Monday, March 19, 2012

How's this for screwed up?

When pondering what I wanted to read next, I decided that a book about the American healthcare system (Lionel Shriver's So Much for That) was more anxiety inducing than a zombie novel. Of course, zombies are somewhat less likely than having to use your retirement money and then some after a life of cubicle dwelling to care for a terminally ill partner. The fact that the last Lionel Shriver book I read left me in an emotional state akin to a crumpled up paper towel may be related.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Book: Arctic Rising

Arctic RisingArctic Rising by Tobias S. Buckell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A fascinating scifi-ish speculative roller coaster thriller about the polar ice caps melting and the repercussions thereafter for the people of planet earth. As an airship pilot tries to find who shot her ship down, we're introduced to shifts in the balance of power in the world (eg, native peoples in the Arctic), the role of nongovernmental and nonprofit organizations, human migration, war (official and otherwise), and even personal relations. The issues aren't black or white here, and neither are the characters, but I found it all fascinating.



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What I'm About to Admit...

...Could likely get me get kicked out of Louisiana: I'm really not all that enthralled with Mardi Gras. King cake kind of tastes like too-sweet, usually stale cinnamon rolls. Parades are fun but a pain in the neck to get to, and I really don't like having things thrown at me. Then there's the whole weird vibe with the segregated krewes and debutante balls, the creepy symbolism of the old white guy squiring a nubile young woman (with the oldest krewes), and masks that look straight out of a 1930s Klan rally. Maybe next year I'll use that weekend to visit the fam and see some snow.