Page Count Grade 0-9 Date I finished Source (FPL: Fargo Public Library)
This sequel to the prequel is equally good. I read the last 300+ pages in one sitting. I couldn't find anything else I wanted to do which would be better. 603 pages 7.0 1/1/01 Craig
Greenspan's Fed And The American Boom
Very good book. Maybe not supprising it reads more like a long newspaper story than a book. I was supprised how well Clinton comes off. It wasn't Woodward saying this, it was Woodward reporting what Greenspan said, "I couldn't have done it without what you did on deficit reduction. If you had not turned the fiscal situation around, we couldn't have had the kind of monetary policy we've had.p221 Clinton learned early on, "You mean to tell me that the success of the program and my reelection hinges on the Federal Reserve and a bunch of fucking bond traders?" p126 Greenspan thought- Here was this versy smart man, clearly head and shoulders above most of the presidents of the US in terms of intellect, grasp of policy, seriousness, political skill and charm; yet he didn't have self discipline.p214 229 pages 7.0 1/10/01 FPL
Winning The Presidency In The Nineties
President Clinton's Chief Strategist talks about Clinton and the cabinet and staff which Clinton didn't seem to care for. It was an easy read. Morris should not give up his day job, but the books was very interested. I was telling Suzanne and soon she was reading it too. It seems Clinton, Gore, and Hillary were New Democrats. If they had started off that way who know how much further they would have gone. After reading the book I knew much more about Clinton, polling and Trianglation. 650 pages 6.0 1/29/01 FPL
A semi-humorous murder mystery and look at slavery 215 pages 5.7 1/30/01 FPL
The Mysterious Stranger was very interesting. I only had time to read a few other stories. From p281 to the end of the book. 183 pages 6.0 2/6/01 FPL
Another collection (the third?) of his opening monologues. Some are very funny. I think I'm on the same wavelength. 208 pages 7.0 2/18/01 FPL
A collection of new and old material, mostly non-fiction. The science and socialogy stuff was pretty interesting. The padding about the New Yorker was a little too much. 293 pages 6.5 2/18/01 FPL
I got it in my head to read this book again. It's odd that I haven't read since 1978. I guess I rarely reread books. Although the story hasn't changed the book has. The experience was very different. I had no trouble with the first 200 pages this time. It affected me deeply, but not like the first time natch. Even though I gave this book an A- I wouldn't recommend it to anyone I know. (Reminds me of Great Expectations that way- when Suzanne read the wrong Dickens book.) 879 pages 8.0 4/3/01 Craig
The History And Technique
I got this book for the pictures mainly but the text was so interesting that I couldn't put it down. For someone who likes big effect movies, these books explains how the effects are created. From The simplist to most complicated. 307 pages 7.2 4/12/01 FPL
I was really in the mood for this book. Nothing like some good science fiction to clear the pallet. All Ben Bova books seem like good reads, this one was particularly interesting. 368 pages 7.5 4/15/01 FPL
No conspiracy, no lawyers but still a damn good story. The view point was a 7 year old boy, but he seems older. Picking cotton in 1952. 388 pages 7.5 4/20/01 FPL
Musings On Linux And Open Source By An Accidental Revolutionary
'Open Source' is an interesting concept which is a way around Frederick Brook's "The Mythical Man-Month" roadblock. The write was clear however it was a little hard to understand given the subject. Another book I really loved but couldn't recommend. Quote1: Open source promotes software reliability and quality by supporting independent peer review and rapid evolution of source code. To be OSI certified, the software must be distributed under a license that guarantees the right to read, redistribute, modify, and use the software freely. Quote2: (There is one apparent exception to this Hackers will sometimes do things that may seem repetitive or boring to an observer as a mind-clearing exercise, or in order to acquire a skill or have some particulare kind of experience you can't have otherwise. But this is by choice- nobody who can think should ever be forced into boredom.) 254 pages 7.5 4/21/01 FPL
I'm pretty sure this is only the second time I've read this book. It was no where near as good as most Delany books. It was barely worth reading. Seemed like a contractual contract book. It was padded out with two appendix: A) omitted pages, B) some crap called "Some Informal Remarks toward the Modular Calculus part two." Again the book is total different from the one I remember. I remember orginally reading it, being somewhat freaked out by designer sex change operations. I like the interaction between Bron and 'The Spike' but little else. 369 pages 4.2 5/14/01 Craig
This book was much better than "Triton". Again it's much different than I remember. Sort of an autobiograph, about one winter in a commune. It has a nice warm feel but the vibe I got in SF while staying with Jamie and Cindy was total different. p27 "Balling someone you've been working hard with, for me at any rate, is on e of th emost satisfying things I know. It was a good night." 127 pages 6.5 5/15/01 Craig
If you were only going to read one Delany book this would have to be it. Not because it's the best but because it's one of his first (1966). It set him up as a wunderkind. The ideas he developes about future lifestyle and the role language plays in perception work milked for a career. Rydra Wong is a the main charactor, poet and poly language type person.See hunts down the Secret to Code "Babel 17" - sort a computer virus type language for humans. In the end she adds to it creating Babel 18 which allows the Alliance to defeat the Invaders. (p125, Abstract thoughts in a blue room: Nominative, genitive, elative, accusative one, accusative two, ablative, partitive, illative, instructive, abessive, adessie, inessive, essive, allative, translative, comitative. Sixteen cases of the Finnish noun. Odd, some languages get by with only singular and plural.) 248 pages 7.0 5/20/01 Craig
Creative Web Animations
Very good look at Flash. Much of the information is in the Flash manual some isn't, and it's always good to get a second look at some of the techniques. Looking on-line I found the javascript so you could run MIDI files. 407 pages 7.0 5/28/01 FPL
This book is not much different than other early Delany SF books. I use to think this would be the easiest Delany to get into. I have my doubts now. The story is standard and the charactors are not that interesting. 215 pages 4.5 6/3/01 Craig
My Life In Mission Control
It wasn't the written book but is was very interesting. The information about the Mercury and Gemini projects was the best I've read. 355 pages 7.0 6/5/01 FPL
The Growing Conflict Over Creativity, Enterprires, And Progress
This may be the best book I've ever read. If I tried to recap the good parts I would just end up rewriting the book here. How she assembled all that information from so many sources is amazing. (There were 34 pages of notes.) I guess it helps being the editor of Reason. I have only two complaints about the book. One, the sentences have too many dependant clauses. They get to be long and monotonous. Two, I would like to see Dynamism (The Party of Life) put into the the structure of Chaos and Statias- what feedback mechanisms prevent Dynamism from degenerating to Chaos. I think I know the answer; Virginia certainly hints at it but I think it deserves a chapter on it's own. Its nice to read a book that you agree 100% with every once in awhile. Without Suzanne's bookclub I don't know that I would have gotten around to reading it or recommending it. 218 pages 9.0 6/7/01 FPL
Techniques, Strategies, And Applications
This wasn't much of a book. Is Linda kidding? It's a collection of disjointed articles mashed together. The premise of collecting patterns so programs don't re-invent the wheel seems like a no brainer. I gave up half-way through the book as the articles started to get cryptic- and it wasn't just industry jargo, it was just vague college text book speak. The only good part was some of the non programing or project patterns: on Meeting sizes and one called "Guru Does It All" p153 Also known as "Project Savior. Context: A newly formed team is given a new project characterized by the following: tight schedule, changing requirements, uncertainty of design, uneven distribution of skills among developers, and new technologies. [That sounds like D&M's video project, and guess who is the guru.] 319 pages 2.0 6/7/01 FPL
The Ultimate Compendium Of Interviews, Articles, Facts & Opinions
I got this for $4. It was worth it not having to OCR all the RS articles I've clipped. I remember these articles. I don't know if I'm getting sick of U2 or am just sad to see all the great rock of that era go. 217 pages 4.0 6/12/01 Craig
After reading this it's hard to believe Delany was my favorite author. Even harder to believe this won a Nebula Award. I seems like he went on vacation to Greece, got stoned and started writing. It's a story of myth and longing in a post nuclear holocast world. I think I only read this book because I was looking for the Dove. (P108, 121,131) "The Dove says, 'One is nice? Nine or ten are so much nicer!'" The charactors go to other planets but have no control over their environment or genetics? I doubt it. 155 pages 3.5 6/15/01 Craig
Shattering The Last Glass Ceiling
I would not read this book but for two facts. Suzanne and the LWVND wanted to read it for the bookclub. 2) I didn't have anything to read. The introduction talked about everything I already knew. Then she launched into a Chapter on 'Saint Hillary.' I skipped to the coda which was interesting but too brief. Then I started to read individual chapters. Each was like a short biography. I like biographies and I liked these. The entire books seemed like a collection of newspaper columns. Their editor should have taken care. At one point she references the President. You're meant to read President Clinton but of course that's out of date- this is a book not a column. Many of the women profiled in each chapter where running for election in 2000. It seems criminal that the book is published before the election. It's like a mystery with the last chapter ripped out. Of course the book would have generated more sales interest before the elections, but still.... 324 pages 3.0 6/20/01 Suzanne
Sex And Science Fiction Writing In The East Village 1957-1965
I wish Delany would write more memoir bringing his life story up to date. It was very interesting. The structure based on paragraphs with outlines numbers (ie. 75.411) was a cool idea. Paragraph 75 started a story about a Ménage ŕ trois with Marilyn and Bob. I can see how this relationship found it's way into the "Dhalgren". 300 pages 7.3 6/27/01 Craig
Baldacci seems like a cross between Clancy and Grissom. The story was a pretty good suspense tale about the FBI and a rouge CIA director, a lobbist (his partner Faith), and a PI named Lee Adams 495 pages 7.0 6/29/01 Suzanne
Jack Ryan gets into a Trade War with China and then sides with Russia in a shooting war against China. Charactors seem two dimensional cut outs with swear words attached but the plot was great. (Somewhat unbelievable- I don't think the Chinese are that unscrutable) Around page 750 I knew I could't put the book down so I kept reading until I finished at 12:45 am. 1028 pages 7.5 7/10/01 FPL
"A novel of alternate history- with Lincoln and Lee at Britain's mercy, the road to freedom leads through Ireland!" I like Harrison books and I liked the idea of these alternative histories. At first I thought it was pretty poor, but it got better. 319 pages 6.0 7/10/01 FPL
Interview responses from all the principles: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Along with the secondary: Brian Epstein, George Martin, Mel, Neil, Derek Taylor. I thought it would be a puff peice, a table book with nice pictures. The layout (pictures were sloppy, arty layout- like the CD covers), but what made the book good was story they told- from the inside. My favorite part (Which I had to show mom) was McCartney preparing for the first world-wide satellite hook up for "All You Need is Love" (p257) "Paul: I stayed up all the night before the show, drawing on the shirt that I wore. I had some chemicals called Trichem- you could draw on a shirt with them, and then you could launder the shirt and the pattern stayed on. I used them a lot, many's the shirt or door I've painted with them. It was good fun. that shirt got nicked after the show; still- easy come, easy go." 357 pages 7.0 7/11/01 FPL
It started off slow and so stupid/silly that I called Suzanne, "Does it get any better. Because if it doesn't, I'm not reading any more." It did get better. The ending wasn't that good either, but that was because Rice must be writing a bunch of sequels. 457 pages 3.5 7/17/01 Suzanne
It was very well written. National Book Award Finalist and Oprah's book club, but from the first chapter I knew nothing good was going to happen to the charactors. I don't believe everything can just fall apart like that. You have to be pretty stupid to let some of the situations develope as did in the book. All the main charactors ended up dead or in jail. 365 pages 5.2 7/23/01 Suzanne
There were some insights but not many. And the writing seemed kind of labored. However, I enjoyed reading it due to my love of the Coen brother movies. 235 pages 3.0 8/2/01 FPL
The Hidden Language Of Computer Hardware And Software
This book looked interested, but every time I look at it I got turned off by the electrical diagrams. The beginning was interesting- a history of different types of information codes. I started reading faster and faster as the electrical diagrams got denser and denser. At least I got the gest. The end about computer codes is pretty good. 382 pages 3.0 8/8/01 FPL
A good story, somewhat balanced when it comes to pro gun and anti gun, but in the end the pro gun guys always turn out to be monsters. 447 pages 7.0 8/13/01 FPL
Step By Step! Tips, Tricks &Techniques
Most of the techniques work with Freehand. Not too much that I don't know, but I'm not willing to go digital when I can do better analog. The blends are more useful than I thought. I thought they were a stupid gradient replacement, but you can use them as a multiple copies. 327 pages 5.0 8/13/01 FPL
A Heavy Metal Odyssey In Rural Nörth Daköta
I enjoyed reading this book, even though I did it all at Barnes and Noble and a couple chapters at Media Play. I gues they figure no one would read an entire book, but then they didn't count on me. Chuck's still as interesting and funny as he was when he worked for the Forum. He posted his phone number. I was going to call until I read the last chapter and found out he's a drunk. 330-867-1883. 283 pages 7.0 8/18/01 B&N
Very exciting edge of your seat. Even the ending was good. David writes a good book! 520 pages 8.5 8/21/01 FPL
I wasn't expecting to get much out of this book. The reason I picked it up- was the odd situation of Gergen having worked for four different administrations. It was well written. Not only style-wise but also format wise with opening paragraphs and conclusions. It was NOT a tell all book (which would have turned me off), but an interesting look at leadership with practical lessons for all of us, not just those of us headed for the Presidency. (Like Suzanne- ha ha.) 352 pages 6.2 8/30/01 FPL
The Stories Behind The Greatest Songs Of All Time
The stories were good, but much too short. I want to know all the details- about writing, demoing, recording, and playing the songs. 204 pages 6.0 9/1/01 FPL
It was another good book. The other two were better, but this was still a fun book to read. 470 pages 6.5 9/2/01 FPL
A Practical Guide To Interactive Web Pages
This was a smallish book, but was the only one that explained what I wanted to do with forms in some detail. The other areas were good too. 299 pages 7.2 9/5/01 FPL
A quick read. As this is a relatively new book I did read about 15% of the columns in the Midweek. Yet it's still fun to read his stories. 310 pages 6.0 9/22/01 FPL
A Rendezvous With Destiny
I didn't do any research to pick this Biography. It was the newest, or appeared to be. And the author had wrote a four volume biography of FDR so he certainly new the subject. It was well written. FDR came across as lucky and shrewd, sort of like Bill Clinton. If not for the war I don't think any of FDRs policies would be in place today, nor would anybody think he was the greatest president of the 20th century. FDR was not a liberal, more of a progressive like T. Roosevelt. I think that's why he was so successful in the elections, many Republican's voted for him. 607 pages 5.5 9/22/01 FPL
This was almost as good as "Total Control". The pacing is just right. The charators are full and believable- although Jackson the supercriminal is a bit much. 513 pages 7.5 9/28/01 FPL
Another good Ambrose book. The writting style seems a little simple as was the tone. The story selection was good. Very interesting without covering material I've read in other books. For the lay person I think it would read equally well. Ambrose seems to make the arguement that Stategic bombing did work but 'only' after the Allies got Air Superiority, enough bombers, and picked oil refinery and marshalling yard as targets. 263 pages 6.8 10/1/01 Suzanne
Like Grissom's "The Painted House", this book is not a suspense thriller but a really good story about living in the mountains of Virginia in 1940. The charactors are well developed and the story is touching. 399 pages 8.5 10/8/01 FPL
The Men Who Built The Transcontinental Railroad
This is probably Ambroses best book. It made feel good to read a can-do book during this terrorist war with Afghanistan. It's hard to believe it was built by hand- not just laying the rails but the cuts and fills were done by men with shovels. Not just dirt but snow too. All the miles of snow shelters, the hand drills and black powder through thousands of feet of solid granite! 382 pages 7.7 10/12/01 FPL
A little action and adventure with a little science. As he explained the singularity they found in a limestone cube the science actually got more believable rather than less. This books wasn't even in the science fiction section which is odd. 533 pages 7.2 10/21/01 FPL
Rush talked about this author. The action/ suspense was pretty good, but some of the charactors and situations were pretty unbelievable. Navy Seals are not going to start killing congressmen just because they don't like how the country is being run or having their missions compromised by Senator (Kennedy) Fritzgerald. All the charactors had names that were obvious. 403 pages 5.5 10/27/01 FPL
The Story Of An Accidental Revolution
I couldn't put the book down. Linus seems like suck an interesting person, someone who would be fun to hang around with. There were two strikes against him in my eyes: he put down the Mac (but I understand his bias) and he put down root beer. It was a fun book to read. 249 pages 5.7 11/3/01 FPL
I loved reading this Dune Trilogy. They have time to write another trilogy based on the childhood of Paul Adriedes. He's just been born at the end of this book and is a young man at the beginning of Dune. However, I doubt they will. This book ends with the Empire all shook up, every house needs to settle down for the next round. I would like to see Brian write a book about the Butlerian Jihad- where everything started. Or, ignore all his father's sequels to "Dune" and write his own series. 496 pages 7.2 11/7/01 Suzanne
This is probably one of the best histories of Rock'n'Roll. It's relatively short but it's well written. Although it is a companion to the excellent BBC ten part "History Of Rock and Roll" it's not a duplication. Palmer looks at the early history, roots, and influences of Rock and Roll. This is important because it means there is more information on artists rarely heard and less: Presley, Beatles, Stones, U2, Springsteen, etc. 292 pages 7.0 11/10/01 Craig
The Making Of Andrew Jackson
It was more an interesting look at the times rather than Andrew Jackson as the historical record was not very complete. The view of the Revolutionary War in the Carolinas was good. 200 pages 5.2 11/13/01 FPL
A average supense thrilller. Paul Dobbins gave the book to me to read. I thought Higgins was going through the motions. The story is good, but it seems like a screenplay. It would probably make a good action movie. 320 pages 5.0 11/22/01 Suzanne
How To Exploit The Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company And Career
I had high hopes for this book. It wasn't written that well and the guidelines don't seem to apply in a consistant maner. After reading it, it sounds like "Only the Lucky survive." Grove didn't do half the thinks he says managers should do and then formalized these rules only after his middle managers did it for him. 184 pages 2.5 11/23/01 FPL
Homecoming Volume 1
These seems like a pretty good series. I was concerned it might be too "Lord of the Rings" but it's a good story and no fairy dust. 292 pages 7.2 11/26/01 FPL
It's hard to really enjoy having seen the movie. The whole point of a suspense thriller is suspense, which you don't get when you've seen the movie. Near the end I started getting into it and would like to see the movie again. 469 pages 5.0 12/3/01 FPL
George is getting meaner in his old age. The jokes are pretty funny at times, yet sometimes the humor is so black as to be not funny at all. 269 pages 5.5 12/10/01 FPL
A Memoir Of London In The 1960s
Very interesting, pretty entertaining. The writing wasn't that great, but that was do to having multiple authors. The Rolling Stones didn't show up until the last chapters. This book was different than I had imagined. Without trying to, Andrew shows the Stones as having more luck (his) than really talent. 352 pages 7.0 12/14/01 FPL
Homcoming Volume 2
The next book in the series. I was supprised that the primary charactors didn't get very far. By the end of the book they just got out of Basilica. They still have to wander the planet, get into orbit and make an intersteller trip- all by volume 4. 304 pages 5.9 12/18/01 FPL
Homecoming Volume 3
... and still, they haven't got out of the desert yet. At least they found the space ships. In the future I don't think I'm going to read any more Card series- he's better with complete novels. 382 pages 4.0 12/28/01 FPL
A fun book to read. I loved the orginal and the movie they made from it. This book continued with the tale. It did seem a bit slow in places and maybe it was a bit too long, but then I was pretty happy when the book ended with a note about a sequel. 432 pages 7.0 12/31/01 FPL