely be keeping an eye out for them.

A very good read, With lots of humour and interesting sub-plots outside of the main one.

"Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law" by Mary Roach

 

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Copyright: 2021

ISBN: 9781324001843

This book is Ms. Roach's seventh, and it is just as delightfully informative and fun to read as all the others.

In Fuzz she investigates the world of interactions between humans and nature. Some of these are extremely funny, while others are rather tragic, and unfortunately it's usually nature that gets the fuzzy end of the lollipop, but not always.

She investigates human interactions with bears, elephants, leopards, macaques, cougars, trees, beans, birds and then goes on to look at what the human animal does to prevent their cousins from doing what they do naturally by digging into how to scare animals away, pest removal, and also gene manipulation.

Like her other books (Grunt, Gulp, Packing for Mars, Bonk, Spook, and Stiff - I'll leave it to you to figure out what they are about), the amount of research she does is absolutely incredible, and the detail that this produces on the page is astounding.

Looking forward to book #8!

"Myth Adventures" by Robert Lynn Asprin (1946-2008)

 

Publisher: Nelson Doubleday

Copyright: 1985

It's been many years since I first began reading this series, and it was a lot of fun to take a break from the more serious books I've been reading and indulge myself in this one. Myth Adventures is a compilation of the first four books in the myth series, namely "Another Fine Myth", "Myth Conceptions", "Myth Directions", and "Hit or Myth". As you can probably appreciate from the title it is humorous (the titles being puns), and from the cover its in a fantasy world. I typically do not read a lot of fantasy, but this series is definitely one of my favorites.

The series begins with "Another Fine Myth" and tells the tale of Skeve, a rather lacklustre apprentice to the magician Garkin. In an offhand demonstration of power Garkin summons a demon named Aahz, and then gets himself killed by an assassin. This has the unfortunate result of trapping Aahz with Skeve in the dimension he was summoned to.

Because it seems assassins typically travel in groups to ensure the success of their missions Aahz and Skeve are now on the run, as Garkin had been able to kill his assassin, who therefore couldn't return to his partners and divide up the loot. Other characters from future novels in the myth series are also introduced.

In the second book "Myth Conceptions" the dynamic duo of Skeeve and Aahz have to defeat a huge invading army, that is camped on the border of their kingdom, and preparing to cross. A project such as this will surely test Steve's limited magical abilities, but with the assistance of a few friends some of whom we met in the first book they concoct a rather interesting response.

"Myth Directions" has Skeve, Tananda, and a number of others trying to find Aahz a birthday present and that was the easy part.

"Hit or Myth" has Skeve's boss King Roderick skipping town in order to avoid getting married, and forcing Skeve to take his place with the use of his trusty disguise spell, and that's just the beginning/

This first four books in this series are extremely funny, and the entire Myth series has acquired a significant following in fandom. The numerous jokes, puns, word play, and odd situations the group find themselves in make the story worth reading.

Highly recommended.

"Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation!" by Lynn Truss

 

Publisher: New York : Gotham Books

Copyright: 2003

ISBN: 9781592400874 

This book gives the reader a very good overview of grammar and punctuation (you know that stuff you were supposed to have learned about in English class). Now, while this might sound like a fairly dull subject. It isn’t, as Lynne Truss does it with a great sense of humour, and wonderful examples that will keep you enthralled (and laughing) to the very end.

Some of the examples cited in the text are ones you will commonly see now-a-days. I’m not sure why this is, as to the best of my knowledge English is still a core subject in school. The rules for grammar and punctuation are basically quite simple, but can seem difficult if you aren’t properly trained in them.

So go ahead, read this book, it’ll open your eyes and definitely give you something to think about.

Enjoy, and watch your commas.

“M*A*S*H” by Richard Hooker (1924-1997)

Publisher:New York : William Morrow and Company, 1968.
Edition:First Ballantine Books edition.
Copyright Date:©1968
Characteristics:  211 pages

Richard Hooker was the pseudonym for H. Richard Hornberger a surgeon, and MASH was based on his experiences during the Korean War.

For those readers who are familiar with the movie version of MASH it follows the book quite closely, which detailed the lives of a group of surgeons while they were posted in Korea for approximately 15 to 16 months.

The two main characters in the book are Hawkeye Pierce, and Duke Forest,  both surgeons who arrived at the 4077 MASH at the same time. In the movie & series the lead characters are Pierce and Trapper John McIntyre. There are certain characters in the book though that do not play anywhere near as big a part as they did in the television series, such as Major Houlihan, Major Burns.

The book is very well written and gives a good account of what the surgeons and medical staff of a typical MASH unit went through on a daily basis. There's a fair amount of medical terminology which might confuse, or at least slow down the understanding of someone who isn't familiar with it.

There are a number of scenes in the book that appear in the movie, but do not appear in the TV series, such as the suicide of Painless Pole, The football game, and the trip to Japan to operate on the Congressmans son (and play golf). There is also a great section where Trapper John poses as Jesus Christ and sells autographed pictures of himself in order to raise money to send Ho-Jon to medical school in the States. This I'm sure would have been great had it been in the movie, but I'm also sure that the religious right would have had a rather large fit about it.

This book is a very good read, and I would recommend it as an interesting comparison to what you have seen or might see if you have never seen either the movie it the series.

"Agent to the Stars" by John Scalzi

Publisher: Tom Doherty, New York
Copyright Date:©2005
ISBN: 9780765357007
Characteristics: 385 pages

I am fairly certain that this is first book of John Scalzi's that I read. I am not so certain however, how I came across it, but chances are that I was browsing the shelves at the library. I've always been quite interested in stories that feature first contact scenarios, and this is likely what drew me to the story. Since that time, which was probably about 4 years ago or so, I've read the story a coupe more times, and each reading has brought a new enjoyment at the plotting, and the characters.

The story revolves around a peaceful alien race that wants to contact Earth, but as one of the aliens puts it "We have seen The Blob, and it is us". Add to this the fact that they communicate olfactorily and you have a nice little problem to solve.

It think I've alway enjoyed first contact stories, but sadly the vast majority of them are ones that focus on the military. Those that offer the scenario up in a peaceful manner are somewhat few and far between.

Mr. Scalzi has written a very enjoyable book here, that I'm sure will appeal to readers throughout the science fiction arena. I would highly recommend you check it out.

"My Planet: Finding Humour in the Oddest Places" by Mary Roach

Publisher: Reader's Digest

Copyright: 2013

ISBN: 9781621450719

Mary Roach is to say the least of very interesting writer. The topics she chooses are some would say off-the-wall, but all are extremely informative and very well written. Her other books all focus on a specific topic, and all are well worth a read for both the style of writing, the humour, as well as the wonderful and in-depth research that she does.

"My Planet" is a collection of Mary Roach's essays and looks at 62 facets of normal life (albeit from an American viewpoint) with uncanny wit and wisdom. The jacket blurb states:

"These essays, which found a well-deserved home within the pages of Reader's Digest as the column 'My Planet' detail the inner workings of hypochondriacs, hoarders, and compulsive cheapskates."

This Book would make a wonderful addition to anybody who is looking for a light read, but one that gives you insight into human interaction, and life in general - especially one where you want to look at the funny side of life.

"Let's Go Exploring" by Michael Hingston

Publisher:Toronto, Ontario : ECW Press, [2018]
Copyright Date:©2018
ISBN: 9781770414136
Characteristics: 131 pages.

Calvin & Hobbes was a comic strip staple for 10 years, then it suddenly ended its run on December 31, 1995 much to the dismay of thousands of loyal fans. At its height it appeared in more than 2400 newspapers. Since he shutdown the strip the creator Bill Watterson has essentially kept out of the public eye, also much to the dismay of thousands of loyal fans. But can you blame him for this?

This book is an examination of the phenomena of the Calvin & Hobbes story, Mr. Watterson, and some of the struggles he had to put up with when he created this enduring strip. There is a fair amount of background information given in this book that goes into Mr. Watterson's life prior to C & H and how he got started, his love of Charles Shultz's "Peanuts", but it mainly discusses the role C & H has played in American culture. It also delves into discussions of how Calvin might really perceive the world: Is it just daydreaming, a mental illness, or just a commentary on child & grown-up relations?

"Let's Go Exploring" is a well written book, that should be read by all C & H fans, as well as those who are fans of other strips. Michael Hingston is an Edmonton author.

"Superfreakonomics" by Steven Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

Publisher:New York : William Morrow, [2010]

Edition:First edition, illustrated edition.

Copyright Date:©2010

ISBN:9780061941221

Characteristics:xxi, 281 pages :,color illustrations ;,27 cm

Superfreakonomics was a delight to read, as well as being very informative. I had read Freakonomics a few years ago and found that it too was well researched and well presented (however this was before I started writing reviews on this blog). I never took any microeconomics courses while I was in university but a book like this makes me wish I had done so.

The in depth examination of the Kitty Genovese murder was very interesting to read. My first exposure to this tale was during one of my psychology course at University, and like is mentioned in Superfreakonomics it was the standard telling (accounts from the regular news media), and that was many years after the fact as I was very young when it happened. The information provided in this book however sheds new light on the subject and makes you pause and think, rather than just be abhorred by the the bystanders did (or in this case didn't do).

Two other chapters that were very thought provoking was the one on global warming and the final one about monkeys. I would definitely like to hear more about the monkeys!

One criticism I have though is that when you consider that Canada is the Northern neighbour of the United States, and that we share the longest undefended border in the world. It seems odd to not see any mention of our existence in the book, mind you this is rather typical to a certain point in pretty much all books published in America so I guess I can't fault them on that (well, not too much at least).

All-in-all a very good book worth taking a good look at, you do tend however to want to read a whole chapter at once (and they're fairly long) so brew a big pot of tea and go to it. For sake of clarity I would recommend that you only read one chapter per day (or however long it takes, as there is a lot of information to absorb), and then sit back and reflect on what you have read.

"How to Fake A Moon Landing: Exposing the Myths of Science Denial" by Darryl Cunningham

Publisher:New York : Abrams ComicArts, 2013.

ISBN:9781419706899  

Characteristics:172 pages, 4 unnumbered pages :,color illustrations

Alternative Title:Previously publushed as: Science tales: lies, hoaxes, and scams.
This book explores eight common science denial areas in cartoon format, and does it very well. Mr. Cunningham deals with the topics: The Moon landing hoax, Homeopathy, Chiropractic medicine, Vaccinations, Evolution, Fracking, Climate Change, and General Science Denial as does so in a way that will appeal to people of all ages.
A quote from Michael Specter a staff writer for the New Yorker as well as an author states the overall thesis behind this book on page 2 by saying:
"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion; however, everyone is not entitled to their own facts."
The eight myths contained within this book are all refuted, by reviewing them in a rational, and logical way with simple explanations as to why they are false and providing the scientifically based reasoning behind the evidence.
While I'm sure this book won't convince the die-hard science denial fans, it will hopefully at least start to drive a wedge into their armour and therefore show everyone that their one sided opinions are not sustainable in a rational discussion.
Another quote, this time from the preface:
"... [T]he universe has amazing and strange qualities anyway for those who care to see them. There is no need to believe in fantasy in order to see the extraordinary in the world, when reality offers up so much that is astonishing." (pg. 6)
Pick this book up, and enjoy it.

"Unmentionable The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners" by Therese Oneill

Publisher:New York : Little, Brown and Company, 2016.

Edition:First edition.

Copyright Date:©2016

ISBN:9780316357913 

Characteristics:viii, 307 pages :,illustrations
Unmentionable is a fascinating look at what the Victorian Age. Ms. Oneill gives you the unvarnished truth behind what life back then was really like. The premise behind this book is that a modern woman takes a trip back in time, and lives in the 19th century, with Ms. Oneill as her guide. She does the whole thing with a humorous twist that keeps you reading, long after the light should have been out.
Many people believe they know what the 19th century was like from watching movies, and reading popular novels, and romances. However reality was much different, as the author reveals interesting items such as bathing habits (pretty much none), using arsenic as a facial cleanser, lead based cosmetics made from lead and lard (that isn't a typo), diets, courtship, what a woman should expect on her wedding night, birth control (or lack thereof in most cases), public behaviour, how to be a good wife, etc.
Now as a male, I was not the intended audience for this book, but I still found it absolutely fascinating. It is true my conceptions of the 19th century were totally skewed, but now I have seen the light. While I haven't written any historical fiction set in the the 19th century, I believe I would like to give it a try someday, but the amount of research needed to make it authentic would be mind blowing. Luckily, Ms. Oneill gives a detailed bibliography.
This book would be a fantastic resource for any writer of historical fiction, historical commentary, science-fiction (for those into time travel). In addition to this you can add students of history, anthropology, politics, gender studies, etc.

"Wonderbook" by Jeff VanderMeer

Publisher:New York : Abrams Image, [2013]

ISBN:9781419704420 

Characteristics:xix, 323 pages :,illustrations (chiefly color).
Wonderbook is another book I read recently on the craft of writing, and it compares to last weeks review of "The Art of Fiction" in that it too imparts valuable information for the inspiring writer, however in this book this is done with what I consider to be the younger writer in mind as there are many illustrations to give the reader further information and reinforce the subject at hand.
This book is in fact very visually oriented, which in my humble opinion means it should appeal to many of today's young writers in that they themselves are very visually oriented. The illustrations are extremely well done, and in many cases make the topic at hand much easier to understand. While reading I wished in fact that my English teachers in school had, had a resource such as this to give us all a fuller understanding of the art of creative writing.