Book Report 1/16/14

Completed Reading (nonfiction): Carthage Must be Destroyed by Richard Miles

Spoiler Alert: Carthage was destroyed. Hannibal’s 15 year adventure in Italy, however brilliantly conceived and executed, was not enough to prevent the destruction of Carthage and the rise of Rome.  He never really pressed his advantages there, and a Roman army’s conquest of Barcid Spain cut him off from resources and reinforcements. Recalled to North Africa to defend Carthage from another Roman Army (under the command of Publius Cornelius Scipio) Hannibal was defeated at the Battle of Zama, and Carthage was marginalized as a power in the Western Mediterranean. It survived until the 3rd Punic War, an event largely contrived by the Romans to justify the total destruction of a broken enemy that still gave them paranoid nightmares. But Carthage survived symbolically (and to an extent still does) as the one adversary that helped Rome define itself. For anyone interested in ancient history and the rise of Rome, this book is a good read, very accessible to the amateur historian and general population.

Currently Reading (fiction): The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Steig Larsson

Still slogging through this one. Spent more of my reading hours finishing off Carthage than Salander. These Dragon Tattoo books are all somewhat overwritten, much longer than they ever needed to be, but this one is the worst, since there seems to be so little happening here. Talking heads everywhere. Our investment in Salander is largely the result of the first two books, but even if I hadn't seen the movie there’s not much suspense regarding the outcome of the novel. I’ll continue to read. Once I've started a book it has to be quite bad or boring to not finish it.

On the Horizon (nonfiction): Detroit: An American Autopsy by Charlie LeDuff

I accidentally received this book through the Quality Paperback Book Club when I failed to decline one of their featured selections. But it looks interesting, so I decided to keep it. It is about LeDuff’s return to his hometown, and a chronicle of its decent from one of the wealthiest cities in America to one of the poorest. First Carthage, now Detroit. I guess I’m fascinated by stories about the destruction of great cities.

Book Report 1/9/14

Book Report 1/2/14

Book Report 12/26/13

Book Report 1/9/14

Currently Reading (fiction): The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Steig Larsson

I’m about halfway through this novel. Definitely the weakest of the three. Salander is not as interesting a character when cooped up in a hospital room as she is running around loose creating chaos. And Blomkvist just seems to be going through the motions, working to help Salander but not developing much beyond a one dimensional character. So far the novel just follows too many threads of too many rather bland characters. At least Zalachenko and Niedermann provided some interesting villainy in The Girl Who Played With Fire. Most of the antagonists in this book appear to be bureaucrats.

Currently Reading (nonfiction): Carthage Must be Destroyed by Richard Miles

Finished the most interesting and possibly the most anticipated chapter in the book, In the Footsteps of Heracles. This covers Hannibal’s march from Spain to Italy, across the Rhône and over the Alps, and the many battles fought against the Romans on Italian soil. Even though Hannibal lost more than half of his forces in transit, it was nice to see things generally work out well for the Carthaginians. Of course the Romans made so many mistakes that you almost feel sorry for them. That the two commanders of the Roman army at some point not only disagreed over strategy, but took turns commanding the army every other day was clearly a recipe for disaster. It all culminates in a huge Roman defeat at the Battle of Cannae, which may have led to the downfall of the Roman Republic had Hannibal been a little less cautious.

Book Report 1/2/14

Book Report 12/26/13

Book Report 1/2/14

Currently Reading (fiction): The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Steig Larsson

I’m still reading this, going through about a chapter a day. Book generally meeting my expectations based on what I remember from the film (well over a year since I viewed that). I find the overuse of the phrase ‘glass cage’ to describe the editor’s office at Erika Berger’s new place of employment a little annoying. I think I get the point. Also I’m not entirely sure how the Berger subplot is relevant, will work into the resolution of the main story about Lisbeth Salander. Seems like an unrelated subplot that is just wasting my time, but maybe Larsson will surprise me and it will tie significantly into the main plot by the end of the novel.

Currently Reading (nonfiction): Carthage Must be Destroyed by Richard Miles

Have not read any additional chapters here. You expect more time to read during the holidays, but sometimes you have less.

On the Horizon (nonfiction): A Writer's Guide to Characterization by Victoria Lynn Schmidt

New book on the craft of writing (first I have purchased in a couple of years). Looks like it will provide character archetypes that might be useful in creating characters and give some solid advice on how to make these different character types interact with one another. Full report pending.


Book Report 12/26/13

Book Report 12/26/13

Finished Reading (nonfiction): Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking by Daniel Dennett

Dennett’s latest offers a variety of tools for thinking about deep questions regarding consciousness, evolution, free will, artificial intelligence and other topics he’s tackled as a philosopher. Some of his most intriguing ideas are the ones that go right over my head. Still, it is a good book for anyone looking to refine their capacity to use logic and think clearly.

Currently Reading (fiction): The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Steig Larsson

Last book in Larsson’s Millennium trilogy, and the only one I’ve started to read after watching the movie based on it. I’ve had the Kindle file on my iPad for well over a year, but never got around to starting it until this week. Larsson’s prose skills leave something to be desired (or maybe it‘s just mediocrity in the translation) but it’s a quick read. I’m only 70 or so pages in, so far, and having seen the film I expect the story to hold few surprises.

Currently Reading (nonfiction): Carthage Must be Destroyed by Richard Miles

Miles provides an in-depth history of the rise and fall of Rome’s greatest adversary, Carthage. I liked Carthage better before I started reading the book and became aware of how incompetent the Carthaginians were. Just getting to the chapters on the 2nd Punic War and Hannibal’s crossing the Alps. Although Carthage was in fact a fairly successful society, existing for several hundred years, for some reason it reminds me of the Confederacy, a failed state with little more going for it than the military genius of a single general.